Winter Sky Wonders For Your Christmas Telescope

The universe is waiting

Greetings everyone! It has been a long time since I've posted the astronomy thread, but I wasn't going to let Christmas come and go without a quick guide for you amateurs just getting your first telescope this week.

I've kept the targets simple and spectacular. For those of you still thinking about getting a scope, you're in luck: I review the upsides and downsides of three great scopes ranging from just $99 to $380 you still have time to grab before Thursday.

Let's dive in!

So, you've unpacked your scope, read the instruction manual, collimated your optics/adjusted your mount, and are about to head outside. Here are the targets I suggest you aim for to start your hobby with a bang. Note: all images that appear in the target section are sketches. Photographs are far more sensitive than the human eye and can give a false sense of what is-and what isn't- visible.

Early Evening: M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy)

Sketch by Serge Vieillard through a 16" telescope

The Andromeda Galaxy is the largest in our Local Group, at over twice the mass and nearly twice as large as our own Milky Way. It's apparent magnitude is around 3.5, bright enough to eye directly or with averted vision in all but the most light polluted skies:

While easier to catch in the Fall when overhead because Pegasus and Andromeda dominate your overhead view, it's still plainly visible if you orient yourself properly and keep the W and Andromeda Arc in mind. As the Summer Triangle sets towards the West, the Great Square follows suit but not for a few hours after sunset.

Covering an area many times the size of the full moon, the galactic core is the bright patch we can eye, with the outer arms and dust revealing itself through binoculars and telescopes.

Sketch by Rony De Laet

French amateur De Laet created this wonderful sketch and posted some detailed observational notes on his ETX site. While the galaxy appears smaller and fuzzier through his binoculars, the view still wowed him. Pay attention to several of his suggestions for pulling out detail:

In general, binoculars are not the preferred instrument to study galaxies. But what an amazing view has the Andromeda Galaxy to offer in a pair of binoculars! The large central bulge of M31 can be seen with direct vision. The nucleus appears star like. The elongated halo fades slowly away in the background. With averted vision, the halo can be followed for 1 ½° on each side of the central bulge. While nucleus, central bulge and halo are visible as distinct features, they happen to be merged together as one solid body. The NW side of the galaxy is tilted towards us. Here is where multiple dust lanes absorb the soft glowing light of the galaxy in our line of sight. That is why the NW side of the galaxy appears ‘bordered’, while the SE side shows a softer edge. I did have the impression that another dust lane could be seen on the SE side of the galaxy, or just behind the central bulge. If the dust lanes don’t look obvious to you at first, try to gently rock the binoculars. The motion will stimulate your night vision. As if the Andromeda Galaxy isn’t interesting enough to observe, there is more to go after: satellite galaxies! One of M31’s satellites is M32. It can be found just S of the central bulge. It appears like a small star that is put out of focus. The other satellite galaxy, M110, can be found at ½° NW of the central bulge. M110 looks like a faint isolated cloud when seen with averted vision.

Through a modest telescope, the satellites and dust lanes come into better focus than with binoculars; with a scope of at least 4" aperture, starfield NGC 206 becomes visible; and if you are lucky enough to own a scope of at least 8" aperture, globular cluster G1 can be teased out about 2.5 degrees away. G1 is the brightest, largest globular known in the Local Group of galaxies, putting Omega Centauri to shame by several orders of magnitude. Below is a guide for the brightest features visible in most amateur scopes:

Evening: The Pleiades

Arguably the most beautiful open cluster in the sky, the Pleiades is visible from all but the most light polluted spots on the planet (think Times Square or the Luxor in Vegas). The Seven Sisters are protected from lustful Orion by Taurus the Bull, his raging red eye (Aldebaran) glaring at the hunter:

High overhead later in the evening, it is one of the few objects best seen in smaller telescopes or binoculars due to its large size.

Evening: The Great Nebula in Orion

Comparison sketches from (R-L) inner city, suburban, and dark skies of the Orion Nebula by the unsurpassed artist Mark Seibold

The Great Nebula in Orion has been photographed more than any other deep sky object, and it's not hard to see why: bright, expansive, and colorful, it has been observed for over four hundred years yet reveals surprises at a constant pace. The beautiful Trapezium stars, which illuminate much of the nebula, are found at it's heart. This quadruplet actually has two fainter members that can be picked out with larger telescopes, and was first documented by Galileo. At only 100,000 years old, these stars are some of the youngest objects we can spot in the sky. Theta 2 is a nearby double that also helps to illuminate the billowy cloud.

The nebula is impressive from even the worst sky, and leaves you at a loss of words from a dark one. Color is absolutely visible with adapted eyes from a dark site. I've noticed traces of purple, blue and green through my 8" XT8.
Astronomer Bob King has a fantastic write up over at Sky and Telescope documenting how you can perceive three-dimensional features in this distant object, and the always great David Fuller outlines pulling out color (including red!) using a flashlight. Do not be surprised if you find yourself lost in its billowy cloud- this is the highlight of the Winter sky.

Finding it doesn't even require a chart: the parent constellation is impossible to miss: a seven-star giant, two atop, three belt stars, and two below, with a dangling sword of three stars under the belt. The Great Nebula is the middle "star" in said sword.

