Tag Archives: Astronomy Technology Today

2016 U.S. Star Parties And Astro Events Calendar – Still Remembering Barlow Bob (By Helping Keep The Community Connected)

Posted on February 2, 2016 5:29 pm - - Leave a Comment

Greetings fellow astrophiles,

www.cnyo.org/2016-u-s-star-parties-and-astro-events/

I wanted to get this post out before the year gets any further (not farther) along. I am pleased to announce that the 2016 edition of U.S. Star Parties And Astro Events calendar is available on the CNYO website for your star party planning pleasure (and/or download). This is an as-complete-as-google-and-email-will-allow list of all of the star parties happening in the U.S. for the year (complete as of this posting, so check back to the main page often), including all of the events that were announced in 2015 but that haven’t had 2016 dates announced yet (and we’re keeping track of those links as well).

2016feb2_Barlow-Bob-FullThis list, now maintained by Chuck Higgins of Mohawk Valley Astronomical Society and myself and is a continuation of the same original star party list compiled by the late-great Barlow Bob (shown at-play at right, who co-managed it with Chuck Higgins starting a few years back and before BB’s passing in 2014. For those who don’t know about Barlow Bob, his contribution to NEAF in the form of the NEAF Solar Star Party (Astronomy Technology Today article downloaded from www.asgh.org), or his own solar astronomy outreach, please check out THIS LINK on the CNYO website. The image above comes from a nice remembrance at Stargeezer Radio).

You can always find the page by hovering over the CALENDAR link the top menu list on the CNYO website. The excel file and list will be updated as we find new info for new events. If you want to add events to this list, please do so (contact Damian at info@cnyo.org, or use our CONTACT page)! We are also awaiting corrections, comments, new links, additional announcements, etc., from current items on the list – specifically the blue items at the bottom of the page.

And What Is This Star Party Of Which You Speak?

2016feb2_TexasSta-Party2009_341Very briefly – a chance for you to join many other enthusiastic amateur astronomers for a night of group star gazing, comparing eyepieces, assorted discussions, wandering around to see the variety of scopes in the community, and generally having a great time spending as much of the night as you can looking up. You should try to take in at least one each year!

And might one of the events on this list be your first Star Party? Have you been kicked out of one lately and don’t know why? Do you want to NOT face the wrath of several hundred dark-adapted, caffeine-crazed astronomers in a single flicker of a flashlight? The I strongly encourage you to take a look at a few of the links below – which all cover proper Star Party Etiquette. As you will see, all the links basically say the same thing. With that kind of a consensus view, you know that we fellow attendees mean business. If you need more reading, just google star party guide. Attendees have a lot to say!

* www.astrohbg.org/CSSP/images/CSSP_Images/PDF/StarPartyEtiquette.pdf
* www.astro-tom.com/tips_and_advice/star_party_tips.htm
* www.company7.com/library/starpty.html
* www.astromax.org/faq/aa01faq16.htm
* bfsp.org/rules-and-faq/

I hope to see your dark, featureless outline at at least one of the events on the list. If you find one happening right in your own vicinity that you didn’t even know existed, thank Barlow Bob.

Posted in: Star Parties - Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

12 Free Months Of Astronomy Technology Today! Tell’em CNYO (Or Your Own Club) Sent You.

Posted on February 1, 2016 8:47 pm - - Leave a Comment

Greetings fellow astrophiles!

I am please to (have been given the go-ahead to) report on a special deal going on for new subscribers to Astronomy Technology Today (ATT,fb) – the announcement making its way into my inbox courtesy of friend (and fellow KAS member) George Normandin of Kopernik Astronomical Society and, in order to make sure that posting to the website was legit, friend (and managing editor) Gary Parkerson of ATT.

Brief, Biased Background

From the ATT website: If you’re an advanced star gazing enthusiast or would like to learn more about getting into the hobby, you need to subscribe to Astronomy Technology Today!

