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Thread: The Astronomy Thread v2.0

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    The Astronomy Thread v2.0

    I want to start a thread where we can discuss traditional astronomy. I have recently decided that I need to get into this hobby, so that I can better understand what goes on out there based on my own observations, and not have to rely so much on what others tell me. For that reason alone, I highly recommend others of you pick this hobby up too! Many of you are more distrustful of authority than I am, so this would be a way for you to cut the middle man out, and see things for yourselves!

    Anyway, I just recently purchased my first ever telescope. Here it is:



    It's not very big, and it didn't cost very much, but it provides a nice widefield view of the heavens, and I can see things through it that I can't see with my naked eye. Also, it tracks the celestial objects for me, automatically, so that I don't have to keep chasing after it with the telescope. The specs for this telescope suggest that it will only be good for observing the moon, planets, the sun, and nearby comets. But there are certain deep space objects that are large enough and/or bright enough for this telescope to pick up as well, like the Orion Nebula for instance.

    I plan on purchasing a camera that will fit into the eyepiece soon, so I can take pictures of what I see. So far, I have been able to look at AWESOME views of Jupiter, with 4 of its moons. I've also seen the crescent shape of Venus. I've also seen the bejewelled and beautiful Pleiades, which was absolutely amazing! I can't get enough of the Orion nebula, which is my favorite thing to look at, but I've also gotten into looking at star clusters lately.

    Anyone else into telescopes and stuff?

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    I got a second hand Celestron AM 130 eq (no motor ) that came with the original two eyepieces, one is an "erecting eyepiece" that is it doesn't invert the image like normal eyepieces do, and a 10 mm one, they give 35x & 65x magnification respectively.

    My first short go with the scope were disappointing, but the erecting eyepiece had been messed with (now sorted) & the starfinder was miles out (also now sorted) I managed to get out with it for well over an hour on friday and found that it wasn't that bad when it had adjusted to ambient temperature.

    At one point a meteor shot across the view on 65x and I nearly fell off my stool !

    I could see the colours & Galilean moons of Jupiter but not the bands, the standard eyepieces are a bit crummy, I am going to get an good 8mm ep & a barlow after Christmas, which should pimp it up nicely.

    Its a clear sky tonight :sun:

    I just hope Boris the Boar doesn't come round again

    Even without a scope tonight will be good, the Ursids meteor shower is due http://www.amsmeteors.org/2013/12/20...r-shower-list/

    This free software is a must have for finding celestial objects & learning your way around the night sky http://www.stellarium.org/

    Use google Earth to pinpoint your location or skywatching venue to get your grid co-ordinates it you don't live in a city listed on Stellarium, there are you tube videos on how to use it & how to add more things like comets & asteroids.

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    Got a clear night here following a day of rain, so its very clear, but very cold with very strong wind, having been reading about the Orion Nebula I thought it would make a good target.

    Having spent 10 minutes making a small cardboard rear sight to align the so called "starfinder" up with I was more confident than before of finding it.

    Jupiter was up & very clear so I aimed at that using my new sight, and even though I had the 10mm eyepiece in it was bang on first try One of the moons was very close to Jupiter but still discernible by using the side of my eye rather than looking straight on (just found out about that trick, your eye can pick up more light like that !)

    I then turned my attention to the Orion Nebula which was a bit trickier to locate but I got it without too much trouble, and very spectacular it was too !

    There were a couple of things up there tonight that were a bit odd, hard to say what shape they were, as I couldn't actually see objects as such, it was just that the stars "rippled" in such a way as to look like an object the size of a pound coin at arms length was passing overhead in a straight line at quite a speed, it looked like some kind of a cloaking device was being used, such as you see on the old star trek !

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    Awesome, Spiral, it's amazing being able to see these things with our own eyes like this, isn't it? It really makes me feel present in the universe, as cliche as that is. The Orion nebula is my favorite thing to view so far!! Mostly because it's so easy to spot, and how visible it is even through light pollution, but still, it's beautiful! Our own sun formed in a nebula like that one.

    And yes, averted vision is a common "trick" to use in astronomy. I forget the details at the moment, but our eyes have either more rods or more cones off to the periphery than in the center, and they collect more light, but it's not in color. So fainter objects can be seen better when looking around them, instead of at them. This is also a useful tool for UFO spotting, too. Take my word for it. When they are being sneaky, you can see them better through averted vision.

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    Remembering Halton Arp | Space News

    Geez, they can't accept observations that don't match theory !


    Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnZJlv-Buhk


    Published on 10 Jan 2014

    On December 28, 2013, the acclaimed astronomer Halton Arp passed away at the age of 86 in Munich, Germany. Dr. Arp posed a challenge to the very foundation of modern cosmology; a challenge that grows only more relevant with new and astonishing discoveries in the cosmos. We present Wal Thornhill as we honor Dr. Arp's remarkable contributions to science and astronomy.

    Subscribe to Thunderbolts Update newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ETy41
    Thunderbolts Project Home: http://www.thunderbolts.info
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thunderboltsp...
    Picture of the Day: http://www.thunderbolts.info/wp/daily...
    Electric Universe (Wal Thornhill): http://www.holoscience.com/wp/
    Essential Guide to the Electric Universe: http://www.thunderbolts.info/wp/eg-co...

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    Latest astronomy news, something new thats visible with a scope !

    New Super Nova Explodes In M82 Cigar Galaxy & Is Dubbed The Holy Grail 01-23-2014



    Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CupXCyoi-qU


    Published on Jan 23, 2014

    An exploding star has suddenly appeared in the night sky, dazzling astronomers who haven't seen a new supernova so close to our solar system in more than 20 years.

    In just the last few days, a the supernova emerged as a bright light in Messier 82 - also known as the Cigar Galaxy - about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major, or the Great Bear. The supernova, which one astronomer described as a potential "Holy Grail" for scientists, was first discovered by students at the University College London.

    Positioned between the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper, the new supernova should be easy for skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere to spot; it may even brighten enough to be visible through a small pair of binoculars, said astronomer Brad Tucker, of the Australian National University and the University of California, Berkeley. Beyond creating a skywatching spectacle, the cosmic event may also afford astronomers a rare opportunity to study an object that might help them understand dark energy.

    http://www.space.com/24369-supernova...ur-photos.html

    Live stream ;http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tree0fmight

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    I read about that on Orion's facebook page, and forgot to share it, so thanks for posting it here. Our universe is amazing, that things like this still happen in the here and now (well, now to us anyway, even though it happened 12 million light years ago), and they can be discovered by amateur astronomers. It really makes the universe feel alive, doesn't it?

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