Last night

[den]

Last night I took some visitors to the Observatory. (frames, colour and marquee warning)

The night was clear and dark; perfect for looking through a 300mm (approx 12") Schmidt Cassegrain. We looked at Titan and the Cassini Gap in Saturn's rings, mountains on the moon, double stars, globular clusters and the Orion nebula. Finding things was easy with the computerised GOTO unit. He'd enter the number or name, and the scope would swing around to the spot.

And he had a green laser pointer to point at things. I want one. And one of these wouldn't go astray.

Comments

[hedgegoth.livejournal.com]

I tried to get saturn in my scope tonight, either i was pointing at the wrong object or my scope is too weak.

Need to go to the observatory sometime soon.

[plonq.livejournal.com]

You are making me drool on both counts. I've wanted a good telescope since I was old enough to know what they were, and I've been lusting after a green laser pointer since they came on the market.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

the Green pointer made a visible line in the atmosphere, where the red ones don't.

I want a green one a lot.

[lostwanderfound.livejournal.com]

Have I mentioned that I'm studying Astronomy in second semester as part of my Science degree?

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Yes. Just now. :)

[jim-lane.livejournal.com]

Back in the mid-1070s I had a Celestron C8 outfit, and also a pair of 11x80 astronomical binoculars. Nothing computerized, nothing anywhere as sophisticated as what you showed---but it was still great fun!

Eventually sold the C8, but kept the 11x80s, which is still an exceptionally fine piece of optics.

That 12", now... Sweet!

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I didn't think you were that old, but I bet you were a hit at William The Conqueror's court.

:)

I still have my Tasco 4.5" from many years ago, but it's a bit small.

[kythrain.livejournal.com]

In other words, get one now while you can.