Looking at the Night Sky

[W1UJR]

Now that I have the location and plenty of spare time in the evening, it’s high time to take up an addition to the radio interests.
I have always been fascinated with astronomy, would like to hear some input from other as to what gear to buy, good books on the topic, etc.

I’m not certain that fall/winter in Maine is the ideal time to take this up, but what the heck, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Your ideas, comments and suggestions?

Tnx - Bruce

[W5AMI]

Hey Bruce,

See my website at http://www.arksky.org

Plenty of info there to get you started at any level, plus a forum with some very helpful guys.

Winter is a good time in most places.  Skies are generally more clear and the air cleaner.  I'm sure it would be darn cold in Maine however!

Brian

[WA1GFZ]

Bruce,
I went outside Saturday night and thought the same thing looking out over the water. The stars were beautiful.

[K1JJ]

Astronomy [astrology as some say] is a great hobby. Get a scope set up outside in a shelter that is easy to go out and get on the air with. That's the key. If you have to lug it out and take 30 minutes to set up, you won't use it. If it's too small, you will get bored quickly.

Try for at least a 12" reflector to cover the general sky objects. A Dobsonian mount is FB.  No need for tracking until later on, if desired.

I have a 22" mirror Fundy scope - it's a reflector and 28" optical flat in a shelter where I can observe in the warm. Also a homebrew pair of 10" binoculars. Gotta get outside again... have been neglecting it lately.

The Astro BB's are the way to learn, as Brian said.  The dark Maine sky gives you a great edge up there to have fun.

73,
T

[W5AMI]

I agree with Tom.  Don't get something too small or you will quickly find yourself losing interest.  Too big and you get the same unless you house it in a building with roll back roof or dome.  10" to 12" would be an excellent start, and give you a lifetime of things to find you've never seen before.  The DOB mount is perfectly fine to start out with, and they can be had pretty cheap.  Later, if you decide to get into astrophotography, you can always upgrade to a EQ mount.  Your old DOB will sell quickly.  Take a look on www.astromart.com for some good used scopes.  If you see something you like, post a link to it here and we can give you our impressions on the price, etc.

Brian

[W1RKW]

Bruce

A Dobsonian mount is a good way to start.  You can get a decent light bucket for less $$ compared to something more fancy and still get excellent viewing results.  The key is light gathering power.  The bigger the better.  Stay away from cheap department store type scopes.  They're definitely cheap or a better description, junk.  A 12" Dob is a good place to start but if you can go to 16" the price difference isn't the much more and I think arel under a grand.  You can get Dobsonians with computerized guiding systems.  They exist these days.

I have a Celestron 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain. I'm very happy with it.  At the time I purchased it I lived in a light polluted area so I was forced to transport to darkskies to use it and needed something that was easily transportable.  It wasn't a bother to me to set up.  Actually, I got quite proficient at setting it up and polar aligning.   I joined the local astronomy club to get access to their dark viewing area.  Now that I'm in a nice dark area I'm thinking bigger and permanently mounted.

Had a Televue 101 or 102  4" refractor that was good for planetary observing and quick to setup if I didn't feel like dragging out the 8". It was a nice scope and I'm sad I sold it but I needed the money.

When I'm not lugging the scope out and still want to do some quick viewing a nice pair of Bino's on a tripod always satisfies my viewing impluse.

I've never bought anything from Orion Telescopes but I am on their mailing list and receive their catalog.  They have some nice looking stuff but don't know if it's any good.  Visit their website at: http://www.telescope.com

[W1UJR]

Thanks for the many suggestions folks, really helpful.
I feel like when I started in ham radio and had to decide if it was a Icom, Kenwood or Yaesu - back in the dark days before boatanchors.

One thing that I am always amazed am when I get home is the large, clear view of the sky.
To step of the car and be in total darkness, where the stars and moon are the brighest objects around, is just amazing.

I'm really quite excited to get going, I finally - for the first time in my adult life, have some land away from bright lights.
Current location should be idea, nearst city is 20 miles away, I'm right on the coast, and I have a good amount of room to set up a scope without trees blocking.
Now I'm wondering if I should have built a small deck on the back of the barn.
Oh well.

Perhaps looking at the sky during a Maine winter is not the ideal time for comfortable viewing, but it gives me something to look forward to on those cold and long winter evenings.

Tnx agn!

[W1RKW]

Don't use a scope on a deck.  It doesn't work well, too much vibration from the deck and the structure it's attached too will send those perturbations right to the eyepiece. The scope needs to be on solid ground and this effect becomes more accentuated as the scope gets bigger.