We are the only magazine in the world dedicated entirely to telescopes and related equipment. We offer both print and digital versions and as a subscriber you can view every back issue online, which means that you’ll have access to over 400 reviews, how to articles, new product introductions, industry news, ATM articles, astrophotography, and much more.

ATT, to me, is THE magazine for the committed, equipment-minded amateur astronomer who wants to keep track of the very rapid developments in scopes, CCDs, software, and image processing, just to name a few areas. This is not only evident in the quality of the reviews provided by professional amateurs on all ranges of equipment, but is also evident in the advertisers, including all the big name companies and distributors, but also including many of the very niche markets and suppliers of those “little extras” that you know were borne out of one astronomer’s own need to solve a problem. The reviews themselves are always well constructed and exhaustive – seeing someone hammer on a piece of equipment for 6 to 10 pages is not uncommon. I am also privy to some new info that the magazine itself is undergoing a bit of an expansion – no details, but I eagerly await what the next issues have to offer.

And, of course, CNYO members will know that I’m strongly biased, as not only has Ryan Goodson published in the May-June 2014 edition of ATT (fine details about the Paracorr Type-2, pg. 53), but I was pleased to provide a review myself of an NMT scope in the May-June 2013 issue (a 16″ NMT Dob, pg. 37) – and I’ve been a subscriber ever since.

ATT is a wealth of info. And it’s already inexpensive! And now even more economically enticing for up-to a year for CNYO or other club members.

The ATT Deal

The procedure works! I subscribed for the free year using a CNYO email address, so promise that you can get to the end from the beginning.

Follow the link below and use the Discount Code: “club” (no quotes, lowercase), then select the ONLINE ACCESS SUBSCRIPTION $12 option (as below – note! If your page says “Renew Your Subscription,” this code will not work – blame your cookies).

www.astronomytechnologytoday.com/?l=/sub_store/subscribe.asp

2016feb1_ATT_step1

You’ll immediately be taken to a Customer Information page to fill out. If the first page worked, you’ll see a “Discount for club -$12” at the top of the page and a “USD $0” at the bottom. You’re good to go! Fill in the Customer Information and skip the Payment Info. If you’re feeling associated, give CNY Observers as the Astronomy Club Name (and consider yourself an official member with all of the benefits that current members also don’t have).

2016feb1_ATT_step2a

Hit Submit Order, and you’re good to go (and’ll have a confirmation email show up soon after).

2016feb1_ATT_step3

That’s it! I encourage everyone to take advantage of this great offer for a great magazine – then keep ATT going by going official when you get your Renewal notice. Also, if you’ve got a new piece of equipment and something profound to say about it, consider putting an article together and submit it for consideration. You could save someone many dollars and all their senses!

Posted in: Online Resources - Tagged: , , , , , ,

An Astronomical Trifecta For Ryan Goodson And New Moon Telescopes

Posted on July 23, 2014 9:16 pm - - 1 Comment

Greetings fellow astrophiles,

Having a master scope builder in our own backyard has made the lives of several CNYO members very easy. Not only is Ryan Goodson a great observing partner, but he has either brought or built many of the best scopes that make their way to our library lectures, later-night school outings, county parks, North Sportsman’s Club, or his own observing base at New Moon Telescopes HQ. To that end, I’m happy to help Ryan and NMT celebrate a unique astronomical milestone this summer, having pulled off recognition in three prominent astronomy magazines.

1. Feature Article In Astronomy Technology Today

2014july14_ATTTo begin, Ryan contributed a combination technical analysis/product review based on a hot topic he’s been pondering from the builder perspective for over a year now. The article, “Calculating The Perfect Telescope Size Post Paracorr Type-2,” is one of the feature articles in the May-June 2014 issue of Astronomy Technology Today, one of the great amateur astronomy magazines that features contributions from the broader amateur astronomy community.

