Wow! I totally forgot about Bluesky! Is anybody here?

Overly complex diagram of the systems engineering mindset.

The best part of Systems Engineering was diving into trade studies as an analytical method to choose between competing architectures. The most annoying part is the over reliance on complex models for intuitive mental frameworks. For example, this image is the “Systems Engineering Mindset”:

Pulsars can have considerable proper motion, it’s possible it’s just passing through. This motion could also red or blueshift the signal significantly (though I haven’t read the paper yet).

My editors think I’m a weirdo no matter what the font.

What’s UP with SVBony’s new SV48p Telescope? YouTube video by LearnToStargaze

Received a busted (astigmatic) telescope direct from SVBony. Here’s how we got it working.

Thanks to the Canada Post strike, this was my first and only Christmas card. Thanks Celestron!

So long California. Until next time…

I tried to get a few more photos, but my kids made a dam across the little stream in the foreground. They succeeded is stopping the water and I lost the reflection!

Sunset from Carmel California. Sunlight reflecting off the water and a stream.

Tonight’s magical sunset. Our last night in Carmel until next December.

What telescope and what frame-rate? (I’m guessing an S30 in video mode?)

Bird on a sign that says “No Tie-Up” taken from the marina in Monterey California.

I don’t get it. But I did take this photo earlier today. #birds

How a $350 Smart Telescope tracks a drone. #SeestarS30.

Nefarious geese, clearly.

Holding a Newtonian telescope in such a way that I can manually track fast moving objects in the sky.

Here’s me several years ago testing a handheld rig that could photograph the ISS, an airplane or drone: 8 inch Newtonian, DSLR with remote shutter, 2x Barlow, Rigel QuikFinder. Set focus using a bright star or distant street light, start with 6400 ISO and exp of about 1/1600.

If there was actual evidence of nefarious behavior in the sky, the amateur astronomer community would document it in incredible detail. Identifying objects in the sky is trivial with the right gear (for example, I can easily photograph the modules on the ISS with a Newtonian telescope and a DSLR).

Phone cameras are amazing. The dynamic range between the bright clouds and background stars (Jupiter near Auriga, and then Orion), is just mind boggling. #CityStargazing

Open star cluster M38 taken with a Unistellar Odyssey Pro Smart Telescope.

Interesting how Unistellar’s “vivid vision technology” chooses to process the stars. This is an image of Open Cluster M38 taken a few days ago from the backyard.

A very out of focus Sirius (star) looks exactly like a Plasma Lamp. This is using a 100mm refractor and a planetary imaging camera. I’ve had two calls about this star from folks believing it is a UFO.

Screen showing NINA software with half an arc minutes of precision achieved on the polar alignment.

It was about minus 5 degrees Celsius in the observatory at the time. A very cold endeavour!

It took about 3 hours, but we successfully polar aligned the resurrected Abbey Ridge Observatory’s 20 year old C14. Had to swap a serial cable on the focuser, and install some plate solving software, but we got it done!

December 2024 UFO checklist:

Bright light in the West = Venus
Flickering light in the South East = Sirius
Bright light overhead = Jupiter
Bright red light in the East = Mars
Hovering bright orange ball = Coast Guard Flair
Bright and Moving = Space Station
Blinking = Airplane
Buzzing = drone

Putting these “Smart” telescopes to the test for an upcoming video. What are your thoughts on electronically assisted astronomy (EAA)? (Specifically eyepieces that are actually screens)

“Any advanced civilization would be indistinguishable from nature.”
That is a profound quote!

A relatively quiet day on the surface of the Sun.
(Unistellar Odyssey telescope with solar filter). #Astronomy

Update: the video has been released!

A Telescope for Every Budget YouTube video by LearnToStargaze

Need help choosing a telescope? My latest YouTube video is here to help! #telescope #stargazing A Telescope for Every Budget
youtu.be/-3XeWccswfU

Thanks! I’m hoping to release a video on my YouTube channel about it tomorrow.

The key is to have several. A 5 inch SCT for travel, an 8 inch SCT for grab and go, and a 14 inch SCT on a pier.

I have pretty much every telescope and have a chart I use to help answer this question. Here is my 2024 edition.

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