Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Forums
« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Amateur Astronomy  (Read 9137 times)

Description:

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline MikedTopic starter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: Apr 2006
  • Posts: 181
    • Show all replies
Amateur Astronomy
« on: April 29, 2006, 11:55:39 PM »
So, are there any backyard astronomers out there?  I live pretty close to NYC, so I utilize a Celestron 80mm refractor (saw the Ring Nebula the other day - but it is mostly for planetary/moon viewing).

On a side note, does anyone know of any astronomy software that is Amiga compatible?

Thanks

-Miked
Logged
 

Offline MikedTopic starter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: Apr 2006
  • Posts: 181
    • Show all replies
Re: Amateur Astronomy
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2006, 04:26:16 PM »
I do remember Distant Suns many years ago.  Thanks for the information.  I will check out that website.

-Miked
Logged
 

Offline MikedTopic starter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: Apr 2006
  • Posts: 181
    • Show all replies
Re: Amateur Astronomy
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2006, 05:10:07 AM »
I have a 10" Meade LX200 Schmitt-Cassegrain reflector. The only thing remotely hyperbolic about that is the objective corrector plate.




How do you find SCTs?  Personally, I love refractors (unfortunately they are very expensive at high aperatures).  

-Miked

PS Have you viewed anything interesting with the SCT?  Having an 80mm refractor, I have to stick to the Messier catalog.
Logged
 

Offline MikedTopic starter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: Apr 2006
  • Posts: 181
    • Show all replies
Re: Amateur Astronomy
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2006, 03:38:36 PM »
Just out of curiousity, what is the limiting magnitude of all of your skys? (i.e. what is the faintest star that you can see on a clear night with the naked eye?)  There is a lot of light pollution where I live, so the LM is only about a 5-5.5 here.

-Miked
Logged
 

Offline MikedTopic starter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: Apr 2006
  • Posts: 181
    • Show all replies
Re: Amateur Astronomy
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2006, 03:29:24 PM »
Quote


the next clear (hah!) night after we got home, I got so depressed - the orange glow of Wolverhampton to the Northwest, Birmingham to the Southeast, Walsall to the East, and Dudley to the West really p!ssed me off.


There is an organization in the USA called IDA (international dark sky association- the website address eludes me but you could probably do a search).  Their mission is to protect the skys from an overabundance of light pollution (unneccessary light pollution).  It is very intriguing.


Miked
Logged
 

Offline MikedTopic starter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: Apr 2006
  • Posts: 181
    • Show all replies
Re: Amateur Astronomy
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2006, 05:33:04 PM »
Quote

JaXanim wrote:

One night last winter we had a power cut and the darkness (and silence) it created was just amazing. Fifteen minutes of bliss as far as I was concerned.

JaX


A few years ago in the northeastern United States, there was a massive multiple state blackout.  I have never seen a more beautiful night sky (there wasn't a single photon of light illuminating into the sky)  

-Miked
Logged
 

Offline MikedTopic starter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: Apr 2006
  • Posts: 181
    • Show all replies
Re: Amateur Astronomy
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2006, 04:26:07 AM »
Quote

blobrana wrote:
Hum,
A bright supernova anyone?

(mag 12.5)


Unfortunately, with my 80mm telescope and these light polluted skies, I don't think I'll be able to find that deep sky object  :-(
Logged
 
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »