wondering if im an amature astronomer now. lastnight i took these cheep binoculars out to see how well they would work and it turns out they work pretty good, i looked it up on my sky chart and what naked eye looked like a grey blip in the sky suddenly turned into fifteen stars, kinda blew me away considering the cheepness of these binocluars, power is 4.5 x 27. just wondering if my status has raised lol

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto

Sure you are!!

The next full moon with clear skies in the weekend, we are planning to look at some lunar landing sites with binoculars (NOT for the vehicles, the 'nocs are too cheap for that ). We'll just enjoy having a closer look at the moon finding some craters and mares, which are visible with the naked eye, but a bit too small to watch comfortably. It's just, when you are looking at pics from the moon showing the landing locations, and how close they sometimes are to some very rough terrain, or in a large mare, you suddenly realise you could just go outside and look for yourself.

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To the regular visitor of internet bulletin boards it is clear that it's an excellent idea your parents get to choose your real name.

Yes, you're in. Your check from the Office of Planet X Disinformation is in the mail, along with your Disinformation Agent badge and hat.

I'd go even further. If you examine the night sky with only the optical instruments that god or evolution gave you (eyeballs), so as to pick out natural or man-made objects of interest, and particularly if you do this on a regular basis, you are an amature astronomer. The distinction is not in the instrument, but in the brain and the intent behind the instrument.

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009
All moderation in purple

Of course if you use certain kinds of electric motors, you could be an armature astronomer.

And if you are getting on years like some of us, you definitely will want to be an armchair astronomer.

But just the simple act of observing the sky and knowing what you're looking at qualifies you as an amateur astronomer.

There is a cost though. By knowing the sky and directly observing, recognizing, and understanding the phenomena you see there, you automatically become the mortal enemy of people such as Nancy Lieder, Richard Hoagland, James McCanney, Bart Sibrel, Bill Kaysing, and a host of others. But, since you've been registered at the BABB since May 11, 2003, you probably already knew that.

Clear skies and good observing!

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A person's name, or a mark representing it, as signed personally or by deputy, as in subscribing a letter or other document.

I guess the definition for being an amateur astronomer is, anyone who ever looked up at the sky ande wondered. In that case your in

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Consumatum est-nune est bibendum.

Hat? When did they start giving out hats? Man, I feel jipped!

Ah! The bug has indeed bitten! Soon now (if not already), you will begin craving larger and larger instruments with which to do your viewing. My first recommendation is to get a quality pair of 10X50 binocs. If you think what you see now looks cools, check out the skies with a pair of those! Also, get the book "turn left at orion" or "nightwatch". It'll show you how to hop your way to bunches of clusters, double stars, galaxies, etc. in the sky. Also, the next 1st or 3rd qtr moon, take a gander. It's most impressive at the "half-lit" stages because the shadows are at their peak, and that really gives you a full 3 dimensional feel.

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. . . My moustache is touching my brain!!!!

sorry for the lateness of my post, i had forgotten i made this one, at the time of my first look through those binoculars my parents were already and still are in the proccess of purchasing a beginers scope, cost about 200 dollars, orion made, the skyquest xt4.5 dobsonian, and yes i will even get the recommended milk crate. I thnk the but bug bit before i realized i had the binoculars, just had to ttest them to see if they would actually do anything. Anywho, again sorry for not replying faster and ill be waiting by the mail box for the check, badge and hat. lol

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto

You mean you got the check? Man, now I feel jipped. 8)

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Some try to tell me, thoughts they cannot defend,... - Moody Blues.

Neptune- The original Dark Matter.

The author feels that this technique of deliberately lying will actually make it easier for you to learn the ideas. - Donald Knuth

Welcome to the club! But now you've done it.
From now on, it will be cloudy in Fremont!!! MUHAHAHAHA!!!!! 8)

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"It's time to receive our missions from The Head."

its been cloudier and rainier this winter then any i can remember here

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto

Well at least you got the Badge! [-(

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If there are a finite number of inhabitable worlds that support life, and an infinite universe, that makes a constant divided by infinity... Wait that makes the population of the universe NONE!

Hadg on I've got the moon hoax and the mars ones I can't remember any planet X badges?

Edit
Ohhh now I remember #-o Is that what those things wer #-o my dad said he chucked them #-o

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If this writing is blue you're going too fast!

I'm sure you know what that means. Your dad's writing the checks.

aww danm i reallly wanted that badge too

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto

does anyone know a good badge making store, we could all make our own badges, throw in a couple of rituals as well then we got an organization worthy of the debunker namesake.

