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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
No need to apologise Glen. I am becoming more and more aware that I am a bit of a freakish obsessive visual observer ........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!
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 !
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.
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.
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.
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.
........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!