Late Evening: Jupiter, King of the Planets

Jupiter as seen through an XT8, by Jeremy Perez

Pulling things back to just a few hundred million miles away, the largest planet in our solar system rises late in the evening and outshines everything else until Venus peeps in before sunrise. Its four moons are clearly visible in even a small telescope, while it's Great Red Spot, when you can catch it, is always a fun hunt.

Last-Minute Telescope Buyer's Guide

If you've read the astronomy threads and have kicked around the idea of getting a scope all year long, you still have time to make an impulse buy you won't regret. The buyer's guide from 2013 is linked at the bottom of this thread outlining accessories. Oh and those night vision-preserving goggles from the light pollution thread? Orion is selling them right now for only $1.99, and you can buy them through ">Ace's Amazon Store. That all out of the way, onto the scopes.

The $99 Option: VIXEN OPTICS SPACE EYE 70 - 70mm refractor

from Adorama
Hands down, the best telescope you can get for under a hundred bucks. Light weight, great optics for the price, and not-half-bad eyepieces. You get what you pay for- the mount is wobbly with windy conditions, the finderscope is sub-par, and you should definitely upgrade on the eyepieces. But right out of the box, the Vixen gives surprisingly crisp views of Jupiter, Saturn's rings, lunar features, and brighter deep sky objects like the Pleiades. Adorama is the only company selling it for this cheap, and I don't know if it's just for Christmas or they are clearing them out. So if you're cheap but still waiting, why?

The $200 Option: the "Costco" Celestron: C102GT Nexstar Refractor

from B&H

The C102GT may seem familiar to readers of the Spaced Out Challenge, and that's because the optical tube itself was being sold for $60 by OPT a little over a year ago. The Go-To mount is decent for a beginner, a with a bit of give that makes high power viewing slightly frustrating. But the package comes with five eyepieces, three of which aren't half-bad, not to mention a computerized mount, very good optics for the price of the tube (rivaling many that sell for hundreds more). B&H is currently the only vendor selling this new, and at the $200 price (shipped!) If you have a bit more scratch lying around and want a better view of deep sky targets and double stars than what the Vixen can provide, here's your scope.

CAC's Personal Choice:

the author and his beloved
The Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic
$380 shipped.
The best introductory amateur telescope sold in the last hundred years, period. Tough. Large. Extremely easy to assemble and use. Highly adaptable. Intimidating to your neighbors. Make that guy in building D with his spotting scope feel small and inadequate.

International Space Station Sequence 09-22-08

Joe Ricci snapped this sequence of the ISS with his XT8
The upsides? Too many to count: incredible views for the price, just $380. I've glimpsed the Pillars of Creation, Saturn's fainter rings, too many galaxies and planetary nebulae to count, all for $380. The telescope offers incredibly great optics for just $380. Did I mention it is only $380? The customer service and warranty from Orion are just cherries on top. For residents of suburban and urban areas, it cuts through some of the worst light pollution and delivers. Take it out to a dark sky site with decent eyepieces and it will change you.
The downsides? Like all reflectors, it will require occasional collimation (aligning of the mirrors). It is the largest of all the scopes discussed, weighing in at 40lbs assembled, breaking down into two 20 pound pieces (the optical tube and mount). Deep sky astrophotography requires serious DIY motorization. Tracking objects is all on you. The red-dot finder should be upgraded. It takes up about 48x24x24 in your closet. But it's also only $380. Of the three telescopes, if the weight and occasional adjustments don't scare you, you are insane to pass over it. Here's how I imagine the conversation goes in your house if you do:

Extremely excited 10-year-old-child-of-reader: OMG did you get the big telescope daddy/mommy?
You: no
Devastated child who will hate you forever: WHY?
You: because I'm a terrible person.

My wife calls it the other woman, and for good reason. If it were possible to love an inanimate object, well, here you go.
Orion recently released an upgraded version, the SkyQuest XT8 PLUS, with better collimation knobs, an adjustable altitude clutch, better included eyepieces, an eyepiece rack, a shorty barlow lens, solar filter, and a striking finish:

At $500 shipped, it's up to you whether that seductive blue is worth the extra coin. I'd stick with the original black beauty myself.

***
The full Beginner's Buyer's Guide, our Comet Guide (featuring additional grab-and-go telescopes), and any other edition you're looking for can be found in the master index of all Spaced-Out Challenge threads here, but of course you can always inquire about binoculars, telescopes, and all the rest in the comments. As always, if you have astrophotography, product recommendations, or astronomy news you'd like to see on a future Spaced-Out Challenge, email me at theoneandonlyfinn (at) gmail.com, or tweet me @conartcritic.

With all of that said, clear skies to you, and keep looking up!

Posted by: CAC at 07:00 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Our event horizon got wider.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 21, 2014 06:55 PM (4IFRz)

2 CAC, since I wasn't able to do so yesterday, thank you for yesterday's post and best wishes to you, Mrs. CAC, and the astronomer-in-waiting.

