Stargazing

[Slick]

I've always had an interest in staring at the stars but my son (4) has become utterly facinated by the plants and stars and wants to spend his entire time watching videos, reading books, playing with apps etc as well as standing outside for hours.

I want to buy us a telescope so was hoping for some advice on where would be best to start. Don't want to spend a fortune and will look 2nd hand I think. Also and good books etc that might help us understand what we are looking at.

[Biffer]

I've always had an interest in staring at the stars but my son (4) has become utterly facinated by the plants and stars and wants to spend his entire time watching videos, reading books, playing with apps etc as well as standing outside for hours.

I want to buy us a telescope so was hoping for some advice on where would be best to start. Don't want to spend a fortune and will look 2nd hand I think. Also and good books etc that might help us understand what we are looking at.

This is a really difficult one - you're probably better off with a good pair of binoculars on a stand than a cheap telescope, but for a kid it's having the telescope and doing it that's cool and builds on the interest. Second hand might be a good way to go, but it depends how well it's been looked after - if it's been knocked about and the mirrors are out of alignment then it'll be crap. All decent telescopes are reflectors not refractors (basically, mirrors not lenses) and reflectors have the advantage of more changeable eyepieces and being able to more easily attach cameras to do stellar photography - you'll need a decent drive unit for photography though, one with no judder. In a lot of ways the stand and the ability to line the scope up are as important as the telescope itself. There are, I think, some decent apps out there nowadays that help you align stuff. Cool things for kids to look at would be stuff like Jupiter and it's moons, Saturn's rings and Moon craters (you can point out where all the Moon landings took place pretty easily), various nebulas and galaxies.

It's years since I've done any practical stuff though, so I can't really help you with particular models etc. Sky and Telescope is the leading magazine for amateur astronomy, and have some good info on this link https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-r ... astronomy/ - they have guides for northern and southern hemisphere.

Something to look at in the next few nights is Jupiter and Saturn being closer together in the sky than they've been in 800 years - they'll almost look like a single star.

If you're based around Edinburgh, then come the doors open day in September, get him up to the Royal Observatory on Blackford Hill. Lots of stuff for kids and most of the staff, who build instruments for the big telescopes in Chile and for Space Telescopes, are around to talk about what happens there.

The thing I like to tell kids is that everything they're made from, all the atoms in all the molecules, were made when a star exploded.

[tabascoboy]

I'd like to get back into it but too much light pollution where I live and no transport to move to a better site. Had a 4" reflector once and that was good enough to make out the rings of Saturn.

[Torquemada 1420]

This is tough but you should be able to get a begginer's reflector for £200 or even less used.

I would recommend a star gazing app. Something like the NASA one is free.

[Slick]

Biffer, thanks so much, that's really helpful.

I am in Edinburgh and there has been some great stuff to look at recently - Mars has been very clear and last night we saw Saturn (may well have been the Jupiter/ Saturn combo you mentioned, which we both got very excited about). It was actually very funny, I picked the boy up from nursery and he was telling anyone who would listen that Mars was there and we thought Saturn was over there. One of the mums got very excited about Saturn and asked us to point it out, she then got her kids over and shouted "look there's Santa, can you see his sleigh" - giggled as he put her straight.

Also all over the Royal Observatory when it opens, sounds fantastic.

Cheers, Torq. We have just about every app going which he takes outside with him.

You can probably tell I'm as excited as him that I now have a reason and excuse to really get into it.

[notfatcat]

6 empty toilet rolls sellotaped together make a decent and inexpensive telescope.

[TB63]

Heavens above app is good for ISS and satellites. Space weather for Northern lights etc..

[Biffer]

Biffer, thanks so much, that's really helpful.

I am in Edinburgh and there has been some great stuff to look at recently - Mars has been very clear and last night we saw Saturn (may well have been the Jupiter/ Saturn combo you mentioned, which we both got very excited about). It was actually very funny, I picked the boy up from nursery and he was telling anyone who would listen that Mars was there and we thought Saturn was over there. One of the mums got very excited about Saturn and asked us to point it out, she then got her kids over and shouted "look there's Santa, can you see his sleigh" - giggled as he put her straight.

Also all over the Royal Observatory when it opens, sounds fantastic.

Cheers, Torq. We have just about every app going which he takes outside with him.

You can probably tell I'm as excited as him that I now have a reason and excuse to really get into it.

