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Monday, March 17, 2008
SLR camera versus digiscoping
There was a time when SLR cameras ruled the roost for serious wildlife photography and an SLR with appropriate telephoto lens is still the first choice of professionals and serious amateurs who need to make and print enlargements or submit photos to magazines. However, over the years, I have gone to digiscoping with a spotting scope and small digital point and shoot for wildlife photography. I get access to much more magnification -
much more than I could ever get with an SLR. Pic quality, especially with a high grade spotting scope, is anything but shabby - certainly more than adequate for viewing on a monitor. When I need something to print, frame and hang on the wall, it's back to the SLR, but, in the meantime, I am having a blast with my digiscoping. Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Giant planet with a giant binocular
A beautiful morning with a clear sky and a slight tail wind makes for a nice bicycle ride. As I rode east, I glanced up, now and then, at Jupiter hanging low over the horizon, just a bit to the south. Since I haven't had the opportunity to see this giant planet in quite some time, I grabbed an Oberwerk 22x100 binocular mounted on a tripod when I got to work and trained it on the planet. At 22x, Jupiter was a nice disc, though too small to see any detail and, being low to the horizon, there was much turbulence and refraction. Still, just seeing Jupiter and its moons through a giant binocular brought back of flood of wonderful memories. I will definitely be taking another look later this summer when this planet is in a better position to observe.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Spotting scopes with digital cameras
Why doesn't someone make a spotting scope with a built-in digital camera? Actually, someone does. The Celestron Vistapix 14x70 for one and the Bushnell Imageview for another. Okay, why don't you see more spotting scopes with built-in digital cameras? The reason is versatility and performance. It's easier and more effective to add a small digital point and shoot to any spotting scope (called digiscoping) with a universal camera adapter, such as the Alpen 706. This not only gives you access to more magnification, it gives you the option of using better digital cameras and better spotting scopes and, of course, you can also use both items, individually as your needs dictate.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Hawk Woman
Hawks are birds of special signifcance to me. All my life, these magnificent creatures have magically appeared when I am undergoing some emotional upheaval and am in dire need some assurance from the natural world, the very source of my spiritual strength. At other times, they seem to appear with uncanny regularity when I am leading a bird group and have begun a lesson on raptors.
I was in church Sunday, telling a friend she didn't need to make a special trip out to the woods to see hawks - the suburbs were filled with them - and that was a good reason to always carry a binocular or monocular. She smiled to humor me, when a Red-tailed, as if on cue, swooped down in front of the church window to our left and landed on a light tower in the neighboring park. I told her she could close her mouth, anytime, then handed her my Nikon 5x15 monocular from my purse so she could get a better look. Maybe I was a hawk in a former life. Monday, March 03, 2008
Telescope coaching
Coaching beginners on which telescope to buy is a big part of my job and, of course, the conversation centers around equipment. After all, that's why they come to us, here at opticsPlanet. I certainly do my best to answer all the questions and give advice freely on telescopes, but I also try to give a customer some perspective as to what makes an astronomer and that goes beyond equipment. When possible, I also try to discuss observing techniques, observing sites and expectations. These are every bit as important, if not more important, than equipment and should be factored into any discussion on choosing a telescope.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Spring fever birding
Rode the bike through yet another snowstorm, this morning. Aside from lightly plowed side streets, my biggest challenge was avoiding "snow bombs". Snow that had accumulated last night on tree branches plummeted to the ground in this morning's high winds, sometimes in spectacular fashion. Nothing like getting hit square in the old helmet with a pile of unexpected snow. All in a day's ride, though, for this gal. Hard to believe that in only another week or two (I hope), I will be sitting out at the marsh with my birding binocular and spotting scope. We all handle spring fever in our own way. Birding is just one of many ways I get hit, but I love it.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Observing the eclipse in style
As we get older, we get a little wiser, though some folks may say we get a bit lazier. Anyway, during the total eclipse of the moon, last night, I had a choice. I could go the traditional route and step out onto the patio in the single digit cold we are having, here in Chicago, or I could opt for a view from my bedroom window. Peering through the frosty air, astronomy binocular in hand, and watching the earth's shadow crawl slowly across the moon would be the way most dedicated astronomers would choose. On the other hand, a lot could be said for setting the binocular on a tripod in the bedroom, listening to some music, popping a bowl of popcorn and sipping hot chocolate. Guess which one I chose?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Digital cameras for the eclipse
Okay, so you want to go out tomorrow night with your little digital camera and get some shots of the moon during the lunar eclipse. Is this possible? Sure. Just remember, even at 3x or 4x optical zoom, the moon's image size is going to very small. The good news is that you can crop and play with the image when you get it into your computer, so get out there and fire away. If your digital camera has a night mode, use it. Otherwise, set the exposure for at least several seconds and longer is better (up to a point). The idea is to experiment with different ISO settings and exposure times, so now's the time to learn how to do manual override on your digital camera's programs. Since you are shooting digital, there is no excuse for not shooting up a storm. The more you shoot with your camera, the better the chance of getting some keepers. In other words, it's time to become a digital … lunatic (sorry).