Posted by: Vendette at December 21, 2014 06:56 PM (4fb9a)

3 The spaced out trippy trip thread returns!

A little mood music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNhmzyc_OrE

Posted by: Psychadelicat at December 21, 2014 06:56 PM (lN8KC)

4 Brandon's back....?

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 06:57 PM (BNIaE)

5 This is great and all, but I want the stoned CAC threads. I want 12 dimensions.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at December 21, 2014 06:57 PM (GEICT)

6 1st

Posted by: ALH at December 21, 2014 06:57 PM (btTLZ)

7 1+5=6th
I should have known better.

Posted by: ALH at December 21, 2014 06:57 PM (btTLZ)

8 How am I supposed to see at night? It's dark outside, duh!

Posted by: weirdflunkyonatablet at December 21, 2014 06:58 PM (KDLSe)

9 Brent
I'd address this, but you are just a projection in the fourth dimension, and a hologram in the fifth.

Posted by: Brandon Finnigan at December 21, 2014 06:58 PM (ZWfuB)

10 This is really cool Brandon. Thank you for the great post!

Posted by: ALH at December 21, 2014 06:59 PM (btTLZ)

11 Big telescopes - hm so Freudian.

Posted by: @votermom at December 21, 2014 06:59 PM (cbfNE)

12 If the universe is 14 billion years old, how can the theoretical limit of our observable universe be 46 billion light years away? And how does this help our children?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 21, 2014 07:00 PM (4IFRz)

13
CAC... at the HQ.

CAC... his posts wide.

Posted by: sock puppet... on the Solstice at December 21, 2014 07:01 PM (qfd4W)

14 Alas, I have more money as I get older and so can afford a good telescope, but my eyesight isn't what it used to be. The universe, she is toying with me.

Posted by: pep at December 21, 2014 07:01 PM (4nR9/)

15 11
Big telescopes - hm so Freudian.

Posted by: @votermom

It's not the length, it's the width that matters.

Posted by: pep at December 21, 2014 07:02 PM (4nR9/)

16 Our Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy are due to collide in a few billon years.

Just letting the lawyers know.

Posted by: eman at December 21, 2014 07:02 PM (MQEz6)

17 "how can the theoretical limit of our observable universe be 46 billion light years away?"

Do you science?

Posted by: Ricardo deGrasse Tyson at December 21, 2014 07:02 PM (BNIaE)

18 9 Brent
I'd address this, but you are just a projection in the fourth dimension, and a hologram in the fifth.

Posted by: Brandon Finnigan at December 21, 2014 06:58 PM (ZWfuB)

But in the 6th I'm dressed as the Hulk and raging about how you're posting straight and sober.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at December 21, 2014 07:03 PM (GEICT)

19 Whoa, margins blown!

Posted by: Y-not at December 21, 2014 07:03 PM (9BRsg)

20 OT, Sorry, but for those morons and ettes who like to reference DOCTOR Amy Bishop, she's being featured on "Snapped" on Oxygen network.

Posted by: nerdygirl at December 21, 2014 07:03 PM (2pq7O)

21 CAC... at the HQ.

CAC... his posts wide.

Posted by: sock puppet... on the Solstice at December 21, 2014 07:01 PM (qfd4W)

His eyes uncovered!

Posted by: Dathon, his arms unfurled at December 21, 2014 07:04 PM (lN8KC)

22 "Our Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy are due to collide in a few billon years."

I've seen the theoretical images of the night sky then.

Awesome.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:04 PM (BNIaE)

23 Our Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy are due to collide in a few billon years.

Just letting the lawyers know.

Posted by: eman at December 21, 2014 07:02 PM (MQEz6)

Sounds rapey.

Posted by: SJW at December 21, 2014 07:04 PM (lN8KC)

24 Were watching Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan tonight. What a coincidence.

Posted by: ALH at December 21, 2014 07:04 PM (btTLZ)

25 But in the 6th I'm dressed as the Hulk and raging about how you're posting straight and sober.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at December 21, 2014 07:03 PM (GEICT)

Because you're doing so well...

Posted by: Vendette at December 21, 2014 07:05 PM (4fb9a)

26 Also, Brandon, thanks for the Buyers Guide. At some point I'd like to get a telescope and start a new hobby.

Posted by: nerdygirl at December 21, 2014 07:05 PM (2pq7O)

27 the author and his beloved

That is one we REALLY don't want to hear about any problems you've had conceiving a child with.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 07:05 PM (AVEe1)

28 "
Whoa, margins blown!"

Margins? Who needs margins. I don't need no stinkin' margins.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:06 PM (BNIaE)

29 W. I. D. E.

Posted by: eman at December 21, 2014 07:06 PM (MQEz6)

30 This thread is being blessed by MUMR, who can shove it.

Posted by: Vendette at December 21, 2014 07:06 PM (4fb9a)

31 Big astro news this week is that KEPLER IS BACK. No, not zombie Kepler from the grave. Better!
http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/science-hip116454b-super-earth-02359.html

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 07:06 PM (AVEe1)

32 Fcuk.

That cocksucker.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:07 PM (BNIaE)

33 oh great, the troll.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 07:07 PM (AVEe1)

34 One of the great things about having ADD is that I can appreciate the banhammer in real time.

Posted by: Vendette at December 21, 2014 07:08 PM (4fb9a)

35 So where's the cesspool galaxy?

Posted by: weirdflunkyonatablet at December 21, 2014 07:08 PM (KDLSe)

36 Speaking of stars...

How 'bout them Cowboys!