If you want to get him really excited for Santa's sleigh, NORAD do a thing where they have an online tracker of where Santa's sleigh is, and NASA have been doing a thing where they say the International Space Station is Santa doing practice runs, so you can take the kids outside at the right time, point at the dot of light going overhead (well, in the south for Edinburgh), and say it's Santa out practicing his route for xmas eve.

https://www.noradsanta.org/
https://www.meteorwatch.org/santa-iss-passes/

[Biffer]

Biffer, thanks so much, that's really helpful.

I am in Edinburgh and there has been some great stuff to look at recently - Mars has been very clear and last night we saw Saturn (may well have been the Jupiter/ Saturn combo you mentioned, which we both got very excited about). It was actually very funny, I picked the boy up from nursery and he was telling anyone who would listen that Mars was there and we thought Saturn was over there. One of the mums got very excited about Saturn and asked us to point it out, she then got her kids over and shouted "look there's Santa, can you see his sleigh" - giggled as he put her straight.

Also all over the Royal Observatory when it opens, sounds fantastic.

Cheers, Torq. We have just about every app going which he takes outside with him.

You can probably tell I'm as excited as him that I now have a reason and excuse to really get into it.

Oh, and Jupiter and Saturn aren't together yet - it's on December 21st they reach their closest point. Can you imagine what kind of crazy shit that would stir up in an early civilisation....

[Insane_Homer]

I've always had an interest in staring at the stars but my son (4) has become utterly facinated by the plants and stars and wants to spend his entire time watching videos, reading books, playing with apps etc as well as standing outside for hours.

I want to buy us a telescope so was hoping for some advice on where would be best to start. Don't want to spend a fortune and will look 2nd hand I think. Also and good books etc that might help us understand what we are looking at.

Budget? there's a plethora out there.

I had one of the first Meade ETX 90 many years ago it was great. portable, easy to use and setup and simple to store and had some great optics with a barlow and 3 eye pieces (thus 6 different magnifications). Currently I've gone for access so I've currently got 80mm x 20 binoculars on a tripod, which I can carry outside and setup under 5 mins.

If portability is not an issue, over 6" is ideal.

Don't get hung up on magnification - only really decent for planets, for the rest - wide field of view if often better. and you can add subtract with eye pieces.

FLO - are awesome, have a huge range and excellent customer service - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginn ... copes.html

If you can stow it, this is exceptional for the price - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginn ... -130p.html and a great beginners setup.

next level up - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflec ... eq3-2.html

if I had the space I'd probably get this myself - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflec ... -goto.html or REDCAT51 for astrophotography.

Once you start getting to that level you have decent goto and tracking functionality, but you then need to start choosing between optical and photographic on the tube assemblies.

[Biffer]

Yeah, I forgot to mention magnification is irrelevant to astronomers. Resolution is the key thing - this is where something called diffraction limited optics is important. If someone is trying to sell you one and doesn't understand this, they don't know what they're talking about.

[Openside]

How lovely to have an inquisitive mind to encourage. I would have thought there is every chance of getting a reasonable one second hand as I imagine for most they, like exercise bikes become a bit of kit to hang things on.

[Opensides Butler]

As do lawnmowers.

[Openside]

As do lawnmowers.

No they all get used. It's like Augusta when the gardeners are here

[Nols]

Vaguely related; Jupiter and Saturn will appear at their closest apparent distance from our perspective on the 21st (coincidentally the solstice) since the 1500s.

[tabascoboy]

Vaguely related; Jupiter and Saturn will appear at their closest apparent distance from our perspective on the 21st (coincidentally the solstice) since the 1500s.

[SaintK]

Biffer, thanks so much, that's really helpful.

I am in Edinburgh and there has been some great stuff to look at recently - Mars has been very clear and last night we saw Saturn (may well have been the Jupiter/ Saturn combo you mentioned, which we both got very excited about). It was actually very funny, I picked the boy up from nursery and he was telling anyone who would listen that Mars was there and we thought Saturn was over there. One of the mums got very excited about Saturn and asked us to point it out, she then got her kids over and shouted "look there's Santa, can you see his sleigh" - giggled as he put her straight.

Also all over the Royal Observatory when it opens, sounds fantastic.

Cheers, Torq. We have just about every app going which he takes outside with him.

You can probably tell I'm as excited as him that I now have a reason and excuse to really get into it.

