Photobombed by an Airbus

Doing some afocal photography tonight of different galaxies using the 4 minute exposure of the new Pixel 7. I'm watching the phone screen and see the streak as it happened. Usually the phone edits satellites, shooting stars and aircraft out of the final stacking. As soon as the camera was done I checked Flightradar 24 and found the culprit.

 

That’s badass

 

Zoomed and cropped of the Ring Nebula

 

Since this is a Tundra forum...

 

Nice. I would love to learn how to do that stuff. Any recommendations on a descent scope for planets and that type of stuff? I'd love to get my son a good scope for Christmas.

 

What I know about telescopes you could write on the inside of a matchbook with a crayon. My first experience was a Christmas present when I was a little kid. A refractor with about a 2" aperture from Sears. Probably used it more trying to catch a glimpse of the cute neighbor girl than I did looking at planets.

Fast Forward to 1990 when a neighbor bought a $3,000 Celestron 8" reflector and hadn't a clue to set it up. He dropped it off for me to figure it out. I read the instructions and learned how an equatorial mount works. His scope had a motor drive on one axis and would track stars and galaxies. Once I taught him to use it he sold it.

FF again to this past winter. I started reading up on the hobby and how much things have changed. The popular telescopes are controlled by smartphones, laptops or included hand controllers. Once set up half assed level and pointing somewhat north they will figure out what's what and with the press of a button most will put the object in the eyepiece and track it.

The biggest change seems to be astrophotography. The cameras connect to laptops or tablets taking pictures over a period of time, self correcting and stacking one picture on the last and allowing software to create an image. I prefer to do visual astronomy but will use a phone holder that clamps to the eyepiece and let my Pixel 7 Pro take junky pictures.

Since we go south for the winters and live in an itty-bitty travel trailer, the scope I wanted and what is convenient aren't the same. I settled on a 6" Newtonian tube with two speed focuser on a goto mount. It all will fit under the bed or in the top box on the bed of the Tundra. I spent about $1,500 for my scope, mount and an eyepiece set. Since then about $200 more on accessories. Both my summer and winter living are under Bortle 4 skies so the smaller 6" tube works for me. If I was nearer large cities I would need something bigger.

 

I am just south of you at bottom of the page here. Looks like a fun hobby

 

43812 or 43845?

 

43812. I know your area well!!

 

Ha! Howdy neighbor. One mile east of 43845 off 751.

 

Good stuff!! So much fun to see beyond our noses!

 

I started off cheap with my kids, we got a manual hobby scope for like $300 bucks. Been around 15 years or so ago though. I'd start off fairly cheap and make sure they are into it first. Funny story, a friend of a friend who buys storage units at auction, once bought a unit for $200 that had a massive $15000.00 unit inside. Not sure what ever became of it

 

I'm a visual type of thinker. What spins my logic for endless loops is the thought that the universe goes on for eternity. Every thing we know has boundaries. Except the universe. This cropped and zoomed photo is of M65 & 66. One is 35 million light years away. The other is at 31 MLY.

 

What blows my mind is that it’s expanding faster and faster and we have no idea why. What a neat question though with lots of theories and no conclusions. I’m personally a fan of the multiverse with lots of extra matter in it pulling us apart.

 

I picked up a 10" Dobsonian mounted Newtonian and built a better base. I've been taking it out weather and time permitting.

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/Cx7XbH5EHyg?feature=share

 

Well I am closing on property today that is in one of the darkest skies in the USA and my wife cannot wait to get there to view the night sky. The light pollution in Arizona really sucks ass so this will be a treat for her.

I have no clue what I am looking at but I want to buy her a good telescope that she can take pictures/video with and download to phone/tablet/computer when finished. If anyone can point me to a forum for this hobby or something that can educate me in this hobby so I can see my wife smile. TIA

EDIT: Forgot to say the property is in Colorado dark sky not the suck ass Arizona polluted sky

 

The website I learn the most from is cloudynights.com. Just don't go on there are ask "What's the best....."

See if there is a local astronomy club and ask to visit when they are out viewing. Ask for some guidelines for visitors. Most visitors don't think twice about driving in among the telescopes at night with their high beams on. That doesn't get one off to a good start.

There are many types of mounts and many forms of telescopes. The folks that are into astrophotography can build some pretty impressive setups with even more impressive prices.

Have fun!

If you are a student at YouTube university, search for Ed Ting.

 

Google taught me about the "What's the best..." long time ago so I always start there, Google. I was looking at some very pricey ones and seen a couple I will look into more once I am a better student. Thanks for the Ed Ting tip, will check him out.

It is a lot of money but in knowing her for 20 years she has just started her first Hobby beginning early last summer so this will make her smile every night for a whole new reason.

New place has some local forums for astrophotography and they have been posting a lot and she shows me pics daily. Now she is talking to my sister more about it because my sis is in Tampa Bay, FL and has a kick ass telescope. Thanks again

 

They now say the observable universe is 93 billion light years across. Just a few years ago it was only believed to be about 27 billion light years across, because the Big Bang happened 13.7 billion years ago. Also went from 100 billion galaxies to over 2 trillion now. Mind blowing.

 

Just goes to show not only how small and insignificant we are, but how little we know as well. Wouldn’t it be neat to live another thousand years just to see what kind of discoveries are made.

 

Our only chance is cryofreeze.

 

Futurama style.


I like where your head is at.

 

I've bought and sold a couple on astromart. You can pretty much find whatever you want. https://astromart.com/classifieds/astromart-classifieds/show

 

Last night using my cellphone through the eyepiece. Orion Nebula

 

Congrats! I just closed, and move this Friday, out of light pollution hell to a small town in "North Central Florida." It is funny how different an short drive can change things! I can usually see a few stars here in town, but this was from my Pixel standing in the new back yard, nothing fancy yet.



I am looking forward to getting better photos soon, but I was sitting next to a bawn fire and just relaxing for this shot. Obviously this doesnt touch your new views or the OPs, but I can appreciate the change up! This was from my yearly trip to SD a couple months ago.



knowing my pixel can do this, I am almost nervous to jump into this threads options!

 

Fantastic! While packing up the scope last night I put the Pixel 7 pro on the Tundra's windshield using the 4 minute night mode took this of the southern sky

 

that photo turned out beautifully!

 

Thank you. Does your phone have the night sight mode? That's what I use on the telescope or just the phone on the windshield. Works best from the stable photo platform the Tundra is known for.