Posted by: Blue Star of Dallas at December 21, 2014 07:08 PM (qfd4W)

37 "This thread is being blessed by MUMR, who can shove it."

Yes, MUMR is bombing the thread.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:08 PM (BNIaE)

38 Mr. Scott reports the margin control matrix is off-line, Captain.

Posted by: eman at December 21, 2014 07:09 PM (MQEz6)

39 Hahahahahaha. What a loser. Continually posting while he knows he's banned.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at December 21, 2014 07:09 PM (GEICT)

40 CAC!

Purty pitchers and all, but I'd need a 42" monitor to read the text!

Thanks for the reminder I have clear skies for a change and can actually see Orion rising tonight...

Posted by: Spun and Murky at December 21, 2014 07:10 PM (4DCSq)

41 Keep trying MUMR. Maybe one day a post will actually stick.

Buahahahahahahaa

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at December 21, 2014 07:10 PM (GEICT)

42 There he is again.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:11 PM (BNIaE)

43 Scotty, I need that margin control!!

It's a hopeless pile a junk, Captain!

Posted by: eman at December 21, 2014 07:11 PM (MQEz6)

44 I have clear skies for a change and can actually see Orion rising tonight...

Who is this Orion guy? Does he have a girlfriend?

Posted by: Sandra Fluke at December 21, 2014 07:11 PM (4nR9/)

45 You have to admire MUMR for his transience.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 21, 2014 07:12 PM (4IFRz)

46 If MUMR wanted to make himself useful he'd post this crap to Captain Butthurt's twitter feed from earlier today.

Posted by: weirdflunkyonatablet at December 21, 2014 07:12 PM (KDLSe)

47 I'm going home tomorrow. I'll ask my dad to haul out a telescope, because so many stars can be seen at home.

Posted by: Vendette at December 21, 2014 07:13 PM (4fb9a)

48 Just this last summer I purchased a Maksutov-Cassegrain 127mm scope from Orion. Saw my very first view of Saturn. Wow, just Wow! A great view of the planetary body and could even see the shadow of the rings on Saturn. I'm having issues with their GoTo device, but I'm coping. I can't wait to see what Jupiter looks like. The biggest problem I have right now, is that I don't know what I don't know. There is so much that I want to see and I am such a rank rookie that I really don't know where to start.

Posted by: Old Blue at December 21, 2014 07:13 PM (vVSOO)

49 Some mood music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqmFxgEGKH0

Posted by: Tom Petty at December 21, 2014 07:13 PM (qfd4W)

50 I expect it to end in 10-15 minutes-He'll knock himself out.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:14 PM (BNIaE)

51 In other recent 'stro news the Earth's first atmosphere was booted offsite, much like MUMR's posts, in a series of hammering impacts: http://tinyurl.com/onm6aa7

It's reasonable to assume that so was the earth's first ocean. Because if Earth becomes LavaLand then the oceans become part of the atmosphere ALSO.

So where did our ocean come from?

Rosetta found too much deuterium / Hydrogen-2 on that comet. So whatever water is on Earth did not originate from that sort of comet.

But it doesn't rule out other comets: http://tinyurl.com/owygg76

Personally I suspect the water came from asteroids from beyond the waterline - more Ceres, less Vesta.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 07:15 PM (AVEe1)

52 Captain, perhaps Mr. Scott can reroute margin control through the dilithium chamber control interface.

Scotty, will that work?

Aye...aye.. I'll need ten minutes.

You've got five.

Posted by: eman at December 21, 2014 07:15 PM (MQEz6)

53 48 The biggest problem I have right now, is that I don't know what I don't know. There is so much that I want to see and I am such a rank rookie that I really don't know where to start.

----------

You got a YWCA nearby?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 21, 2014 07:15 PM (4IFRz)

54 Since there's so much atmosphere to have to look through down here, I don't get to see as much as you Yankees.

Had a gig last week on Saturday and wanted to see a shooting star from the meteor shower, but 'twas not to be. But that's OK since it was 80 degrees here today.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, Curmudgeon Extraordinaire at December 21, 2014 07:17 PM (0HooB)

55 Why would you assume the oceans are of extraterrestrial origin?

hydrogen + oxygens = water

Posted by: seamrog at December 21, 2014 07:18 PM (ldBBV)

56 ?

He ended early

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:18 PM (BNIaE)

57 He ended early

We have a troll on an astronomy thread. How many other smart military blogs can say that?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, Curmudgeon Extraordinaire at December 21, 2014 07:19 PM (0HooB)

58 Heh. Sometimes you just get lucky.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:20 PM (BNIaE)

59 Why would you assume the oceans are of extraterrestrial origin?

seamrog: The first link explains that Earth was a smashed up ball of molten iron and silicon, from which the hydrogen and much of oxygen had already escaped.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 07:21 PM (AVEe1)

60 He ended early

Tell us about it

Posted by: MUMR's past girlfriends at December 21, 2014 07:22 PM (AVEe1)

61 56 ?

