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Introduction
What does one do once one has conquer the easy
stuff? We all started with the Messier list and bright NGC objects. But
what comes next? Well, there are thousands of objects on different
observing lists and catalogs. This project is offered to help one dip
their toe into the deep end of the observing pool. Our hope is not to
create yet another list.
The NOVAC advanced astro-challenge is a
growing set of objects chosen by members for their difficulty and
interest. The intent of this project is to promote, develop, and share
advanced observing techniques within the amateur astronomy community by
offering seemingly difficult observing targets that usually require use
of these techniques.
Goals and Guidelines:
- The
hope is that this list will be viewed as a tutorial to those interested
in developing skills. Once you have advanced and feel you have something
to offer, you are encouraged to offer your own objects that you find
interesting and difficult.
- There are no rules for
participating, although we would like observing reports, successes and
failures, presented to the club at meeting or on the NOVAC listserv. If
you choose to participate, post an observing report noting the
information contained on the NOVAC Observing log form. Its a nice way to
organize ones thoughts.
- The intent is to help develop advanced
observing techniques such as averted vision, better dark adaptation,
proper use of red-lights and sky charts etc. As well as sharing personal
observing techniques that you find useful.
- Hardware: There are
no restrictions on what equipment you can attempt to use for these
challenges. What you can see will be limited by your experience, the
equipment used, and observing conditions. By compiling observing report
by members with different scopes, equipment and locations, we can build
reference information about observing in this area; what works and what
does not. It will also provide useful information about what different
equipment's capabilities are.
- Equipment Modifications: There
are many modifications that can be made to equipment to extend their
useful observing limits. Posting observing reports using these
modifications can help assess their merits.
- If possible a new
challenge will be presented at each monthly meeting and observing
reports will be solicited by those who chose to participate.
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MOST Important! Share your experiences, post observing reports, ask
questions when you have difficulties. When we just begin most of us
observe at club sites with others. As interest grow and advance members
tend to drift off on their own to do their "thing". This effort is
designed to offer them a forum within NOVAC to share their
interests.
This Observers Log
(Microsoft Word document) will help record your observations.
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