Oh, and Jupiter and Saturn aren't together yet - it's on December 21st they reach their closest point. Can you imagine what kind of crazy shit that would stir up in an early civilisation....

Yep, hope it stays clear on Monday evening

Astronomers are gearing up for a heavenly spectacle when Jupiter and Saturn huddle closer together in the evening sky than they have for nearly 400 years.
The celestial event will play out on Monday when the solar system’s two largest planets appear side by side in a “great conjunction” above the horizon soon after sunset.
In the distant past, such alignments of the planets were seen as portents of things to come, from great fires and floods to the birth of Christ and the ultimate collapse of civilisation.
The conjunction will peak at 6.37pm UK time, but the event will be visible in Britain from about 4.30pm until 6pm at 15 degrees above the south-west horizon. Noting the danger of cloudy skies, astronomers point out that the pairing can be seen two days either side of the peak

[stunt_cunt]

Dont spend too much, it will be whatever the latest collection of cards to trade with his schoolmates next year.

My kid had a fascination with dinosaurs from 3-5. We had every dinosaur movie ever created and every dinousaur moulded plastic toy ever created around the house.

If he's still into it at 7 then spend some proper money on the toys. When they move on from something they move quick. A trip to an observatory would be fascinating for everyone though.

[Insane_Homer]

[Insane_Homer]

Of course full cloud cover all day and then started pissing down at ~ 17:00.

[Insane_Homer]

New project,

All sky camera.
Bought a ZWO ASI 178MC for my birthday recently.
Connected to MeLE Mini PC Quieter3Q

At the moment I'm still testing so it's just on a tripod and has to be babysat.
Need to build a waterproof came with dome and mount it on the garage so it can then run overnight, everynight.

The primary purpose will be to capture meteors, of course the 2-3 nights of recent Perseids was completely clouded over
I'll also be able to create time-lapse stuff and Keograms once I can capture all night data.

2023-08-07T00-14-08-032.jpg (130.13 KiB) Viewed 1879 times

[Sandstorm]

Garage

Posh cnut

[Insane_Homer]

swirly.jpg (293.75 KiB) Viewed 1705 times

[Torquemada 1420]

New project,

All sky camera.
Bought a ZWO ASI 178MC for my birthday recently.
Connected to MeLE Mini PC Quieter3Q

At the moment I'm still testing so it's just on a tripod and has to be babysat.
Need to build a waterproof came with dome and mount it on the garage so it can then run overnight, everynight.

The primary purpose will be to capture meteors, of course the 2-3 nights of recent Perseids was completely clouded over
I'll also be able to create time-lapse stuff and Keograms once I can capture all night data.

2023-08-07T00-14-08-032.jpg

2 problems in the UK
i) Light pollution.
ii) Weather.

I used to go up to Woburn (no lights there) and freeze my arse off with just the deer for company but most of the time there is any major meteor event it's cloudy.
Even when it's not, it's always been a disappointment number wise.

[Insane_Homer]

Started a new project while I wait for bits to arrive for my Allsky camera setup.

Software defined Radio (SDR)

USB SDR Receiver (£30) into Pc with suitable Arial to listen for meteors burning up in the atmosphere.

Proper nerdy stuff.

The basics are tune it to FM signal that is out of range and them listen for it's echo when a meteor reflects the signal as it produces ions burning up in the atmosphere.

[Ymx]

Anyone clock the super blue moon last night?

Daughter was super excited., due to the next one being a decade away. She Looked at it through binoculars, but I got in trouble as it was bright and the wife thought it was dangerous… despite me sending various links.

[Sandstorm]

Anyone clock the super blue moon last night?

Daughter was super excited., due to the next one being a decade away. She Looked at it through binoculars, but I got in trouble as it was bright and the wife thought it was dangerous… despite me sending various links.

It was yellow in Berkshire. Same as usual.

[Torquemada 1420]

Anyone clock the super blue moon last night?

Daughter was super excited., due to the next one being a decade away. She Looked at it through binoculars, but I got in trouble as it was bright and the wife thought it was dangerous… despite me sending various links.

1) I thought it was only rare in being the "blue" and "super" (at perigee) at the same time i.e. we get supers 3 or 4 times a year?

2) Looking at the moon dangerous? Your wife read too many werewolf stories?

Anyway, it was quite impressive via binoculars with the cloud patterns we had.