He ended early
--------

Sometimes his mom drives him around the block a few times and he falls right yo sleep.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 21, 2014 07:22 PM (4IFRz)

62 Overcast in ETEX. Maybe just watch it on the intertubes?

Posted by: Erowmero at December 21, 2014 07:23 PM (go5uR)

63 Starship Enterprise is fixing to take a hit from the Reliance.

Posted by: ALH at December 21, 2014 07:23 PM (btTLZ)

64 Those are some nasty looking petri dish cultures. They look like they're contaminated and should be thrown out.

Posted by: Ed Anger at December 21, 2014 07:25 PM (RcpcZ)

65 Raiders/Bills jackofathon on tv now.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:27 PM (BNIaE)

66 Brandon,
Do these have a clock to keep up with the rotation of the earth. It is a pain to keep adjusting to keep something in the field of view.

Posted by: Bob from table9 at December 21, 2014 07:30 PM (WNERA)

67 Best time to do observations: moonless nights when the air temp is at 10F or below. The moisture is frozen out of the air so its crystal sharp.

Posted by: mt noise at December 21, 2014 07:32 PM (rJxCc)

68
65 Raiders/Bills jackofathon on tv now.

Crap! This is gonna screw up the Raiders' first round pick next year, right?!?

Posted by: Spun and Murky at December 21, 2014 07:33 PM (4DCSq)

69 The banhammer is a wondrous thing, but I have to admit I kind of miss the mass troll-baiting we used to do.

Posted by: Trimegistus at December 21, 2014 07:33 PM (u1Q3S)

70 Crap! This is gonna screw up the Raiders' first round pick next year, right?!?

Not if my Buccaneers can screw theirs up first.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, Curmudgeon Extraordinaire at December 21, 2014 07:34 PM (0HooB)

71 http://tinyurl.com/nx53v7y

It's cold out, go somewhere warm.

Posted by: DaveA at December 21, 2014 07:35 PM (DL2i+)

72 Oh maybe I should read actual content from the original post. So: Jupiter and its moons.

We've got word back from Hubble that Europa's oceans aren't very pushy. The *Cassini* orbiter, looking at *Saturn's* moons, has seen on Enceladus many geysers and other plumes spewing huge amounts of water into space. The astro guys looking at this have now got around to noticing - hey, Europa's supposed to have an even BIGGER ocean, and we didn't see any geysers over THERE.

Some people thought they did but they didn't: http://tinyurl.com/noyqsu2

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 07:35 PM (AVEe1)

73 One of the great things about being from a place with less light pollution is the remarkable amount of stars.

Posted by: Vendette at December 21, 2014 07:36 PM (4fb9a)

74 "Crap! This is gonna screw up the Raiders' first round pick next year, right?!?"

Crap, But, the Raiders sorta screwed up their first round pick.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:38 PM (BNIaE)

75
Not if my Buccaneers can screw theirs up first.

How ironic!

Posted by: Spun and Murky at December 21, 2014 07:40 PM (4DCSq)

76 66
Brandon,

Do these have a clock to keep up with the rotation of the earth. It
is a pain to keep adjusting to keep something in the field of view.

Posted by: Bob from table9 at December 21, 2014 07:30 PM (WNERA)
-------Bob, the GoTo devices, to my understanding, once set up would slew with the planetary rotation. I'm still not sure of that.

Posted by: Old Blue at December 21, 2014 07:41 PM (vVSOO)

77 The 14 billion year figure is pretty solid.

The 46 billion light-year figure for the limits of the universe is something called the "co-moving distance" which is a particular frame of reference which cancels out red and blue shifts from the expansion of the universe. I don't have the physics/mathematics chops to understand more than that, but I think the discrepancy comes down to the different reference frames.

Posted by: Trimegistus at December 21, 2014 07:42 PM (u1Q3S)

78 One of the two bridges connecting Cape Cod to the mainland is closed due to an accident. How I used to pray for that when I was a kid packing the car for the trip home in August.

Posted by: Lincolntf at December 21, 2014 07:44 PM (2cS/G)

79 Accidentally posted this in the last thread (beats head with hammer):

145
A greater wonder than what's in the skies, is the miracle in your wife's womb.

Congratulations!!

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 07:45 PM (FsuaD)

80 A drink, a smoke. Out.

Tomorrow.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 21, 2014 07:46 PM (BNIaE)

81 Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 07:35 PM (AVEe1)
--------
Yeah, but. The way the surface of Europa fractures may indicate a liquid substrate under all that ice. Where there is liquid water........Look at the life forms at the bottom of the ocean, and places in Antarctica where there is never any sunlight, they are finding life. Geysers would indicate pressure and maybe there isn't that kind of pressure gradient on Europa.

Posted by: Old Blue at December 21, 2014 07:47 PM (vVSOO)

82 If you look closely, you see four horsemen...

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 07:47 PM (FsuaD)

83 >>>>My wife calls it the other woman, and for good reason. If it were possible to love an inanimate object, well, here you go.

Oh it's possible.

