VISUAL Observing Tips & Tricks with Telescope - Deep Sky / Planetary

[@trufflehunter58]

I'm back in the hobby after a ten year absence. Thank you for being a visual observer! Everything is about "astro photography" these days, which is great but I just like to see things with my own eyes! Just took delivery of my sixth telescope to see me to retirement and beyond: a Skywatcher Evostar 120 achro F8.3 on an EQ5. I've had two "go-to" mounts, but I learnt my way around the sky the hard way so I got a fully manual EQ5 and it's a joy to move around the sky by star hopping! I'm off to check out more of your videos....

[@AVTAstro]

Yup I love visual! AP is pretty cool sometimes too but there is something special about seeing light that has travelled up to billions of years and than goes into your eye directly!

[@josh8494]

I am pretty new to the hobby after decades of loving to stargaze unaided. I neared some basics of the skies while in the military when I had some VERY elementary celestial navigation (I’m old, I served before GPS was a common thing). Other than that I laid in a field and dreamed of the day I could afford telescopes. Now as I’m older and the eyes aren’t as good, I’m finally starting with telescopes. Currently I have two, which I like to set side by side and look through one while my DSLR is locked in on the second scope. I love being able to have my stars on my screen where I can see them better than with my poor old eyes.

[@ITProjectManagerMan]

I love watching these type video’s to pickup new tips or remind me of techniques I may have forgotten about. Good job.

[@AVTAstro]

Glad ut was helpful👍

[@tuloko16]

A few tips: for dim objects like nebula and the like, try introducing some movement to the view. By either passing over the object or tapping the scope as you ovserve. Our eyes are very good at picking up movement and can help resolve more detail compared to looking at a static image. This one is a bit more difficult and will take some practice: For brighter objects (works awesome for clusters). First you need to be comfortable, on a dark place, or if there is any lettering on your scope near the eyepiece/tube cover them with a dark cloth. This part takes a bit of concentration and you may get “the image” to come in and out. Observe with both eyes open(with your dominant eye on the eyepiece), but concentrate on the eye that is not on the eyepiece. I been able to get people to achieve this by telling them to go “cross eyed” while observing. You will know you got it right when the image from the eyepiece will dissapear, and you will see the image several times larger “floating” in front of you/the telescope tube” with both eyes. Its really hard to explain. But what is really happening is you are fooling your brain (or your brain is fooling you into making the eye that is not at the eyepiece see the same image as the eye on the eyepiece.

[@AVTAstro]

Very cool tip regarding the floating image. Never heard that one before👍

[@tuloko16]

@@AVTAstro try it sometime, its like you are floating with the object. I’m pretty sure there is a real name for the technique, i’ll have to research it now. I’ve had people in public outreaches literally scream and run from the telescope once they have that effect happen to them. Its hilarious.

[@justandrew7039]

I tried your tip and It's so cool! I used it to look at Saturn, it was funny to see it float on the telescope tube. The image looked sharper to me 🤔, but definitely this is one the best tip I've ever heard of.

[@markihde4381]

Vlad, those were some good comments that I've also found to be helpful. What I like to do to keep things interesting, is this: I plan my observing session ahead of time, with about 3-4 objects that I want to observe that night. After I've found and looked at those things, I like to pick a random area of the sky and just scan around. Knowing that almost everything in the sky has already been found, photographed and catalogued, it keeps me interested when I observe something new and then try to figure out the next day what it is that I "discovered".

[@AVTAstro]

Sounds very cool👍 I like that approach.

[@winterpatriot1429]

I tore my retina (non-observing eye, fortunately). Had to wear an eye patch post-surgery, and it was actually quite easy to get used to. I still have it, so will be sure to keep it handy! Thanks for all the tips! I know the video is a couple of years old now, but I’m new to the hobby, and have been binge-watching a LOT of videos, as well as reading articles, in order to learn, and figure out what I want to do/which equipment I would like to acquire! Thanks again! 👍

[@AVTAstro]

Thanks for sharing! hope your eye recovered. Welcome to the hobby!

[@dunringill1747]

Nice Video, helpful tips.

[@AVTAstro]

Glad it was helpful!

[@frankskeen1310]

EXCELLENT talk about twist up eye cups. He is correct that having a black fabric draped over your head while looking into the eyepiece gives you a much better view than the raised eye cup. I use as an example using your scope out in the yard when you have random lights around to deal with vs being in a pitch dark observatory while looking with a eyepiece. You eyes get so much more dark adapted in the observatory than in the yard where one glimpse of a street or house light ect, will kill your dark vision. Thanks for the video!!!

[@AVTAstro]

Thanks for the nice feedback!

[@donaldkasper8346]

It is not just glare at high angles into your optics that is a problem, but glare into your eyeballs.