Monday, February 18, 2008
Valentine phone home
It's Valentine's Day and, again, I have no sweetheart. They say there is someone out there for everyone, but, in my case, that someone is probably on a different planet. Even worse, with 200 extra solar planets discovered so far, I don't even know which planet he calls home. Wherever he is, though, you will most likely find him behind a binocular, spotting scope or telescope. If you are out there, doing a little inerstellar traveling, just tap him on the shoulder (or whatever passes for a shoulder on that planet) and tell him hello from his sad and lonely Valentine here on planet Earth.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Spotting scopes for the stars
Don't forget spotting scopes for astronomy! I talk to many shooters, birders and so on who are surprised when I tell them that spotting scopes can be used for some basic astronomy. After all, what is a spotting scope? A spotting scope is nothing more than a small telescope, designed to be used by day. A spotting scope is, however, still a small telescope and there is no law that says it cannot be used at night. No, you cannot get the high magnifications of a typical telescope, but the lower magnification of a spotting scope is still very useful for many deep-sky objects, including open star clusters, globular clusters and brighter nebulae and even some galaxies. No need to wait to get started in astronomy if you already own a spotting scope.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Snow scenes for an SLR
Riding a bicycle to work the morning after a big snowstorm has its pitfalls, to be sure, but it also has its peaceful moments. The ten plus inches of wet, heavy snow made driving a car, not to mention riding a bicycle a real challenge, but that same snow managed to coat every tree, tree branch and twig a pure white. As I rode down a plowed road through our local forest preserve before sunup, the forest literally seemed to glow in white, despite the darkness. It was too dark for a small digital camera, but with the right lens, I know I could have captured the scene with an SLR camera. Not to worry, though - that scene has been stored in my memory to cool me down, later this summer, when the weather turns hot and muggy.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Close encounter with a Sapsucker
At the risk of enduring some cliché jokes from my colleagues about birders and their bird sightings, I am delighted to report that I had a close encounter with a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on Sunday. While not a rare bird, it is certainly not a common bird in our area (it is officially listed as an uncommon migrant). Regardless, I was happy to see it fly a few feet in front of me and land in a nearby tree as I was bicycling on the way to church. It is a subtly beautiful bird in its plumage and all the more so in my Nikon 5x15 monocular, which is my constant companion. You don't need a monocular or binocular, though, to spot this woodpecker. It is the only one in most areas to have a white vertical stripe on its wing. The similar Downy and Hairy woodpeckers have a white stripe on their backs, not their wings. A Sapsucker also appears darker from a distance.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Spotting scopes for groundhogs
With Groundhog Day coming our way, you might want to think about a suitable spotting scope for old Marmota monax (groundhog). A spotting scope is actually the preferred optic for this very specific application, as it allows you to safely keep your distance. After all, you wouldn't your presence to scare the groundhog and send him scurrying back down his hole. Getting blamed for six more weeks of winter is no fun. For magnification, keep it on the lower side, the better to see the action. I will be using my Kowa 663 spotting scope with the 20x wide angle eyepiece.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Small digital point and shoot cameras
Riding a bicycle as my only means of transportation means I have to be ever conscious of size when choosing my optics. There is only so much size and weight you can manage on a bike, especially on the road bikes I so love. This means that, as much as I would love to get back into SLR cameras and photography, I will no doubt go the small digital point and shoot camera route again this spring for my camera. Small digital point and shoot cameras are so darn good these days, I have a hard time not using one and, for my digiscoping, I consider a small digital point and shoot camera to be essential. Going small is also the only way I could have managed to get pictures on all the many thousands of miles I ride on a bicycle every year.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Kowa spotting scopes
