Deep Sky Observers

[glenc]

How often do you observe deep sky objects? This can mean looking through a telescope or taking images of DSO.

[CoombellKid]

Being solely an observer. every time I get out, but usually around new moon.
And that depends on weather conditions. I use an 8" reflector and 20x80's
bino's.

regards,CS

[seeker372011]

having voted i now realise I am not getting out the gear as much as most people.. :) need to fix that !

[glenc]

How many of the 2,166 IIS members are regular deep sky observers? Hopefully this poll will give us some idea.

[Astroman]

I observe every chance I get.

[Starkler]

On average I'm out there twice every new moon period, which means packing the scope into the car and going for a drive. I rarely bother from home.

[erick]

Haven't had a full year yet so I don't know! On target for about 15 times per year, maybe....:)

[mill]

I observe as much as possible, even when that pesky moon is out.

[astroron]

according to my log from years past my average would over 50 times per year

[leon]

Rarely observe, like to look at the pictures after a session of imaging.

Leon

[Starkler]

I like to look at pictures after someone else does a session of imaging and posts it on IIS :lol:

[ausastronomer]

My skies at home aren't as bad as some, about Mag 5.5 after midnight, but I rarely bother to observe DSO's from home as well. I usually use my observing time at home to observe solar system targets and double stars, which isn't all that often either BTW.

With good skies only 1 hrs drive away, I usually get to dark skies at least 25 to 30 nights per year.

CS-John B

[dhumpie]

Yeah I love DSO's and pretty much observe them on average two to three nights per week (other than during the full moon). You have to love grab and go's (my AOE 20x80LW's, my Orion ST80 and on occasions my Celestron/Vixen C6). Weekends usually see the 10" GSO in use...

Darren

[wavelandscott]

I'm pretty steady at least once per month...wish it were more!!!

[Ric]

I try to aim for a minimum of 4 times a month imaging/observing, sometimes I'm lucky and get more in while other months can really be clouded out.

Cheers

[dhumpie]

Contrary to the believe that you can only observe DSO's from a dark sky, I do the bulk of my observing from my mag 5.3-5.5 suburban skies as I don't get the chance to get out to dark skies every month. To do this I make good use of UHC filters and my dark "monk's/photographers" hood at my 10". It makes a big difference!!!!!

Darren

[LX200]

This year on average 1 night per week :(
I'd like every night however the weather and smoke has ruined many nights :shrug:

[JohnH]

I spend many nights in the company of my telescope - most recently this has been devoted to (unplanned) beta testing autoguiding software.....

[ving]

my observation sessions are less frequent than i'd like but that said, when I go out to do doubles or look at planets i chuck in some DSOs if that are near by too regardless of where the moon is :)
I used to observe a coul[p of times per week but now it seems to be once a fortnight to three weeks(ish) :(

[Gargoyle_Steve]

"More than 24 nights a year" ... that only averages to 2 nights per month or better. I guess having 12" of aperture helps with viewing DSO's, and I also don't live in a big city although it is coastal suburbia, and not "dark" skies as such, but even so some DSO viewing can be done at least 2 out of 4 weeks per month, clouds permitting.

I think last winter I made it out at least for an hour or 2 for something like 6-8 nights in a row on several occasions.

("Desperation" this would be called by some people, "obsession" by others ..... I reckon it's just damn good fun!)

[Blue Skies]

I'm going to go for the highest number, because although I don't do as much personal private viewing anymore (a tempory circumstance, I'm sure it will change) I do a lot of public stuff for both my club and as a volunteer night guide at Perth Observatory, so I get to see things that way. It's usually the brighter stuff, but I am looking through a scope!

[Rodstar]

I am very surprised by the limited range provided by this poll.

Last year I observed DSO's on 68 nights of the year, and chalked up 424 separate DSO's. And that was in a year when I did not have a scope for the last three and a half months, and had it in for a service with Bintel for another period of several weeks!

This year I hope to observe 10 nights per calendar month, or 120 times in the year. There are MANY MANY DSO's readily observable on all but the brightest lunar nights. In particular, open star clusters and double stars are eminently observable at any time of the month.

That being said, I must say that I have always found galaxies, planetary nebulae and globular clusters to be particularly disappointing objects when the moon is more than 1/4 lit, so there are certainly more limited opportunities to observe these wonderful objects.

[glenc]

Sorry Rod, I will try and do better next time! I mainly want to know the number of IIS deep sky observers, 35 so far. I thought there would have been more, the favorite DSO poll has 45 responses so far.

[iceman]

Glen i'm not surprised by the number of responses in the poll. In my experience, polls are generally not well answered, regardless of their content or subject.

[Rodstar]

No need to apologise Glen. I am becoming more and more aware that I am a bit of a freakish obsessive visual observer :screwy: ........maybe in the next decade of my involvement in this hobby I will calm down a bit, and observe a little less frequently. At the moment, I can't get enough of it!:eyepop:

[glenc]

If it's clear and moonless and dark I am out observing till I am too tired to continue.

[bluescope]

Every opportunity I get ! I'm still fairly new to the hobby ( 18 months or so ) and can't wait to get out under the stars, I get depressed if I have to watch TV with the masses. Life's too short for that !

[kitty]

only had scope since December 2006. haven't had a chance to go to a dark spot. only saw Saturn for first time at Mt Waverley Get together. i really need to get some reading material to help point me in the right direction of all that's out there.

[jjjnettie]

I observe just about every clear night, even if it is just for a quick half hour. I spend that time looking at the brighter DSO's, planets and the moon.
A night spent hunting down new objects though doesn't happen as often as it should.

[Davo3960]

Every time the conditions are good I'm out there. I prefer DSO's because there are so many out there. Every image I take is of something new (to me at least). I never know whats going to be on the laptop screen when the shutter closes.

[Tamtarn]

I observe whenever the conditions are reasonable and the sky is clear.
In a good week that can be 3 to 4 times from 8pm through to midnight sometimes til 3am.

Love hunting galaxies and Planetary nebulae.

It's great browsing the DSO wonderland :astron:

Barb