Posted by: Bowfucker lady at December 21, 2014 07:47 PM (z/Ubi)

84 O/T

I just made what may possibly be the world's Most Perfect Bacon Jam.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 07:47 PM (FsuaD)

85 Bacon Jam? Recipe?

Posted by: Infidel at December 21, 2014 07:49 PM (1YT1i)

86 I saw Bacon Jam open for Fine Young Cannibals at the Albert Hall in '88.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 21, 2014 07:50 PM (4IFRz)

87 Bacon Jam sounds like something Taco from The League would invent.

Posted by: Lincolntf at December 21, 2014 07:51 PM (2cS/G)

88 If you look closely, you see four horsemen...

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 07:47 PM (FsuaD)

A little mood music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4nCy5CITc8

Posted by: Four Hats of th Apocalypse at December 21, 2014 07:51 PM (lN8KC)

89 On and off topic...

Can you even imagine how awesome the sky gazing conditions would be, almost anywhere, in North Korea?

Posted by: Spun and Murky at December 21, 2014 07:52 PM (4DCSq)

90 Jane, even though I am battling the flu. Bacon jam got my attention. Please elaborate and are you looking for testers or investors?

Posted by: Minnfidel at December 21, 2014 07:53 PM (bXdYS)

91 Can you even imagine how awesome the sky gazing conditions would be, almost anywhere, in North Korea?

Posted by: Spun and Murky at December 21, 2014 07:52 PM (4DCSq)

Our son said the clearest, most beautiful night skies he ever saw in his life, were in the Afghanistan desert.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 07:53 PM (FsuaD)

92 On and off topic...

Can you even imagine how awesome the sky gazing conditions would be, almost anywhere, in North Korea?

Posted by: Spun and Murky at December 21, 2014 07:52 PM (4DCSq)

Yes...

Posted by: 강제 노동 수용소에 굶주린 한 at December 21, 2014 07:54 PM (lN8KC)

93 could you help me find uranus?
huhuhuhuhuh

Posted by: beavis at December 21, 2014 07:55 PM (9GG/0)

94 90
Jane, even though I am battling the flu. Bacon jam got my attention.
Please elaborate and are you looking for testers or investors?

Posted by: Minnfidel at December 21, 2014 07:53 PM (bXdYS)

I don't want to trash the tread. The recipe comes from Savannah's Back in the Day Bakery.
If possible (meaning if I'm still awake), I'll post it on the ONT or on an open thread tomorrow. It's a lot of work, and yields a small amount of amazing goodness. OMG, it's so damned good.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 07:56 PM (FsuaD)

95 The sky gazing at our place up in Northern MN is amazing
My daughter asked why we had more stars. Also getting to see the northern lights is awe inspiring.

Posted by: Minnfidel at December 21, 2014 07:56 PM (bXdYS)

96 {bacon jam}

Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

Posted by: Infidel at December 21, 2014 07:56 PM (1YT1i)

97 So. I just want to throw this out there. Heavy metals, such as are found in large quantities in our solar system, are formed in a type 1b supernova. Anything above iron in the periodic table. Granted, a type 1b supernova will eject enormous amounts of material into space, and it should spread itself over a relatively uniform distribution, but how far will the ejecta move into the cosmos? Also, type 1b supernovae result in a stellar mass black hole. My question is...where is the nearest black hole to our solar system?

Posted by: Old Blue at December 21, 2014 07:56 PM (vVSOO)

98 Thanks Jane, looking forward to it. Even sick it sounds good because bacon.

Posted by: Minnfidel at December 21, 2014 07:57 PM (bXdYS)

99 We live on an island south of Savannah. Almost no street lights. We see amazing stars, comets, you name it.

Sucks to live in a liberal hive on the NE and West coasts.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 07:58 PM (FsuaD)

100 Tybee?

Posted by: Infidel at December 21, 2014 07:59 PM (1YT1i)

101 100
Tybee?

Nope. Skidaway.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 08:00 PM (FsuaD)

102 Can you even imagine how awesome the sky gazing conditions would be, almost anywhere, in North Korea?

What are you doing out after dark? Off to the camps with you!

Posted by: North Korean Security, everywhere for your convenience at December 21, 2014 08:00 PM (A6vWB)

103 We have great star sight in western CO too.

Posted by: Infidel at December 21, 2014 08:02 PM (1YT1i)

104 Yeah, I'm sure the poor souls in the work camps in NK see great night skies at night. Poor souls just want whatever god they worship to put them out of their misery.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 08:02 PM (FsuaD)

105 Other woman? Hey it's a boat.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at December 21, 2014 08:05 PM (9kWyt)

106 Greetings Jameson's Dad!

Posted by: ThunderB at December 21, 2014 08:08 PM (zOTsN)

107 Well, since the HQ seems dead, I'm off to wrap gifts, drink, and wrap more gifts.

On a more upbeat note, got to watch D'oh Boy rehearse a Christmas Eve song (he's singing and on guitar) with an amazingly talented young, female vocalist.

I got a tad weepy.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 08:09 PM (FsuaD)

108 My question is...where is the nearest black hole to our solar system?

For your purpose, a pulsar will do.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geminga

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 08:10 PM (AVEe1)

109 Greetings Jameson's Dad!

Abu Jameson? Abu Ibn Ya'qub?

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 08:12 PM (AVEe1)

110 OK, but it is a neutron star, generally presumed to be the remnants of a type 1a supernova, not a type 1b supernova.

Posted by: Old Blue at December 21, 2014 08:13 PM (vVSOO)

111
Our son said the clearest, most beautiful night skies he ever saw in his life, were in the Afghanistan desert.

The skies (at least in winter) I saw in interior Alaska (on the banks of the Yukon) were pretty impressive, too.

