Amateur Astronomy

[troutman]

Originally Posted by polak

Looks like they're next open house is about Quantum Tech. Is the observatory still going to be open? Girlfriend would not be happy if I took her to an open house on Quantum physics and computing

I still have never got to look at the stars and planets through a telescope. Really would like to do that one day soon.

The evening will kick off with a history minute honouring 150 years of Astronomical research in Canada, then a presentation on what’s up the sky by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Calgary Centre.

The open house will feature access to an array of telescopes operated by University of Calgary astronomers and members of the Royal Astronomical Society. You will have the opportunity to look through the telescopes and astronomers will be on hand to answer questions.

In the sky – Mars and Jupiter will be visible in the west and the east creating bookends for a dark spring night.

The entrance fee is $20 per car OR $10 per person. All proceeds go towards the RAO educational programming.

[Robbob]

I used this site when I was doing some research with the wife. It was back in 2015 but we ended up with the Celestron NexStar 130SLT. Got it from amazon with some additional eye pieces and filters. Have not really had a ton of time to get acquainted with it, but it has been super easy to use when we have set it up. Have mainly used it for viewing the moon.

[Wormius]

Didn't see it mentioned, but I was recently recommended to a fellow out in Didsbury who runs All-Star Telescopes. Haven't been out there myself, but I guess he holds viewings and stuff of the telescopes he sells.

http://www.all-startelescope.com/

[Huntingwhale]

Get the Google sky app. So cool!

[Wormius]

Also try the Skyview app. Not sure if there is an Android version, but the free version for the iPhone is pretty slick.

[photon]

I've got that Celestron 127EQ and I don't think the mount is bad, not for the price for sure. I don't have a problem with losing the view every time I have to adjust it. There's definitely some wobble while adjusting but it goes back to where I had it after. And I think most of that is from the tripod, it's kind of flimsy IMO and if I was considering improving it I'd look at a different set of legs for it. There's better mounts obviously, but a better mount you'd be paying $300-400 just for that.

The 4mm eyepiece isn't very good as mentioned, but the 20mm one is decent and there's good eyepieces out there, and the Celestron uses 1.25" eyepieces so that's one thing you can keep if you ever upgrade the scope itself.

The "nice" thing about manual scopes is it forces you to learn how to navigate and to learn the sky. Which might be important for some, but I also have no problem if one just wants to enter in some info and have the scope reposition itself (or guide you as you move it yourself), it's about what one wants to get out of it.

That Celestron isn't the same as the department store scopes IMO, it's a real scope that one can get some great views out of and decide if it's something one wants to invest more money into without breaking the bank the first time out.

EDIT: Actually sorry I have the AstroMaster 130EQ, which looks quite different than the 127EQ. So sorry, my comments are about the 130EQ

https://www.amazon.ca/Celestron-3104.../dp/B000MLL6RS

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by polak

Looks like they're next open house is about Quantum Tech. Is the observatory still going to be open? Girlfriend would not be happy if I took her to an open house on Quantum physics and computing

I still have never got to look at the stars and planets through a telescope. Really would like to do that one day soon.

If the sky is clear then the RASC will still have their scopes out before, during and after the lecture.
The students running the RAO will also have the buildings open for viewing and demonstrations.

Before the main lecture Roland always gives a talk on what is in the current night sky.

[FLAMESRULE]

Bit of an old thread bump, but I got into astronomy last fall after another superb Dark Sky festival in Jasper. With night coming earlier, smoke gone, and hopefully some clear skies, I'm looking to head out for some star gazing this fall.

For newbies I'd definitely recommend joining RASC Calgary. They've got new observer groups and "observer group" meetups once a month down at Wilson Coulee. They can be invaluable to meet people, ask questions, and look at different scopes (incl. their 14"). They also do monthly speaker presentations at their meetings (Kerby Centre downtown) and they get some really awesome folks (NASA/JPL etc) to come talk.

Calgary RASC had their OctoberQuest this weekend and it was simply amazing. Was able to see a bunch of Messier and NGC deep space objects I'd never seen before.

I live in West Hillhurst so heading down south kinda sucks. I usually head out west, about halfway between Calgary and Cochrane. I find the sky a bit darker than WCO/RAO, and its only 25min. If anyone is interested or heads out west feel free to PM me.

[Sliver]

I went to the observatory west of town last year and was so disappointed. I got to see through giant telescopes, normal telescopes, and binoculars. Nothing could have been more boring. Best case scenario you see a fuzzy blob. Stars look basically no different than naked eye stars. Looking at the moon is kind of fun, but everything else is the worst.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I went to the observatory west of town last year and was so disappointed. I got to see through giant telescopes, normal telescopes, and binoculars. Nothing could have been more boring. Best case scenario you see a fuzzy blob. Stars look basically no different than naked eye stars. Looking at the moon is kind of fun, but everything else is the worst.

Then why bother posting in here?

[Sliver]

Because dissenting opinions have just as much value as positive ones? Because I have recent and relevant experience with the topic at hand?

We get very spoiled with beautiful, vibrant and colourful videos and images from space, which can spark an interest in would-be amateur astronomers. The reality, though, is you'll see nothing of much interest with a home telescope as they're very weak and can't satisfyingly penetrare our atmosphere, anyway.

In my experience, most people who own a telescope give up on the hobby very quickly. Strait up, the images are fuzzy blobs and there are only so many you can look at before it becomes a total bore.

Renting a telescope or buying a used one for a good price will prove this to you. Buying your first telescope brand new is a waste of money.

[craigwd]

People taking up the hobby with the idea of producing fabulously multi-coloured photos should do a bit of reading regarding astrophotography.

The human eye can only see so much through a quick view of the eyepiece. Published photos of nebulae or clusters or galaxies etc. have the aperture open for several minutes to accumulate as much light as possible to generate a true colour image.

Or, like the Hubble Heritage site, are false colour images.

As for stars being no different, there's not much you can do. Stars are small points of light; they only thing that differentiate them are the size and colour of that point of light.

[troutman]

When people see the rings of Saturn or the moons of Jupiter, they are often moved by the enormity of it all.


When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

- W. Whitman