Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

[pharvey]

Hi,
I've always loved astronomy and had a telescope as a boy. Unfortunately, every time I tried to use it, the lens would suffer condensation, and I never saw anything. So I sold it and bought an air rifle.
Anyway, 50 years on I want to try again. Next year I'm going to stay outside of Chiang Mai for a couple of days, and think the dark sky is my big chance.
I'm looking to borrow, buy or maybe even steal a telescope and have another go. I've heard digital telescopes make things easier. If anyone can help, or offer advice, please get in touch.

So I sold it and bought an air rifle.

The quite obvious alternative!

I'm interested in the replies. I've thought about a telescope in the past, and could maybe budget for a good one next year.

I missed this one - something close to my heart! I guess I've missed the Chiang Mai trip (and thankfully the rifle ), but certainly happy to provide details of my findings over recent years.

I'm by no means an expert, but have learnt a fair amount over time - your question though does open up a mass of further questions: -

What's your budget, what do you want to do (Stargazing, Astrophotography or both), what do you want to see (Moon, Sun, Stars or "Deep Space"?)? Think about travelling with the kit - Tripods/Mounts etc.

I went in as a complete amateur (pretty much still am) and certainly learned some lessons! As mentioned, I'm more than happy to pass on info, but you do need to have a think about what you want to do.

I would guess you want something very simple, easy to use and would direct you to where you want to view - if that's the case, then a "Smart Scope" maybe the answer and something that can be used to give you an insight into the world of Astronomy and Astrophotography.

[EDIT] On the "Smart Scope" side of things, you would also need to have a Tablet ideally.

[404cameljockey]

I went in as a complete amateur (pretty much still am) and certainly learned some lessons! As mentioned, I'm more than happy to pass on info, but you do need to have a think about what you want to do.

I would guess you want something very simple, easy to use and would direct you to where you want to view - if that's the case, then a "Smart Scope" maybe the answer and something that can be used to give you an insight into the world of Astronomy and Astrophotography.

Thanks for the offer, much appreciated. I'm just thinking at the moment, simple scope using locally to see if it's something I would like to do on a broader basis in the future. Setup cost is my only thought right now. When I buy a new bit of kit, whatever it is I aim for mid-price because I hate bog standard equipment but generally can't afford the best!

If I do, first I'll do a ton of online reading about kit and about the hobby (passion for some) before doing anything else. I just started 3D printing a month ago, finding a galaxy must be easier than that!

[Nereus]

Solstice today, winter in the northern hemisphere, summer in the southern hemisphere.

2024 December solstice: All you need to know

https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentia ... -solstice/

In 2024, the December solstice falls at 9:21 UTC on December 21 (3:21 a.m. CST). Long nights, short days, for the Northern Hemisphere. Short nights, long days, for our friends south of the equator. No matter where you live on Earth’s globe, the solstice is your signal to celebrate seasonal change. EarthSky’s veteran stargazers Deborah Byrd and John Goss livestreamed on Thursday, December 19, about the solstice, the New Year’s Star and more. It was fun! Check out our solstice livestream here. This image, by the way, is from Ian Hennes in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. It’s a solargram, created by shooting the sun’s in the sky between a June solstice and a December solstice. Thank you, Ian! Used with permission.

[STEVE G]

This happened yesterday morning but they won't know if it was successful for a couple of days because the probe is too near the sun to get any signals back:


History-making probe attempts closest-ever approach to the sun


The Parker Solar Probe was set to zoom by the sun on Tuesday during a record-breaking flyby, coming within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the solar surface during humanity’s closest approach to a star.

The uncrewed spacecraft was expected to fly at 430,000 miles per hour (692,000 kilometers per hour), which is fast enough to reach Tokyo from Washington, DC, in under a minute, according to NASA. The speedy flyby would make the probe the fastest human-made object in history, the agency shared December 16 during a NASA Science Live presentation on YouTube.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/23/science/ ... index.html

[pharvey]

Black-Hole.jpg (30.34 KiB) Viewed 39943 times

[404cameljockey]

Hm, PH has started to post the xkcd.com cartoons that I post here when applicable. I suppose I'm not annoyed, but he's a bit cheesy not to credit them (leave in the link at the bottom of the cartoon, at least!)

