My apologies for bringing the clouds

[dunwitch]

Hello MAS-ers; I'm new to amateur astronomy and would like to introduce myself. I just recieved my new (and first) telescope, so of course clouds are everywhere. My bad. I'm starting with a 90mm (3 1/2 inch) Orion refractor equatorial, and so far it seems to be working extremely well. The images certainly are crisp in daylight! Once I get the hang of polar aligning, starhopping, and squinting, I'll probably join the society and show up at some gatherings, but until I'm not a complete clod I'll be learning on my own. I live in Fridley, but my family owns some land 150 miles north, 16 miles from the nearest town and 4 miles from the nearest electric light, so I'm hoping to be able to see the Messier objects pretty well up there. It's extremely dark. Mostly I want to look at the planets around town and relax under a cloak of stars. I know most of you probably use big reflectors and cassegrains, but I'm mostly interested in refractors, although I'm sure I would grab a used light bucket for kicks at some undefined point in the future.

Well, wish me luck, I have high hopes of splitting Albeiro if there is a break in the clouds at 3 am. Knowing nothing, I hope I'm not setting my sights too high.

I am using HNSky, Cartes du Ciel, and Orion's The Sky for planetarium software. I like HNSky the best. Professionally I write software for handheld computers and cell phones, so I'm interested in learning what kind of small portable wireless softwares astro-people are interested in. I'm uncertain as to whether my modest scope will be able to view the upcoming Tempel 9 comet post-impact, but I have been following that (and all other) space missions eagerly and I sincerely hope there is a little fuzzy white blob at the end of the rainbow for me.

dunwitch

[Buzzygirl]

Greetings, dunwich!

I had a 90 mm refractor for awhile too... used it and loved it. They are great beginner's instruments for sure, and I think you will be amazed at how clear and contrasty the views will be through it.

I have no "large" reflectors or Cassegrains... just two refractors, the largest of which is 4". I love the crisp views they offer. I am still considering getting a 10" Dob, but so far, I haven't found one that has the right combination of good optics and mechanics.

Sounds like you've got a nice area for viewing up north. We have three observing sites that you might want to check out sometime; they are Onan Observatory in Norwood-Young America, Cherry Grove, south of Cannon Falls, and Metcalf Nature Center, in Afton.

Please come to a star party or public event soon and get to know some of us... it's a good group of folks, and I think you will find we are full of hints and advice on astronomy-related stuff. Plus, we are also good for a laugh or two... usually.

[Jon Hickman]

dunwitch:

Welcome to MAS and the forums! You will love your new Orion scope, I've owned two of their scopes over the years, and always been very pleased!

Be assured, your glass is more than suffucient to split Albiero AND to see the comet impact in a few days. As a reference, the biggest lens history can confirm is 73mm, roughly 2.8", and look at all he saw!

I am fortunate, too, to have friends & families way north (Iron Range in my case) to enjoy several nights each year under much darker skies. Also, while I can't travel with my 10" SCT, I spend lots of time for my job out west (I'm in Salt Lake as I write) which offers lots of clear, dark and still nights, all of which look great with my 20x80 binoculars.

I would encourage you to join into the fun of public nights and MAS only nights at Onan or the other viewing sites, get to know some of your fellow sleep dreprived, mosquito- (or frost-) biten astronomers, and most of all, cherish the views!

Clear skies!

[rbubany]

Please accept my welcome too. I am an old "Iron Ranger" from Bovey, MN. Played on the Greenway 57 and 58 football teams.

I would like to encourage you to join up with the Society. But, whether you do, or do it later, or not at all, I think you will find all of us very eager to help you along - particularly at star parties.

Welcome aboard!

[mlfj4901]

Greetings,

Welcome!

Hey the best time to join the MAS is when you still have a lot to learn! It's also the best time to come to beginner's SIG meetings

Next month we'll be doing a meeting on how to plan an observing session so you get the most out of it....helpful to all of us but especially beginners.

Have fun with your scope, if you can't find anything with it at first don't be alarmed, most of us couldn't either. Just don't give up, because with time and practice you'll be seeing all the faint fuzzies you could hope for.

-matt

[ashutoshl]

Welcome dunwitch.

I own a 4" f/13 refractor and use it more often than the Dob that I have. Your 90mm should be easily able to split Albiero. Refractors usually will handle more power easily (on good nights) and whis will allow you to split many other binaries. Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and moon will be some other objects that you will enjoy through your scope. With a proper Solar filter, the movement of Sun spots will also be delightful to watch.

Enjoy your scope.

[dunwitch]

I'm still waiting for a break in the cloud cover, but can't wait to get started. Unfortunately I just found out I have to go overseas for my job and will be over there pining for my scope for two weeks. I can't see being able to bring a scope that big in my luggage. I leave on the 5th so I might have one crack at the comet before leaving.

Mostly clear tonight maybe??? Fingers crossed ... thanks everyone for the warm welcome and I look forward to a gathering in the future.

[youngsww]

Greetings, dunwich, Welcome to the MAS. Come on out to the Star Parties and introduce yourself around. Most of the others will pull you aside, point to me, and warn you to stay far away from "him". Pay no attention to them.

John Young

[dunwitch]

Well, I finally got some clear skies and started out with Jupiter; what a spectacle. I could see two bands on the planet as well as all four gallilean moons, three on one side and one on the other, all from my back yard. It was as good a view as I could've hoped for. What a thrill. Then it got dark enough to see the summer triangle and I found Cygnus and made my way to Albireo, which was easily split at low power and the color contrast was very cool. At higher powers the pair took up a good chunk of the field.

At one point I swept around fumblingly near Spica hoping to find a comet, but saw nothing and wasn't surprised at that. There was a lot of sky-glow from Minneapolis over there. Actually I have never spent much time looking at the sky while in the city and was surprised at how few stars are visible; most of the Ursa Minor stars were invisible to the naked eye.

Then I tried finding some other things; in Lyra I swept between the two outermost parallellogram stars looking for M57; I did find a fleeting fuzzy smudge but who knows if I was on target. I also looked quite awhile for the open cluster M29 in Cygnus but couldn't find it. At least I didn't see any groups of stars that seemed to form the right pattern. I had some trouble with the controls; the finder scope being straight through flips the image differently than the star diagonal, and of course my eyes and the star charts are correct image, so it was kindof mind-bending trying to reconcile three different image orientations in order to navigate. I think a lot of the time I was centering my reference star OK, but then moving in the wrong direction toward the target.

Had a great time. I was really happy to actually see some pretty impressive (for me) things my first time ever using a telescope.