Well, except when those pesky Northern Lights obscured the view... ;^)

Posted by: Spun and Murky at December 21, 2014 08:15 PM (4DCSq)

112 Name the movie where the high school kid gave up his money to buy a telescope for a girl.

Posted by: Bob Belcher at December 21, 2014 08:17 PM (3jmxp)

113 The clearest skies I saw were outside of Amarillo just before the New Mexico / Colorado border

Posted by: Bob Belcher at December 21, 2014 08:19 PM (3jmxp)

114 If you have less than optimum vision, you can get a digital camera and a used (inexpensive) laptop. Put the digital camera on the eyepiece (you can buy adapters for that from Edmond Scientific) and you can view the stars, nebulae, planets, etc., from the screen of your laptop.

Posted by: Bossy Conservative.... after dark at December 21, 2014 08:20 PM (+1T7c)

115 Name the movie where the high school kid gave up his money to buy a telescope for a girl.

Team America, F**k yeah. Who blew the margins?

Posted by: Ronster at December 21, 2014 08:20 PM (9vrWU)

116 112
Name the movie where the high school kid gave up his money to buy a telescope for a girl.

Posted by: Bob Belcher at December 21, 2014 08:17 PM (3jmxp)

It hasn't been released yet, but it's "Barack and Michelle: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told."
Staring Urkel as a young Barack, and whoever played Aunt Esther as Mooch.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at December 21, 2014 08:21 PM (FsuaD)

117 Name the movie where the high school kid gave up his money to buy a telescope for a girl.

Posted by: Bob Belcher at December 21, 2014 08:17 PM (3jmxp)

Can't buy me love.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at December 21, 2014 08:25 PM (FMbng)

118 I saw Andromeda through my telescope a few times. Really amazing, but you need a dark sky.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at December 21, 2014 08:27 PM (FMbng)

119 If you use a telescope in frigid conditions, try not to frost it up with your breath.

Posted by: davidt at December 21, 2014 08:33 PM (fBxC6)

120 119 If you use a telescope in frigid conditions, try not to frost it up with your breath.

Posted by: davidt at December 21, 2014 08:33 PM (fBxC6)

if you drink enough tequila your breath acts at as a natural antifreeze. Tequila + stars = amazing

Posted by: Viv Savage at December 21, 2014 08:41 PM (HRo7B)

121 I recently came from Yosemite, where I saw the Geminid meteor shower during a completely pitch black and clear night.

Unreal!

But the meteors were actually not as impressive as just the stationary stars themselves, which were more numerous than I've ever seen - the entire sky was painted. Milky Way visible too.

Go to the high mountains after a rainstorm. You will not regret it!

Posted by: zombie at December 21, 2014 08:43 PM (K4YiS)

122 It hasn't been released yet, but it's "Barack and Michelle: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told."
Staring Urkel as a young Barack, and whoever played Aunt Esther as Mooch.

Posted by: Jane D'oh
------------

The screenplay is actually based on Al & Tipper Gore, however.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 21, 2014 08:43 PM (kgisg)

123 Night skies by Salton Sea in CA are very clear and remarkably free of city light. Amazing stars

Posted by: ThunderB at December 21, 2014 08:47 PM (zOTsN)

124
64 Those are some nasty looking petri dish cultures. They look like they're contaminated and should be thrown out.

They're dog germs, I can see them with my binoculars.

Posted by: Lucy at December 21, 2014 08:49 PM (KPcG0)

125 Wrong. Sandra Flukes Pap smear cultures

Posted by: ThunderB at December 21, 2014 08:50 PM (zOTsN)

126 Mu And.
Nu And.

Is this where mu.nu comes from?

Posted by: Corona at December 21, 2014 08:52 PM (fh2Y7)

127 Is this the post where we try to fit the Milky Way within the margins?

Posted by: Fritz at December 21, 2014 08:55 PM (dVmLD)

128 Fogging up is actually kind of a nuisance in both very cold and very warm conditions. I put my telescope or binocs out in the car right around sunset so they're at ambient temperature by the time I want to go out and look at stuff.

Posted by: Trimegistus at December 21, 2014 08:58 PM (u1Q3S)

129 There's some Brit family movie that was just on tv "Nativity! " with a young Martin Freeman (Bilbo)
And now it's Nativity! 2 with David Tennant (Dr. Who)

Posted by: @votermom at December 21, 2014 08:58 PM (cbfNE)

130 sing along sound of music on ABC

Posted by: ThunderB at December 21, 2014 09:00 PM (zOTsN)

131 Name the movie where the high school kid gave up his money to buy a telescope for a girl.

"Can't Buy Me Love". Dempsey.

But your sentence-diagramming skillz need work, yo. You made it look like some kid was buying that 'scope FOR the girl.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at December 21, 2014 09:00 PM (AVEe1)

132 No offense, bro, but I'm a tough act to follow.

Posted by: One Tough Unborn Kid at December 21, 2014 09:01 PM (uqV2n)

133
I think I see some plaid in the background of that ISS photo.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at December 21, 2014 09:04 PM (8v9fw)

134 133
I think I see some plaid in the background of that ISS photo.

