The Liverpool Astronomical Society

The ISS passes over, mag -0.8, at 22:42:36  BST (WSW) and reaches Max. Altitude , 55 degs, at 22:45:29, SSE. It sets at
22:48:15 BST in the east. And the...................................

The Space shuttle rises tonight, mag -2.2,  (WSW) at 22:57:30 BST and reaches an altitude of 44 degs when due south at  22:59:17 BST. It sets at 23:01:08 BST East. Watch for it as it passes under Bootes and Hercules.

You need to get out 5 or 10 mins before in order for you to be ready as can be slightly early or late but only by a minute or so.
If you wait for half an hour you will notice that 3 come at once. 

Full details and star charts available at:
http://www.heavens-above.com/main.aspx?Lat=53.4167&lng=-2.8666&loc=Liverpool&TZ=GMT
Let me know if you see them.
I will try and sort out a list of Jupiter (jovian) events for the website as soon as I get a chance.

I have just looked at the screen shots from Stellarium.They look good but I do not see how much! I can't see if it is freeware, shareware or at cost? I have downloaded it in the mean time and will have a look at it later.
I am just checking to see what time the International Space Station goes over tonight as the shuttle should be launched in the early hours of Saturday morning and  it docks on Sunday. If the sky is clear then we should see them both pass over as the draw closer for the docking.
On Wednesday we managed to track the ISS with the 16 inch Dobsonian telescope (a job in itself) and we could actually see a shape to the ISS. It looked like a letter 'H' on its side. 
I was totally amazed by it.
If you fancy watching it go over tonight you can find the times for Liverpool at 'Heavens Above' website or click here;
http://www.heavens-above.com/main.aspx?Lat=53.4167&lng=-2.8666&loc=Liverpool&TZ=GMT
and just click on ' Satellites  10 day predictions for: ISS'
It is already set for Liverpool and should be accurate enough. What area do you live in?
Also if you click on a date then it will show you a star chart of its path. Let me know how you get on.

Well there is no way we can compete with the sky at Galloway, John.  but you are most welcome to come along and visit us at the observatory. I am heading up there in the next hour so if you can make it tonight then I will see you there. It looks like it may be clear too.
Click here for a map;
http://www.liverpoolas.org/content/view/18/37/

Hi Barry.
What telescope do you need to see the rings of Saturn?
Well you may be surprised to know that with a pair of 10x50 binoculars you can just make out the rings of Saturn and can certainly tell that it is not a star! Look at what Galileo sketched  back in 1616:
http://galileo.rice.edu/sci/observations/saturn.html
and that was with a small refractor using a lens of 1" diameter at 32x magnification!  I admit that you will want to see it a little better then that and this would depend on how much you would be willing to spend on a telescope. A large lens or mirror will allow you to see fainter objects but also for lunar and planetary work will give you better resolving power and the ability to see finer detail. Of course the price would increase as you go for a larger aperture!
Another thing to consider would be the focal length of the 'scope. A longer focal length will, initially, give you a larger prime focus image which is then magnified again by the eyepiece.
So that comes down to a larger aperture with a reasonable focal length but things now get tricky as the object will also appear to move across the sky and field of view. This becomes obvious when you use a high magnification and Saturn flies across the eyepiece! So to counter this you would need to drive or follow the object with a motor driven telescope and the advantages become evident as the planet/star will appear to stay in the centre of the eyepiece where you can now relax and let your eye 'see' more fine detail.
Astronomy is such a varied subject and requires particular equipment if you are going to spend time on just one subject such as solar, planetary/lunar or deep sky object such as galaxies or clusters.
I would seriously consider visiting us at our observatory:
http://www.liverpoolas.org/content/view/18/37/
 where we can explain fully and show you what you get for your money before spending it.
In the meantime to help you choose a telescope have a look at this site:
http://www.r-clarke.org.uk/starting_astro1.htm

Please keep in touch if you need further help but don't spend your money before coming to see us.
Regards from Dave.

Sorry for the delay in getting the images onto the website but I have, litterely, just learnt how to do it and if you click here:
http://www.liverpoolas.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6
it should take you to the image gallery, Sidewalk Events, William Brown Street.   
If I receive any images from the Leighton Observatory event, on the same evening, I will have a go at putting them on too.

Hi Alexander, sounds like you have been keeping yourself busy with the telescope and have looked at a large assortment of objects.
Did you see the lunar occultation of Saturn recently? It was a little tricky since it was in twighlihgt but the reapearence from behind the moon was spectacular.
If you can get up to Leighton Observatory this Wednesday and have a chat to the regular gang I am sure that you will enjoy yourself. The occasional observing trip is arrange around the Wednesday group and will travel out to North Wales  or Delemere Forest usualy around the time of new moon. Although the sky is still a little bright for galaxies at this time of the year we still meet up and do a bit. I will not be there tommorow as it is my wedding anniversary and will be eating and drinking locally but try and get up there and share your enthuisiasm with others.
Regards from Dave G.

I think that all forums are slow to start off with and given time will grow and develop. It is useful for making a quick contact or request for info and, hopefully, getting a speedy reply! Finding the time time to keep the site up to date is a struggle at the best of times and I am still learning the ropes. 
As for the interest then I do hope that it stays with you and develops and you can be sociable as you need to be.
If you fancy popping in to see the group ( very down to earth) and would like to bring a guest or the family then that is fine.
Look forward to meeting you and having a chat sometime.
Dave G.