Like most birders, I have been eagerly awaiting spring and, since I will do nearly all my birding from a bicycle this year, I need to find an ultra light spotting scope, but one that offers premium performance. So far, my first choice is the Kowa 603 with the Kowa Z9B, 20-60 zoom eyepiece. At 25 ounces, the Kowa 603 is about as light as it gets in a 60mm spotting scope and optics are terrific. The spotting scope will go in my messenger bag and a lightweight tripod will go on my bike rack. With my cyclocross bike, there are very few trails I cannot negotiate or birding spots not within my reach. I am looking forward to a great birding year, but this year, all my birding will be green! No carbon footprints with this gal.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Telescope size
"The best telescope is the one you use the most," is a saying we use in astronomy to warn people that size and weight of their telescope are features to be considered, carefully. While telescope size, in terms of the diameter of the lens or mirror remains the primary factor in telescope performance, that same size can work against you if it is so large as to make you hesitate to use your telescope. Horror stories in amateur astronomy abound concerning ambitious astronomers who purchased a jumbo telescope, then stopped using it because they couldn't deal with the time and effort required to set the telescope up for a night of observing. Better a grab and go telescope that gets used than a giant telescope that does not.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Spotting scope shopping
Okay, it's a bit early to be thinking of spring migration, but most birders will be thinking along those lines, soon. By late February, most locations begin to see a glimmer of the waterfowl movement and by March this group of birds is very active. If you've been thinking of adding a spotting scope to your list of birding tools - and you should if you want to get serious about waterfowl and shorebirds - this is the time to start shopping. Later in spring, many of the popular spotting scopes used by birders are in short supply. By shorebird season in April and May, you should already have your spotting scope and know how to use it effectively. You should be birding, not shopping, when those precious days come our way, again.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Fun with new microscopes
Need something to study under that new microscope you got for Christmas? It's a little hard to find microscope specimens when there is ice on ponds and lakes, but anywhere you can find open water in the winter, you can find some fun targets for your microscope. I often stop by a park that has a damn on a river with a pool below it that rarely freezes, even in the coldest weather. I then take a small jar and scoop out some of the bottom sediment along with some water, take it home and allow it to warm up overnight. That gets the microorganisms moving. After that, just a matter of placing a small (and I do mean very small) drop of water on a slide that has some of the sediment in it. If you don't see anything moving, try making another slide. The key is to dig in the bottom sediment. That's where microorganisms like to hide.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Favorite place for birding
What is my favorite place to bird? Actually, I have no specific favorite place, but I do have a favorite type of place to go birding. I guess it's part of my prairie upbringing, but I never quite as happy as when I am out on the marsh with a good spotting scope and binocular looking for shorebirds, waders, waterfowl and the like. I have spent entire days, from sunup to sundown, on a marsh, just totally immersed in the life around me. Marshes are such sensual places that go beyond mere visual treats. A marsh is also alive with sounds and smells and, on most occasions, I have a breeze, gentle or sometimes quite strong, to keep me company. I have enough memories of days on the marsh to keep me smiling for the rest of my days. Oh, how this city bound girl misses her marsh.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Finder scope on a new telescope
Just a word of advice for beginners who got a new telescope for Christmas. You should first align the finder scope before using the telescope. This is going to make life much easier when you get out under the stars and start pointing the telescope at objects. I like to do this chore by day, so I have more light to see. I then fine tune at night as needed. Remember, though, you must use a daytime object that is at a great distance, preferably on the horizon. Something a block away will not do. For more information on how to use your new telescope, see my article, Telescope FAQs.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
light pollution issues
