Astronomy

[Class172]

Now personally I love astronomy as a subject. I love looking at the history of the universe, planets, star evolution; basically the whole lot. So I was wondering if there was anyone else on these forums who shares my love for the subject - I'm going to be taking GSCE astronomy.

Additionally, I thought we could all post what telescopes we have also and say what we think of them. I have a Celestron NexStar 130SLT which I bought on ebay yesterday for £190 - it has many accessories; if new the whole lot would cost £600 so I'd say that's a good deal I got.

 

[Zoe]

I have been into astronomy since the mid 1990s, more interested in the theory side of it though so don't have a telescope.

 

[Class172]

I like both, live watching any space related programme when it comes on.

 

[SS4]

For some reason I prefer stellar astronomy more than the general stuff. I don't have a telescope at the moment though, funds are too tight so it's the old Mk I eyeball!

 

[Yew]

Its always kind of intrested me, however It wasnt offered to me at GCSE/A-Level, and I didnt think it would be a good career choice to do a uni course in

 

[ainsworth74]

I am also interested in Astronomy and actually do own a telescope. Not sure where it is or what make it is but it's a starter one that's for sure (still decent enough with a couple of different magnification lenses but that's about it).

I took a physics A-level and one of the modules for that was Cosmology which was absolutely fascinating by far my favorite part of that A-level.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'm an astronomer as well, although the weather does tend to thwart me!

Thought you might like to see this painting I did of the Ring Nebula M57 about 20 years ago.

 

[Pete2210]

Yes I'm an astronomer too, lucky to own an 8" reflector housed in a observatory, which was completed just prior to two of my neighbours fitting very bright floodlights on their houses which illuminate most of Uxbridge and many nearby galaxies, however Peter your painting of the Ring Nebula M57 in Lyra is very good, thank you for sharing it.

 

[Class172]

I'm an astronomer as well, although the weather does tend to thwart me!

Thought you might like to see this painting I did of the Ring Nebula M57 about 20 years ago.

Very good picture you have there.

I know what you mean, I tried to have my first look last night but the whole sky was covered in clouds.

 

[starrymarkb]

A friend of mine has access to XMM-Newton

 

[blackfive460]

so it's the old Mk I eyeball!

Nothing wrong with the Mk I eyeball.
Got up at about 4AM the other night (for the usual reason someone of my age gets up in the night!) after which I had a quick look out of the window and there was the ISS going right over my house at a rate of knots. Spectacular!
You can find out when it's due over your's here. Click on your region for a list of cities unless you know your Lat. & Long. Well worth having a look if you happen to be up.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This is the one I use for satellite predictions: http://www.heavens-above.com/ ( select your location BEFORE saving it to favourites ).

 

[RyanB]

Astronomy is in an incredibly interesting subject, and has fascinated me for year, much like the railways. Has anyone here ever read Steven Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" fabulous book.

 

[HugePilchard]

I've got a bit of a passing interest, but have never actually progressed as far as the looking through a telescope stuff. My father-in-law however is rather keen, but rather than using a telescope has a pair of astronomical binoculars which are frankly huge; they're easily about 2' long in total, and completely unsuited to being used without a tripod.

For his birthday, his wife got him a laptop, which I was asked to set up beforehand - I managed to find him a rather impressive website/bit of software for those of us who don't fancy standing outside on cold nights:
http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/Home.aspx

 

[Class172]

Astronomy is in an incredibly interesting subject, and has fascinated me for year, much like the railways. Has anyone here ever read Steven Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" fabulous book.

Yes, I've read it, and it's a very good book to read if you like physics.

 

[addage52221E9]

I also love Astronomy. Whenever it is being discussed, it always never lets my eyes fall into sleep. A very interesting subject indeed.

 

[2Dogbox]

Fascinating subject have always loved it. Never done any study into it at gcse level but always keep up to date with latest news / science programmes.

 

[RyanB]

An interesting story for Astronomers and Physicists alike from the BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14405122

 

[Class172]

Past few nights has been excellent for observing the sky. I looked at Jupiter on Thursday and I could see the colour bands and all four Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede & Callisto) — it was the first time I had managed to use my telescope successfully.

Even with light pollution from the M5, I could make out Andromeda (M31) with the naked eye as a faint fuzzy patch above β Andromedae.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This might be a good time to flag up that next Saturday evening ( 8th ) sees a potential ( i.e. if the boffins have done their maths correctly! ) short lived meteor storm, expected to last about three hours and starting as soon as it gets dark.

There will be a gibbous moon fairly high in the sky; as long as you keep your back to the moon so that the light from it isn't in your eyes, you should see extremely high rates of meteors.

Assuming the weather co-operates, of course!

 

[Class172]

I have been seeing a few meteors fly over my house in the past nights. Saw 3 in 20mins last night. It's the start of the Draconids isn't it?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

That is correct, and that is the shower which is expected to ( briefly! ) storm on the 8th.

Could be worth watching at every opportunity, though, just in case they've got their maths wrong!

 

[Class172]

Going out into my garden to have a gaze at Jupiter now.

 

[Yew]

Going out into my garden to have a gaze at Jupiter now.

where is it?

(is it the bright 'star' to the east? i think thats where it was about 6 months ago when atstrnomyLIVE was on)

 

[Class172]

Yes, that is Jupiter in the east, it outshines everything else.

Last night I managed to see Jupiter (and all Galilean Moons), Uranus & Andromeda (M31)

 

[Boothby97]

Venus will end up being the brightest object in the sky, luckily, I recently moved, away from the street lights and can have a beautiful night sky. I have a telescope (and have just realized it is in front of me), it is a PANAVIEW SKY SERIES Astronomical Telescope, I'll have to move it to my house. Can't wait for a meteor shower. Did anyone see UARS
Why didn't I realize this thread was here
Thanks, Sam

 

[Class172]

What is UARS??

 

[Boothby97]

What is UARS??

The satellite that crashed into the ocean last weekend

 

[Class172]

Oh, I see, and I didn't see it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Well, ROSAT is due to come down shortly so it's ding ding round 2 for possible observation of a re-entry!