On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 20:39:08 +0800, Ian W
wrote:


Yep there's a few of us g.

Cool, I have noted over the past few years that the group of people I
encounter on the internet appears to be thinning in the places I
visit.

Astronomy like most other hobbies has it's gear heads. I've just read the
FAQ and apart from a couple of minor errors (eg: Coma in Newtonians) it's
a pretty fair effort at disseminating the usual advise to the terminally
confused.

Of course, I agree, and surely I did not absorb every fact at the page
there was to learn. I just hate to see good folk annoyed by the
materialistic dweebs of the world. Maybe I should not have read the
stuff about that guy named Jesus when I was a juvenile, seems to have
warped me outside of my own culture. When I was young, I always
figured people would grow up and out of the imbalanced competitive
spirits... oh well.

Hehe, the main reason I gave up on astronomy clubs about 30 years ago was
the terminal BS slung by the members and the non stop "one up-manship"
crud that goes on. From what I've seen at a couple of star parties here
in Oz it's not got any better, if anything it's probably got worse in the
past decade or so.

Oh no... since I am new, I simply have been assuming it would not be
this way. Do I get to be popular if I purchase a 32" Ritchey-Chretien
for my own custom installed backyard observatory? Good grief...

It's not a dead zone lol. Overhead targeting huh, have you considered a
right angle finder with amici prism?

I will look into it, I have never heard of this before. I hope it
gives a wide field of view so I can get my bearings without using my
line of sight. I suppose using a laser pointer is out of the question
because of safety concerns? Bummer, it would work so well...

I think I am going to readjust my finances a tad and just buy the 10"
Skyquest dobsonian and resolve my other concerns. I really am
interested at this point in magnifying objects (i.e. Mars) more and
capturing the classics clearly. Why get stuck at 352x or 480x when I
can just go to 600x if I sacrifice a few other things? Then I may not
wish to invest in other equipment for a while too.

Clear skies,
Ian

Peace to you too. Unfortunately, good seeing appears to be the largest
challenge in this hobby. Clouds, clouds, clouds... I think I get
perhaps 2 really good viewing days per month in Ocean County, New
Jersey. And five mediocre ones. The weather patterns we have been in
here are relentless and merciless. I am glad no one videotapes my many
vulgar diatribes as I curse Mother Nature when I miss celestial events
due to the weather.

I have a friend who lives in New Mexico, and another who lives on an
island off of the coast of British Columbia, Canada. Needless to say,
I will be coming to a couch near them at some time. I cannot imagine
looking up and seeing the Milky Way, I must have this experience.
Must, I tell you, I must.

I was using the binocs the other night, and being somewhat clueless I
looked up and thought I was looking at a section of Leo. No, it was
Cephius, the bright triangle of stars was deceptive for me. I was
struck by the density of stars in the field of view, I was thinking
this must be similar to what people speak of looking in Sagitarius.
In checking my charts later, I realized my error and that I was indeed
looking at an edge of the Milky Way. I am waiting to do so again, this
was a first for me. Probably because I recently moved here from a New
York City suburb in Northern New Jersey. The light pollution is surely
getting progressively worse... When I stayed up to count Leonids last
year at my old home, I only saw 128 in two hours, and perhaps four
fireballs.

- Livingston