RASC Hamilton telescope camera at observatory?

[Andrew Bienhaus]

A gentleman you are. :-)
Will keep that in mind, when we plan out our future visit, thanks! 

: -----Original Message-----
: From: astronomers-bounces at hamiltonrasc.ca 
: [mailto:astronomers-bounces at hamiltonrasc.ca] On Behalf Of 
: Shawn Preston
: Sent: June 20, 2012 5:36 PM
: To: gary at bendun.net; astronomers at hamiltonrasc.ca
: Subject: Re: RASC Hamilton telescope camera at observatory?
: 
: I'm happy to bring my planetary camera (the one I used on the 
: PST at the Venus transit event) to an observing session to 
: gauge what sort of interest there is in looking at a screen 
: vs through the eyepiece. 
: 
: I agree wholeheartedly that nothing replaces the experience 
: of actually looking through the eyepiece, but in some 
: circumstances, especially with younger children who sometimes 
: have difficulty with an eyepiece, video does have its place. 
: 
: Shawn
: 
: Shawn Preston
: www.skyminer.ca
: 
: 
: On Jun 20, 2012, at 5:01 PM, "Gary Bennett" <gary at bendun.net> wrote:
: 
: > All good points. But there is a good reason that video cameras 
: > (Mallincam in
: > particular) are so popular with outreach events that have 
: more guests 
: > than available telescopes.
: > 
: > You are also correct that we could buy several DOBS for the 
: same money 
: > (not including eyepieces for each), BUT the likelihood that we will 
: > have enough volunteers to man the extra scopes is slim.
: > 
: > Nothing will replace the experience of seeing through the eyepiece. 
: > Having another viewing platform available means that when 
: it is your 
: > turn at the eyepiece, you can take your time.
: > 
: > Let's keep the ideas coming!
: > 
: >  Gary Bennett
: > 
: > -----Original Message-----
: > From: astronomers-bounces at hamiltonrasc.ca
: > [mailto:astronomers-bounces at hamiltonrasc.ca] On Behalf Of Ed Mizzi
: > Sent: June-20-12 4:07 PM
: > To: astronomers at hamiltonrasc.ca
: > Subject: Re: RASC Hamilton telescope camera at observatory?
: > 
: > I must agree with Roger. The satisfaction is gained from 
: seeing it by 
: > "yourself" through an eyepiece and the wait in line is well 
: worth it.
: > Besides, looking through a scope is only a small part of 
: the Astronomy 
: > Badge requirements...The Scouts also have to fulfill several other 
: > duites and we'll test them on site. Then the leader has 
: nothing else 
: > to do and that badge is done! If the group wanted to return for 
: > another observing session, etc., so be it. And even if you have a 
: > Mallincan, kids of that age are still not going to stare at it for 
: > great lengths of time. If anything, for that $2000 Gary 
: estimated, we 
: > could purchase 2 or 3, eight or ten inch Dobs, even with 
: Push-to pads. I just bought an 8", Push-to Orion for $600, incl. tax.
: > 
: > Ed
: > 
: > 
: > On 2012-06-20, at 2:44 PM, Roger Hill wrote:
: > 
: >> 
: >> A good portion of the magic of looking through a telescope 
: is that it 
: >> is
: > YOU who is looking.
: >> 
: >> When you're looking at a galaxy, for instance, the photons 
: falling on 
: >> the
: > back of your eyeball were emitted by billions of stars millions of 
: > years ago.  Looking at a tv screen does not have even close to the 
: > same emotional impact.
: >> 
: >> Similarly, with Saturn.  I've done a lot of sidewalk 
: astronomy, and I 
: >> love
: > the moment when someone sees Saturn for the first time...a perfect 
: > sharp ball of a planet with these impossible rings and 
: orange Titan.  
: > Seeing it on a monitor, well, you might as well show them Hubble 
: > images from the internet.
: >> 
: >> Video is good to give people an idea of what they will 
: see.  You can 
: >> point
: > out the moons of Jupiter, for instance, or the names of craters, or 
: > the areas where men have walked.
: >> 
: >> But you must allow them to look for themselves.
: >> 
: >> Roger Hill
: >> 
: >> 
: >> 
: >> -----Original Message-----
: >> From: astronomers-bounces at hamiltonrasc.ca on behalf of 
: Shawn Preston
: >> Sent: Wed 20/06/2012 1:59 PM
: >> To: astronomers at hamiltonrasc.ca
: >> Subject: Re: RASC Hamilton telescope camera at observatory?
: >> 
: >> As someone who uses a video camera for part of his astrophotography
: > endeavors, I'll chime in here. 
: >> 
: >> To view the brighter objects like the sun, moon, mars, Jupiter and 
: >> saturn, you can make due with a reasonably modest video camera. In 
: >> fact,
: > many just used modified webcams. The challenge though is 
: that due to 
: > atmospheric turbulence, they image at the eyepiece is often better 
: > than that at the monitor of the camera. To really see the 
: plants well 
: > you need to capture video and process the frames in between the 
: > atmospheric turbulence... It can't really be done 
: real-time. At being 
: > said, it's probably better to se e a blurry planet than no 
: planet at all!
: >> 
: >> For deeper sky objects like nebulae and galaxies you need 
: a much more
: > advanced video camera that generally runs about $1500.  A few other 
: > odds and ends are needed to make it work well, but you can get good 
: > results in near real-time.
: >> 
: >> Shawn
: >> 
: >> Shawn Preston
: >> www.skyminer.ca
: >> 
: >> 
: >> On Jun 20, 2012, at 1:26 PM, "Andrew Bienhaus" 
: <andrew at bienhaus.org>
: > wrote:
: >> 
: >>> Hey guys,
: >>> Newbie here, on behalf of 1st Binbrook Scout Group. (a new member)
: >>> ;-)
: >>> 
: >>> Our experience at the Conservation area, was a great one, and we 
: >>> look
: > forward to a visit to the observatory.
: >>> 
: >>> But, one thing is evident, and that is that trying to get 30 kids 
: >>> past one eyepiece, is problematic. ;-)
: >>> 
: >>> I know there are cameras you can mount to eyepieces, and 
: we do have 
: >>> an
: > older data projector as well as monitors out the wazoo.
: >>> But what sort of expense and options are we talking 
: about, to mount 
: >>> a
: > digital feed onto the telescope?
: >>> 
: >>> and, is this something the club has ever considered 
: raising funds to
: > purchase for installation there?
: >>> 
: >>> thanks!
: >>> Andy
: >>> 1st Binbrook
: >>> _______________________________________________
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: >>> astronomers at hamiltonrasc.ca
: >>> 
: http://hamiltonrasc.ca/mailman/listinfo/astronomers_hamiltonrasc.ca
: >> 
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