Oh and for a decent article about buying your first scope have a look at thishttp://www.astro-http://www.astro-baby.com/astro_baby_astronomy_articles.htmrl

Its amazing the difference light pollution makes to the night sky.

We go down to Anglesey a few times each year to a place called Church Bay and I will never forget the first time I want out at night and looked up at the sky, shooting stars and meteor showers are a regular occurance and there was one earlier this year that was simply spectacular with what looked like parts of burning rock shooting into the Irish sea, all this without a telescope.

The only problem is that is usually very cold even in the summer.

www.stellarium.org/ I downloaded this a while ago , They maybe better sites but this does me for a complete novice like me .

www.stellarium.org/ I downloaded this a while ago , They maybe better sites but this does me for a complete novice like me .

I have always wanted a telescope but being a city dweller the light pollution is a real downer.

However I have thought about getting a telescope so that I can take it with me when I go for weekend breaks in cottages in rural parts of Scotland/Wales etc, there are some cracking clear skies sometimes and it would be incredible.

I remember being in South Africa a few years back when they had power outages on and used to cut the electricity for 2 hours every day. When they did the 8-10pm slot everything suddenly went black and you had an amazing southern hemisphere sky, very different from the northern sky, the Milky Way is really visible, you could see the black horses head shape in the middle of it, there were loads of meteors.

I tend to be hard to impress with art or 'natural beauty' and usually say its a load of crap but I have to say a clear night sky always fills me with the same excitement and wonder it did as a kid.

Thanks for that, it's a superb bit of free software. I've just been having a look at the night sky view of Earth from the surface of Mercury

Just before anybody goes overboard on Patrick Moore, it's worth remembering that he was a bit of a bigot as well as famous "eccentric" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_M ... al_beliefs

Just before anybody goes overboard on Patrick Moore, it's worth remembering that he was a bit of a bigot as well as famous "eccentric" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_M ... al_beliefs

The war had a significant influence on his life: his only romance ended when his fiancée, a nurse called Lorna, was killed by a bomb which struck her ambulance.
Dropped by the Germans ...he never forgave them.
Some might argue she had a lucky escape.

And women.

Some might argue, with greater reason, that you are sick.

That's no excuse for him turning into an extreme right-wing, xenophobic, racist, sexist and bigoted dinosaur.

They would be right, I've a cold at the moment.
Thanks for your concern.

Patrick Moore was noted for being an astronomer, broadcaster and great communicator on his chosen subject. As such, he single-handedly made astronomy a popular pastime and inspired countless people. self-included, to discover the night sky.

He wasn't famous for anything else. He was an old man from another era, and had some views which you don't share, but they in no way detract from his brilliance. He might have died, but his star will shine on brightly.