Took advantage of a clear winter sky on Friday night.

Smurfy · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:46 pm **Posts:** 735

It will be a couple of years before I can afford to travel (I've blown a shitload of $$$ on the Nunavut trip + my camera + my telescope). That being said, perhaps we should hold a finc star party in Flagstaff in 2012?

If I stick with the stargazing hobby, then I'd love to take advantage of the skies in Flagstaff. I just don't know how I'm going to transport a 50 lb telescope there.

BTW, I found that RC Optical Systems (who make Ritchey-Chretien telescopes that are priced out-of-this-world) is based in Flagstaff.

red · **Posted:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:51 pm

A finc.party would be sick!

I'll be here till at least Spring of 12, so any time in there.

Drive to Flag?

Hairy · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:08 am

finc.roadtrip!!!!

Palm-Tree · **Posted:** Wed Mar 03, 2010 5:36 pm

Smurfy wrote:

Toronto winters are very cloudy and grey affairs. When the sky is clear it's usually a cold day. Nonetheless, when the sky was clear last Friday night, I took full advantage of the opportunity and spent about 50 minutes outside looking at the sky with my binoculars. I have a nice pair of 7x50 binoculars and I mount them on my camera's tripod. Even from the light polluted skies of the northern border of Toronto, I had amazing views of Orion, the Pleiades, the moon (awesome) and Mars.

I'm getting bitten by the stargazing bug and I'm now planning on picking up a 10" Orion dobsonian telescope.

Red, you're in Arizona. That's telescope heaven. Do you have binoculars or a telescope? Heck even without a scope I guess you have amazing views of the Milky Way there? Have you ever spotted Andromeda or a large Nebula with your naked eyes?

Regards,
Smurfy.

The best star gazing experience I've had was in south africa, man that sky is so alien to me.

Smurfy · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:46 pm **Posts:** 735

Yeah,

Back in 1990, my sister and I were in the countryside in Wakkerstroom (South Africa) on a night when the power was out. The sky was amazing. Of course, the Southern Hemisphere has a better view of the centre of the Milky Way. The skies in Australia are supposed to be some of the best as well. Didn't you get that feeling when you were there?

Smurfy · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:46 pm **Posts:** 735

Saturday and Sunday - Saw Mars as more than a small disc.
Sunday - Using an ultra-high contrast filter (to reduce effects of light pollution), I got my first look at the great Nebula of Orion.
Today - Saw Saturn and its rings + 5 moons. My sister has better eyesight than I do and found the fifth moon just off the edge of the rings. Apparently there's another moon that was possible to see, but we were unable to see it.

That was sooooo cool. The sky has been turbulent so the images haven't been crystal clear. Still, the Orion Nebula and Saturn were awsome to see. I can't believe I'm only doing this at the age of 39.

Frustration Incorporated

Took advantage of a clear winter sky on Friday night.

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