Astronomy Club: Discussion

[alonelymiracle.livejournal.com]

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I'm glad the last discussion was such a hit! It was exciting. =]

So, here's another discussion I think should prove interesting. Since you're all interested in Astronomy (obviously), do you own a telescope? If so, what have you seen with it? Anything magnificent, like a comet? If not, do you want one, and what would you plan on looking for/at? Have you seen any planets in the sky, with or without a telescope? Have you ever seen a shooting star? What constellations can you most easily locate? Can you do this with or without a telescope?

No, you don't have to answer all the questions, just answer those that apply, and elaborate a little on your answers. If you've seen a comet or a planet, or anything else for that matter, explain what it looked like. If you have a telescope, what kind/brand do you have?

Most of all, have fun! And don't forget to sign with your house!

Comments

[lariren-shadow.livejournal.com]

Ohh, this is fun! I do have a telescope, but its a family one. Techniquely its my dad's, but I use it too. I have seen the rings on Jupitur and four of its moons. Hailey's comet as well, I remember that. It was pretty, I also saw it when I was on my 4th grade trip and we were at the coast so there was less light pollution. It was amazing. I have also seen Mars and very distant Saturn. With rings. I can find Mars and Venus without using a telescope(and the moon, obviously). I always go out and watch the metor showers in August(go, its the best month to see a shooting star) and I saw one the day I came home from college. My dad didn't but I did. I also wish on them. I can locate Orion and the big dipper. Kind of pitiful, but with a map I could find more. Probably. Can't look now cause there are clouds. I can do this without a telescope.

Hailey's comet looked like all the pictures. It was slow moving and had a long tail(or at least this is how I remember it, my memory could be wrong). Jupitur, I could see the big red spot and the moons clearly, they were like little stars around it. And the rings were faint but there. Or there if you knew what you were looking for.

I have a Celestron Premium 80. I like it.

Jenny, Gryffindor

[beccastareyes]

I own a... well, gee, I know it's a 6" Newtonian, but I don't remember the brand. It's not a bad little telescope -- well, it's little only to me -- but it's too big to take to grad school with me.

I've seen 6 planets (counting the Earth) -- several through the 30" telecope at my undergrad university, when I helped with the open house. VEnus is kiind of boring through a telescope. Jupiter and Saturn are cool -- even my little telescope can show Saturn's rings and a few of Jupiter's atmospheric bands, and some of the moons. Mars also looks nice -- I can usually get a dark spot and the polar cap if I'm looking at the right time of year. I got mine after Comet Hale Bopp, but I did get to see that comet in binoculars (And I think I could see both the dust tail and the ion tail).

My favorite thing to look at in a telescope are double stars, though, since they usually are pretty colors -- Albiero is nice, since it's gold and blue. I alos have a fondness for the Ring Nebula since it was the first thing I found by starhopping -- it looks like a little smoke ring in a telescope.

Constellations -- well, I'm pretty good at finding most of them, but Orion's kind of my sign that winter's here.

I've seen at least two meteor showers (the Leonids in '98 and in '03) and finally got to see an aurora this year (when I was up at the observatory this fall as part of my Teaching Assistant duties).

-- Rebecca, Hufflepuff

[stakey.livejournal.com]

I don't own a telescope, but my parents have some binoculars that are somewhat useful. My fifth grade teacher was really interested in space and always announced when there would be an eclipse or you could see a planet particularly well, and I've tried to keep up with announcements since then. There was one time when he obtained some sort of solar disc, so we could look throug his telescope and see actual sun spots! That was pretty cool.

My friends and I absolutely love laying out and looking at the stars together, philosophizing about life and the existence of something beyond the sky. During the course of our chats, we usually see several shooting stars and wish on them. (=

As for constellations, I can only identify a few, such as orion's belt, the little and big dippers and occasionally others, but I'm really terrible at recognizing those. I hope to learn more through the astronomy club! =)

[karinablack.livejournal.com]

I always wanted a telescope, but my family was poor. So one year, when I was 17, my parents spent $400 and bought one for my 8 year old brother, which he promptly disassembled. The parts were used to fry ants.

I can identify and locate Mars, Jupiter, and sometimes Venus in the night sky with the naked eye.

I love the Greek mythos associated with many of the constellations. I had a crush on Orion for the longest time. I can id both dippers, Polaris, Casseopeia, but unfortunately not many others.

Karina Black,
Ravenclaw

[earthen-sorrow.livejournal.com]

I don't have a telescope. I once saw a planet once, not sure which planet it is. Surely it's not a star since it doesn't twinkle and it wasn't the moon since I saw the moon behind me. :P

I always wanted to see constellations but I don't really spend much time under the dark sky. I tried gazing before but only a few stars shine due to the bright lights of the city. I have more interest in astrophysics and facts about heavenly bodies...maybe I've given up in star gazing due to my residential status...sigh

[cherryblossomrd.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately no, we do not have a telescope, at either my mom's or my dad's. My mom's house is closer to civilization than my dad's is, so the sky at my dad's is a lot clearer anyways. I can usually spot Orion, Ursa Major and Minor, and sometimes Canus Major, but that's the few that I can recognize as well. I really need to get a good chart that I can actually take outside and try to find more. Oh, and I think I've spotted Mars befoe, but I'm not all that certain.

[cherryblossomrd.livejournal.com]

forgot my name and house:

[starlight-19.livejournal.com]

Uhmm, I don't have a telescope at home, unfortunately. My parents doesn't want to buy me *grumbles*. I've never seen a shooting star, though. But I would like to see one in the future! I've also seen many constellations like the Big Dipper and the small one. The Orion and others I forgot the names. (:

I also saw two planets...of course, Its Mars and Venus--the two that are closest to the Earth. I saw Mars once in a public telescope and, my, was it red! I sure would like to see the other planets, though but I didn't have the chance due to the cancellation of the Stargazing Camping in our school.

[rocknrollpixie.livejournal.com]

I don't own a telescope but I think it would be quite cool to own one. Unfortunately I live in London and the light pollution is horrific! So I'd have to need quite a super duper telescope because it's very difficult to see anything with the naked eye.
When I was younger I went on a school trip to the Greenwich Observatory and I saw Mars and Venus through a telescope there, it was awesome.
I have once seen mars with the naked eye at bonfire night at my boyfriend's house his flatmate pointed it out to me and I was very impressed. I've also seen shooting stars with the naked eye when I was on holiday in the south of France once in a very rural area. I managed to see 10 in one night! It was the most amazing thing! On that holiday I also learnt to locate and name lots of constellations. I've forgotten most of them now but I can still do the plough and Orion.

Pixie // Hufflepuff

[starchild-dream.livejournal.com]

I don't own a telescope but I really want one. Without a telescope I've seen Venus a couple of times and then Mars onc. My father pointed them out to me. As for a shooting star, once I was taking out the garbage and YEs I saw a shooting star!! I was SO excited and OMG it was beautiful...sadly I was the only one who saw it when I asked around. Sometimes I think that the shooting star was meant for me. The constellations I can easily locate is the Big Dipper/Little Dipper and Orion. All without a telescope.

Jaz // Gryffindor

[astronomychica.livejournal.com]

I do own a telescope and I found a double star with it, the star annoyed me because it appeared to be two different temperatures and it seriously was moving! My friend thinks I'm nuts. I haven't seen any planets without a telescope or a comet etc, but I'm looking!
And, has anyone heard of the Mars Student Imaging Program at ASU?

Jordansan the Hufflepuff