Well.. I have...
Tasco 8x21 Binoculars (Not too good)
A few books and lists with star charts
A old camera with a 82mm lens on it (works ok, but not very well - tripod is REALLY BAD!)
What are the best binocular/naked eye nebulae and clusters? what are the brightest stars to look out for?
What I'm getting soon....
Plainsphere Colour 28x30cm
High Contrast 11 X 70 Binoculars
Either Night Vision Flashlight (Celestron) or
Red Astro-Lite Flashlight (Disposable Celestron)
Cheers
Crash
Last edited by Crash Nebula; 10-04-2005 at 02:40 PM.
If you can see the southern cross from where you are Crash you have a huge range of things you can look at. I don't know how much you'll see through 1x15 binocs, but with 11x70 there are a huge range of objects available to you from nebula to open clusters to globular clusters to double stars to galaxies (Large Magellanic Cloud and Small MC).
You should be able to see both the globular clusters Omega Centauri in Centaurus and 47 Tucanae in Toucanae
There is a wealth of viewing around the Eta Carina Nebula area including open cluster. You should be able to just make out the Tarantula nebula in the LMC
The things to see in the southern area of the sky are just too numerous to list. See if yo can get hold of or download the program Cartes du Ciel. Its a free planetarium program that you can use to print out star charts to use at night. I will also help you find your way around the sky at night. Alternatively you can buy the latest edition of Australian PC World with has a copy of Starry Night Enthusiast on its sample disk. Its a very good program. Similar to Cartes but with a more realistic graphic interface. See this link. http://www.iceinspace.com/forum/show...&threadid=1284
I'm sure other's here will have their favourites to share with you.
Yep, I've got that Starry Night Enthusiast... It's pro!
I messed up It's actually 8x21 binos. I cant wait to get those better ones though. Magellanic clouds are at the top of my list, same with Eta Carinae. I'm gonna be out tonite havin a look around. I printed off that star map. Wish me luck!
Cheers,
Crash
Good luck While your out there check out ngc2516 a great binoc cluster west of the false cross on the border of the constellations Vela and Carina and IC2602 (southern Pleides) just south and west of Eta Carina. Both worthwhile clusters to view through binocs and easy to find.
You should find them easy enough on the star map. Draw a line from Canopus to Acrux in Crux (southern cross) and you'll find them on that line. You might give Omega Centauri a go with those binocs though if you find it you wont get much detail, just a fuzzy star. Its printed on your chart as "w Centauri" and is east of Crux and next to ngc5128
Well, I got one good view of Saturn, even caught the rings faintly, then the clouds moved over so fast i couldnt see a thing!
Still, it felt good to see saturn. Faint, but wonderful all the sme
Tomorrow i'll look for Eta Carinae and magellanic clouds
Cheers Crash
I dont even know if i'll get out tonight - last night my vewing was restricted because i was just on the deck - it was really cold out and i could only stand the temp on the deck - but its a tad cloudy and migt move over again
Anyway, I might get out - any people here members of the BAS? I was wondering because i was thinking of going to the planetarium night and i might see some of you there
Cheers (that emotie is so funny!)
Crash
W00T
I did it! I saw Eta Carinae! and i saw a star cluster too! go me! I also got some good looks at jupiter!!!!
Cheers, from an inasley happy person,
Crash
If you can make the Brisbane Planetarium night, then do so. It's always a great experience to observe in the company of others. The people there will point you (literally) in the right direction.
Definitely worth getting a planisphere.
Quasar Publishing's "Astronomy 2005" yearbook is also a worthwhile companion. Your local telescope shops may still have it in stock.
Starting off with binoculars (and of course the unaided eye) is a great way to go.
![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif){kind=avatar}
It's actually 8x21 binos. I cant wait to get those better ones though. Magellanic clouds are at the top of my list, same with Eta Carinae. I'm gonna be out tonite havin a look around. I printed off that star map. Wish me luck!
While your out there check out ngc2516 a great binoc cluster west of the false cross on the border of the constellations Vela and Carina and IC2602 (southern Pleides) just south and west of Eta Carina. Both worthwhile clusters to view through binocs and easy to find.
Crash
god to be 16 again. :confused3: then again maybe not 
then again maybe not 
