What's your name? Introduce yourself to IFAS!

Welcome to the boards John! I'm also a fellow astronomer and fisherman! Any recommended spots along the Shannon in your neck of the woods?

Hi everyone,

After reading some of your blogs it would seem I'm in excellent company, fairly new to this forum and have found the information given very useful indeed.

As for myself, 24 and originally from Limerick, astronomy has led me in many respects to continue gazing over my head throughout my career as a deep sea navigator/deck officer. Probably lucky to find a practical use for it but could think of far worse hobbies to pursue.

Staying in Portmarnock while home but spend most of the year overseas enjoying the dark skies of the worlds oceans. Around for a few more weeks yet and plan to visit the SAC before I leave so although from your information I believe high powered telescopes and star finding software is the name of the game here anyone who does need advice on old-fashioned celestial calculations and useful tricks, by all means get in touch.

Rgds,

DJ

Hi DJ!

Welcome to the forums!

Staying in Portmarnock while home but spend most of the year overseas enjoying the dark skies of the worlds oceans. Around for a few more weeks yet and plan to visit the SAC before I leave so although from your information I believe high powered telescopes and star finding software is the name of the game here anyone who does need advice on old-fashioned celestial calculations and useful tricks, by all means get in touch.

There really are only a handful of people here with high powered gear and expensive software and cameras. They post more than the rest of us though!

Ask them to try and design a telescope mount with gyroscopes that will work well at sea and that should keep them occupied for a while!

Are the old-fashioned calculations used any more in practice or is GPS the only way used on the oceans?

Thanks for the reply, with regard to your question, yes we do calculate our positon daily using tried and tested methods of celestial observation as well as using sights to find the various error's in other onboard equipment.

As I'm sure your no doubt aware GPS/DGPS, systems are absolutley fantastic but when they fail (and they do alot!) or when an error has been applied by the powers that be, sight reduction continues to be a very accurate way of finding where you are without having to rely on a gyro or magnetic compass.

As for setting the task of creating a gyro stabilised mount for a scope at sea, well that will always be the dream but for the time being praying for a lull in rolling so you can shoot at least three stars is alot easier to achieve,

Cheers,

Dave Jones

Hi James.
You are more then welcome to come along to the SAC meeting in October (Wednesday 3rd in Mary I college).
Not all here have high power CCD cameras or expensive high end scopes+ mounts, so dont feel like you are alone.

Thanks Dave, what time does it start in mary I on wednesday night, I'm in Portmarnock this week but plan on travelling down to Limerick on wed where with any Luck I'll stop in,

Rgds,

Dave Jones