All Questions
Tagged with backyard-astronomy or amateur-observing
613 questions
11
votes
1
answer
206
views
Does the Reflection Method for Looking at the Sun Work For Refractors?
I own a newtonian reflector and occasionally use it (using the reflection method with paper) for looking at the sun. I happen to also own a refractor, but I'm not exactly sure if the reflection method ...
- 2,033
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How Does a Refractor Telescope Work?
As I understand it, the difference between a reflector and a refractor is that a reflector uses mirrors on the back to reflect the light to the secondary mirror then the secondary mirror reflects the ...
- 2,033
51
votes
3
answers
29k
views
How powerful a telescope would allow me to view the astronauts aboard ISS do a space-walk?
This arose from a comment posted against a question elsewhere on the stackexchange
How powerful a telescope/binoculars would allow me to view the astronauts aboard the ISS do a space-walk? Aperture? ...
- 715
17
votes
1
answer
377
views
How can an amateur astronomer verify the position of near Earth objects?
Sometimes, hobby-astronomers use rather professional means to observe the big voids of space. Every now and then (think in months, not days) even I can locate an NEO (near Earth object).
Now, I'm ...
- 1,697
19
votes
4
answers
772
views
Affordable night sky photography
As an amateur with limited budget, I'd be interested in taking photos of the night sky, trying to capture more detail than human eye armed with a lens of comparable parameters to what I have in my ...
- 6,289
18
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Jupiter FM - What are practical and inexpensive ways for the amateur detection of signals from Jupiter, especially of the transit of her moons?
What modifications to a standard AM/FM or shortwave radio are needed in order to be able to detect radio-wave signals emitted from Jupiter?
Would it be possible to detect the transit of the major ...
user8
18
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What are practical considerations for backyard radio-astronomy detection of black holes?
Evidently, direct observation of a black hole for an amateur astronomer, such as described for what professionals do in the question "How are black holes found?" would be nigh on impossible, so the ...
user8
20
votes
1
answer
600
views
I live in an area with a lot of light pollution, how can I view the stars without building an observatory?
I live in an urban area with a lot of light pollution and very little garden space. On a clear night I can see most of the sky and the brighter stars are visible.
I can't build an observatory - I don'...
- 1,079
18
votes
3
answers
767
views
What practical considerations are there for amateur observations of transiting exoplanets?
Obviously, I am not referring to actual viewing of the exoplanets themselves, but detecting their effects on the brightness of the light emitted from the parent star (as in the diagram below from The ...
user8
13
votes
2
answers
726
views
Sky photography through compositing images in software?
I've read about and seen some rather sophisticated rigs for night sky photography that allow for ultra-long-exposure photos by counteracting the rotation of the sky by rotating the camera with it. The ...
- 6,289
14
votes
1
answer
715
views
How do I build a stargazing aficionado's Sun funnel to observe our nearest star safely?
How do I observe the Sun safely, with tools I could build myself and without breaking the bank? If I wanted to build a Sun funnel on my own and use it on my enthusiast grade telescope, how would I do ...
- 6,280
27
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Amateur observing targets for binary star systems?
Are there any easily resolvable, binary star, observing targets visible from ~N40°?
I'd like to be able to show, in one observing session, Mizar and Alcor (naked eye resolvable), another with ...
42
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How do I calculate the inclination of an object with an amateur telescope?
Suppose I would like to calculate the inclination of a satellite from the ecliptic. Would it be possible to do this with an amateur telescope? How would I go about doing so?
Note: A good answer ...
- 6,360