The local newspaper had a headline this week about how bad light pollution has become east of the Mississippi. Of course, this comes as no surprise to me, being trapped as I am, here in the Chicago area. (It was, however, a real shock to my peace of mind when I moved here about four years ago.) Light pollution limits me to about 3rd magnitude stars on the best of nights and that is a far cry from what I knew out on the prairies of Nebraska during my youth. What has been a surprise, though, is how popular astronomy is in the Chicago area, despite the awful light pollution. Chicago, for a big city, is very astronomy oriented. I sell a lot of telescopes and astronomy binoculars to folks like me who do their best to deal with light pollution. I see this a more than job security. To me it is also sign that there are enough us to something about the problem. That is a good New Year's resolution for any astronomer.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Can't see with my new telescope
"Help! I just got a new telescope for Christmas and I can't see anything. Is there something wrong with this telescope?" This is an all too familiar refrain that comes my way after Christmas. Sometimes it really is a matter of a defective telescope, but most of the time it's a matter of not being familiar with telescopes and what to expect when a beginner first uses one. That's why I added some articles to our website that will help. My article, Telescope FAQs, explains basic setup for a small telescope and it can be used with any brand of telescope. My article, A Dozen Telescope Observing Tips For Beginners points out some basic dos' and don'ts for the beginner. Getting started in astronomy does require some learning and effort, but it is an undertaking well within reach of anyone with an interest in the night sky. You do not have to be a gadget and tech minded person to succeed in basic astronomy.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Telescopes for the moon
Quick! What astronomical object offers an amateur astronomer the greatest wealth of detail to observe? Answer: the moon. Yes, the moon offers more detail for a telescope than any other object in the solar system and, for many city bound astronomers plagued with light pollution, perhaps even more detail than the total of all the deep-sky objects in the sky on a given night. Wow!
So why isn't the moon a more popular target for astronomers? For one, I suspect it may be a matter of mystique. The moon simply does not have that exotic appeal and mystery of the outer planets and certainly doesn't pique the imagination the way distant galaxies do. For another, I suspect it may be a matter of marketing. Let's face it, from a marketing pint of view, the moon is a dud. You don't need a lot of equipment or accessories to observe the moon, even in a serious way. All of this adds up to one thing, in my opinion. The moon may be the ideal target for urban astronomers or astronomers on a budget. Light pollution is never an issue and even a small refractor will do a nice job on something this bright. Forget those jumbo "light bucket" telescopes used for deep-sky work or fancy computerized mounts - you can always find the moon on your own. Lastly, the moon is worthy of some serious observing. Amateur astronomers who haven't tried lunar astronomy in a serious way may find it to be far more challenging than they expect and certainly a more interesting object as well. Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Targets for beginner telescopes
Good news for those lucky enough to get a new telescope for Christmas! As long as you have clear skies, you will some great targets for that new telescope. The first, and one I recommend for beginners, is the moon. The moon makes an easy to find target for beginning astronomers. It also a great target to use for practicing the basics of focusing and to understand the effects of changing magnification. The moon will be full on the 24th, so you may want to use a moon filter if your telescope doesn't have one. The next target will be the planet Mars. Next to the moon, Mars is currently the brightest object high in the sky in the constellation Taurus. Beginners should not expect to see a lot of detail, however. Mars is currently not at its closest, but any telescope will still show it as a red disc. The idea is to see it for yourself with your very own telescope. Enjoy!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Small telescopes
Bigger is generally better in an astronomy telescope, no doubt about it. A telescope with a larger mirror or lens will see fainter objects than a smaller telescope and will also see more detail in these objects. However, that is not to say a small telescope is not useful. For may of us light-polluted and city-bound astronomers, brighter objects, such as the moon and planets are more practical targets to observe than faint deep-sky objects. For planetary work, a good refractor, even one as small as 80mm is still a great choice. This is especially true if it has an ED objective, such as the Celestron C80ED R or the fabulous Televe TV-76. Smaller telescopes are also easier to handle and operate. As the old saying goes, "The best telescope is the one you use the most."
