Search found 164 matches

by FF2Rydia
Wed Jan 24, 2024 8:46 pm
Forum: MAS Electronic Media & Book Group
Topic: Book Review: Breif history of black holes
Replies: 2
Views: 1806

Re: Book Review: Breif history of black holes

SEmert wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:19 am Her excuse is that the picture was the only published picture just because of press limitations, and the picture was released before she was born, making her about 34 now. Feel old yet?
Yeah, it does. I was in elementary school for the Uranus and Neptune flybys (and SN 1987A).
by FF2Rydia
Wed Dec 20, 2023 3:46 pm
Forum: Marketplace/Exchange
Topic: Meade LXD75 mount for sale
Replies: 7
Views: 4366

Re: Meade LXD75 mount for sale

That means that it hasn't been read. PMs don't work quite like email, in that they stay in the outbox until they are read.
by FF2Rydia
Mon Nov 27, 2023 2:54 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: An attempt at collimating my SCT
Replies: 2
Views: 1326

Re: An attempt at collimating my SCT

I'm going to make a guess as to the source of the triple images: the mirror being a standard mirror with the reflecting surface on the back side of the glass, rather than the front side like astronomical mirrors are.
by FF2Rydia
Sat Nov 25, 2023 8:04 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Second Night Out - Dark Sky and Freezing to Death
Replies: 4
Views: 1939

Re: Second Night Out - Dark Sky and Freezing to Death

I'm afraid that we all failed to mention a key item with magnification. You start with the lowest power eyepiece, center the object in the eyepiece, and then go to the next higher power eyepiece, and center that view in the eyepiece, and repeat with progressively higher powers until you reach your t...
by FF2Rydia
Fri Nov 24, 2023 12:37 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: First Time out With Club Loaner Scope - Success
Replies: 6
Views: 2407

Re: First Time out With Club Loaner Scope - Success

Andromeda can be seen pretty easily from White Bear Lake.

On another note, when it comes to figuring out what to view, of course there are the Observing Programs that the Astronomical League offers, but another resource that I find helpful is Objects in the Heavens by Peter Birren.
by FF2Rydia
Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:16 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Just Picked up Loaner Telescope - It's Show time
Replies: 2
Views: 1384

Re: Just Picked up Loaner Telescope - It's Show time

If this one does prove to be too much to start out with, I'd suggest getting it again once the ELO Public Nights and BSIG in person events have resumed in the spring. Either one of those events should have experienced observers willing to help a beginner learn these scopes. My opinion would be that ...
by FF2Rydia
Tue Oct 31, 2023 1:22 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: A Few Newbie Questions
Replies: 9
Views: 3035

Re: A Few Newbie Questions

I'm checking to see if I can attend the Star Party on Nov 4 at Eagle Lake. Agreed, that would be a good start to the hobby and the MAS. Is that event happening for sure? I'd hate to drive down and find it's canceled :) Any ELO events that are listed as Public Night or Public Star Party (like the on...
by FF2Rydia
Fri Oct 27, 2023 5:59 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: A Few Newbie Questions
Replies: 9
Views: 3035

Re: A Few Newbie Questions

Hi Scott, For the answers to 1 and 2, we do need to know what you are planning on doing, visual observing or astrophotography, as that will have a great effect on the answer. For 3, yes, people will view from their homes, as there are things that the light has a minimal impact on. The moon and plane...
by FF2Rydia
Fri Oct 27, 2023 2:11 am
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: Jupiter opposition
Replies: 3
Views: 4120

Re: Jupiter opposition

Kpierce655 wrote: Thu Oct 26, 2023 9:54 pm I wasn’t sure where to post this topic but here goes.
This forum or the ELO Discussions forum would be the ones for it. I'm not sure myself which of those two is the better choice.
by FF2Rydia
Fri Oct 13, 2023 9:23 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: 2023 ELO Public Star Party Schedule
Replies: 5
Views: 3678

Re: 2023 ELO Public Star Party Schedule

Hi, for the Oct 14th annular eclipse event, does "cancelled on cloudy sky" mean cloudy-locally or if this is "simulcast" from some other location? Please advise, thanks! ELO has always been about local views. Because of this, connections from views elsewhere have been rare, if i...
by FF2Rydia
Thu Sep 28, 2023 10:25 pm
Forum: MAS Electronic Media & Book Group
Topic: Dave Tosteson article in March 2023 Reflector
Replies: 2
Views: 2864

Re: Dave Tosteson article in March 2023 Reflector

His Reflector articles are always good.
by FF2Rydia
Thu Feb 23, 2023 5:30 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Help Needed for an Elementary School Passion Project: due 2/25
Replies: 6
Views: 6978

