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Old 24-05-2008, 09:37 PM
buddinseeker (Mike)
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Hello all and thanks for such a resourse.

Hi there am brand new to the site and slowly considering venturing into the field of astronomy. I have always been one to stare at the sky, be it in the middle of the night when heading into work at odd hours as a shift worker or out in the middle of the night toilet training the dog I would spend time staring into the skies and think I wish I knew more about all that up there.

Well many years past and I find myself in Australia - strange skies and clear nights and alot less light pollution, still stare up into them though and wonder . So I guess that brings me here - researching into what seems a very expensive but possibly very interesting hobby. In turn that brings me hear, not a net virgin I have been to a good few sites but being a practical person also forums and communities like this tend to offer the best advice and best fel for hobbies before expending lots of cash and wife points in something that may lead to nothing.

SO thanks for the site those who put it up and support it, thanks to those who post all the informative info - have already been through a few great posts including the binoculars and choosign the first telescope ones.

I have no great aims, well perhaps I do, astrophotography would be nice but I like to learn my way to things so interested in getting a good knowledge of what its all about first so very much into starting small and building up. Star systems, planets I am interested in it all perhaps as I am a complete novice and my goals will become more specific as I read up or even after I have started in the hobby.

Man I must have bored you all by now - so thanks to those who read this far I shall be asking a fair few questions such as opinions on good starting set ups and such like but I have alot of reading and resources on the site to hit up first before I know what I need to know if that makes sense - this was just supposed to be a short hello and thanks introduction post ..... oops
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Old 24-05-2008, 10:15 PM
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edwardsdj (Doug)
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Welcome buddinseeker

It's so much cheaper to start in this hobby now than it was a decade ago.

Have fun,
Doug
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  #3  
Old 25-05-2008, 12:54 AM
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iceman (Mike)
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Hi there and to IceInSpace!

Thanks for the introduction.
Make sure you keep asking questions! That's what we're here for.
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Old 25-05-2008, 05:53 AM
Dennis
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Welcome to IIS and the delightful Southern skies.

Cheers

Dennis
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Old 25-05-2008, 08:01 AM
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acropolite (Phil)
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Welcome to IIS, ask as many questions as you like, particularly if you're looking at buying equipment.
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  #6  
Old 25-05-2008, 06:40 PM
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Ric
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Welcome to IIS, Ihope you have a great time here with us.

Cheers
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  #7  
Old 25-05-2008, 07:23 PM
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rmcpb (Rob)
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Welcome to IIS

Its not so expensive to get into this hobby with basic gear now, especially with some of the crazy prices on the dobs now.

Keep looking up.
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Old 25-05-2008, 07:53 PM
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Satchmo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buddinseeker View Post
. So I guess that brings me here - researching into what seems a very expensive but possibly very interesting hobby.
HI Buddinseeker . Don't be fazed or distracted by all the materialism you encounter on this forum. If you actually spent enough time learning your way about the constellations with just your naked eyes over a few years, you would have a much deeper knowledge of the sky than many . You don't need to spend a lot of money: just provide the Heart and Mind and the Universe will deliver the rest.
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  #9  
Old 25-05-2008, 11:03 PM
buddinseeker (Mike)
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First up thanks for the warm welcome and replies i appreciate them all.

Second up I find myself torn between some good advice as read on the carious guides and others posts and the just plain old burning desire to throw myself into the deep end and buy the best I can afford without actually knowing what I might be interested in...

Binoculars seem often spoken first step but then as a total newbie to it all I find it hard to believe they would be much good but I never turn down good advice, just cant see how they would match up, yes the two eyes better than one i get ... so much to learn ...

Mark love the equipment listed "Pair 180 degree field eyeballs" Perhaps while i mull over expenditure and rewards I should take your advice and just stare some more and try to put names to white blobs So many even tonight when the sky was not so clear.

Any advice on a good book, site, program to get the most out of the sky visible with the naked eye ?
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Old 26-05-2008, 07:36 PM
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PCH (Paul)
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Hi Buddinseeker,

you can believe that the binocs are a great first step.

Imagine you'd like to look at flowers but for some reason at the moment you can only see them from 500 metres away with your bare eyes. They're little, and pretty much all you can tell is that they look nice and you'd like to see them closer. Think how good it would be if you bought a pair of good binocs so that you could really see and appreciate the whole flower - as if you were right up close to it.

But if you bought the scope first, you'll be able to see right into the individual cells or stamens or whatever they're called () in the middle. This might be ok once you know what you're looking at, but for a starter you'll have no way of really appreciating what it is you're looking at, - the context will be lost.