[@PellegrinoPool]

I guess there are more observers like myself than I ever really thought there was. Everytime I find a new astronomy channel the next thing I know is he's tarking about cameras and exposures ! I like doing one thing at a time I am so glad that you only discuss observing I would like to know more channels that do not talk about the camera at all I can close my eyes at any time and picture any of my favorite Star Custer's I like the camera in my mind we don't need no stinking camera we do photo free stargazing

[@AVTAstro]

Astrophotography is kind of the new shiny thing right now so a lot of people are into it. It does have it's advantages in that you do have a permanent record of your work(the picture) and it's great to share with friends/family. But even though visual is not covered as much there are still a lot of us visual folks out there👍👍👍

[@petset77]

Yeah.... those guys keep saying how expensive the hobby is, if one wants to do it well. They're wrong. It's not free by any means, but my wife got our first scope (Orion 4.5EQ) from friends for $100, and I got my Orion XT8 (8" dobsonian) for $325 on craigslist a few weeks later, last November. I filled out the small collection with an ebay buy of a (new open box) Celestron FirstScope- a 76mm table top ($30) for quick dashes out in winter when clouds break. Yeah, I bought a new set of Plossls, a 2x Barlow, and a probably needless laser collimator for $25 since collimating is a snap with a collimating cap (and I'm going to get a couple more 2" eyepieces for the 8"), but that's it.... thousands less than a modest solid tracking EQ rig alone (which I'll never fall for as a visual observing guy). Unless one tries to sell their deep space photos (which can't match available free Hubble or Webb photos anyway), being duped into buying stuff one doesn't need isn't something to be proud of. Clear skies!

[@avt_astro206]

This Are Some Really Good Tips!! Enjoyed Watching! Thank You for Doing This, I hardly Find Any Content for "Visual Astronomy Purely"! Its so Good Watching this!!

[@AVTAstro]

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah everything is about astrophotography these days. There are still a lot of people into visual though, we are just not as vocal about it as a visual observation is kind of harder to share than a flashy photo....

[@PellegrinoPool]

I agree so much. I am always searching for a video that is only the observing factor. it is rare my solution is to listen to astronomy lectures// funny thing I enjoy photography -especially sunset and Moon Rise/ but when stargazing I am busy enjoying my stars/ I want nothing technical. No math I look in amazement at the Seven Sisters and I feel very connected as if they are my own sisters I especially like binoculars because they're less Technical and when I catch the sisters in my binoculars it takes my breath away at that point the last thing I want to think about is exposure times

[@johnkelley4404]

Love your channel Vlad! Very informative thanks 😊

[@AVTAstro]

My pleasure!

[@TheLostLibrary]

I loved it - great stuff as I am trying to get a handle on where to start looking. Thanks for the tip on the observing program - I will be checking it out

[@AVTAstro]

Glad to help👍

[@knightclan4]

I’m waiting on my first scope. A 120mm refractor from Sky-watcher Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It’s a 600mm f5 AZ3 mount Any extra equipment tips for nebula viewing with this scope. Well the refractor was on backorder until the apocalypse. I ended up with a 10" Dobsonian. Used it for the first time tonight. I definitely will be upgrade the eyepieces.

[@AVTAstro]

That's going to be an awesome low power scope, congrats! I would buy a light pollution filter, wide field 2" eyepiece, and drive out to some dark skies.

[@MountainFisher]

A year later and I refigured my C6-N to Strehl .986, bought two Maks a 102 and 127mm. I put a 2" JMI focuser on my cheap 6" that is now up to $800. Still can only see a big fuzzy spot for Andromeda though. M81 is good though.

[@ManishFrenchStudio]

Knowledgeable video 💖 thank you for sharing 🙏🎉🎉💖💖💖

[@AVTAstro]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@MickyMouseLimited]

Regarding the field flattener is it something that should be used during visual observation or it is simply on used for Astrophotography?

[@AVTAstro]

Only reason to use it for visual is if you don't have lower power wider field eyepieces.

[@rogeliocprinci]

Hi I'm new subscriber...what kind of binoviwer do yo recommend to me...thanks

[@AVTAstro]

What's your budget? If $$$ is not an issue I'd do the Binotron from Denkemire.

[@rogeliocprinci]

@@AVTAstro muchas gracias !..saludos

[@-SpaceFrog-]

What light pollution filter do you think is best for bortle 5-6 skies. I want to get rid of as much artificial light but keep as much of the light from nebulae as possible

[@AVTAstro]

What aperture scope are you using?

[@-SpaceFrog-]

​@AVTAstro 8 inches

[@CBikeLondon]

Great content! only small comment I'd have is that if you can invest a little in some better audio capture that would really go a long way

[@AVTAstro]

Thanks for the comment. Yes, this is an older video and the audio had been addressed.

[@sandsoftime7611]

i wanted to ask, 5-6 inch refractor vs 8-10 inch Newtonian. Which is better for visual? I am tilted forward the refractor cause of the lack of need to collimate and waiting to cool down.

[@AVTAstro]

Roughly speaking a good 5" APO will equal a 8" reflector. Overall I'd do a 5" APO or jump up to at least a 12" reflector!

