This is awesome!

[Moon Flower]

Timelapse Montage on Vimeo

Especially the cosmos.

 

[GB]

Wow that is so cool. I love the parts where you see the shooting stars for a split second.

 

[roadfix]

Very cool. I love the way the camera tracks the landscape, adding a whole new dimension. I love to see his tracking set up.

 

[Barbara L]

That was amazing! And the music was a great addition.

Barbara

 

[Moon Flower]

Every time I see vids of the stars in our cosmos, I thrill inside. The music just made that video. I played it over and over again. When I watched it the first time, I was tearful. Stargazing whether for real or on video really moves me. One day I will be an astronomer.

On holiday to Greece I took my portable Meade telescope with its Autostar keypad. It opened up a whole new vista, a carpet of stars which made me feel like dancing. Viewing them also kept me up way late, and though everyone had gone to bed I did not feel alone. Because Grandma who inspired astronomy in me was one more star in the night sky.

 

[roadfix]

That's beautiful Moon Flower, what your Grandmother instilled in you.
What type and size is your portable scope?

 

[Moon Flower]

That's beautiful Moon Flower, what your Grandmother instilled in you.
What type and size is your portable scope?

The portable Meade scope is the EXT 80AT and has an 80 mm objective lens and cost £249.00 I bought it with my earnings from Mum's brasserie. It was the first big purchase I ever made. (I certainly know the value of money!) It weighs I reckon, about 20 lbs. It is a lovely, lovely scope and I recommend it you.

Grandma Celeste left me an Orion Light Bridge 16 inch diameter reflector. It is built of part carbon fibre and has a handy plossl fixture beneath. It is manufactured by SkyQuest. Also a 12 inch of the same. Next, a Meade Light Bridge truss, a 16 incher.

But the real biggy is a CDK24 made by PlaneWave Instruments which Gran had made to special order. It is a 24 inch f/6.8 optically corrected Dall-Kirkham astrograph telescope and the beast weighs a ton. It had to be winched onto a truck and taken to my Aunt Emily’s where my family helped build an observatory. Its field of view is incredible! No curvature across its entire 70 mm field of view. There is no off-axis coma or any optical aberrations whatsoever.

I hope you didn't think I was being arrogant when I said I will be an astronomer. I am really just a humble average sort of girl and all too aware of the sheer cost of what I have inherited.

 

[roadfix]

Holy macro, that's quite a collection of mirrors and optics!
I'm no longer into astronomy, but up until a few years ago I did some astro-photography and spent many moonless weekend nights at high elevation dark sites.
I've since sold off my gear except for a couple of large objective binoculars which I bring out from time to time.
Must be awesome to have access to your family's observatory. Nice...

 

[Moon Flower]

Holy macro, that's quite a collection of mirrors and optics!
I'm no longer into astronomy, but up until a few years ago I did some astro-photography and spent many moonless weekend nights at high elevation dark sites.
I've since sold off my gear except for a couple of large objective binoculars which I bring out from time to time.
Must be awesome to have access to your family's observatory. Nice...

I spend a lot of time at my Aunt's because I study there when not at part time uni. She helps school me, but when all my coursework is done - then I can use the scopes. I am up late now because of having extra coursework to do to make up for me being away on holiday. But I love the hard work because astronomy and physics with math fascinates me. I can memorise formulae quite easily now, but calculus can be evil.

Do you have image stabilizing binos? Mum uses a pair of Canons, x12. They are good for stargazing, but heavy after 10 minutes. Its tripod mounted but needs to be.

Astro photography is a super hobby. But make sure if you have excellent imagery that you copyright-stamp them when posting on the internet.

 

[roadfix]

Do you have image stabilizing binos? Mum uses a pair of Canons, x12. They are good for stargazing, but heavy after 10 minutes. Its tripod mounted but needs to be.

No, I don't have IS binos. But my Fujinons are wide field, the only thing is I really can't use them in the city because they pick up all the light pollution and washes out the image.
On my 15x70's and 25x70's they must be tripod mounted but very awkward to use when pointing near zenith. My Miyauchi binos (sorry I sold those) had 45 diagonals and interchangeable EP's, and were much more comfortable for extended viewing.

 

[Moon Flower]

You might be able to re-acquire Miyauchi binos eBay. Don't give up all hope. On that site you could probably even buy an elephant!

If I remember right, the Miyauchi were big and had magnificent fluorite optics. Might they have been the Bj-1001's? If so, those were outstanding, the 'BF' version, and getting close to the Holy Grail, though were very heavy so would need tripod support.

We make mistakes and regret them. But thats life, though I hope you can find them again. Do tell me if you are successful.

Jill

 

[roadfix]

Funny thing is, I sold them on Ebay about 6 years ago....lol...

Although I'm no longer into astronomy I still visit the local observatories regularly. My weekly cycling loop from my home takes me right up to the Griffith Observatory and back the other side, about 30 miles total. Another ride (about twice yearly) takes us up to the Mt. Wilson observatories, a little further away from where I live.

 

[Moon Flower]

Interesting! But where is the Griffith Observatory? It looks a most impressive place.

The nearest observatory to me is at Herstmonceux in East Sussex.

WELCOME | THE OBSERVATORY SCIENCE CENTRE

I hope to do a talk there in February 2011.

You also have a very nice bicycle I see. I bet you fly along!

 

[GB]

Great picture roadfix. Did you take that shot? I bet it work very well in black an white too.

 

[roadfix]

Thanks GB, yes I took that pic with my tiny point & shoot camera that I always carry with me in my cycling jersey pocket.

Thanks Moon F, cycling is my passion and has been for many, many years. Except for the frame, I build them from scratch, including lacing the wheels. I've done brevets and multi-day self-supported tours. These days, the regular training rides keep my waistline in check....lol...
Griffith Observatory is in Los Angeles. Besides being a tourist attraction, it is only used for solar and planetary observations for the most part, I believe.

Here's another pic with the observatory and downtown LA in the background.

 

[Moon Flower]

Gosh that is a super photo! Especially your bike. Your craft in butting the tubes looks perfect. Such craftsmanship in bikes like yours over here would cost a bomb. I bet it rides as sweet as a nut. Alas, the traffic in my town is so bad that I am forbidden to ride mine. But I take it offroad as its a mountain bike. I just love riding out in the sticks but always ride with friends.

The Griffith Observatory at least is high enough to cut through the smog of LA. One day when I achieve my Doctorate, I shall visit.

Thank you so much for sharing your keen interest.

Jill