Any amateur Astronomers?

**HeroSK** · October 06, 2010, 06:26 AM

Hi all,

I started to this hobby years ago. I am living in a small village. So luckly I have a chance to make sky observations since here light pollution is relatively low. I bought a low quality 5x10 binocular which is ok but there is a fault about it so I use just one side of it.

Here it is hard to get such devices. Recently I tried to build up a primitive telescope by using a reading glasses lens and a magnifiying glass. It is 3x18 if I calculated it right. I use to observe mostly planets and moon. It is pretty enjoable to see Jupiter's sattellites, Venus's phases. In daytime I even use it for sun observations, looking for sun spots.

I really want to take pictures but currently I am lacking in a good quality camera.

So, I am curious if anyone here interesting in such things ?

**nasher168** · October 06, 2010, 07:54 AM

I have a pretty large telescope in my garage. On good nights you can see the planets and star clusters fairly well. The snag is that since I live in the UK there are very few places free from light pollution (70 million people in an area scarcely larger than Florida...) so I would have to lug this huge great big thing up into the moors to see things like Andromeda or the Magellanic clouds-and even that might not be completely free from light pollution.

**nemgod** · January 23, 2011, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by nasher168

I have a pretty large telescope in my garage. On good nights you can see the planets and star clusters fairly well. The snag is that since I live in the UK there are very few places free from light pollution (70 million people in an area scarcely larger than Florida...) so I would have to lug this huge great big thing up into the moors to see things like Andromeda or the Magellanic clouds-and even that might not be completely free from light pollution.

Umm isn't the magellanic clouds unable to be observed this far north?

**B5C** · January 11, 2011, 06:42 PM

After nearly a 15 break from amateur Astronomy I decided to come back again, so I plan on getting a refracting Telescope this month. Plan on getting a Newtonian later on. What I really want to do is stellar photography.

Anybody here done stellar photography?

**Godfrey I of Leuven** · January 12, 2011, 02:24 PM

I might begin with it this year, I still need a decent mount and an adapter.

**Aquila SPQR** · January 12, 2011, 06:21 PM

Tried to make few photos, but I don't have any special equippment necessary. I just sticked camera to the ocular. Maybe I'll prepare myself better for the Elenin comet.

**Jaketh** · January 14, 2011, 12:52 PM

i got a telescope when i was 10, it never worked :'(

**Atatürk** · January 14, 2011, 12:56 PM

The most I could ever afford were binoculars for bird watching.

**irontaino** · January 18, 2011, 09:31 PM

Unfortunately the city lights impede stargazing, but open, unimpeded views of the sky are but an hour's drive away. Going to get a telescope soon, always been fascinated with space and the things out there

**Godfrey I of Leuven** · January 21, 2011, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by irontaino

Unfortunately the city lights impede stargazing, but open, unimpeded views of the sky are but an hour's drive away. Going to get a telescope soon, always been fascinated with space and the things out there

Good luck and have fun out there. I have to drive about five hours to get me some clear skies. Western-Europe is getting worse by the year when it comes to light pollution. Just to give you an idea, this is my backyard at night.