Quote:
Originally Posted by iceman
Giving up isn't going to help 
Once you get out there amongst it, your passion and interest will increase.
There's the ASV in melbourne and a lot of other societies nearby who are all very welcoming to newcomers.
Astrophotography is a large learning curve if you're new at both astronomy AND photography. Do you have a photography background? |
Hi UK1,
I would strongly suggest making contact with one of the Astronomical clubs in Melbourne. I do not know where you are located but there is a list of them
here.
As Mike has suggested, astrophotography (or imaging as it is commonly called these days), is a bit of a learning curve. I have dabbled in it but it does take a small amount of investment, both in time and money, but you can start out with a DSLR, a tripod and using a computer and some free software on the web, you can produce some wide-field sky images.
It is not uncommon to look at astronomy is two halves: the visual and photographic sides of the hobby. There is a big interest in the latter, but as I have said (and many will also advise you also) you will need time, money and patience. So the other side of the coin is the pure enjoyment of visual observing. Forget the imaging for a while and just enjoy the night sky in its glory with you and your telescope.
On the topic of a telescope, I understand the desire to buy a telescope, but there other options which are quite reasonable to look at. I wrote a post
here some time ago and I still believe it is a worthwhile path to follow as a beginner. Let me post it here:
Quote:
From my experience and the experience of others I have known I have put together a 3-stage 'plan' which I believe if almost fool-proof. By all means you do not have to follow the stages, but each stage builds on the experience and knowledge of the previous one.
Stage 1:
Equipment: A Planisphere, perhaps a basic book and your own eyes. That's all you need! This is the best way to learn about the night sky. A good planisphere will cost you about $20-30 - any planisphere will do but I like the plastic 'Phillips' brand such as this one here. A planisphere will serve two very important purposes
- When you are starting out in amateur astronomy, the first hurdle to overcome is understanding what I call the 'mechanics' of the sky - how and why the stars rotate, where is up-down-left-right north-south-east-west etc., A planisphere is a little square, flat device which you rotate according to the day of the year. As you use the plansiphere, you will see how the stars move across the night sky, and why different stars and constellations are visible at different times of the year. You will also very quickly come to understand how to translate a star chart on paper into a view of the night sky.
- A planisphere will help you learn the location of the constellations and other patterns in the sky. See if you can notice the movement of the stars over the course of a few hours of the evening. Notice how some stars set in the west while others peek above the horizon in the east. Believe me Eric, this is a crucial step for anyone starting out. It may sound boring now, but this is a fundamental step and you will learn . You can spent several weeks or several months doing this.
I mentioned at the start of this section a 'basic book'. I recommend a good Aussie book called 'Atlas of the Southern Night Sky' by Steve Massey and Steve Quirk. Although most of the book will be used later on in the following stages, there are some excellent chapters for beginners including the Moon and the planets, and some very-well explained sections on what I called the 'mechanics' of the night sky. I do not own this book personally, but as an intermediate-level amateur astronomer who uses far more detailed star atlases than this one, I intend to buy it still. And if you get a book such as this, it will be an investment.
Stage 2:
Equipment: Binoculars and a tripod.
Again, another investment which you will uses for many years. Please, please refrain from buying 'department store' binoculars. Go to a telescope shop - others here will recommend some for you. A good pair of binos on a sturdy tripod will enable you to see some great Moon images, Jupiter's 4 inner Moons, and many bright Deep Sky Objects (DSO's).
When you buy binoculars, they will further enhance your knowledge, you will learn what their 'actual field of view' - i.e. how much sky you are actually seeing in the view. Again, this you can translate into what you read on star charts, and this knowledge goes towards a fundamental skill which I think everyone should be able to grasp: "star hopping".
By now, you will be able to locate the constellation in the sky, and have a basic knowledge of when and where to find them, and even know where some of the brighter 'interesting' objects are - and find them in your binoculars. You can spend weeks, months or years doing this - the decision and the pace is purely up to you.
Stage 3:
The telescope. This is where you will get a dozen different opinions but I would lean towards a Dobsonian Telescope, as has been advised. Perhaps a 8, or 10-inch? You can jump into a all-singing, all-dancing telescope with GPS, tracking etc, but with a Dobsonian telescope you get more 'bang for your buck' and with the fundamental knowledge you have achieved in the previous stages, you will be able to move the telescope around without the aid of (expensive) electronics.
I personally believe that these steps will build a good foundation of knowledge for you and while many others will expand further and offer more advice, you will not find many amateur astronomers who will disagree with the fundamental process I have outlined.
Don't stop asking questions in forums such as this one. There are many members here who will be happy to elaborate on our advice.
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