New Category: Astronomy
I added a new category to my blog tonight, Astronomy. I can promise you that there will be a lot of activity on that category in the coming months.
Some of you may or may not know that Astronomy has been a passion of mine since I was in high-school. When I was 14, I got a department store-grade refractor probably like this one. I either got it for my birthday or Christmas. I should ask my mom, she might remember.
I spent many bittersweet evenings observing the heavens with that scope. On one hand, I marveled at the details I could see on the moon. On the other hand, I cursed at the shaking and bobbling of the images in my eyepiece. And why did everything keep moving our of my field of view? Damn that Earth rotation!
Now I’m out to buy a real scope. I’m doing a lot of research on the right scope for the job. It may surprise some of you that I’m not really thinking about my kids as I plan for the purchase. My kids are still pretty young and I doubt they will want to join me more than once in a long while once the novelty of the purchase wears off. From what I read, kids don’t take a serious interest in Astronomy until they are quite a bit older. Also from what I read, most serious amateur astronomers have multiple scope for multiple jobs. I doubt the scope that’s ideal for my kids is ideal for me and at their age, I doubt any scope is ideal.
As I read review after review, I’m getting a sense on what the tradeoffs are in this space. It seems like a) more money doesn’t solve all problems, b) the bigger the scope the better the image and the greater pain in the ass the bitch is to set up, c) good optics and a steady mount are almost or more important than the aperature (the diameter of its main, light-gathering lens or mirror).
My primary resource is SKY & Telescope magazine and skyandtelescope.com. They have plenty of good tutorials, buying guides, and tons of archive telescope reviews.
There is a really decent telescope shop in my hometown (what do I know?) and the owner and his wife are really helpful. The guy is a real computer geek too and he spent a while showing me numerous astrophotos he’s taken with CCD cameras.
He said that I should hook up with the local astronomy club and look through some scopes at a Star Party. On my to-do list.
Lots more information is coming as I read and read and read.