Re: Help Needed for an Elementary School Passion Project: due 2/25

Should this appear in the Outreach forum? Likely as a cross post or duplicate rather than moving it.
by FF2Rydia
Thu Feb 09, 2023 1:53 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: 7x50 binoculars
Replies: 21
Views: 11726

Re: 7x50 binoculars

Deane Clark wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 12:41 am
Under the specs tab, all those Orion binocs also say they are tripod adaptable.
Yes, I forgot to mention that the entire line is tripod adaptable.
by FF2Rydia
Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:45 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: 7x50 binoculars
Replies: 21
Views: 11726

Re: 7x50 binoculars

Based on your comments (and some internet searching) I have been looking into a decent pair of binoculars specifically for astronomy that do have a mount. Lot's to learn about prisms etc. Any suggestions there would be welcome. My favorite is this pair from Orion . The longest eye relief that Orion...
by FF2Rydia
Sun Feb 05, 2023 7:59 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: 7x50 binoculars
Replies: 21
Views: 11726

Re: 7x50 binoculars

I've accumulated 3 pair of inexpensive 10x50's over the years, one from Sears and two identical insta focus models from Bushnell. I wasn't able to find any discussion of those having the 1/4' screw hole under the hinge cap, and I didn't want to wreck the cap prying it off to find out. Is it typical...
by FF2Rydia
Sat Feb 04, 2023 3:58 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: 7x50 binoculars
Replies: 21
Views: 11726

Re: 7x50 binoculars

Hi, I have tried using 10x50 and only able to use them when braced or laying down, maybe a telescoping pole might help. I was also thinking some 7x50's would be nicer. One question... A midrange pair of 7x50's go for about the same price as this reflector telescope on Costco. As a new hobbyist, wou...
by FF2Rydia
Tue Jan 24, 2023 6:28 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Galaxy/Nebula Eyepiece for 10" f4.7 Dob
Replies: 13
Views: 8959

Re: Galaxy/Nebula Eyepiece for 10" f4.7 Dob

merle wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 3:14 pm
FF2Rydia wrote: Mon Jan 23, 2023 7:47 pm Steve, regarding your answer for Q2, what's the best for splitting doubles?
A good refractor... :-)
Obviously, but you still need to know what power eyepiece to use.
by FF2Rydia
Mon Jan 23, 2023 7:47 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Galaxy/Nebula Eyepiece for 10" f4.7 Dob
Replies: 13
Views: 8959

Re: Galaxy/Nebula Eyepiece for 10" f4.7 Dob

Steve, regarding your answer for Q2, what's the best for splitting doubles?
by FF2Rydia
Tue Jan 10, 2023 2:07 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: January B-SIG Virtual Presentation -- Saturday Jan. 7th -- 1:00pm -- "Aids to Navigating the Night Sky"
Replies: 7
Views: 6890

Re: January B-SIG Virtual Presentation -- Saturday Jan. 7th -- 1:00pm -- "Aids to Navigating the Night Sky"

I wasn't able to be on the presentation, but I'm watching the YouTube. I have Starry Night Pro, and I use it, and its mobile counterpart Sky Safari. The main reason that I use Starry Night is that it is what I started with back in 2006 (so it's what I'm familiar with), and Sky Safari doesn't work on...
by FF2Rydia
Thu Jan 05, 2023 10:40 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Sony Star sphere
Replies: 2
Views: 5185

Re: Sony Star sphere

It's worth looking in to. The pricing will, of course, be key.
by FF2Rydia
Fri Dec 23, 2022 4:54 pm
Forum: Forum Help, Comments
Topic: Number of users online
Replies: 8
Views: 6478

Re: Number of users online

When I look from the forum index page, it shows me and 84 guests. Looking at who is online, there's me, one guest looking at the Radio Astronomy SIG, and the rest looking at either the index page or the user control panel.
by FF2Rydia
Thu Dec 22, 2022 3:47 pm
Forum: Forum Help, Comments
Topic: Number of users online
Replies: 8
Views: 6478

Re: Number of users online

Web crawler bots was my guess.
by FF2Rydia
Sat Dec 10, 2022 4:58 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: I was given a telescope now what?
Replies: 19
Views: 12046

Re: I was given a telescope now what?

Deane Clark wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 11:31 am A zero power finder would be something like a brick. Can’t see anything.
You're right, difference between 1x and 0x.
by FF2Rydia
Fri Dec 09, 2022 7:02 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: I was given a telescope now what?
Replies: 19
Views: 12046

Re: I was given a telescope now what?

Basically, list it as the telescope identifies itself (if you choose to go the list route). In this case, it appears that "Meade 2080 8" SCT" is how you should go (abbreviate Schmidt-Cassegrain to SCT, and if it identifies itself as only a Cassegrain but has a corrector plate, call it...