Cool article, thx for posting. The scale of many things is hard to fathom, but once you leave the planet, the scale of the scale gets out of hand.

Well, compared to the weight of a skywatcher or Advance VX mounts or mounts with counter weights this is a lot lighter. With the OTA I think mine comes in at a total of 40-45lbs which isn't that heavy. So it's easy to just pick up the whole thing and move it around. SmileWavy

Thanks for the tips on what to look at. Assuming we don't have clouds in MI. It may may always be sunny in Philly but it's allways cloudy in MI. lol

I've lurked around Cloudy Nights and found most of my answers but you're right I should join it.

eclipse from ISS

https://dq0hsqwjhea1.cloudfront.net/...e-from-ISS.jpg

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That'll be a great setup for ya!

When I was little we had stars in the sky in SoCal. Most of the time when it wasn't cloudy. Some nights the smog didn't blow out so the sdy was dim. It was never like out in the desert or in the mountains.

It doesn't matter what time, day, month, now, there are no stars due to light pollution. At best we see 3 planets and maybe 2 of the closest stars. IDK, I haven't kept track. What's the point?

In 6th grade we had a visiting teacher that taught astronomy of I never would have been exposed to it. We make constellation maps out of the old blue-blueprints and cardboard pinned with a brass folder pin.

I did have a 6" reflector scope when I was a kid. I'd go out at night and set up and just look around. Even though my folks bought it for me, my mother was not interested in chilly nights and my dad sometimes just made fun of the whole thing calling Orien O'Reilly.

I guess that's funny. Wasn't to me.

Headed to the Alvord Desert in SE Oregon this weekend for some astro and landscape photography close to the new Moon. Probably has some of the darkest skies in the U.S.

I'm excited. Hopefully all me gear works as it's supposed to. Wish me luck!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1715117273.jpg

Good luck Eric.
Looking forward to seeing some really cool pictures from you.

I once stayed on a remote Island far off shore of Belize. Talk about DARK. The night sky stars were the most intense I ever have seen.

I’m back from the desert. Got a few good shots.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1715641079.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1715641102.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1715641124.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1715641145.jpg

So...
5 years ago, somewhere in this thread you guys inadvertently put a bug under my skin, and I ended up making a small company to fix and upgrade telescopes. It was a night and weekend thing, and basically lost me money because I'd do a few a year, and put WAY too much work into each one for what I charged. I even almost quit completely about 2 years ago when some a-hole sued me because his mount wasn't back in the time I had quoted. That cost me about $1000 and a few years of sanity, being sued is surprisingly crappy.

Fast forward 5 years, and I decide to (VERY suddenly) quit my daytime job and go full time with telescopes. Pretty stupid move, but it's my move. That was 2 months ago.

Now I've nearly got 2 local colleges paying me an annual contract for upgrades and maintenance on their campus observatories, a consistent line of individuals that need telescopes worked on, a few small products that I'm gearing up on (custom communication cables), and I am in collaboration with a well known local shop to do all of their mount repairs (they want to stick to optical stuff).

THEN, a well known NATIONAL telescope retailer contacted me and wants me to examine and perhaps fix all of their customer return scopes. Perhaps 10-15 a month. Receive them, check for operation, diagnose, then repair as applicable, so they can resell as seconds.

Sooo many irons in the fire, and I have room for 4 times that. Hoping to parlay the observatory gigs to at least 2, if not 3 more local observatories over the next 2 years.

That is GREAT Mike! Congratulations!

Neil Armstrong was asked by Bob Hope in 1983 “Do you have any advice for any young person who wants to become an astronaut?”

Mr. Armstrong replied, “Study hard, be the best at whatever YOU want to do, and the program (NASA) will find you.”

I think his advice applies anyone following a dream.


. . . Oh Neil Armstrong then asked Bob Hope if he had any advice for anyone who wanted to become a comic. Bob Hope replied “Become an astronaut.”

Outstanding Mike! If you were closer to me I'd come work for you. Well, at least I'd apply. :D

That's DARK!
WOW, nice shots, and great luck to have had it coincide with the northern lights, although that likely caused issues with getting good, dark shots of DSOs.
Wow, That's fantastic all around (except the one wanker that sued you. I hope he drops his OTA.), and it sounds like it's working out really well!

Thanks. Ya know what really killed the chance of getting good, dark DSO shots? The power adapter I left at home...doh!

Doh! Yep, that would do it.

My last trip out to Oregon's Painted Hills during the new Moon last Thursday.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1718136288.jpg

Wow, I haven't seen stars in the sky like that since I was a kid.
Mind boggling to think about how many are out there.

The numbers are staggering to say the least.

From Wiki....
The Milky Way contains between 100 and 400 billion stars and at least that many planets. An exact figure would depend on counting the number of very-low-mass stars, which are difficult to detect, especially at distances of more than 300 ly (90 pc) from the Sun.

Keep your eyes on the Corona Borealis

https://www.space.com/new-star-night-sky-nova-explosion-rare

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1718191363.jpg

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Thanks for posting this. Didn't know about it. Sounds like it won't be much to see though. Only as bright as the North Star.