The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Astro experiences

[Stonius (Markus)]

Originally Posted by pfitzgerald

Hi Markus

I submitted the emission nebula Gum 85 (Sh 2-54) near the open cluster NGC 6604 (and M16 and M17) as a suitable target for imaging by the Gemini South Telescope, and chose to have it imaged in broadband.
[...]
Here's a link to a larger version of the image, a smaller one of which I use as my avatar.

https://www.aao.gov.au/itso/outreach/GeminiContest

Paul

PS Thank you for your interest in the image.

Wow! What an experience!! Can't even imagine what I would point an 8-meter telescope at for an hour!! Good on you, mate, and nice pic too!! :-)

Markus

[Tropo-Bob (Bob)]

The Good: Seeing Jupiter occult Beta Scorpio in May 1971. Both components were covered by Jupiter about 10-15 minutes apart and each component showed a surprising series of fading and re-brightening when being occulted. Each occultation took some time for the star to finally disappear. (From memory about 20-30 seconds). This was viewed through an 8 inch reflector.

The Bad: My first telescope at 10 was a 30x30 hand-held instrument that only lasted about 6 months before falling apart, then I was back to nothing again. People who laugh or groan about their first 60mm scope don't know how lucky they were. That was my third scope!

The Ugly: Giving a work college advice on selecting a telescope. Then when following up, found that he only used the new scope of his veranda of his hillside home and quote: "You'd be surprised what you can see though people's bedroom windows". I never asked again.

[Tinderboxsky (Steve)]

THE GOOD: Cannot decide between-
Full Luna eclipse and grazing occultation in October 2014. The Luna eclipse lived up to its usual spectacular show with a reddish moon and the emergence of the Milky Way and a star filled sky. The grazing occultation was of 6th mag star 132RG. During the total eclipse we were treated to seeing the moon steadily approach this star. As they approached the colour contrast was quite beautiful with the yellowish star set against the reddish hues of the moon. The grazing occultation was set for approx. 15 minutes after the end of eclipse totality and fortunately it was on the part of the limb still fully in the Earth's shadow. The opposite limb was brightening as it was now 15 mins out of the Earth's full shadow. The grazing occultation yielded 4 "off-on” blinks.
Or
Occultation of Delta Cancri by Venus in the very early hours of 17th April 2014. Venus was very close to 50% illuminated and the star was clearly visible as it “approached" the bright limb. The star dimmed as it approached close to the limb but it was difficult to follow very close to disc edge due to turbulent seeing. Occassional moments of good seeing allowed sightings just at the limb's edge. There was a sudden reappearance of a very faint point of light at the dark side limb, then a rapid and steady increase in brightness back to the original level. Occultation of bright stars by Venus are quite rare and I believe the next one is not due for another 35 years.
THE UGLY:
I was enthralled by the night sky as a high school student in the 60’s. In 2nd year hight school I set out to make my own 6” f8 newtonian reflector. I managed to grind and polish the mirror successfully myself and my Father helped with the ota build and a simple alt az mount on a homemade tripod. I recall I finished the build in that year. In 3rd year I had a log of observations and entered the scope build and observations in the then BHP Science Talent Search awards. I was fortunate enough to receive a prize. In the following year, 1967, disaster struck on my first day back at school. It was the day of the disastrous Feb ’67 bushfires. Our family lost everything, our house and our farm. It was four days before I saw my parents and a week before I was able to return to our burnt out farm. My pride and joy was reduced to a tangled mess and the mirror a misshapen lump of glass. I did not have the resources to replace the scope and it was 10 years before I finally bought a small reflector and made some tentative steps back into astronomy. I am retired now and well and truely making up for the loss.

Cheers
Steve.

[04Stefan07 (Stefan)]

Back when I had my 130SLT I was out on a beautiful night around the back of my house. I set up on a narrow footpath in the backyard due to it being the best place to look at the night sky.

Anyway I was playing around with the scope still learning the settings and started to slew. It kept going and going and got to the point that it went beyond what it was capable of and the OTA slid out of the mount. I had the controller in one hand and the OTA in the other, lucky I caught it!

In a very awkward position I tapped on the window which was next to me to get my parents attention for help. It was pitch black and couldn't see much at all! I started walking to door and my parents turned on the light but locked the door! I tapped on another window waving that I needed help. I then went inside and they thought there was a robber outside which explains why they put the light on and locked the door haha.

Very, very lucky I caught it!

[LewisM]

Observing epiphanies:

Saturn, through a 60mm red Tasco refractor at 12.

