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Mrs. Anygun and I had a private star party Saturday evening. We observed Saturn for quite awhile. She had never seen Saturn's rings on her own through a telescope. I think I have awakened a dormant astronomer in her.

Anygunanywhere

WildBill wrote:Here are a couple of pictures taken by my neighbor's son. His telescope is also an 8 inch reflector.

http://glogg.jupiter-io.net/display.aspx?ID=24

http://glogg.jupiter-io.net/display.aspx?ID=123

Oh, man - that second image is amazing! I've always been interested in looking at the images on APOD, and all but one of my computers sport astronomy or Hubble/Webb images, but I've never ventured into getting a telescope myself.

If we get the property we've put in an offer for, it's out in the country and the light pollution is so much better than it is in the city, that the grandkids are going to be able to see some of those images first-hand!

anygunanywhere wrote:Mrs. Anygun and I had a private star party Saturday evening. We observed Saturn for quite awhile. She had never seen Saturn's rings on her own through a telescope. I think I have awakened a dormant astronomer in her.

Anygunanywhere

Mrs. JMRA and I bought a fairly large (heavy at least) telescope a number of years ago. Neither one of us were star gazers in the least. I set it up in the driveway when we got home from the store and said there's a bright object, let's look at it. When I got it in focus and saw the rings we were both totally amazed. This thread makes me want to get another scope.

n5wd wrote:

WildBill wrote:Here are a couple of pictures taken by my neighbor's son. His telescope is also an 8 inch reflector.

http://glogg.jupiter-io.net/display.aspx?ID=24

http://glogg.jupiter-io.net/display.aspx?ID=123

Oh, man - that second image is amazing! I've always been interested in looking at the images on APOD, and all but one of my computers sport astronomy or Hubble/Webb images, but I've never ventured into getting a telescope myself.

If we get the property we've put in an offer for, it's out in the country and the light pollution is so much better than it is in the city, that the grandkids are going to be able to see some of those images first-hand!

That second image was taken with a "souped up" camera that was built by the photographer. BTW, he is now a professor of engineering at NC State University.

Astronomy Day is tomorrow, May 10.

Keep looking up.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/uncatego ... onomy-day/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jaguar wrote:Astronomy Day is tomorrow, May 10.

Keep looking up.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/uncatego ... onomy-day/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wait, shouldn't that be "Astronomy Night"?

I bought two more items today:

1. A 47"x13.5"x18.5" Orion Padded Telescope Case for the telescope tube, for safer transportation: http://www.telescope.com/47x135x185-Ori ... /15174.uts
   
   AND.....
2. An Orion StarShoot 5 MP Solar System Color Camera: http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotograp ... 103029.uts
   

The camera will plug right into my MacBook Air so I can see what I'm taking a picture of.

The Annoyed Man wrote:I bought two more items today:

1. A 47"x13.5"x18.5" Orion Padded Telescope Case for the telescope tube, for safer transportation: http://www.telescope.com/47x135x185-Ori ... /15174.uts
   [ Image ]
   AND.....
2. An Orion StarShoot 5 MP Solar System Color Camera: http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotograp ... 103029.uts
   [ Image ]

The camera will plug right into my MacBook Air so I can see what I'm taking a picture of.

Nice. I am looking forward to your pictures of celestial bodies.

Skywatchers have a chance to see two comets in May, one of which may spawn a spectacular "meteor storm" at the end of next week.

Comets PanSTARRS and LINEAR are streaking through the night sky this month, and both should be visible through binoculars or a small telescope, experts say.

This NASA video shows how to spot the two comets, as well as Saturn, in the May night sky. Comet PanSTARRS, officially known as PanSTARRS C/2012 K1, "is easy to find as it skims the sky below the Big Dipper," narrator Jane Houston Jones said in the May skywatching video by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.




http://www.space.com/25848-comets-visib ... 9_24075224" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;