Improve Your Astronomy Skills 

Everytime there's a new Small Optics video out I'm super exited! You never stop learning

Not a bad idea considering how cryptic a beginner can find it locating objects in the dark. Thanks for the upload!.

Great advice! I started keeping a log in 2001, when all I had was a 60mm department-store refractor. I logged over half of the Messier catalog with that little scope. Now that I'm using a 12-inch Dobsonian, my log files include over 600 objects. Now I'm in the long, slow process of digitally adding them to a database so I can reference old logs easier.

I’ve kept an observing logbook since my 10th birthday in 1963, over 60 years ago.

Just remember to use your RED lamp when you write!

Thank you, Jason, for making your channel so much fun! Even when some of the topics might not pertain to the type of telescope or equipment I am currently using, I enjoy watching and learning. I think we (your fans) would love to know more about YOU; ever consider simply making a "This is Jason" video and telling us more about yourself?

Thank you for this gr8 advice! I'm pretty new to Astronomy, just one year in. I've been using a book called 110 things to see with a telescope, by John Read to work my way through the Messier list. Each page has a notes and sketch section, for each item. I didn't realize how important it was, but I do now! Keep making great content! Clear skies!

2024 still going strong. Great content.

I started a journal, because of you, thinking why should I do this...2 months later I find my self, at midnight, in full darkness trying to sketch my first visual sighting of a double star and loving every minute of it. Thank you.

I think this must be the only video I've ever seen that talks about keeping an astronomy journal! Great originality Jay, It definitely sounds like it adds an extra dimension to visual astronomy, especially with the sketching side of things...aka old school imaging!

I'll always remember seeing the Pleiades for the first time. I was like 18 years old, had a pair of binoculars. I made a small diagram and went to some books to find out what it was. Found it that night. I don't have a telescope, I really should get one

I would add there are many free astronomy log/journal templates you can use online so. you won't forget what to include. I use a three ring binder so I can use different templates for different observations. I even use different paper types sometimes for sketching.

Recently started watching RU-vid videos and you’re one of my favorites. I kept bees 40 years and I can attest to the value of keeping notes.

Jason...I commented earlier on your filter video regarding the need to throw away those terrible sun filters that come with some scopes. I've been watching more of your videos and even as a more experienced observer I find these refreshing as they are easy to follow and set up the basics of observing. This one in particular was extremely enjoyable. I love that you showed us your observation journal from your early years. Those notes and sketches are excellent for what they are...simple drawings of views through the eyepiece. They brought a smile to my face.

Copernicus would question the orbits in your thumbnail

This is Gold dust, Thanks so much Jason!

Perfect timing! I was about to start a journal :) Thanks for the bits of advice and for sharing your story. I like how you keep things simple and avoid going crazy deep on the details. Too many RU-vid channels are way too severe and technically detailed. I think as a viewer; you gain to be remembered that we observe the stars to have fun, instead of starting to obsess over gears, technic and the size of your mirror/lens.

Hi Jason, just found your Channel and going through some of your "Interesting" Videos! I was wondering exactly what kind of information you would record in your Diary? Could you possibly (when you get time) give us a List of things you feel we need to record, so I can start my Journey off across the Southern Sky's here in OZ, in the correct manner! I'm sure other followers here would also appreciate "The List" 😁 😜 Thanks for sharing your Knowledge.

Hey Jason I love when you mention 1988 as that's the year I got interested in astronomy. A dairy I should do one for my journey in astrophotography with my portable setup and I should include one for my smartphone astrophotography like sky conditions iso etc for future reference. I've taken fantastic astrophotos with my Hauwei p20 smartphone and I should have written everything down so I know what settings I used before. Like you I learned this from the great Sir Patrick Moore and I'd loved to see all his dairies especially the ones of the Moon! Do you do sketches of deep sky objects and even comets? I used to do dairy but I found it more interesting observing etc. 1988 I'll never forget the year as that was the start in my astronomy life and my first question somebody asked me when they knew I was interested in astronomy was Is there life out there? A great year for me! Interesting video and I'm going to start my dairy! Stay safe buddy and clear skies!!!

I will start right now! It would help me to learn on my own a lot, I'm sure. Thank you again , because without this chanel, I wouldn't know how to start in astronomy. So thanks a million Jason❣️😊

What a great idea to keep a log. I will draw a diagram of the object's position within a constellation before I star hop. I like your idea of lines and triangles to locate an object. Now, I will be able to see more than just Jupiter and Saturn and have something to revisit again. Jason, thank you for caring for us amateurs. God bless you and your family.

Thanks!

Excellent Video Jason! Very Good tips. I have to say. That I have been into astronomy for the past 8 years since i was 8 years old. I Learned about this hobby all by myself, and I had a Manual telescope and I Learned how to find objects all by myself and identify all the stars in the Night Sky and the planets. even learned a Lot of about the craters and mountains on moon and planetary features, It was Really fun learning and finding Objects, It was amazing to me that we could see very faraway objects with a small scope and we are looking at them as they are in the past. I Own GOTO telescope Now, But even then I tend to 'Learn' how to Find the objects manually a Lot of times. Great Video buddy! Clear Skies! 😀✨👍

Thankyou so much for the video.i will re-start making a log of my observations.as i only retired 2 yrs ago and rekindled my interest after 48 yrs,i wasn't going to bother but i can see your logic!😊.(i never lost interest but never had time with a family and horrendous hours with my job).thanks again.