--------

CAC would get better viewing without the Express Mail boxes covering up the observatory windows.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 21, 2014 09:09 PM (4IFRz)

135 Early Evening: M32 (the Andromeda Galaxy)

----

I think you mean M31.

Posted by: HuuskerDu at December 21, 2014 09:12 PM (in4xn)

136 Some kind of disgusting hashtag on twitter now celebrating the murder of the two cops.

Posted by: @votermom at December 21, 2014 09:13 PM (cbfNE)

137 I need to get a wider laptop.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 21, 2014 09:22 PM (irGEw)

138 Sigh. The nice, sweet, stray probably-Maine Coon kitty my friends took in has demonstrated she isn't pregnant, by going into heat.

So much noise from a relatively small package...

Posted by: Brother Cavil, Warlord of the Western Wastes at December 21, 2014 09:26 PM (wGgL6)

139 Where all the wide women at?

Posted by: Sherrif Bart(Chubby Chaser) at December 21, 2014 09:26 PM (fBxC6)

140 131 You made it look like some kid was buying that 'scope FOR the girl.

Just like the O. Henry story where the boy sells his testicles to buy a telescope for the girl, who had sold her retinas to buy him a pair of Comfyballs (tm) underwear.

Posted by: Splunge at December 21, 2014 09:27 PM (qyomX)

141 122 The screenplay is actually based on Al & Tipper Gore, however.

The "Release My Chakra" song from the soundtrack went double platinum.

Posted by: Splunge at December 21, 2014 09:29 PM (qyomX)

142 From the precinct of the murdered officers:

@NYPD84Pct
The Men and Women of the 84 Pct. thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this extremely difficult time.
8:26am - 21 Dec 14

Posted by: @votermom at December 21, 2014 09:31 PM (cbfNE)

143 Brandon: Congratulations to you and your wife.

Posted by: fluffy at December 21, 2014 09:31 PM (Ua6T/)

144 TCM is raiding the Disney vaults tonight.

Right now showing The Reluctant Dragon followed by Davy Crockett starring Fess Parker.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at December 21, 2014 09:32 PM (om3D0)

145 Then there's M83, the Chick Flick Galaxy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCjfn0XHmCY

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo, bringin' the ghey at December 21, 2014 09:33 PM (AVEe1)

146 IxNay Ansplaymay on the Ostpay !

Posted by: Baldy at December 21, 2014 09:34 PM (+35FH)

147 John McCain has become a truly pathetic figure in his dotage. A grinning puppet of the Ruling Class.

Posted by: cm9000 at December 21, 2014 09:36 PM (8zCR+)

148 Name the movie where the high school kid gave up his money to buy a telescope for a girl. ---- Does he say "Stand back honey, I don't know how long this thing gets?"

Posted by: Baldy at December 21, 2014 09:37 PM (+35FH)

149 Who Dunham-ed the thread?

Posted by: otho at December 21, 2014 09:38 PM (tBSrv)

150 Have Mike Wolf of American Pickers and Chris Collinsworth ever been seen together in the same place at the time.

Posted by: Danielle at December 21, 2014 09:49 PM (fBxC6)

151 Out of curiosity, can the XT8 be utilized for ummm...you know, ummm, window surveillance? Im asking for a friend.

Posted by: fastfreefall at December 21, 2014 09:50 PM (pqOzY)

152 I'm gonna need a wider lens.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 21, 2014 09:51 PM (kgisg)

153 Just read where the Yankees are going to pay for the educations of the children of the slain NYPD Officers.

... Makes my allergies act up.

Posted by: fixerupper at December 21, 2014 09:53 PM (xrURQ)

154 I've been very pleased with CAC approved Pentax Binoculars that I got last Christmas.

Makes me a little afraid to read about the telescopes.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at December 21, 2014 09:54 PM (kgisg)

155 wow, wide in here

Posted by: LIV in Baltimore at December 21, 2014 10:07 PM (sEUh+)

156 Volvo?

Really?

In California?

Is that, like... liberal camouflage? (you know, so they don't spot you?)

Posted by: SGT York at December 21, 2014 10:15 PM (zh7yG)

157 I'm sure that as soon as I post this the ONT will go up, but if it was missed in the book thread, Jerry Pournelle had a stroke on Monday the 16th.

Posted by: Country Singer at December 21, 2014 10:23 PM (nL0sw)

158 nood, ont

Posted by: davidt at December 21, 2014 10:26 PM (fBxC6)

159 SEE!!???

Posted by: Country Singer at December 21, 2014 10:27 PM (nL0sw)

160 Just please don't buy a scope made in china. Thanks.

Posted by: RT at December 21, 2014 10:40 PM (Wo9OY)

161 My XT8 has gotten me some really nervous looks from the late night strollers by the lake where I live. My XX14g has darn near gotten me arrested... Or at least had the patrol car double back on me.

Welcome back CAC and congrats.

Posted by: Coop at December 21, 2014 11:04 PM (p4/ex)

162 Brandon, Thanks for the new thread and for that beautiful message last night. BTW, any newcomers to the thread, the buyers guide is the real deal. The XT8 scope is so good even I can use it.

Posted by: JTB at December 21, 2014 11:16 PM (FvdPb)

163 HODOR

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164 HODOR

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