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Monday I had a close encounter with a coyote as I rode my bicycle to work in the pre-dawn darkness. Yesterday, I had an even closer encounter with a deer on my bicycle. Should I be wearing night vision goggles? Actually, I have had a customer ask me this. He wanted to ride a mountain bike in the back country without a light at night and in a cross country race, at that. Yes, night vision has come a long way, but I know what an NV goggle can do and I also know what it takes to mountain bike in the backcountry. Sorry, no way. It's tough enough with all the potholes around here and a good bike light.
As I bicycled to work in the pre-dawn darkness, the last thing I expected to see, right in the center of the city on our busiest street, was a coyote. Sure, I know coyotes are common around, here and I also know that they do quite well in the city, but seeing one, up front and personal, cross the street a bare ten yards in front of me, was still a pleasant surprise. Of course, I could go out with a binocular or a spotting scope and probably search for weeks and weeks without seeing a coyote. That's what makes a sighting like this so special.
My bike trails, as of this last weekend, were still buried under ice and snow, but as soon as I can get through on one of my cyclocross bikes equipped with snow tires, I will be mixing some bicycling and birding for the first time, this year, at least in a serious way. For those of you wondering about doing some bicycle birding, the approach that works best for me is to map out some good birding spots and plan a route to connect them. Be prepared, of course, with a binocular, to stop anytime you see birds, but better to bike quickly to each spot, then stop and bird slowly. This is much better than wandering without a plan, though that also has a charm of its own. Keep in mind, too, that you can also bike with a spotting scope, especially if your bike is equipped with a rack. Strap the tripod to the rack, then carry your spotting scope in a messenger bag.
You know it is Chicago if you wake up to snow one morning, then read a weather forecast that calls for thunderstorms and rain in only a couple of days. What is a birder to do? Okay, 2008 has been off to a rocky start as far as a bird list and my birding binoculars and spotting scopes are currently feeling ignored. Still, better birding days are coming, so time to pull out the field guides and review my warblers and shorebirds.
I haven't had any issues with macular degeneration, though I did once experience some vision problems with diabetes, years ago, so I can sympathize with those having such vision problems. I tried just about everything to adapt to my ever changing vision caused by diabetes, including magnifiers, reading glasses and so on. Hand-free magnifiers, such as the B&L Hnads-Free, helped for reading and needlepoint, as did reading glasses, but neither helped much when looking at a computer screen or across the room, since magnifiers have such short working distances. For more distance work, I did get some relief with compact binoculars that had a good close focus. The Pentax Papilo 6.5x binocular, with it's super close focus of only 1.6 feet would be a great choice in this regard and it has eneough eye relief to also be used with glasses.
Biking in to work on Saturday morning, the sun was shining and the cardinals were singing up a storm. That is as sure a sign of spring as any. Forget the mp3 player, CDs or iPod. Who needs digital technology with such sweet music floating in the air? If you are out trying to spot those beautiful red vocalists with your binocular or spotting scope, look for the highest perch, around. The males like to get that song out there with the greatest coverage. Get out there and listen.
The moon was shining high in a very cold sky, this morning, as I rode to work on my bicycle. Made for a spectacular ride, what with the light dusting of snow we had on the roads this morning. Mornings like this make me wonder why more people don't commute on bicycles in the winter. Okay, more to the point, the moon looks prime and ready for the lunar eclipse, tonight. I will have my astronomy binoculars ready, one at hand and another mounted on a tripod. Will also have a digital camera, fully charged, to get some pics. All of this, of course, assumes we have a clear sky. (Please, please, please.)
