Observing Challenge Feedback please

[asimov (John)]

Being new to foruming....I know what it's like to receive no reply's to a fairly lengthy, time consuming thread/post or article....& I know the feeling that go's right along with it.. To all the guy's & gal's that I never took time out to congratulate...because I was pre-occupied or what-ever....I want you all to know that your hard work does NOT go un-noticed or un-appreciated..or un-forgotten.

[Kieken]

I think the "Monthly Observing Challenge" is a nice part of the site. People can look up stuff and read a bit about it before they go outside.

The idea that Slice Of Heaven proposed is something nice. It'll save you a lot of work next year .

[dhumpie]

They have a monthly observing challenge over at the Astromart site's forum as well and usually the number of reports and few and far between. My take on it is that it takes a little bit of effort to write up a report and a lot more effort to sketch an object. Its easier to just tick the object seen off a large list! But then again it depends on the individual observer. I for one need to at least sketch something or write a short report on the object I am looking at to mark it as seen. Also I find people with larger scopes tend to skim more than observe because everything is nice, bright and bold (no flames please...just my personal take). Since I started with a very small scope and have progress to a slightly larger one (still very small by modern standards), I tend to take a lot more time looking at a single object and trying to drink in all that it has to offer. And sketching is one good way to hone my observing skills. Plus I have been inspired by O'Meara's books.

Darren

Originally Posted by dhumpie

....trying to drink in all that it has to offer....

Darren

Hey try using your eyeball next time, I see allot more now that I use my eyeball than when I used my mouth j/k

Sorry Darren I couldn't resist
regards

[Brendan]

I must say i like the monthly chalange, it gives me something to aim for rather than just wandering around the skies.

i don't post sketches however as i don't have a scanner conected to my computer, nor am i orgainised enough to take writting implements out to the scope so written reports are also missing.

I'll try harder next month Ice i promise.

[dhumpie]

Ha! Ha! Nice one Rob

Darren

[Kieken]

@ Dhumpie: I can't really agree with your view on large telescopes and the observations made with them. Before my 12" Starhopper I had a 4.5" newton. With it I've seen a lot of deepsky-objects but never for a long time. About 10 minutes or so. Everything just seems the same. Galaxies are fuzzy balls of light, globs the same, PN are dim thingies with almost no details. Now with my 12" I observe one object longer, much longer. 15 minutes is the normal amount of time spend on an object. Some bright or nice looking things like M57 take up 25 minutes or more.

Even when I'm searching for an object I spend more time now. Two weeks ago I've spend 30 minutes on M101. I didn't see it but I think that I've recognized the field. Same for M51 and Abell 39. And the funny thing is that I'm not disappointed about it. While searching you just fly around between the stars, sometimes you stop for observing something interesting like double stars, OCs, ... .

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi all.

Thanks very much for your feedback, and it's pretty much as I had expected - that more people are using the MOC but just not posting about it.. which is fine.. Of course I'd like to see more reports and sketches, but as long as people are getting something out of it, we'll continue it!

Maybe some harder ones

The challenge idea initially was to have at least some objects that people with all apertures can find and observe. But I think it's a good idea to also throw in an extra few objects that actually are a real challenge, for those serious about their observing and hunting for more obscure and less well known stuff.

as I dont tend to go chasing the astrophotography images. Any reason these cant be in the same threads

For august, I'll trial having the DSO images and the reports/sketches in the same thread (in the Space&Astronomy Talk forum). I just need to have a note in the DSO forum telling the imagers where to look, because some of them only hang out in the imaging forums.

since I have been on this site I have got the opinion that most people want to take pictures and very few do much observing, or if they do they don't mention it. I have put a couple of observations on this site, one being the observation of 3C 273 the Quasar in Virgo and recieved not one comment

I think there's a lot of observing going on, but people just aren't writing about it. I think that once a few more people actually start posting with their observing reports (whether it's part of the MOC or not), others will join in and do the same. At least, that's my hope.

I know reports and sketches (and imaging) aren't for everyone, and as has been posted, the experience is the same on other forums/groups.

It's just good to get this feedback that people are reading the challenge writeups, observing those objects and even if not posting about it, still get something out of it. Thanks again everyone for your replies.

The August list might be a few days late, but i'll make sure it's up by the 5th august for the new moon weekend where some of the objects will be best placed.