M42 through same telescope at same age. I tried to view the Horsehead too...that was futile lol

M31 from suburbia back when i had clear horizons and low LP. Star hopped there with mt Tasco on its alt az.

Seeing M42 through a VC200L some years later. As well as several galaxies.

My first ever rocket plume. About 3 years back. Posted thd pics here
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Funny/weird:

Big jack rabbit bounds down suburban street at 2am...turns around and looks at me then bounds off. Just plain odd.

Seeing a formation of satellites. No reported ISS rendezvous so still confuddled what the wife and I saw (triangle formation). Still get goose bumps.

Standing in Humayun's back yard watching a dozen or so point /flash meteorites including a "zinger". H didn't even see them lol.
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Awe inspiring:

Sitting outside cuddling the wife on the family property at what is now my dark sky site. We both looked up and gasped....I swear I could hear the roar of the cosmos. So msny naked eye dso's and smudgies everywhere and the swathe of the Milky Way as bright as I have ever seen it.

Exploring Luna with a Maksutov and a wide fov 7mm ep
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Stupid moments:

Brand new first CCD camera. Attached it to scope then promptly dropped it on the concrete garage floor...it broke into 3 pieces.

Selling my old model Tak FC100. STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID. The most perfect telescope.

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Heartwarming:
I don't do group or club get togethers for various reasons but I have done a couple of kindergarten astro nights and talks and loved it.

[inline_online (Dan)]

So many amazing stories here but the original post reminded me of something in particular.

I focus mainly on outreach now and have done for years. I do sessions at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children and they are always very well received by the patients.
At one session there I was showing the kids Saturn and the wide-open rings. One little boy took a long look then said to me "I've been here for six weeks now and that is the best thing that has happened to me in that time."
Another time I showed a young girl the Jewel Box, the Moon and some double stars. She started off very quiet but soon opened up and started chatting about what she was seeing. As I was packing up for the night the kids club manager told me that this girl had been to the kids club each night but had not done anything, not engaged with anybody and this was the first time he'd seen her happy.
(Damn onion ninjas in my office).

My initial aim when I proposed astronomy sessions to the hospital management was to inspire the patients and make them happy. Mission accomplished. The logistics of the sessions are a nightmare due to location on a high-level balcony with wooden floor and wooden slats above but it is 100% worth it when you see the faces light up.

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

I had a lovely, understated and unexpected experience at Astrofest at the start of this month with the sky tour I conducted.

After rabbiting on first about the naked eye stuff, the first telescopic object was Omega Centauri and the usual blab about it. The next object, it occurred to me NOT to tell the attendees what it was they were to see next. Instead I told them they would have to "discover" what it was for themselves! Not only was everyone thrilled to pieces with their discovery, but they also didn't spill the beans about what it was that they just saw. Instead, all the waiting crowd had to go by was "WOW!", "OH MY GOD!", "NO WAY!", "THAT'S AMAZING! ", "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" It was just a lovely thing that everyone just joined in on allowing the next person to have the same thrill of discovery for themselves

What was it that they "discovered"? Well, you are just going to have to wait your turn at the eyepiece...

Alex

[noeyedeer (Matt)]

Hi Lewis,
RE: "Seeing a formation of satellites. No reported ISS rendezvous so still confuddled what the wife and I saw (triangle formation). Still get goose bumps."

have you looked into the Swarm satellites.. they're a triangle formation of satellites so it's nothing to worry about

Matt

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Thanks Matt! I too had seen a curious trio of satellites, and now I know!

Ta mate. Great to read up on these too. Will make for a great additional conversation piece at outreach nights

[noeyedeer (Matt)]

Originally Posted by mental4astro

Thanks Matt! I too had seen a curious trio of satellites, and now I know!

Ta mate. Great to read up on these too. Will make for a great additional conversation piece at outreach nights

no worries Alex, glad I could help out in some way

[N1 (Mirko)]

Originally Posted by mental4astro

"WOW!", "OH MY GOD!", "NO WAY!", "THAT'S AMAZING! ", "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

Only one target that does that to people (except maybe the Moon when the phase is right).

[Stonius (Markus)]

Originally Posted by N1

Only one target that does that to people (except maybe the Moon when the phase is right).

I went to an outreach night at the PT Mcquarie Astronomical society. After staring thoughtfully at a picture on display of the Hubble deep field, a punter asked the guy 'What is the most exciting thing you've ever seen through a telescope?' Without missing a beat he said 'The honeymoon suite on the hotel next door!'.

[Atmos (Colin)]

Pretty sure I know what you're talking about Alex and I've had the same response many a night too
"You mean I can actually see its ...."