Noob Amateur

[gypstar]

Hay folks,

I'm new to these forums (as far as participation goes) and would like to get started on some more serious stargazing as a hobby. I'm really interested in astrophotography (but from what I hear depending on what kind of steller photography you're interested, there are certain hurdles involving money and time).

I'm starting out slowly with 16x50 Bushnell binoculars and a few starcharts/starter books. I live in southeastern United States. I like keeping up to date with the events that are going on, and I'm wondering if my binoculars will be good enough to locate something like comet McNaught?

Also I'm wondering about what kind of power one would need to observe the Andromeda Galaxy.

 

[MeteorWayne]

First of all, if you want to see the Androemeda Galaxy, all you need is dark skies and your own eyes (and knowing where to look ). Binoculars will let you see more of it, and a telescope will let you see it and a few of the satellite galaxies around it.

 

[gypstar]

Thanks for the tips! I'm trying to figure out a really good isolated spot where the skies can be as dark as possible. I'm guessing viewing things like galaxies would be really hard to focus in on with your naked eye if there is interference from the neighborhood lights, which I would like to avoid.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Yes, unless your skies are really really dark, or you live in the southern hemisphere, Andromeda is the only naked eye galaxy. Binoculars will help you see a few more, as well as globular clusters and nebula within our galaxy (some of which are naked eye visible), and with a moderate sized telescope you can see hundreds of galaxies, and many hundreds of other "faint fuzzies".

MW

 

[andrew_t1000]

Head "bush" for a weekend, get away from city lights.

I've been taking photo's with my Canon IXUS since I moved to the country and been getting some good results.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... D=11537270

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... D=11537474

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... ID=8833238

Waynes right about the Southern Hemisphere! Any clear night I can see both Megallenic Clouds without any optical aids.