[stringscope (Ian)]

Mike,

To date I have not used the IIS Monthly Observing Challenge List. There have been several reasons for this:

1. Too busy building and testing a telescope.

2. I had not picked up on this IIS feature until very recently.

I am not into sketching yet but I will start to use the list and see if I can write something to contribute.

Cheers,

MOC Crew and others

As said in previous posts we all are very greatful for you guys putting in the time and compiling the monthly list. And I guess most us didn't probably realise the time and enegy put into the challenge by you guy's. I how about we make the effort for the MOC crew. I know I would feel rewarded hearing even if it was a few lines of a report. Hell I'm guilty too!

So come on guys.

btw, I really feel I dont need to hear 20 replies to a report I have written. If this was to happen for every report. We would find ourselves digging through the accolades just to find reports.

I think also maybe those (like me) who are a lil shy of posting reports. We should just describe what we see... dont try and be the next astronomical guru... remember we are at the amature end. If you have a weird way of desribing something or are not sure desribe it best you can. I'm sure over discussion we might learn what we were observing. Maybe if it's isn't all ready make it a requirement to add what gear you used for the observation.
I mean if M1 looks like a very faint unresolved smug in your 60mm refractor We want to hear it! well I do. And same goes for the big boys, but I suspect the commentary to be a lil more detail.

Anyways I guess what I'm really trying to say is, since the MOC crew spend time and effort, I think at least acknowledge them

regards

[dhumpie]

Maybe I was wrong about big dob users Kieken. Maybe they hunt a different sport like galaxy clusters. But when using a large enough small scope like a 6" newt, you really start to appreciate the subtle details you see in objects. And this makes you focus more on the nitty gritty via sketching.

And Mike the MOC's are great. I hope more people take part in it......

Darren

[Brendan]

just one other thought from me on this matter,

I often find it difficult to locate the MOC posts when there is little activity.

would it be better if they had there own section linked from the main iceinspace page?

Originally Posted by Brendan

just one other thought from me on this matter,

I often find it difficult to locate the MOC posts when there is little activity.

would it be better if they had there own section linked from the main iceinspace page?

I feel the same, I did suggest in an earlier post that they be made "Stickies"
that way they would stay at the top on the first post a thread page. If I have to go looking.... well...

regards

[asimov (John)]

If one is interested enough, one will make a point of finding it.

Originally Posted by asimov

If one is interested enough, one will make a point of finding it.

When one lives in the bush on really naffy connections, it can at time take to long to load, so I have no interest in loading a page that takes 5 minutes only to find it aint on that page

If I had town dialup or even city dialup that would be great, But I have gone back ten years to when I can only connect 28800 I'm lucky when the DL rate reaches over 1kbps, it's a real come down from cable I can assure you.

So if you want to keep me interested, it would be nice _for_ folks like me if we dont have to go searching

regards

Originally Posted by dhumpie

Maybe I was wrong about big dob users Kieken. Maybe they hunt a different sport like galaxy clusters. But when using a large enough small scope like a 6" newt, you really start to appreciate the subtle details you see in objects. And this makes you focus more on the nitty gritty via sketching.

And Mike the MOC's are great. I hope more people take part in it......

Darren

Big dob owners have them because they feel inadequate , Gawd I wanna feel in inadequate and will be in the years to come

[asimov (John)]

Originally Posted by xrekcor

When one lives in the bush on really naffy connections, it can at time take to long to load, so I have no interest in loading a page that takes 5 minutes only to find it aint on that page

If I had town dialup or even city dialup that would be great, But I have gone back ten years to when I can only connect 28800 I'm lucky when the DL rate reaches over 1kbps, it's a real come down from cable I can assure you.

So if you want to keep me interested, it would be nice _for_ folks like me if we dont have to go searching

regards

Thanks for enlightening me mate. Hope I didn't step on your toes with my 'comment' It's one-of-those-days it seems...lol Yep. I have the same line as you!? Max speed here is about the same.

Originally Posted by asimov

Thanks for enlightening me mate. Hope I didn't step on your toes with my 'comment' It's one-of-those-days it seems...lol Yep. I have the same line as you!? Max speed here is about the same.

No no no... I was venting my frustration of bush dialup, Although reading my post I can see why might think you stepped on toes. Truly sorry if you felt that, certainly wasn't intended to look like I was snapping at you

kindest regards

[asimov (John)]

No mate, but I slid that bit in just in case! Can't be TOO careful when it comes to rotten internet misinterpretations....