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto

Of course, if you happen to be Humphrey, all bets are off. :P

=; #-o 8-[

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And you, to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling [faces] lyin' to ye' everywhere ye' go
Turn to, and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

Congrats on the new scope. I think that is a great choice, can't do any better for the money IMHO. As far as being an amatuer astronomer, just looking is great, but every bit as important is knowing what it is that you are looking at.
If you checked your star chart first, it sounds like you do know what you are looking at. From your description and what is in the sky right now, I would guess the pleiades.
Best of luck.

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"Inconceivable!"
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

badges
But, as they say in Blazing Saddles, we don't need no stinking badges.
What we need are badgers!

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009
All moderation in purple

Don't push me. I *will* release the ED-209s.

I woundeer what knd of expression we'd get if we walked into a store and asked for custom made "planet X misinformation society" .

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If this writing is blue you're going too fast!

orangeSCT, thanks for another good review of the scope im gonna get. Always helps reduce that buyers remorse afterwards. as for what i saw im pretty sure it was mel 25 due to its closeness to orion itself. I tried looking a bit further away and saw nothing. Would be nice to know which is brighter. Seeing as i only use a cheap pair of binoculars find it, there might be a chance that one of the two choices is to far away for the binoculars to see. Its been cloudy everynight after the third night i saw it as it being the most interesting thing i could find with them, so alittle help would be appreciated in this area, because the pleiades were my first guess as well, but i have this nagging feeling that the pleiades are further from the orion constelation and this was the only other object i could put in a line with it.

Thanks again to all its been fun being back on the board and even better now that i know those binoculars i bought as a kid have a usefull purpose, (side note, spelling and grammer havent improved since getting them out) lol. Anywho thanks agian thanks, once i get that scope im sure ill be back here alot with more questions.

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto

I have recently bought some water proof pants for the rain and use four layers off shirts on cold and rainy nights in an attempt to stay dry,

also, I have recieved a brunton style compass and wonder if anyone has a good site i can go learn how to use this compas. its low end but the best i have ever had, so i would like to learn to use it to its fullest capabilities.

Thanks again this board rocks. Im starting an astronomy class this month if i havent already mentioned because of all the neat stuff i have read and the answers to questions I have posted.

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto

See?

Now you've done it!

All new astronomers are ALWAYS cursed with cloudy/rainy skies. Get used to it!

Meanwhile, Google for live astronomy sites and webcams.

And just wait until that cold front comes roaring through!!!

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A person's name, or a mark representing it, as signed personally or by deputy, as in subscribing a letter or other document.

Re your magnetic north correction, for Fremont, CA it's going to be about 15° east. Here's a website to help you with this.

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A person's name, or a mark representing it, as signed personally or by deputy, as in subscribing a letter or other document.

Is amature halfway between "amateur" and "professional"? :wink:

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"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire.
"All your bias are belong to us" Ara Pacis.

unfortunately im still scopless as since this rain has has started my parents didnt see the point in buying one yet, but i did start taking a community college astronomy class which is pretty fun, and on sone uknonwn date when the clouds dissapear those of us from this class can join the lab class in alittle bit of stargazing. not to mention it gets some extra credit and i had know idea 5 years out of a class room could make going back so difficult, but hopefully ill get good news when my mid term scores come back, either way its an awesome class.

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto

As a relatively new participant on the BABB, you may not be aware of the disclosure law. It CLEARLY states that any BABBER who gets any type of new (to them) equipment must fully disclose all specifications so we may be properly impressed, envious and able to discuss your equipment with you.

For example: Two years ago I won, in their raffle, a huge 20X100 Oberwerk binocular at the Miami Valley Astronomical Society: Apollo Rendezvous. As soon as I could, I came here and told everyone about them. Well, except Charlie-in-Dayton 'cuz he was there at the raffle.

So, as soon as you have your Dob. get over here and tell us all about it! 8)

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It's just one of those damn things of which there are many few. -- Dan Blocker

russ,
will do just been depressed about the ammount of ime its taking. though it was recently brought up in cassual convo around the house bringing my hopes up. not only that but the price range was increased thus making me happy enough t0 post again, ill try ti keep you all in the loop.

By the way i am now taking a begining astronomy class which is awesome, and as time goes on want to use some of what i learn here in the class, or perhaps since nobody in the class was willing to set up any kind of study group, perhaps get a few people to discuss with me the more confusing parts of the class

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They call 'em fingers, but i've never seen em fing..... oh there they go!! otto