[buksida]

11 Dazzling Celestial Events to See in 2025, From a Total Lunar Eclipse to Rare Planetary Alignments
Skywatching brought people together in 2024, potentially more than ever before. Professional scientists, seasoned hobbyists and astronomical newbies turned their eyes skyward, united by the awe of staring at the cosmos.

Millions of Americans watched the total solar eclipse that traced a path across the continent, darkening skies and revealing the sun’s ethereal corona. Dazzling auroras reached as far south as Florida, and a rare bright comet offered a stunning sight in western skies in the fall.

Now, 2025 promises to be another captivating year in astronomy. Meteors will blaze through the night, a total lunar eclipse will bathe the moon in a blood-red glow, and Saturn’s rings will apparently disappear. On top of all that, keep an eye out for surprise aurora appearances as the sun experiences a high level of activity known as solar maximum.

To make sure you don’t miss a stunning celestial sight, mark your calendars for the following events, likely to be among the biggest astronomical spectacles of the year.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-ne ... 180985750/

[Robinhood]

Hi,
I've always loved astronomy and had a telescope as a boy. Unfortunately, every time I tried to use it, the lens would suffer condensation, and I never saw anything. So I sold it and bought an air rifle.
Anyway, 50 years on I want to try again. Next year I'm going to stay outside of Chiang Mai for a couple of days, and think the dark sky is my big chance.
I'm looking to borrow, buy or maybe even steal a telescope and have another go. I've heard digital telescopes make things easier. If anyone can help, or offer advice, please get in touch.

So I sold it and bought an air rifle.

The quite obvious alternative!

I'm interested in the replies. I've thought about a telescope in the past, and could maybe budget for a good one next year.

I missed this one - something close to my heart! I guess I've missed the Chiang Mai trip (and thankfully the rifle ), but certainly happy to provide details of my findings over recent years.

I'm by no means an expert, but have learnt a fair amount over time - your question though does open up a mass of further questions: -

What's your budget, what do you want to do (Stargazing, Astrophotography or both), what do you want to see (Moon, Sun, Stars or "Deep Space"?)? Think about travelling with the kit - Tripods/Mounts etc.

I went in as a complete amateur (pretty much still am) and certainly learned some lessons! As mentioned, I'm more than happy to pass on info, but you do need to have a think about what you want to do.

I would guess you want something very simple, easy to use and would direct you to where you want to view - if that's the case, then a "Smart Scope" maybe the answer and something that can be used to give you an insight into the world of Astronomy and Astrophotography.

[EDIT] On the "Smart Scope" side of things, you would also need to have a Tablet ideally.

Hi, just checked my post and very grateful for replies. My Chiang Mai trip is 3 weeks away.
In answer to your question PHHarvey, I'm interested in planets, nebula and anything where you can actually see something. Dots of light don't really do it!
I want to find a mid price digital telescope that can do the searching for me.

[pharvey]

Hi, just checked my post and very grateful for replies. My Chiang Mai trip is 3 weeks away.
In answer to your question PHHarvey, I'm interested in planets, nebula and anything where you can actually see something. Dots of light don't really do it!
I want to find a mid price digital telescope that can do the searching for me.

Well, firstly - as I'm no doubt you'll know, pictures posted in the magazines etc. are from way more expensive equipment than you, I or the vast majority of people (even countries) could afford let alone house (or put into orbit)...

With regards to a "Digital Telescope", you don't view through an "Eyepiece", but though an App on your phone or Tablet. The huge benefit is that these telescopes track and scan, taking a huge amount of photographs over a fairly long period (min 1-2 hours). You then put these through a bit of software which enhances the view considerably. Even the largest of scopes use this technology - and as such require a motorised mount to track the movement of the stars/planets Nebula et al. as our own Earth rotates. You can imagine where the issues now arise on cost and ease of transport etc.!

