First Deep Sky

[turboscrew]

@Uncle Joe , you seem to be well on the way!

[helicon]

If you are at a dark sky spot M33 is fairly easily found. Also consider M101 in Ursa Major, which is a similar face-on spiral galaxy of large dimensions but low surface brightness. Another good one in Ursa Major is M108 the Surfboard galaxy which can be seen in the same field of view as the Owl Nebula (M97) which is a planetary nebula. Good luck with your evening sojourns.

[OrigamiBat]

Andromeda has been a bit tricky for me. I usually leave it as a last target to finish up the night; Ending up not giving it enough time and just "close shop". I'll keep trying.

Now for Orion, that was a beautiful sight. I've spent 4 days in a row studying it. It was amazing to compare views from an 80mm ED and a 6" Reflector. Both showed great views. The 80mm ED showed a small frame but looked like an HD picture; Nice contrast and clean view. As for the 6" Reflector... Grand view of the Trapezium!!!

Keep at it Joe!!

[mikemarotta]

Andromeda it is then! I hope I can actually see some detail.......

I have been to Port Chester. How much you see of Andromeda, or anything, depends on how long you look. We see with the brain and the mind based on what we expect our eyes to tell us. Also, there is peripheral viewing, looking off to the right or left, not on-center. You will pick up more detail. It helps to know what you are looking at. One of the other regulars here mentioned being able to see the arms of the Andromeda Galaxy. I found that hard to believe, but stood corrected. It depends on knowing what you are looking at when you see those very faint details of not-darkness.

In the book, Turn Left at Orion, Guy Consolmagno tells of being shown the stunning double star Albireo from Fort Lee, New Jersey.

[mikemarotta]

I recently joined The Westchester Amateur Astronomers and although they are not able to have star parties right now ...

Great! Your local club will be an excellent resource in many ways.

Do they have virtual meetings?
Does your membership include membership in The Astronomical League?

[Uncle Joe]

I recently joined The Westchester Amateur Astronomers and although they are not able to have star parties right now ...

Great! Your local club will be an excellent resource in many ways.

Do they have virtual meetings?
Does your membership include membership in The Astronomical League?

Hi Mike,

I don't think that it includes membership in The Astronomical League. I did meet one other guy in the parking lot of a state park used as their dark area one evening last month. He told me the virtual meetings were not so great and he didn't attend anymore. I didn't think they would be beneficial to me considering I didn't know the ropes at all, never having attended a real one. Maybe I should reconsider...?

[mikemarotta]

Well, we can discuss this in a different topic area but basically, every club is different. We have one member here, also on the executive committee, who complains that our club is not as large or as active as his old one in a different state. Well, okay...

Our Zoom meetings are better attended than our live meetings because we had geography problems with parking and such. Now, we do not. Also, many people are fairly well oriented to creating PowerPoints, though we have had guest speakers who did not use them, but just met us in their workshops. It just depends.

One thing, though, I here I have to agree with you, what we are missing is the one-on-one impromptu tutorials, the orientation to your instrument, questions about add-ons, tricks and traps, that sort of thing that people share.

We also used to have equipment demos by our members: how to set up an equatorial mount, stuff like that. So, yes, I hear you.

https://www.aaa.org/links/astronomy-clubs-near-nyc/
https://www.go-astronomy.com/astro-club ... p?State=NY
https://www.astroleague.org/societies/CT
https://www.astroleague.org/societies/NY

And for all of that, this board is a great virtual club.

Best Regards,
Mike M.,

[Gordon]

Still gotta love "TLAO".

https://www.cambridge.org/turnleft/seas ... r-december
https://www.cambridge.org/turnleft/seas ... uary-march

Being new to astronomy I didn't know what TLAO meant.....I GOOGLED it. Ordered a copy and can't wait till it arrives. Thanks bro.

TLAO aka Turn Left at Orion has and always will be the 'go to' book for anyone beginning astronomy! It's a 'must have'. Thanks to @pakarinen for thinking of it!