What does M-65, M-66, M-57, M-44 M-13 and Omega Centari have in common?

[denbot]

This guy!!!, Oh and Alison :-)




This is a picture of me on another trip, with a different scope

Alley and I went up a mountain towards Fraiser Park to stargaze with some more experienced armature astronomers. This was the first time I experienced "bad skies" that did not include clouds or haze. Through my new 4" refractor scope, Saturn looked like it was suspended in a freshly poured glass of seven up. Since planets were out, I looked, and for the first time actually found some DSO's (deep space objects) Very cool, but mostly small in a medium sized refractor. I am currently polishing a 10" mirror for a Newtonian Reflector Telesope, which is more appropriate for DSO's.

Even though it's late April the temperature dropped to 28f when I crawled in bed (Ali being the smarted one went to bed a couple of hours earlier), by morning it got down to 22f, very cold for So. Caler's.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear denbot!

Ah, you've been star-gazing! It is addictive!

My husband and I used to do that...

It's wonderful to see those planets in the viewfinder!

Good luck with your new mirror!

:hi:

[denbot]

2. Yes, it's very addicting.

What kind of scope/s did you and your hubby use?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. It's a Celestron 3 1/2 inch refractor...

We haven't used it in years...:blush:

[denbot]

4. I recently picked up a really good Celestron C4-R

It's condition is pristine, and the optics are especially good. It's no Televue, but I'm not out an extra $1,000+ either. I am using the clubs polar equatorial mount until I can find my own. Would you and your hubby consider selling your setup to me?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. What do you mean by "setup"?

We'll have to talk!

[denbot]

6. OK, I will give you a call in the next day or two.

By setup I meant scope and mount, I'll give it a good home if you don't need it anymore. (BTW I take my scope to schools in the L.A. area as part of my Astronomy Club's outreach program).

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Sounds good!

Evenings are best...

Just sayin'...

:hi:

[Lucian]

7. Oh, I love stargazing.

I don't have a telescope though. I'd love to get one of these: http://www.shopatron.com/index/1323.0.28926.54623.0.0.0 The 12" one. Hopefully if I win the lottery someday...sigh...

[denbot]

9. One of the guys I was setup next to has the big version.

Truly amazing views. He has a super high quality 70mm refractor scope mounted on this one with a CCD camera. He looks at the object while the mount tracks, and the other scope/camera setup takes long exposure picture of it. It sees details the human eye can't.
Very cool, but Alison would kill me if I ever brought something that expensive home..

[Orsino]

10. Bimgo!

That sounds like fun, except for the temps in the twenties.