For those who missed their chance to pick up a copy at Barnes & Noble this year (the only place around here that we now carries it), ATT and their editor Gary Parkerson have allowed CNYO to reproduce the article in PDF format for your reading pleasure.

Download The ATT Article HERE

Several of us in CNYO are subscribers to ATT (I ripped this PDF from my subscription) and we encourage you to geek-out bimonthly to product reviews and expert opinions from real users in our community. From the article:

Calculating the Perfect Telescope Size Post Paracorr Type-2

And the perfect telescope size is…?

The perfect telescope size is… It’s a line that invites critique and insight from every corner of the astronomical community. Having built a number of telescopes for clients all over the U.S., I have called three of my New Moon Telescopes my own: a 12.5-inch f/4.9, a 16-inch f/4.5, and a 27-inch f/3.9. Outside of those three Dobsonian-style telescopes, I have also owned various refractors and binoculars and a large arsenal of eyepieces. But since I build Dobsonians-style telescopes (okay, “Dobs”) for a living, however, I will limit my opinion to that particular style. My opinion of the perfect Dob size has changed over the years as my observing habits have also evolved.

2. A NEAF Shout-Out In Sky & Telescope Magazine

2014july14_SkyTelNMT had a great showing at the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) this past year (and several of us stopped by the booth looking for free samples). In their own coverage of event highlights, the venerable Sky & Telescope Magazine (also worth your considered subscription – their list and coverage of important astronomical events is certainly one of the best ways to know what the month holds for amateur astronomers the world over) focused in on NMT’s new aluminum bearing design. Kudos to John Giroux for spotting the bearings first.

A snippet from the August 2014 issue is shown at right. Their brief write-up of the bearing design is reproduced below:

24. www.newmoontelescopes.com New Moon Telescopes had a great display of its custom mid- and large-aperture Dobso- nians. Of special note were the company’s new lightweight-aluminum altitude bearings with a textured powder coating that produced just the right amount of “stiction” for a Dob mount.

3. Star Product Designation From Astronomy Magazine!

2014july14_starproduct_indexTo soon be announced in the September issue of Astronomy Magazine, NMT’s 12.5 f/5 Dobsonian telescope has been selected as a Best-Of by the other venerable oracle of events and celestial highlights. An excellent notch in Ryan’s belt that several of us already knew all about. As a shameless plug, I’m the proud owner of the first NMT production model, a 12.5″ f/5ish Dob known affectionately as Ruby (for the red MoonLite focuser). Now over 3 years and many, many observing sessions in, I’ve yet to want for another telescope. Not even interested.

Stay tuned for more press when the official publication comes out. In the meantime, a hearty congrats to Ryan (and Heather and Lily!) and NMT on the astronomical trifecta!

Posted in: Product Reviews - Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Photo Highlights From NEAF And NEAFSolar 2014

Posted on May 9, 2014 2:10 pm - - Leave a Comment

Greetings fellow astrophiles!

Another NEAF has come and gone. This past April 12th and 13th, Ryan & Heather Goodson brought New Moon Telescopes back to a triumphant return (and slightly wider booth) to “America’s Premiere Astronomy Expo” and, I suspect, by far the largest such event on the East Coast (if not anywhere). The NMT booth also served as a meetup spot for this year’s #NEAFPosse and a place to catch up with fellow CNY observers Stephen Shaner and Pedro Gomes. The NEAF Solar session, hosted by solar observing’s godfather (and regular article contributor) Barlow Bob was almost entirely unobstructed by clouds (although that wouldn’t have bothered ASRAS’s Marty Pepe’s Radio Astronomy setup any). After the Saturday festivities, Patrick Manley and the rest of the #NEAFPosse enjoyed several hours of space-inspired frivolity at the Challenger Center (complete with flight simulators, a fully-operational mission control, and cake!).