With all the snow, this winter, my local bicycle shop has done a landmark business in renting cross country skis. Now that's something I would like to see us carry, here at OpticsPlanet. Skis would make a nice addition to our line of binoculars, spotting scopes and telescopes. Been meaning to buy a set of skis for a long time, now, but this is the first winter in many years with enough snow to justify the purchase. Doing some cross country skiing may even be as much fun as ice biking!
There is a time and a place for mp3 players, even for someone who loves music as much as I do. One place I don't like to see mp3 players, though, is on people who are riding bicycles. To put it as bluntly as possible, being plugged in to an mp3 player and listening to music as you ride a bicycle is just plain stupid from a safety point of view. A bicyclist needs to hear traffic approaching from behind at all times. I know - I ride a bicycle every day and a bicycle is my only means of transportation. When I carry my iPod on my bike, it is tucked away in my bike bag. It does not get turned on until I reach the park to take a break and eat lunch. When I am riding, the hum of the wheels on the road, the calls of birds and the wind whispering in the trees make all the music I need.
February is cabin fever month for may of us. The days are getting longer and spring is just around the corner, or say it says on the calendar. Still, I need a little more in the way of assurance, so these cold winter nights find me reviewing all the pics I took with my digital camera over the summer. It's a real boost to the spirit to see all those wonderful, old familiar trails in their full summer dressing after seeing them covered with snow for so long. Of course, I will no doubt review many of my current winter shots later this summer, when the heat turns these same trails into a sticky insect heaven. The moral of the story is to get out with your camera, no matter what time of year and take more pics.
I personally disdain any computerization in my telescopes, but I know that a computer on a telescope does make navigation easier for a beginner and most telescope computers, these days, are relatively simple to get set up and aligned. More importantly, I know a computerized telescope is the most practical option for a light polluted area, since learning to navigate the night sky, manually, is tough to do when you can't see a lot of guide stars. Still, I can't help but think we are losing something when we need a computer on a telescope to find objects in the night sky that can be found by taking a little time and effort and a good star map. Just one old gal's opinion. Of course, I'm also the type that would rather curl up with a good book than watch television or surf the internet.
I find myself wishing for a digital camera at some of the oddest times. I was bicycling home the other night in the snow and decided to walk the bike over the Des Plains river bridge, rather than fight the traffic. As I looked out over the river, I was rewarded with a vision of the dark river flowing through a winter landscape of snow and trees. It was a scene of great tranquility and peace and quite at odds with the insanity of traffic only a few feet away to my right. There was enough light reflecting off the snow for a shot in a good digital point and shoot camera, but then, that's the beauty of a digital point and shoot - you can take one just about anywhere, even on a bicycle in a snowstorm.
Below zero this morning with a nasty wind, but the sky was clear and the moon bright. As I rode my bicycle down a road the bisects part of one of our local forest preserves, I could hear the hoot of a Great Horned Owl. Now, that sound is a winter classic if I ever heard one. Over the years, I have taken many pics of this magnificent raptor with all sorts of equipment combinations - SLR cameras with long telephoto lenses and spotting scopes with an assortment of cameras. My favorite shot, though, was taken with an old Televue refractor and a Canon Elan 35mm film camera. That shot now hangs in my living room.
Getting quality pics in digiscoping is very much the same as getting quality pics in any other type of photography - it's the lens or, in this case, the quality of the spotting scope optics. The digital camera used is much less of a factor. The best spotting scopes for digiscoping are models with ED objectives or other high grade glass objectives, just as the best camera lenses are models with ED glass or other premium performance materials. By the same token, spotting scopes with high grade glass objectives do not come cheap, just as quality camera lenses do not come cheap. Good spotting scopes with ED objectives usually begin in price at about $600 and go up quickly from there.