I can recommend some Telescopes with some "add-ons" to increase/enhance the view that wouldn't be a huge issue to travel with, but quite honestly I think you would be better suited to something like the "ZWO Seestar S50". This is something I have and it truly is a great piece of kit - very good value for what it offers (probably even better in Thailand as it comes from China). It has a motor so tracks the planets et al., a camera and the software very easy to install and compatible with most devices.

If you're looking for something more, you're looking at more money and a larger/more complex scope - plus a motorised mount, plus camera etc., etc. I am very much a novice with the latter and despite having a decent scope and various add-ons to allow for "Astro Photography", I'm a little way from affording the "Motorised Mount".....

As mentioned above, I truly recommend the Seestar, but if you want/need some more info, I'm happy to help if I can.

And would you believe it, in looking for a decent video for the S50, I found the S30!! The latter, I can't comment on (but will investigate). Either way, the video does give some insight into what you could expect to see/capture. NOTE: You can view "Live" through the App also: -
.

.

[404cameljockey]

PH it's kind of you to invest time in educating Robinhood and myself about getting into astronomy, thanks.

Now I've looked into it a bit more I see that a budget smart scope like Seestar S50 is around $700 on websites (so, certainly more in Thailand), and a midrange (usually my preference) a lot, lot more. Maybe second hand is an option I guess. Then there are no doubt peripherals I'd want to buy because I'm a sucker for a gadget. As I don't buy into things cheap I'll have to pass until I get an inheritance. I'll stick with the 3D printing which I took up last month!

Edit: I see your comment about Seestar being made in China and price, but Anycubic 3D printers are made in China and they cost quite a bit more in Thailand than the US!

[buksida]

Scopes are silly money in Thailand, I also looked and gave up.

[STEVE G]

Well, firstly - as I'm no doubt you'll know, pictures posted in the magazines etc. are from way more expensive equipment than you, I or the vast majority of people (even countries) could afford let alone house (or put into orbit)...

I was talking to someone I met one night in Luxembourg and he was showing me these amazing astronomy photos on his phone.
I asked him what he had used to take them and he said he worked for the European Space Agency and had just come back from an observatory in the Andes!

[hhinner]

Tried #astrophotography on Bluesky? Some great pics by pros and amateurs. Probably plenty of people to give tips.

[pharvey]

Some quite incredible photo's (at link(s)) and things to look forward to in 2026 for this mission that is far from over - well, hardly begun! Also incredible, is the science behind actually getting the craft there - "It needed to make nine flybys of Earth, Venus and Mercury before it could reach the right speed to be captured by Mercury's gravity."

New Images of Mercury Captured by UK Spacecraft

"A spacecraft built in the UK has captured new images of Mercury as it made its sixth and final flyby ahead of entering the planet's orbit in 2026.

BepiColombo was built by the Stevenage-based company Astrium, now Airbus, and launched in 2018.
The spacecraft comprises two satellites that will gather data for at least a year, and needs special shielding to withstand the heat from the sun.
Monitoring cameras on the spacecraft captured images of the planet as it flew 295km (183 miles) above Mercury's surface, including views of the planet's north poles, as it was lit by sunlight.

BepiColombo will attempt to determine what Mercury is actually made of, and whether water could exist in some of the planet's deepest craters.
It needed to make nine flybys of Earth, Venus and Mercury before it could reach the right speed to be captured by Mercury's gravity.
This flyby marks the last time that the monitoring cameras will capture close-up images of Mercury, as the spacecraft module they are attached to will now separate from the mission's two satellites before they go into orbit."

Taken From: - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2v2r1jm7go
Historical: - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52229667

[pharvey]

Tried #astrophotography on Bluesky? Some great pics by pros and amateurs. Probably plenty of people to give tips.

I haven't, but there are masses of Forums/Sites out there - thanks for the tip though, always interested in looking at new/different sources!