With two days full of vendors and catching up with members of Kopernik Astronomical Society, Mohawk Valley Astronomical Society, the IOTA (happy they don’t blame us for the cloud cover during the Regulus occultation), Astronomy Technology Today (with thanks for the additional copies of the NMT feature article in last May-June’s 2013 issue!), and various others you only see once a year (in the daytime, anyway), I was only able to catch one talk. That said, it was enough, both as an amateur astronomer and as someone engaged in public outreach. Stephen W. Ramsden, the man behind the Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project, has put together an incredible (and very well-traveled) one-observer show that travels the world bringing solar astronomy to the masses. STEM outreach would be much farther along if every field of science and technology had a Stephen Ramsden out there. Do check out www.charliebates.org and consider donating to the cause.

With that, we await NEAF 2015!

Selected Images

Row 1:
Barlow Bob at the center of NEAFSolar
One long line to the Sun
Marty Pepe’s Radio
Astronomy rig
Row 2:
NMT’s “Gojira” near closing
Ryan and the NMT booth
Manley @ center and part of the #NEAFPosse
Row 3:
Yuri’s Night celebration
Challenger Center flight simulators
Mission Control before
the mission
Row 4:
Sunday morning before the doors open
Stephen Ramsden featuring bad journalism
Arunah Hill’s doorstop

[envira-gallery id=”2729″]

Posted in: Observing Logs - Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique: “Monster Telescopes and How They Are Built” – Featuring CNYO’s Own Ryan Goodson!

Posted on May 8, 2014 2:07 pm - - 1 Comment

Saturday – May 17, 9:30-11:00am

Milton J Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology – Syracuse, NY


View Larger Map

The history and recent developments of the kind of telescope made famous by Isaac Newton – the Newtonian Reflector. We will begin the discussion from the perspective of the great Newton in the 1600s with his humble 1 1/2″ reflector, then journey through time to the present day, when amateur astronomers can often be seen in fields with telescopes large enough to rival or often surpass the size and quality of many professional observatories. We will focus on how the telescope is built, from the choice of wood to the installation of advanced electronics, finishing the discussion with what they are ultimately able to show us.

People interested in learning more about telescopes are invited to attend the free Junior Cafe presentation on Saturday, May 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse’s Armory Square. Walk-ins are welcome, but we ask that people RSVP by emailing jrcafe@tacny.org by May 14, 2014.

Presenters

2013june25_ryangoodson_bioRyan E. Goodson became fascinated with astronomy after seeing a meteor-turned-fireball streak across a wheat field in Wichita, Kansas in April of 2005. This led to an early involvement in amateur astronomy that quickly turned into an obsession. Since that time he has spent countless hours studying telescope design, structural engineering, and optics in order to perfect what has become the large and small truss-style telescopes he manufactures today as the owner of New Moon Telescopes in West Monroe, NY.

Ryan founded New Moon Telescopes in July of 2012 and has since sold and shipped telescopes throughout the U.S. and abroad. His fledgling company was the cover feature in the June/July 2012 issue of Astronomy Technology Today magazine. Ryan’s new collapsible truss design for Dobsonian-style telescopes was also highlighted in the August 2013 edition of Sky & Telescope. Ryan is currently the treasurer of the Syracuse Astronomical Society and the secretary of CNY Observers & Observing, serving in both organizations as a star party coordinator and public lecturer on astronomy equipment and observing. He can usually be found observing through one of his creations on that rare night of clear skies here in Upstate NY.

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique, a program for middle-school students founded in 2005, features discussions about topics in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an informal atmosphere and seeks to encourage students to consider careers in these areas. Students must be accompanied by an adult and can explore the MOST at no cost after the event.

Technology Alliance of Central New York

Founded in 1903 as the Technology Club of Syracuse, the nonprofit Technology Alliance of Central New York’s mission is to facilitate community awareness, appreciation, and education of technology; and to collaborate with like-minded organizations across Central New York.

For more information about TACNY, visit www.tacny.org.

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