The sight of Orion and Canis Major in the evening sky tells me it is winter as surely as the crunch of my bicycle tires on the snow and ice of our streets as I pedal to work. For me, winter is a solitary time. My astronomy sessions are simple things - just me, my binoculars and the wonders of the sky and, as for my bicycling, the sight of another biker braving the elements is a rare, but pleasant thing. Despite the feeling of permanence that temperatures in the single digits bestow on the landscape, I know that I will soon be dusting off the spotting scope for the beginning of the spring waterfowl migration in just another month. Despite the clouds, it has been a pretty winter for us, with enough snow cover to make for some nice scenery and memories. Stay warm.
One of the issues we experience when using optics in cold weather is the extreme change in temperature that our binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras or even telescopes experience as we go back and forth between cold air outside and warm air inside a car or house. Not only does this cause condensation to form on the equipment, it also is very hard on seals, which may lead to internal fogging of optics (a good reason to opt for waterproof models - they have better seals). One of the tricks I learned long ago to combat moisture condensing on an optic, is to keep a zip lock bag with me and place the binocular, camera or spotting scope inside the bag before going back in the house. Then, leave the optic in the bag until it return to room temperature. That way, any condensation that forms will form on the outside of the bag, not the equipment. Telescopes are more of a challenge, of course, but even placing an old towel or tarp around the optical tube before taking the scope back in the house will help.
Some Long-eared Owls made the local news in the Chicago area. Seems a group of them have stopped for the winter in a park in the downtown area. This is a real treat for area birders. I have yet to brave the traffic and travel to the city to see them, but can't think of a better reason to make the trip. Although I have seen Long-eared Owls several times in Nebraska, it has been a long time for this secretive owl species. Odd as it may seem, the downtown area, along the lakefront, is an excellent birding spot. Anyone traveling to Chicago for a visit or on business would be well advised to bring a binocular or even a spotting scope when near the lake. This time of year, you have a real chance of seeing some rare gulls.
Oh what a glorious morning! I stepped outside in the predawn darkness to check the weather and was delighted to not only discover the temperature was pleasant (for a Chicago January), but also to see that sky was clear and full of stars. I spotted Ursa Major, overhead, and then traced the curve of the Dipper's handle to Arcturus and continued on to Spica, low on the horizon. Then, a bit later, I rode my bicycle to work in the predawn darkness and used Venus and Jupiter, peeking over the horizon, low in the southeast, as my companions.
You don't always need a binocular or telescope to enjoy astronomy, but what you learn with an astronomy binocular or telescope will carry over to many of your daily activities. That's what makes astronomy such a wonderful and worthwhile pursuit. Even after all these years, I am in still awed by a dark sky filled with stars. I am truly blessed.
You don't always need a binocular or telescope to enjoy astronomy, but what you learn with an astronomy binocular or telescope will carry over to many of your daily activities. That's what makes astronomy such a wonderful and worthwhile pursuit. Even after all these years, I am in still awed by a dark sky filled with stars. I am truly blessed.
When choosing a telescope, a common beginner's mistake is to be a bit short-sighted about what there is to see in astronomy. The objects that draw most beginners to astronomy are planets and that is understandable. Planets get most of the publicity with the general public and who doesn't love to look at the rings of Saturn? The objects, though, that typically sustain an interest in astronomy beyond those first few outings are usually deep-sky objects - star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. After all, there is only so much to see with Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, whereas there are literally hundreds of deep-sky objects to pursue. I suspect this is one reason why most beginners quickly develop "aperture fever" - the urge to buy a bigger telescope once they've begun to explore beyond our solar system. For these objects, the name of the game is telescope aperture - size of the lens or mirror. Buy the biggest telescope you can afford that has the features that you want (careful here - portability may be an important feature) is always good advice for a beginner that wants a telescope than can reach out there for the faint stuff.
