The Joys of Visual Observing

[Varangian (John)]

I know it's just me but I struggle to connect with astro images after seeing the object through the eyepiece. There is so much processing that it seems like it is more artist's construct rather than what is really there as we see it.

[KG8]

Originally Posted by barx1963

It is interesting, I mentioned to a work colleague the other day about imaging, and that one day I may give it a go and he said that he could not understand how someone could consider looking at an image better than seeing an object through the eyepiece.
I guess we all have different ideas about what intrigues us, at the moment I am a visual guy, in the future that may change.

Malcolm

I love visual astronomy, I love the EP and couldn't imagine driving 200km to spend the night in front of my laptop. I spend enough time on it already lol.

[OzStarGazer]

Sometimes I really wonder if I should hide the camera or let the battery go flat and not recharge it just to enjoy visual astronomy and get immersed in the immensity of the universe.

[tonybarry (Tony)]

Hi Glenn,

Love your yearbook.

I was a video camera guy, didn't use an eyepiece at all, because galaxies from Penrith are just not going to happen visually.

Then I went to Linden, where the club (WSAAG) operates a 30" (750mm) f/4.5 dobsonian telescope. That beast has changed my thinking. I still use the videocam for stuff around Penrith (mainly occultations and galaxies) but when I go to Linden, I leave the scope at home and the cam at home and we get out the Televue Ethos 21mm and I get to see galaxies with my own eyes. And that Cannot Be Beat.

I can spend many minutes up the ladder sussing out the galaxy currently in view. The other members have to shake the ladder to get me down. When we all have had a go, we discuss what aspects of the object we saw, how it was disposed, all kinds of stuff.

This big dob scope has really changed my thinking on visual observing. I saw the Crab Nebula (M1) with this scope and I could easily make out the dimmer, more fragmented end and the more solid end. I could see many of the mag. 15 stars that appear around it. And it was obvious, not one of these "maybe it's there, maybe it isn't".

So I think there is a huge place for visual observing, but it does require good dark skies and serious glass.

Regards
Tony Barry