Is there anywhere in East Yorkshire good for star gazing away from the light pollution? I heard Raywell recently, just not bothered to check it out yet.
Yeah you don't see much in the City do you . I remember being on the Isle of Wight ferry and looking at the sky at night and was amazed how many you could see. Also was hoping to see a lot on The Isle of Mull last year but the cloud didn't lift at all
IF you don't mind a bit of a read try this forum. If you have the patience you will find all you need to know. https://stargazerslounge.com I have a Newtonian reflector Dob- but a big heavy barsteward-its dead easy to use, dont worry about collimation anxiety, once you get the hang it becomes quick and fairly easy. Loads of guides on that site and youtube vids. Its true that many expect Hubble' eque views so this gives you an idea of what to expect https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/196278-what-can-i-expect-to-see/ First Light Optics (other astronomical retailers are available) have been brill in my opinion- all i would say is buy from astro specialists not a curries or amazon job. Bresser is a respected retailer but have a gander at the stargazers lounge for help in choosing a first scope. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html I put my hand up Im an astro nerd , but im also a city fan so I have no redeeming features Good Luck
When I lived in South Cave I used to take my telescope and camera up to the road to old Everthorpe, could park up in a field entrance and set up in the back of my truck. Rowley is also decent, though it’s a bit out of the way. If you can get out to the coast, the air is clearer and there is little to no light pollution (unless you’re at Brid or Scarbados).
I find things like explanation of evolution, history of and images of the universe, etc absolutely fascinating. As Dawkins (and others) say, no need to invent stories about where we come from when you can just be in awe of reality in nature, the universe, .... (not verbatim but something like that!). I keep meaning to take time to visit a planetarium once again. I've only ever been once, to the one that used to be next to Mdme Tussauds decades ago. Anyone on here happen to know where the best planetarium in the UK is nowadays? Thanks
..... by chance (I think!), after posting the above, I went to the ' .... and in other football news' thread and watched the youtube link of the Real Madrid player's outrageous dive. The next YT video up was the one below, talking about lenses and evolution. If you want a good laugh, skip to around 5.30. Gave me a good belly laugh at least ......
Trouble is a stargazing telescope turns everything upside down. If you are looking at the neighbours it don't half hurt ya neck .... So I've been told
Joking apart some experts say a good pair of binoculars are as good as starter telescopes plus you can use them for general use.
From what I can gather, those monocular telescopes are rubbish. As a starting point, I agree that a good set of 10 x 50 or even 8 x 30 binoculars are great for looking at the moon (and your neighbours) but anything with more magnification requires a stand so that a clear image can be obtained (LOL). It really depends on your budget. I had a 4inch reflector telescope as a kid and had great fun with it for a while but Saturn & Jupiter were rather disappointing. I also got very cold as frosty nights give better viewing conditions.