[@sandsoftime7611]

@@AVTAstro thank you for your response man ✌️

[@Astronurd]

I thought it was just me but I can’t see the entire FOV with my 82 degrees eyepieces if I have the eyecup extended.

[@AVTAstro]

Yup, just hoping that other realize this.

[@MountainFisher]

I have three decent EPs I bought for under $50 each and they work pretty good. I do have a Tele Vue 2x Barlow though, the cheap one for $134. I also have three other EPs that came with their scopes. I have Bortle 2 skies 15 minutes away (Southern NM), just my 60mm spotting scope is awesome out there let alone my 100 Zhumell and C6-N I bought for cheap. The funny thing about my C6-N 150mm, 750mm focal length F5 is that the primary is 155mm diameter and the tube's aperture at the front is 168mm diameter, 6 5/8ths inch. Do they divide the focal length by the primary mirror or the aperture? The 750 focal length will vary by the distance of the eye piece to the mirror anyway, but it measures very close to past 750mm with no eye piece in the focus tube. If it is divide with the mirror it will be F5, but if I divide by the aperture it is F4.5 and I was wondering which one is correct. I bought it fairly cheap, is $208 too much? I've only been at this a few months and man that 6 inch is big! First time I ever collimated a Newtonian using a Cheshire tool. I'm getting a laser.

[@AVTAstro]

Very cool! Yeah having a dark sky is the biggest difference honestly!

[@Astronurd]

It’s divided by the mirror diameter.

[@donaldkasper8346]

Any opinions on zoom eyepieces compared to fixed eyepieces? If you have used eyepieces that have a small amount of dust or particles on them, is it worth cleaning them?

[@AVTAstro]

Hi, yes a good quality zoom is awesome! Check out my video on this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aamad4Vvo8uNmpY Cleaning wise it might be worth it if there is a lot of dust. A few specks are not going to hurt anything.

[@johnkelley4404]

I also live in the Vancouver WA area

[@AVTAstro]

Hey John, very cool! Have we meet, your name sound familiar? Are you a member of the RCA?

[@johnkelley4404]

@@AVTAstro No but I've replied to your other videos. I'm pretty new starting out with a nexstar 8 se 19mm panoptic televue diagonal and a 11 mm delite with a focal reducer and dew shield. So yes I've been watching your channel 😊

[@AVTAstro]

Oh, very cool. Sounds like your off to a great start! Once the pandemic is over hopefully I'll see you at some star partys! Vlad.

[@PellegrinoPool]

I feel for you guys. I live in Sunny South Florida where I can observe all year around without thinking about a jacket; that gets to the first Point - Comfort

[@Station2066]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@AVTAstro]

Good to hear it was helpful!

[@anata5127]

What type of telescope is the best for observation?

[@AVTAstro]

Looks like your reply to the other video is a pretty good spread to me! "106 APM-LOMO; 9-1/4” Edg and 15” UC Obsession. These will do everything for visual and astrophotography."

[@royramdeen8864]

If you don't do visual astronomy.. you're missing out. Seeing is believing.

[@AVTAstro]

Quite true!

[@VinayKumar-yg5rf]

Which visual telescope is good for deep objects?

[@AVTAstro]

The bigger the better. I'd do at least an 8" for deep sky.

[@VinayKumar-yg5rf]

@@AVTAstro any recommendations??

[@AVTAstro]

Like I said in past videos I really like the Celestron 8SE: amzn.to/3ae0UXn In a budget option I'd look at a 8" Dob: amzn.to/3GdzMUy

[@petset77]

Orion XT8 dobsonians come up on craigslist often for around $400 (used). New Apertura 12" dobsonians are $1299 from High Point. That'll be my "move up" telescope if I choose to do so. ...edited to add that maybe I'll run across a used one for less by then!!

[@consti-xe8cj]

yoo nofront but you mimble exremly hard ngl

[@AsKyOdA]

25 yrs and 100s of scopes !! So that is a new scope every 3 months or sooner for 25 yrs ??? Are you indecisive or keep making mistakes with wrong scope.. or maybe you own a scope shop.. something is not adding up !! Look im not trying to hate, i’m Just saying.. you gave us these numbers 😂

[@AVTAstro]

All I got to say sir; is that my name is Vlad and I have a problem...😅😂😂😂😂😂

[@anthonyhaynes8738]

...wow I wish I could watch this but it feels like you're yelling at me. Put a bottle cap blocking the microphone or something.

[@AVTAstro]

Sorry I'm not known for my video/audio skills. I just don't have the time to tweak everything just right for every video. Have you tried lowering the volume?

[@pooplalee]

Very informative especially going to try putting the rubber cups down on my ES82 eyepieces Thanks for sharing this. As I’ve never observed with anyone else it’s good to get tips like these. Maybe you could give some tips for observation from a light polluted area I live under bortle 6 skies in the uk and observe with a cpc800 and many dso’s are a real problem. Another big problem is dew. Thanks for your efforts keep up the good work.

[@AVTAstro]

Glad it was helpful! I'll probobly make a second video at some point with some more tips. Best, Vlad.