# Astronomy



## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Any astronomors here? I am looking for recommendations for 1) Some good books for beginners and 2) similar websites.

I was bought a decent telescope a few years ago and have now decided to use it, unfortunately I seem to have a trouble assimlilating any information on the subject, no matter how simple. It took my 10 year old half an hour with a ping pong ball and his fist before it eventually dawned on me why I can only see one side of the moon


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Astro.zip

This is a zip file of all my Internet Explorer Favourites that have to do with astronomy. To be honest, they're mostly software related but there may be something there that's of use to you







If I think of anything else I'll let you know.

What sort of telescope have you got?


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## Fred (Feb 23, 2003)

[ It took my 10 year old half an hour with a ping pong ball and his fist before it eventually dawned on me why I can only see one side of the moon









Yeh, But i bet you said WOW when you saw the craters,







, fred


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## mat (Feb 25, 2003)

Maybe a bit off topic... I do solar-terrestrial physics and help maintain some _really_ sensitive compasses (called magnetometers) around Europe. These detect small changes in the Earth's magnetic field (as small as 0.002%







) and can predict when aurora might be visible as far south as the UK. Usually you can only see it up near the arctic circle, in Lapland, etc.

AuroraWatch

If anyone saw a green and red glow in the sky last Friday night, it will have been aurora. As usual, I wasn't looking at my email and managed to miss it









A nice large diameter telescope, with the smallest possible magnification eye-piece might be pretty good for seeing and photographing the fairly dim aurora you occasionally get in the UK.

There are some pictures of Friday's aurora, taken by a friend here in Lancaster.

Andrew Senior's Pics of Aurora


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Wow! That's fantastic mat, thanks.

Added to Favourites


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## Sargon (Feb 24, 2003)

Will these displays become more frequent and further South as the Earths magnetic field weakens? It is signifigantly on the wane at the moment isn't it?


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## Jules (Aug 2, 2004)

Can't check rhaythorne's zip file at work - is this one in it?

www.heavens-above.com

I used to be into astronomy as a teenager and one book that I used to find very useful was the Astronomers Yearbook (or something like that - Google it and I'm sure it will come up). The good thing about that was that it told you when all the meteor showers and other phenomena were visible.

Have fun.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

> Can't check rhaythorne's zip file at work - is this one in it?
> 
> www.heavens-above.com


Indeed it is


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## Fred (Feb 23, 2003)

Patric Moor did a year book on Astronomy [and as done for years] they were very good for the amature with loots of info,try your local library mine used to get a copy every year, fred.


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## Sgt Pepper (Dec 26, 2021)

I recently picked up a Celestron Starsense 102 Dx Explorer Refractor, very very impressed with the Phone App attachment for locating objects in the night sky, not so impressed with all the clouds that appear nearly every time I set it up. 

https://www.celestron.com/products/starsense-explorer-dx-102az


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## antjrice (Mar 13, 2020)

Sgt Pepper said:


> I recently picked up a Celestron Starsense 102 Dx Explorer Refractor, very very impressed with the Phone App attachment for locating objects in the night sky, not so impressed with all the clouds that appear nearly every time I set it up.
> 
> https://www.celestron.com/products/starsense-explorer-dx-102az


 I received the LT114 for Christmas and I've been absolutely blown away by it:

https://www.celestron.com/products/starsense-explorer-lt-114az

I took it to Scotland during the break and with limited light pollution, I was able to see Ganymede, Io and Callisto with the 100x lens. Wonderful!


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## Sgt Pepper (Dec 26, 2021)

antjrice said:


> I received the LT114 for Christmas and I've been absolutely blown away by it:
> 
> https://www.celestron.com/products/starsense-explorer-lt-114az
> 
> I took it to Scotland during the break and with limited light pollution, I was able to see Ganymede, Io and Callisto with the 100x lens. Wonderful!


 Could you see any detail on Jupiter?


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## antjrice (Mar 13, 2020)

Sgt Pepper said:


> Could you see any detail on Jupiter?


 Not with this equipment, it was just reflecting sunlight but seeing it as an orb was pretty cool.

Looking forward to seeing Mars up close later this year.


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## Alpha550t (Mar 31, 2020)

Sgt Pepper said:


> Could you see any detail on Jupiter?


 Not bad detail on Pluto !