The skies finally managed to clear out in the early morning hours. On the way to my car, just before 6 AM, the crescent moon was absolutely breathtaking and made a nice pair with brilliant Venus low in the southeast. For those brave enough to tackle the cold and get up early, a crescent moon is one of the best phases for observing fine detail and, as such, makes an excellent target for all those new Christmas telescopes. Better yet, a crescent moon is not so bright as to keep you from observing a lot of brighter deep-sky objects. Get you astronomy binocular or telescope out and see the show! While you are up, you can also make coffee for everyone else. I take mine black.
I've been too long without a camera. Ever since I dropped my old companion - my Pentax Optio A10 - and destroyed the LCD screen, I have been a woman without a digital camera. That may not be as dangerous as a woman scorned, but it does make me nervous (not a good thing for an emotional creature like me). So, I guess it's time to let go of the Pentax and move on to another digital camera. I am tempted by the elegant little Leica D-Lux 3. I know, I know, I can get basically the same thing in the Panasonic version, but that little red ball on the Leica just does something to me. Besides, I have owned many Leica binoculars, but have yet to take home a Leica camera. Maybe it's about time.
Feeding birds is a great way to get started in birding and, beyond a backyard feeder (placed where you can see it through a convenient window) and some bird feed, you don't need much in the way of equipment. Nearly any binocular will allow you to watch the action at a feeder as long as the feeder is not too close to your window. You just want to be sure your binocular focuses closely enough to see the feeder. The good news is that most birding binoculars focus down to fifteen feet or less. All you need to add is a basic field guide, such as Ken Kaufman's Birds of North America or one of the many excellent bird guides on the market and your are set. Of course, you may also want to have a cup of hot cocoa or eggnog, ready. After all, it is Christmas.
Learning at least a handful of bright stars is a good idea for a beginning astronomer, even those using a computerized telescope. If nothing else, you can use a bright star you know as a quick check for your telescope's computer alignment. You can learn some bright stars with the aid of a monthly star map, such as the Celestron Star Map, or, in this day and age of technology, with a handheld sky computer, such as the Celestron SkyScout or Meade MySky.
Every astronomer should know how to use the "pointer" stars (Merak and Dubhe) at the front of the bowl of the big dipper (Ursa Major) to find Polaris, the pole star. Knowing the location of Polaris is essential to using a telescope with an equatorial mount and also for setting up many computerized telescopes. Other than Polaris, some easy to spot bright stars in the winter sky include Capella (Constellation Auriga), Aldebaran (constellation Taurus), Betelgeuse (constellation Orion) and, of course, the brightest of them all, Sirius (constellation Canis Major), though this one may not be visible till later in the evening. Be careful, though - learning star names and constellations is addictive! It's one of the most enjoyable aspects of astronomy for me and no telescope or binocular required!
Every astronomer should know how to use the "pointer" stars (Merak and Dubhe) at the front of the bowl of the big dipper (Ursa Major) to find Polaris, the pole star. Knowing the location of Polaris is essential to using a telescope with an equatorial mount and also for setting up many computerized telescopes. Other than Polaris, some easy to spot bright stars in the winter sky include Capella (Constellation Auriga), Aldebaran (constellation Taurus), Betelgeuse (constellation Orion) and, of course, the brightest of them all, Sirius (constellation Canis Major), though this one may not be visible till later in the evening. Be careful, though - learning star names and constellations is addictive! It's one of the most enjoyable aspects of astronomy for me and no telescope or binocular required!
On rare occasions, I drift into a materialistic frame of mind and, at those times, my thoughts are usually a matter of a new road bike or, especially around the holidays, a new premium telescope. Being that I have a fascination with things small and simple, it is only natural that thoughts of a Televue 76 or Stellarvue APO telescope dance in my head. I really like the idea that these will fit in a Christmas stocking, albeit an extra-large one. That's the idea, though - small, portable, exquisitely made and even optics that outperform typical telescopes of their size. Come on, Santa. I've been a good girl (well, most of the time)!
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