hello, guys! a few words from a newcomer

For people new to astronomy who want to ask those questions that they were afraid to ask. Receive helpful answers here.
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snowline
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:33 am

hello, guys! a few words from a newcomer

Post by snowline »

I am a newcomer to this community.

It's last month when I first came across the singastro forum. To my surprise, there are quite a few people, in this very developed city state, looking at the night sky from badly light-polluted urban area.

Indeed I have been fascinated by celestial vistas since my little childhood. I still remember how the splendid winter milk way obsessed me, how those little stars twinkling in the dark summer sky accompanied my good sleeps atop a building.

Now dark sky is gone, but not the fascination. I occasionally think of what an amateur like me is to do in the city. Well, let me just enjoy looking at the stars, recall the legends or the splendid nature of them, and if possible, take some photos -- without a telescope&mount, though.

With an entry-level DSLR and moderate lenses, let me just start off by tracking a bright asteroid and capturing a bright star cluster. Not beautiful astrophotos, though.

Image

Image

Perhaps I should consider buying a mount or a telescope system. Again, what am I to do? Take photos that are, almost sure, inferior to numerous ones appearing on the internet everyday? I don't know.

Could anybody enlighten me? Say, practically what projects can I do?

I stay in western Singapore. Will move from Clementi to Jurong West next month.
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cataclysm
Posts: 1024
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:23 pm

Post by cataclysm »

Hi Snowline, welcome to Singastro!
Perhaps I should consider buying a mount or a telescope system. Again, what am I to do? Take photos that are, almost sure, inferior to numerous ones appearing on the internet everyday
That picture of the M45 is quiet a feat, just with the equipment you are using! IMHO, our pictures may not rival the best from the internet but its something to call our own. Most important of all is to make best use of whatever with have at our level and have a good time.
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boothee
Posts: 499
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:38 pm
Location: Myanmar

Post by boothee »

Hello Snowline,

Welcome to Singastro!!!

Nice picture!

:)
boothee
1150mm, 254mm, Newtonion Reflector on EQ5 Mount with dual axis DK3 drive, QHY5 Camera, Canon 300D + Kit Lens, Yangon, Myanmar.
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acc
Administrator
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Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2003 11:15 pm
Favourite scope: Mag1 Instruments 12.5" Portaball

Post by acc »

Welcome to Singastro!
We do it in the dark...
Portaball 12.5"
Takahashi Mewlon 210
William Optics 110ED
...and all night long!
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Clifford60
Posts: 1289
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:41 pm
Location: Central

Post by Clifford60 »

Welcome to Singastro!
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weixing
Super Moderator
Posts: 4708
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2003 12:22 am
Favourite scope: Vixen R200SS & Celestron 6" F5 Achro Refractor
Location: (Tampines) Earth of Solar System in Orion Arm of Milky Way Galaxy in Local Group Galaxies Cluster

Post by weixing »

Hi,
Welcome to SingAstro!! :D :D
Could anybody enlighten me? Say, practically what projects can I do?
Although you may think that there is nothing we can do much with our small scope, but the universe is a very very big place and not every telescope in the world can point at all the objects and stars at any one time, so you may one day make your own discovery if you really persistent in your observation or taking astrophtography.

Anyway, you can start with variable star observation which is an area that amateur contribute in real science. For more information, you can visit the the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVOS): http://www.aavso.org/

Have a nice day.
Yang Weixing
:mrgreen: "The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." :mrgreen:
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Airconvent
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Location: United Federation of the Planets

Post by Airconvent »

welcome to singastro!
you doing a whole lot better than me when I first started...again after many years.! :wink:
The Boldly Go Where No Meade Has Gone Before
Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R
United Federation of the Planets
snowline
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:33 am

Post by snowline »

Thank everyone for your kind words!

Well, I am actually thinking of getting an LXD75 telescope -- sort of entry level, coz I have a rather small budget. Kindly recommend where I shall go to find the best bargain -- including the shipping charge if needed, of course.

Thanks.
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Meng Lee
Posts: 1233
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:36 pm
Location: NTU, Woodlands

Post by Meng Lee »

Hi,

If you want to know what Astrophotography projects you can do, actually I have a number of them in mind.

Things like photographing KBO objects, Jupiter monitoring, DSLR constellation album, and capturing the deepest images of galaxies in Singapore.
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