Hi Neil, you do not need to have any academic qualifications to join our society, just a willingness to enjoy astronomy
Also you could come along on a Wednesday evening and read books, watch documentaries and then chat about it afterwards. .
Our membership come from all walks of life with a variety of backgrounds. Some may have qualifications, but we all have the same interest.

Hi Ian, I have been looking into the differences between the two models. I have noted that they have different focal lengths and one of the models has a RA drive motor (this is a good thing).
Both would give reasonable views of the moon, planets, galaxies and clusters for the price and size of mirror (114mm). Depending on what you would like to concentrate on would be the deciding factor. If you  would like to see the little fuzzies (deep sky) then the 1145 pm would be the choice as it has an F ratio (the focal length divided by  mirror diameter ) of F5. This would give a brighter image but at a lower magnification. This model also has a motor which would allow you to follow the steller objects that you view although I do not believe that it will enable you to photograph galaxies to the standard of the glossy astro images that you see in the magazines. This telescope would still be able to the rings of Saturn, belts on Jupiter and craters on the Moon but at low magnification. The fact that it has a motor drive would allow you to get nice 'snapshots' of the moon using a digital camera.

If you would like to see detail on the moon and planets then the
SKYHAWK-114  would allow more magnification to be used. The best magnification to use would depend on the weather/seeing conditions. But, as far as I am aware, this scope does not have the motor drive to track the object in view!

Are you able to get to our observatory at Pex Hill, Cronton on Wednesday nights (19:00 to 21:00) where you can have a look through various types of telescope. If you become a member then you are entitled to borrow a 200mm (8 inch) reflecting telescope for a reasonable amount of time. Another thought is to hang on to your money for the time being and save up for a better or larger telescope.
Details for the skyhawks are below. Let me know what you decide to do.


SKYHAWK 1145 PM
114mm (4.5") f/500 Motorised Parabolic Newtonian Reflector

    * Magnifications (with optics supplied): x20, x40, x50, x100
    * Highest Practical Power (Potential): x228
    * Diameter of Primary Mirror: 114mm
    * Telescope Focal Length: 500mm (f/5)
    * Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
    * x2 Barlow Lens
    * R.A. Motor Drive (D.C.)
    * Parabolic Primary Mirror
    * 0.5mm Ultra-Thin Secondary Mirror Supports
    * Red Dot Finder
    * EQ1 Equatorial Mount
    * Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray
    * 125% more Light Gathering than 76mm


Sky-Watcher SKYHAWK-114

Specifications:

Magnifications (with optics supplied): x40, x80, x100, x200
Highest Practical Power (Potential): x228
Diameter of Primary Mirror: 114mm
Telescope Focal Length: 1000mm (f/8.77)
Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm
x2 Barlow Lens
5x24 Finderscope
EQ1 Equatorial Mount
Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray

Hi Becky nice to hear from you.
If it is astronomy that you are interested in then I would strongly urge you to come along to our meetings. I think that you will find us a friendly gang and will make you feel very welcome. Our next monthly meeting is on April  20th when Prof Michael R. Merrifield, Prof of Astronomy.Nottingham Univ.  will be discussing the subject 'The Centre of Our Galaxy'.
Full details can be found at:
http://www.liverpoolas.org/content/view/10/18/
with maps of how to find us at:
http://www.liverpoolas.org/content/view/17/
I suggest that you should arrive for 19:00 as the meeting will start around 19:15. The meeting is free of charge.
We generally invite visitors to three monthly or weekly meetings and then ask for them to consider becoming a member. Subscriptions are currently £10 per annum.
Don't be shy as we all have the same enthusiasm for astronomy and are willing to teach and learn more about the subject.
Feel free to ask for me (David Galvin) at the meetings and I will introduce you to others if you wish.
I look forward to meeting you and hope that you will consider joining the society if it suits your purposes.
Regards from David Galvin.

ALT CENTRE - LOWER ALT ROAD - HIGHTOWN - SEFTON

ASTRONOMY EVENING

FRIDAY 23 MARCH 2007  7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Members of the Liverpool Astronomical Society will display several telescopes for viewing the Moon, Venus and Saturn, if clear. There will also be an illustrated talk on astronomy. This event is free, and is open to all members of the public.
Map and contact details can be found at;
http://www.angelfire.com/pokemon2/pirsig/ht070323.html

Hi Steve, how are things going with Young Astronomers day at Ormskirk?
Any more news about the day?

Hi and welcome to the site.
I have just looked at the seti website and am surprised to see only three signed up as in the early days of the project we had many of our members involved, myself included.
I stopped being involved about the time I found out that we were just crunching the same units over and over again as, due to the massive response, all the data had been worked.
Maybe things have changed and there is now new data to work on.
I will have a chat with the gang and see what their thoughts are on the subject.

Ahh....that David. Can't always tell on fourums. 
I did not get up there last Wednesday as it was my birthday (21st!) but I was there for the Friday previous to that for the council meeting. That was the night that Saturn was very close to the moon and was very impressive in binoculars. I will see you this Wednesday I hope.

Hi David.
I can't really comment on this series of scopes as I have never actually seen through one. The cheaper end of telescopes tends to show up in the form of a 'wobbly' mount which makes it difficult if not unusable under high magnification and generally they come with a small finder which makes the finding of objects next to impossible.
Have you bought one of these or are are you thinking of it?
Before you decide I would like to point you to a review of a Kronus product:
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1595
Before you buy anything why not visit our Wednesday evening observatory meeting at Pex Hill Cronton and chat to some of the gang.