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

This is the first time I've come across this thread - obviously it has been revived after a long break, and I thank @Sgt Pepper and @antjrice for reviving it. :thumbsup:

I myself had a great interest in astronomy as a child and one Christmas received a new refractor telescope on a tripod from Mum and Dad. I remember having great times with it and looking at all sorts of celestial bodies, learning to navigate my way around the stars. It had a useful rangefinder on top of the barrel and a prism eyepiece so that the image reeived by the eye was the right way up. It also came with lenses for different magnifications. One thing I am pretty certain of and that is the growth of light pollution in the South East of England since my astronomy days, and I do miss the awesome views of the Milky Way that we had on cold clear nights from our back garden in Robertsbridge, East Sussex.

I no longer have that telescope but retain an academic interest in matters astronomical, especially in relation to advances in astrophysics and the sciences generally. I fear that I would not have many nights from where I live clear enough to do a decent telescope justice.


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## Sgt Pepper (Dec 26, 2021)

Always said:


> This is the first time I've come across this thread - obviously it has been revived after a long break, and I thank @Sgt Pepper and @antjrice for reviving it. :thumbsup:
> 
> I myself had a great interest in astronomy as a child and one Christmas received a new refractor telescope on a tripod from Mum and Dad. I remember having great times with it and looking at all sorts of celestial bodies, learning to navigate my way around the stars. It had a useful rangefinder on top of the barrel and a prism eyepiece so that the image reeived by the eye was the right way up. It also came with lenses for different magnifications. One thing I am pretty certain of and that is the growth of light pollution in the South East of England since my astronomy days, and I do miss the awesome views of the Milky Way that we had on cold clear nights from our back garden in Robertsbridge, East Sussex.
> 
> I no longer have that telescope but retain an academic interest in matters astronomical, especially in relation to advances in astrophysics and the sciences generally. I fear that I would not have many nights from where I live clear enough to do a decent telescope justice.


 There are still many great nights to be had even with the naked eye.....one of the widest field of views and most steady.

I think Time & Astronomy are intrinsically related, so very much part of this forum.


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## Sgt Pepper (Dec 26, 2021)

Found Uranus, Pleiades, and a few more objects so very happy tonight. Only disappointment was tried to nail M81 & M82, but I think I might need darker skies.


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Turn right at Orion is a good book :thumbsup:

John


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## Sgt Pepper (Dec 26, 2021)

johnbaz said:


> Turn right at Orion is a good book :thumbsup:
> 
> John


 Its's a fantastic book, also look up Stellarium on Google it is a superb real time and location SW guide to the night sky:

https://stellarium.org/


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## Roxyben (May 19, 2020)

I have had a 8" reflector for quite some years now but have not had it out for quite some time. Its a real mission because of the size of it with the mount and tripod and everything else that comes with it to even get out with it, hence its not getting a lot of use. I am planning on getting it out in the next few weeks hopefully, have many wonderous nights under the stars with it and the universe has always been something that has really fascinated me!

Recently I have bought a nice pair of binoculars to pair with a tripod to make things a bit easier. Much more simpler and takes up no room at all. Just waiting for the weather to get a little better so I can test them out!


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Roxyben said:


> I have had a 8" reflector for quite some years now but have not had it out for quite some time. Its a real mission because of the size of it with the mount and tripod and everything else that comes with it to even get out with it, hence its not getting a lot of use. I am planning on getting it out in the next few weeks hopefully, have many wonderous nights under the stars with it and the universe has always been something that has really fascinated me!
> 
> Recently I have bought a nice pair of binoculars to pair with a tripod to make things a bit easier. Much more simpler and takes up no room at all. Just waiting for the weather to get a little better so I can test them out!


 I 'won' an 8" Orion reflector off fleabay. Cracking scope but as you said, A bit of a mess about to set up!!

I've seen Jupiter and four moons through it and other good stuff but it's a heck of a job getting the things in focus and holding them in the line of sight!!

I also bought some 15x80 Swallow binoculars, Even though they're low powered they're great to get out of a clear evening and have a nosey upp'ards!!, I usually plant my elboes on top of the car then wedge them to my eyes rather than get the tripod out..

John :thumbsup:


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## Roxyben (May 19, 2020)

johnbaz said:


> I also bought some 15x80 Swallow binoculars, Even though they're low powered they're great to get out of a clear evening and have a nosey upp'ards!!, I usually plant my elboes on top of the car then wedge them to my eyes rather than get the tripod out..


 I managed to try my new binoculars out over the weekend. Was out in the van out near Robin Hoods Bay, got a really clear sky Saturday night. Didn't stay out too long though as it was rather cold and blowing a gale. Saw a couple of easy targets though, M42 and Pleiades. Looked rather good through the Binoculars, was quite surprised at how good they actually were.. Much easier than the full rig although I do plan on getting it out some time very soon.


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