[Insane_Homer]

I took this is 2004, from the roof of my work building just off Oxford Street with my portable telescope (ETX90) and solar filter and film camera.

Proper rare event...

P6080022.JPG (721.21 KiB) Viewed 1485 times

The last transit of Venus was on 5 and 6 June 2012, and was the last Venus transit of the 21st century; the prior transit took place on 8 June 2004. The previous pair of transits were in December 1874 and December 1882. The next transits of Venus will take place on 10–11 December 2117 and 8 December 2125.

[Dan54]

I saw the blue moon, and I understand it was just brighter to my eyes than nomal, but can also understand it was closer than usual. I was talking to mate and said I had seen it didn't think it changed my life etc, but only because it not my thing. If I was into that kind of thing like Insane_H I may of been.
I will say I can understand why people get into star watching etc, just because I don't doesn't mean it wouldn't be bloody interesting. I struggle to find Southern Lights and sometime wonder if I missing out.

[Grandpa]

I took this is 2004, from the roof of my work building just off Oxford Street with my portable telescope (ETX90) and solar filter and film camera.

Proper rare event...

P6080022.JPG

The last transit of Venus was on 5 and 6 June 2012, and was the last Venus transit of the 21st century; the prior transit took place on 8 June 2004. The previous pair of transits were in December 1874 and December 1882. The next transits of Venus will take place on 10–11 December 2117 and 8 December 2125.

I like that... how long was Venus crossing the sun for? A few minutes?

[Insane_Homer]

This is what all the fuss is about...

[Insane_Homer]

I like that... how long was Venus crossing the sun for? A few minutes?

It lasted ~4-6 hours

[Ymx]

I took this is 2004, from the roof of my work building just off Oxford Street with my portable telescope (ETX90) and solar filter and film camera.

Proper rare event...

The last transit of Venus was on 5 and 6 June 2012, and was the last Venus transit of the 21st century; the prior transit took place on 8 June 2004. The previous pair of transits were in December 1874 and December 1882. The next transits of Venus will take place on 10–11 December 2117 and 8 December 2125.

That spec in the sun is probably what earth looks like to Mars.

The scale and proximity is quite terrifying.

[Gumboot]

The blue supermoon yesterday was impressive. Don't think I've ever seen the moon shining so brightly. It was like a spotlight - I was half expecting to see the bat signal appear.

[Grandpa]

I like that... how long was Venus crossing the sun for? A few minutes?

It lasted ~4-6 hours

Still.. a great photo and well captured...

[Insane_Homer]

29 August nice big flash on Jupiter

[Biffer]

I took this is 2004, from the roof of my work building just off Oxford Street with my portable telescope (ETX90) and solar filter and film camera.

Proper rare event...

The last transit of Venus was on 5 and 6 June 2012, and was the last Venus transit of the 21st century; the prior transit took place on 8 June 2004. The previous pair of transits were in December 1874 and December 1882. The next transits of Venus will take place on 10–11 December 2117 and 8 December 2125.

That spec in the sun is probably what earth looks like to Mars.

The scale and proximity is quite terrifying.

Twice the distance for earth to Mars so it'd be half the size

It's only things like that that give you any real idea of the size. The sun is massive, we can see it having physical size from ninety million miles away.

And it's a fairly small star - Antares is more than a hundred times the diameter of the dun. It'd fill the whole sky more or less

[Ymx]

I took this is 2004, from the roof of my work building just off Oxford Street with my portable telescope (ETX90) and solar filter and film camera.

Proper rare event...

That spec in the sun is probably what earth looks like to Mars.

The scale and proximity is quite terrifying.

Twice the distance for earth to Mars so it'd be half the size

It's only things like that that give you any real idea of the size. The sun is massive, we can see it having physical size from ninety million miles away.

And it's a fairly small star - Antares is more than a hundred times the diameter of the dun. It'd fill the whole sky more or less

Although, I guess that balances as the sun would be half the size from Mars too.

[Biffer]

That spec in the sun is probably what earth looks like to Mars.

The scale and proximity is quite terrifying.

Twice the distance for earth to Mars so it'd be half the size

It's only things like that that give you any real idea of the size. The sun is massive, we can see it having physical size from ninety million miles away.

And it's a fairly small star - Antares is more than a hundred times the diameter of the dun. It'd fill the whole sky more or less

Although, I guess that balances as the sun would be half the size from Mars too.

No, about two thirds.