Wide angle views are definitely a great starting point ! And once you've found your way around, you can worry about what scope to buy

Cheers,
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  #11  
Old 26-05-2008, 08:27 PM
buddinseeker (Mike)
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Arrgghhh its a rough old choice, perhaps I will take up the local shops offer and pop in and see what is available (well not to local but close enough). Many thanks for all the feedback.
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Old 26-05-2008, 09:05 PM
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gaa_ian (Ian)
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Buddinseeker
The advise given here about using binoculars is good sound advice.
Some of the best things I have seen in the night sky were with binoculars (Comets of 2004, Andromeda Galaxy on a really clear night, The Magellenic clouds, etc ....)
You might find my Audio on nightskysecrets.com helpful too !
Most important is relax and take your time
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Old 26-05-2008, 09:59 PM
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dugnsuz (Doug)
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welcome bud'
lots of great advice, ideas and people here
hope you get something from your time here
go canny!!
softly softly catchee monkey!!
all the best
Doug
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Old 27-05-2008, 06:02 AM
astroturf (Bryan)
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Hello Bud

If you're interested in a great program to help indentify what you're looking at
Try Stellarium 0.9.1 , its free to download at http://www.stellarium.org/

Good luck
Bryan
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  #15  
Old 27-05-2008, 06:13 AM
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madwayne (Wayne)
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Just to expand on what Bryan has eluded to with Stellarium, I use Stellarium to tell me what constellations are where and when. Stellarium has a fast forward and a rewind button so you can move ahead in time and plan your time under the stars, either for that night or a particular night further down the track.

I then get my "Atlas of the Southern Night Sky" (a handy investment for around the $50 mark) out and go to the various constellations in the book and it will tell what DSOs are in each particular constellation, their visual magnitude and size. Each constellation comes with it's own sky map so you can gain a feel for how to find things (star hop). Personally, I'm too lazy for that , I use GoTo.
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  #16  
Old 27-05-2008, 02:41 PM
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Paddy (Patrick)
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Hi and welcome,

I found that binoculars were a great start, especially after having gone to an astronomy weekend at Ballarat some years ago. Going to a star night is a great way to start learning your way around the sky and knowing what you might be looking at through your binos or scope. I found it a great way to learn a few constellations that I could then work from to find others with star charts etc.
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  #17  
Old 27-05-2008, 08:34 PM
Dog Star (Phil)
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G'day Bud'
The advice re nokkies is given so often for the simple reason that it's good advice. I don't think anyone has ever regretted spending money on a decent set of nokkies for the simple reason that they have so many uses.
The advice I received was to spend 12 months with a decent set of (everyone on the forum calls 'em binos but when I was growing up they were called nokkies. Still, you know what I mean) and then, if the interest was still there, lash out on a scope. I was good. I followed that advice with a set of 20x80's on a quality tripod and the 12 months was up 3 weeks ago and I've got a 12" GSO dob arriving in the next day or two, hopefully.
Mind you, much as I'm looking forward to the scope, the (doovers) won't be getting retired. There's nothing like a good field of view for certain views (Pleiades, LMC etc) and there's no setting up!
As for books - for my money you can't go past Astronomy 2008 from Quasar Publishing www.quasarastronomy.com.au which you should be able to find in most good book stores for about $28 from memory. Formulated specificly for the Southern Hemisphere, it gives a wealth of practical information for the enthusiast.
Don't forget the Moon. If it's gonna stuff up the rest of the viewing, you might as well view it. Try Exploring the Moon by Steve Massey from New Holland Publishers.
Throw in a few issues of Aus. Sky and Telescope Magazine, membership of IIS and Bob's your uncle. (If you've got an uncle called Bob, that is)
Cheers!
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  #18  
Old 27-05-2008, 08:56 PM
buddinseeker (Mike)
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Hehe okay well the advice is pretty overwhelming so it looks like it maybe the way to go, just got do decide on a good starter pair of bins to get me going, more research coming up.

On a side noe I was out walking the dog and while doing what dogs do while you stand around with a plastic bag I was staring up and a clear patch in the sky, spotted something very high just a tiny dot of light moving fast heading in a southerlyish direction. To high for plane at that height and to fast really, used to seeing them come into Perth airport, is it possible see satellites with naked eye and if possible is that what it may have been ? speed seemed regular direction seemed relatively direct adn it didnt seem to change in inensity the time i could spot it between the clouds?
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Old 27-05-2008, 09:44 PM
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erick (Eric)
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Certainly you will see many satellites by eye. For up to an hour or two after sunset is a good time for them. But wait until you are looking through binoculars or a telescope - you'll be surprised how many will go through your field of view in the early evening. But, after you do some research, you won't be surprised - many dozens pass overhead each evening.

What you need to see is an overhead pass of the International Space Station. Search "ISS" on this forum for information.

Oh, and a big welcome to IIS!
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  #20  
Old 28-05-2008, 11:58 PM
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PCH (Paul)
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Hey Buddinseeker !

check out the Saxon binocs in the Equipment for Sale section right now. Either of those pairs would be a great start.

Cheers,
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