Anyone here into Astronomy?

Stylerod · 12-14-2007, 01:37 PM

I just ordered our family gift that will be from "Santa".

Orion StarMax 102mm EQ Compact "Mak"

My son and I have gone to the Greensboro Observatory a few times (Motivez, if you haven't been you need to go. It's at GTCC and is amazing) and at cub scout camp one of the dads always brings his and it's really cool. I had one growing up by my dad didn't really care too much and I had a hard time finding things myself.

It's something I have always wanted to get into and I finally made the plunge to get a higher end beginners scope.

I also got the attachment so I can hook up my Nikon dSLR to it and take pictures. If they come out well I'll post them. I'm really looking forward to this one. Last year Santa brought us a Wii. He's good to us

Anyway, it comes with a star finder software package. But I'd really like to get a good book or chart or something. Anybody have any recommendations?

7960 · 12-14-2007, 01:43 PM

got my son this

AstroMax Binocular Introductory Astronomy Kit

binoculars, planisphere, star maps, etc..... I read a bunch that said not to buy a telescope at first, until you figure out if the kid really likes it. So I went with the binoculars and other stuff.

Anybody have any recommendations?

Planisphere: The Night Sky

you should check out that planisphere. Pretty cool to set it to a date/time and have it direct you to the stars.

Stylerod · 12-14-2007, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

got my son this

AstroMax Binocular Introductory Astronomy Kit

binoculars, planisphere, star maps, etc..... I read a bunch that said not to buy a telescope at first, until you figure out if the kid really likes it. So I went with the binoculars and other stuff.

Planisphere: The Night Sky

you should check out that planisphere. Pretty cool to set it to a date/time and have it direct you to the stars.

Cool. Well, as I said, this is for the whole family and I know he will want to do it with me. I was contemplating getting binoculars instead but I really would like to get into the photography aspect of it as well. I can hook up my camera to my laptop and take shots that way and we can all see the shots as I take them.

We are going to be at my moms for Christmas in the U.P. of MI. She has 15 acres with no neighbors. If it stays above 0 I think we can get some real good nighttime viewing in there.

Scrum · 12-14-2007, 02:06 PM

I would love to get a nice telescope, but I'm still a little too close to the Chicagoland area to get a decent view.

Stylerod · 12-14-2007, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Scrum

I would love to get a nice telescope, but I'm still a little too close to the Chicagoland area to get a decent view.

While trying to figure out what to get quite a few reviews said some of these less expensive telescopes actually cut through neighborhood light pretty well.

Scrum · 12-14-2007, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

While trying to figure out what to get quite a few reviews said some of these less expensive telescopes actually cut through neighborhood light pretty well.

I'll have to start looking again. I never even bothered when we lived in Schaumburg with O'Hare so close and bright.

On a side note, anyone been watching The Universe on History Channel? What a fantastic series.

7960 · 12-14-2007, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Cool. Well, as I said, this is for the whole family and I know he will want to do it with me. I was contemplating getting binoculars instead but I really would like to get into the photography aspect of it as well. I can hook up my camera to my laptop and take shots that way and we can all see the shots as I take them.

Hey, whoa, don't defend it to me. I'm buying for an 8 year old who could look through the binoculars once and then promptly inform me "stars are stupid" and never look up again.

I think the whole pictures/laptop thing is cool.

Check out that planisphere.

motivez · 12-14-2007, 02:44 PM

I've always wanted to get into it, get one of the ones that hooks up to a laptop and can point you to various stars

I have a good friend who lives in Sweden who's really into it, he's taken some pretty neat pictures. I mean, they'll never look like the stuff coming out of hubble but the fact that you are the one taking them is pretty cool.. let me see if I can find his gallery

motivez · 12-14-2007, 02:56 PM

Astrofoto - Astronet

It's in Swedish, but you can click on the pictures if you don't speak it.

thomez · 12-14-2007, 07:54 PM

I live in the cloudiest place in the US... so I guess I'm not really into astronomy... we go long enough periods that I forget the sky has stars in it

motivez · 12-14-2007, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by thomez

I live in the cloudiest place in the US... so I guess I'm not really into astronomy... we go long enough periods that I forget the sky has stars in it

I thought you were from Moscow, comrade.