Im taking your advice...it works

Thank you for an informative and entertaining video! It's funny. I am getting back into astronomy after a much too long 20-year intermission, and I was thinking today I will document my first night back out there! I ordered my new telescope today and hope to have it in less than ten days. You are right about helping because I also started the same practice with the video games I play and notice the difference. Plus, as you said, journaling is fun! So one book per item is also how I am going about it. Thanks again!

Can you imagine how trippy must have been if he went on to check 1988 on Stellarium and found out that day there was a completely different arrangement of stars and planets? Lol😂

Jason small optics 9/2/23 Hi Jason, I'll find out tonight if the weather permits and start a photo session on the planet Jupiter. I tried this the last time, photographing it with a diagonal mirror and got very poor results. They recommended to me photographing the planet without the diagonal. Can other glass produce burry images in the optical train? For me I have a Meade 90mm ETX at 1250mm focal length and a F ratio of f13, what is a typical exposure value and what do you recommend on setting on my Olympus M4/3 M5 Mark2 camera? I use it in manual mode and make my settings on the camera. I found in the live view on the screen, is that live boost needs to be off. Otherwise it won't show the exposure changes. This is On1 settings on the Olympus. I think it should be off. I just need a general number to work with in this setup, that's all. Anything, even a Canon or a Nikon ball park numbers. Can you help me? I had a rough time in exposing Jupiter and I'm trying to get the 2 cloud bands. It is said anything that is glass will give me poor results. So I should use the telescope and camera as a straight through optical train. Can an UHC filter produce better planet surface details? I don't know if this filter will block out the infrared wavelengths which is what I'm trying to accomplish here! Is there any other filters that you recommend to use? I found from my last session is I only take one picture when I think I have the right settings. The altitude of the planet is about 50° above the horizon. And I still think I get atmospheric distortions and air mass movements, moving in the upper atmosphere, that causes the image to bounce up and down. Even standing near the telescope can transmit vibrations from the ground because of the high magnification. So I found I step away from the telescope and remotely take photos in a continuous snap shots mode for at least 50 to 100 pictures. Then I can view them on a computer screen like Lightroom or photoshop or phone or tablet for each images and pick out the best images. I found that there might be a brief time period where these shots will have no atmospheric turbulence and no ground vibrations. Then I should get a pretty decent image. At least one best one. It's all about timing. It's that one moment where everything is just right. The right conditions. The telescope has tracking for star movements. So my camera is the Olympus M5 Mark2 in manual mode. Because it's a bright planet, the exposure values I found were anything greater than a second with over exposure the planet and the highlights get clipped. I have a custom histogram where the highlights are set to 245 and the shadows are set at 10. So my image is blown out and shows red on the live screen! I have to tone that down to some given number. What would you do. Have you done this type of work in the past? Please help me if you can! Ron Przybylo 😀 Here is one photo that's overexposed. share.icloud.com/photos/0d1LJAwIi5bFqGusx0yHhigWA

Excellent video as always, thanks Jason.

Could you by any chance make a video on how to keep a journal like yours?

Hey there Jason :) Still waiting for your answer about spotting scopes :)

thank you so much for the help

If you want to be fancy, the Astronomical League sells journal books. I use them, keeps things uniform and it keeps the people at the AL busy 😄

Hi Jay 🙂 Nice to see so soon 😄 I think I'm too lazy and too busy for writing log durring stargazing 😅😜 And it's definitely bad idea when you observe DSO's, cause you can broke your eye's adaptation 👀🙃 Maybe recording voice notes instead of writing on paper in the dark will be better idea? 🎤💾😉👍 But anyway, I'm even too lazy to do this 😄 Just keep in mind all my starways to many DSO's, also have Stellarium on my phone, it helps a lot when I try to find new target ⭐🌌😊👌 Congrats with 2K subs! 😃🤩🎉🎊🏆 Have a clear skies, and good luck 🍀😀🤝😀

Thank you for another great video. You mentioned that you went back in to Stellarium to check the moon positions and they lined up. I often find that the position of Jupiters moons don't seem to line up with what I am seeing. I have confirmed that it is set to the right day, time and location, but it still doesn't line up. Have you experienced that? Or is there something that I am probably still doing wrong here?

Awesome vid!

Hope you get plenty fun watching Andromeda and m31

If you have time, what you would do differently and lessons learned.

Offt 1988 the year I was born , my spelling is probably just as bad as yours back then though 😫😆 ,I made a load of journals in the lockdown so cheers for the idea on how to use them

Hey Small Optics, today I found this very video right here and I’m just getting started on writing what I observe in my journal. But, I also wonder if it is also a good idea to use the Notes App on the phone. So, my question to you is that is using the notes app on the phone as good as writing it on the journal itself?

I find it strange you have this beginners site to help us new ones, but instead of seeing a typical starter telescope like an Astromaster 70 or something similar, you always open each post sitting next to something as huge as a cannon off a pirate ship ?

Jason I have that same RA drive on my Orion 130st. Have you had any luck with yours? Mine won't make good contact with the gear and starts to skip after a minute or so.

I would number the pages as well. Then you could add an index in the back; either by date or object. Then when you want to find M-57, it tells you in the index what page to turn to. Ifyou have a girlfriend, you might even have her type it into a computer file! 😋

What do you mean ' witch telescope to use'? Are you trying to tell me you have more than one? 😧

A good idea. If, like you, in 30 years time I can look back at my observations, I'll be over the moon (sorry) as I'll be a 102 years old!! lol Let's hope I can.