Astronomy thread/Kìng a teri tanhìyä tìftia

[Toliman]

My binoculars are old, about 25-30 years.

Generally not depends on age of lenses such as in case of mirrors - old refractors (or binoculars) can give as good view as new refractors.

Is it ok if I use a canned air duster?

I clean my primary mirror by "wet way" (distilled water) but it's not recomended to doing it too often and you must be VERY carefull.
Little amount of dust have not such big affect on quality of view, so I observe with it, but really strongly dusted mirror already affect quality of view very appreciably - in this case I clean my mirror (I clean it average once a 1-2 years)

[Vawmataw]

Yeah, dust on primary mirror can affect quality of view very appreciably.
And strongly depends on quality of optical components - maybe you have very quality binoculars.

Also, for your information, if you put a jumbo zoom on your telescope (like a 10mm ocular and a 2x barlow on a 70mm telescope), you'll get a huge but fainter image. You would need a proportionally larger tube to cope with it.

Just for reference with my telescope, 10x50 means that each ocular has a diameter of 50mm.

[Toliman]

Also, for your information, if you put a jumbo zoom on your telescope (like a 10mm ocular and a 2x barlow on a 70mm telescope), you'll get a huge but fainter image. You would need a proportionally larger tube to cope with it.

Yeah, exactly - this I forgot to mention.
Generally is not recomended to use bigger magnification than double of diameter of primary mirror or lens (in milimeters) - bigger magnification give big but too faint image, as Vawmataw wtote.
And if you observe big but faint deepsky (as big part of nebulae), the best way is low magnification, because it give you big field of view.

[BlueHusky2154]

I will have to look at my one eyepiece to see what it is. It has some lenses inside it.

[archaic]

My binoculars can easily pick out everything you just mentioned. For some reason, they seem to gather more light than my Celestron AstroMaster 114 reflector telescope...

Something to consider, most people will automatically use their dominant eye on a telescope eye piece, without ever thinking about it. Human eyes are not an exactly matched pair, there will be differences in what they can see.
With binoculars, you get the benefit of presenting all the available light to both eyes, allowing you to see everything you are capable of seeing.

Also, two times the nerve impulses to the brain can't hurt either.

[Toliman]

Yeah, it's true - view through binocular is also more comfortable.

Some observers also use telescopes with binoviewers - you can observe through both eyes but you need always two eyepieces (this is sometimes disadvantage because quality eyepieces can be quite expensive).

[Vawmataw]

This morning I saw Mercury and Venus and this afternoon I observed the Sun. There's a new sunspot, barely bigger than the other one that's now on the other side of the Sun.

[Toliman]

Nice! New sunspot ... I just need at least partly cloudy sky ...

If that sunspot is bigger than that currently hidden sunspot ... did you try see it just by naked eye through filter?

[Vawmataw]

Nice! New sunspot ... I just need at least partly cloudy sky ...

If that sunspot is bigger than that currently hidden sunspot ... did you try see it just by naked eye through filter?

No. It's still too small so you still need a tool.

[Vawmataw]

I'm still watching the Sun. According to Solar Ham, there will be new sunspots in the next few days. A new one has appeared but will be visible only in 10 days. (link: http://www.solarham.net/farside.htm)

On the night side, I've watched a couple of objects: NGC 457, NGC 752, NGC 869, NGC 884, IC 4665, M2, M13, M15, M29, M71 and M92.
M71 is a new object on the list. Too bad it's faint.
I've also seen two meteors, two unidentified flares, Epsilon Lyrae, Uranus and Saturn.

[BlueHusky2154]

Unfortunately it will be cloudy for a while here, and when it does clear up, the moon will be out. I guess I'll have to wait until October.

[Toliman]

I'm still watching the Sun.

I am still watching the clouds... 

M71 is a new object on the list. Too bad it's faint.

On dark sky, M71 is quite bright cluster (I know, light pollution...). This cluster is good visible already through little binocular when sky conditions are good.
M71 is interesting globular cluster - it have not such regular globular shape as other globular clusters and the brightest stars of this cluster are relatively bright (11mag) - I can see many of them through my 12inch telescope.

[BlueHusky2154]

For me, light pollution is not a problem. I just need to be willing to drive for around 20 minutes out of town and endure the cold. From there, I can see a lot.

[Toliman]

For me, light pollution is not a problem.

For me not too, fortunatelly.
Even on my urban sky I can see bright star clouds of milky way and several places with very good night sky are just 40-60 minutes of drive from my home.

[BlueHusky2154]

I found out a way to safely carry my telescope in my car, so now I have a mobile observatory. I just pull over, open the trunk, and set up.

[Toliman]

I found out a way to safely carry my telescope in my car, so now I have a mobile observatory. I just pull over, open the trunk, and set up.

Mobile observatory ... sounds interesting. I would need something similar too ...

I have 12 inch dobsonian telescope - great advantage of this kind of telescopes is very easy setting, but manipulation with such large telescope (as I have) is sometimes not too easy (12 inch dobson is already quite large piece xD)

[BlueHusky2154]

My telescope is only 114mm, so it is quite portable. I can literally drive anywhere and have my telescope with me.

[Vawmataw]

For me, light pollution is not a problem.

For me not too, fortunatelly.
Even on my urban sky I can see bright star clouds of milky way and several places with very good night sky are just 40-60 minutes of drive from my home.

I would have to drive in the middle of nowhere, about 1½-2 hours away from here.
Fortunately I'm able to decently see objects.

My telescope is only 114mm, so it is quite portable. I can literally drive anywhere and have my telescope with me.

I have a 70mm telescope, and I just have to shorten the tripod to make it portable.
Oh, and this is literally my dream.

What I saw tonight: NGC 457, NGC 869, NGC 884, NGC 6633, M2, M3, M11, M13, M15, M25, M31, M34, M92, IC 4665, IC 4756, 61 Cygni, Saturn and Uranus.

[BlueHusky2154]

Well, my tripod is collapsible and my telescope easily detaches from the mount. I wrap up the telescope body in a blanket/towel and then put that in a black trash bag. Works great for keeping it protected in my car, and is great for easily setting up on the roadside.
Seriously, some of us need to meet up and have a star party. I live in a rural area in eastern Montana (US state), and it's the middle of nowhere. Nearest "city" is a 2 hour drive away.

Spoiler: Light pollution in my area.

[Toliman]

My telescope is only 114mm, so it is quite portable. I can literally drive anywhere and have my telescope with me.

True, this I can not always ... my 12 inch telescope is just bigger (it take a lot of space in car).

NGC 457, NGC 869, NGC 884, NGC 6633, M2, M3, M11, M13, M15, M25, M31, M34, M92, IC 4665, IC 4756, 61 Cygni, Saturn and Uranus.

Nice, many deepsky. Looks as good night, sky conditions were good?