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Posts Made By: Dave budlong

November 4, 2005 05:06 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Novembers Messiers

Posted By Dave budlong

Well guys and gals as I look over how far we have come since I started this back in May, I have concluded I blew it. Missed M18 back in the Summer. Had I put that up and everybody gotten that, when you finished the list for this month M1 - M39 would have been in the rear view mirror. As it sits M18 is going to be a really late night object in April. So I guess everyone is going to have to Marathon.
This months list is going to be great for those of you looking up with Bino's.

M36 Open Cluster in Auriga, easy bino object.

M37 Another easy open cluster in Auriga, good for bino's, best of the 3

M38 Yet another easy Bino find, open cluster in Auriga

M1 My personal gripe with the whole Messier list, the Crab Nebula. Why is it #1? It's certainly not the most impressive thing on the list, still it is fun to look at.

M35 Great open cluster at the feet of the twins in Gemini, also good bino target.

M44 The Beehive Cluster, this cluster is naked eye, not in my backyard but maybe in yours. At worse you should be able to find it in Bino's though. It is at the center of the constellation Cancer.

M67 Open Cluster in Cancer, Our final object for the month and also a bino object.

To complete this months list you will need to dress warm because the last couple objects do not come up until late.

Stay Warm and Clear Skies

December 2, 2005 03:56 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

So I am Watching Jeapordy

Posted By Dave budlong

The clue is
"Yellow Star, Spectral Class G,
It has an apparent magnitude of -26"

Um numbnuts got Aldebaran in Taurus, Sirius in Canis Major and missed the above answer. He says "uh yellow dwarf??"

Alex Trebek should get to push him off a bridge.

December 8, 2005 02:44 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

December Messiers(Finally)

Posted By Dave budlong

Work and the holidays have distracted me long enough. Here is this months addition to the list.

We will start in the winters most recognizable constellation Orion.

M78 It is a very different type of nebula than the other two we are after in Orion, this one is a reflection nebula. That means it shows up because of a star in the fore ground lighting it up.

M42 THE Orion nebula, what can I say, its a Ionized Hydrogen nebula. The light it puts off is made in the nebula. It contains the trapezium, a group of stars that everybody talks about when referring to resolution. If your skies are halfway decent you can see this naked eye.

M43 A smaller nebula right next to M42. Can be seen in Binos.

M79 A globular cluster in Lepus, the most prominent thin that comes to my mind about this abject is how tough it is to find during the rush in March on trying to do the Messier Marathon. To me its not much of a globular compared to some of the others, this does come from the fact that it is so far south and up during the winter.

M50 Big open cluster in Monoceros. Nice looking and fun to find. Can use Binos.

M41 Extra good open cluster in Canis Major. I really like this one, good in bino's too.

M46 Open cluster in Puppis, not very concentrated.

M47 A better open cluster in Puppis. Both of these are good in Binos.

M93 Also another decent cluster in Puppis and you can find it with Binos.

Sorry it took me so long to get this done, I will make a Resolution prior to next months list to do better. smile

December 16, 2005 09:47 PM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Only 4 days left

Posted By Dave budlong

You guys only have 4 days left to order my presents, and thats if you are overnighting them on day 4. smile

Who else gets mugged here by having a birthday close to Xmas?

December 24, 2005 11:33 PM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Merry Christmas Everybody

Posted By Dave budlong

Hope you all get lots of time with the family, plenty to eat and anything else your hearts desire.

January 11, 2006 03:13 PM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Re: Deciding on a new telescope

Posted By Dave budlong

How big of an issue is portability, where will you be doing most of your observing? Do you have a garage and a concrete driveway? My 12" Dob is not the most easily moved scope I own, but I have it on a wheeled platform so I can roll it out onto the driveway.

March 2, 2006 05:20 PM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Re: Seeing some deltails in galaxies?

Posted By Dave budlong

I can't speak to the properties of your scope in specific but, I have an 8" Dob and from relatively dark sites I have seen the spiral structure of M51, it will blow you away if you get anything like I have seen. As mentioned M104 the Sombrero is really cool from even halfway dark site. M81 and M82 both give a nice contrast and because you can bounce from one to the other quickly or even in the same FOV you will notice some of the shape and structure of both.

April 8, 2006 03:14 PM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Re: Latest News On Laser Eye Surgery??

Posted By Dave budlong

http://www.lasikathome.com/index.html

Not an answer to your question but certainly related. I wouldn't try this.

June 28, 2006 02:31 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Re: Philosophical Issue: On the Spirit of the Star

Posted By Dave budlong

I don't think it's a violation, more of a had to do it moment.

July 30, 2006 01:23 AM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Re: "Go to a star party" is regional advice

Posted By Dave budlong

You're just in the wrong north my friend, we get rain to beat the bank in the winter but in the sunner it is very nice up here.