Telescope success

So far, in just three nights of viewing, I've been able to get the hang of my new scope. I've been able to spot:

- Jupiter's moons, and cloud bands on the surface of Jupiter.
- Several star clusters
- The Dumbbell Nebula
- The Ring Nebula
- The "Coathanger" Cluster
- Andromeda Galaxy
- Several pairs of binary stars

I've given up trying to use astronomical coordinates to find objects, and taken the advice of many - I "star hop" from a well know, easily found star, to other, more difficult to find locations. It is still very difficult, but getting easier. Finding the faint Ring Nebula tonight is the highlight so far. It was nothing like the thrilling Hubble images everyone is so familiar with. Most objects are just gray smudges in a certain shape. The Ring Nebula was definitely a ring shape though.

Dirt Work

My parents' backyard is undergoing a remodel - it has been going on for awhile, but a major step was completed this weekend. My dad used a rototiller to churn up the soil on Saturday. It is clay and very rocky. I went over on Sunday and helped level and smooth the dirt in prep for a new lawn that will be sown soon. As a kid, I dug many holes in the backyard just for the pure joy of digging. The soil was always very hard. I was surprised at how easy the job of leveling was - I guess the rototiller really helped. As we were clearing an area up by the shed, we found a cement slab. When I was 12, my dad built us a treehouse - this slab was at the foot of the stairs. Dad cleaned it up, and handprints, along with the date, 6/89, were very clear. Dad is going to leave it in the ground and include it as part of a new walkway. Pretty cool!

Looking Up

In 1986 I did a school project on Halley's Comet. I had a start chart that my dad and I used when we were camping to identify the constellations. The tragedy of Space Shuttle Challenger is one of my clearest memories from elementary school because we were watching the launch live. The stars and space have always held a fascination for me. Hubble telescope images are incredible, but nothing is like seeing faint objects with your own eye. This summer my wife and I went to a "Star Party" while visiting some friends in Oregon. It was the first time I've been able to put my eye to a telescope and really see things in space. That was all I needed. I now own an Orion 130 mm Newtonian reflector. It arrived and I spent a fair amount of time assembling it. The same night I took it outside and was able to see Jupiter and its four largest moons. After a lot of fiddling around, I was finally able to find the Andromeda galaxy too! I still have a lot to learn and many late nights ahead, but it is very exciting! I'm looking forward to this winter when Mars will approach very close, maybe I'll be able to see the ice caps! Orion will also begin to climb higher up into the sky, and I'll be able to see the gigantic nebulas.