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theoracle74
member
Reged: 05/01/08
Posts: 38
Loc: Stoneham, MA
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Jim and LLD,
I live in Eastern Mass and would be interested in getting out as well. Will most likely be purchasing a used 10" meade LX200GPS in the very near future. Would love to get out to a dark sky location and do some observing!
Jon
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“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”
-Albert Einstein
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LLD
Lucky so far
Reged: 11/14/05
Posts: 1698
Loc: MASS.
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Jon : We have a public astronomy night at The MooseHill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon This Saturday May 10th if your interested, We regularly have a good crowd of 20 to 40 people show up! Your welcome to come down and meet everyone! You can vist the Mass Audubon society web site web page The program is not listed on the web site but you can call them at 781-784-5691 for info about the May 10Th star party, But you can use the web site for directions! PM me for more info And for other observing opportunities !
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LLD. Meade 16 inch dob. Meade 60mm Polaris refractor 76mm Bushnell reflector
Meade ETX60-BB,Meade 70MM / USB color camera
Edited by LLD (05/03/08 10:01 PM)
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Patty102
journeyman
Reged: 05/12/08
Posts: 6
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HiEveryone, I am new here and new to astronomy and star gazing, I recently bought my first telescope and have been trying to find some star party's to attend in my area, and I found this "scope Buddies" which I think is great, I realized that LLD is only 20 minutes from me in Mass. So hopefully I can get to one soon to observe and talk with other's and learn a few things.
I'm sure I will have plenty of questions and I learn a great deal from your posts.
Thank you.
Patty102
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LLD
Lucky so far
Reged: 11/14/05
Posts: 1698
Loc: MASS.
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Hello Patty102 Welcome to Cloudy Nights! Congrats on your first telescope! I also think the scope buddies forum is a great idea, There are a few of us CN members already meeting for observing sessions, With more hoping to meet up soon! I sent ya a reply to your PM! Hope to hear back from you soon!
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LLD. Meade 16 inch dob. Meade 60mm Polaris refractor 76mm Bushnell reflector
Meade ETX60-BB,Meade 70MM / USB color camera
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Protheus
Vaguely offended
Reged: 09/01/07
Posts: 4657
Loc: Illinois, US
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I'm rather far away, myself, but welcome Patty.
Chris
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"To tread the sharp edge of a sword;
to run on smooth-frozen ice,
one needs no footsteps to follow..."
"Well, people sometimes ask me 'how did you get involved in astronomy?' I said 'I got born, what's your problem?'" -- John Dobson
"In discussing the large-scale structure of the cosmos, astronomers sometimes say that space is curved, or that the universe is finite but unbounded. Whatever are they talking about?" -- Carl Sagan
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Patty102
journeyman
Reged: 05/12/08
Posts: 6
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LLD
Thanks for the info, regrading observing, what a small world, people right in my own town, that's the beauty of these forums, I am definately interested in meeting you all, just PM me when you are all going to meet the next time and anything else you think I should know, I have never been observing with a group.
Patty102
Hi Chris, thanks for the welcome.
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Jerry V
journeyman
Reged: 04/23/08
Posts: 8
Loc: Cloudy Indiana
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I think this idea is great. It can be hard to admit to veteran astronomers that you are not as well versed as they are. I don't see many from Indiana here though.
Jerry
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chexmix
sage
Reged: 12/01/04
Posts: 346
Loc: Arlington, MA, USA
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I have what I guess may be a peculiar take on this, so ... here goes.
I love the "scope buddies" idea and would like to see it formalized somehow. I have a number of reasons for this, some I suppose more selfish than others. :^|
First and foremost: I don't really or can't enjoy big star parties (heck, parties period), since I suffer from something akin to "social anxiety disorder" that makes being in or around even medium-sized groups of people very problematic. And forget crowds!
Please understand, I am making NO judgments of the many people who DO enjoy these events! I'm just talking about my own peculiar makeup which, to perhaps stray towards TMI territory, _has_ occasionally been very depressing/disabling. But I have to recognize and/or admit it.
I find I have a much better time observing with 1-3 friends.
Furthermore, I haven't had a car in over two years now (this is the selfish part) and so if I could find a "scope buddy" in my area who had a good-sized vehicle, it would be really swell. I would be happy to contribute to the gas kitty, of course, and since I can get a Zipcar if I want I could conceivably reciprocate with transportation from time to time.
Bottom line I suppose is that doing stuff alone all the time gets to be a drag, but I'm just not a crowds person. At all.
The edgy aspects of trying to implement this (mentioned several times in the thread above) are very real, too, and are worth thinking about. Some years ago I decided I was tired of playing improv guitar all by myself and that it would be really fun to find someone to improvise _with_ ... and to that end I put an ad up on Craigslist. It wasn't long before I got a response from someone who ... seemed interested, but then he started asking me whether I wanted him to send a picture of himself. I repeatedly told him I didn't care what he looked like ... then decided HE thought I was looking for something other than a guitar playing partner, and gave up.
It's an odd world, and sometimes you don't know whether you're being explicit enough about what the lines are, and what you want, and what is NOT a euphemism for something else!
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8" Discovery DHQ
Celestron C102-HD
9x63 Orion mini-giants
(2) Frontally-placed visual organs, incl. lens, vitreous/aqueous humors, assorted rods, cones.
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jstephany
member
Reged: 12/17/07
Posts: 64
Loc: Madison WI
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Excellent Idea! Anyone from South Central Wis.?
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John
10" Orion xt classic dob
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DCM
member
Reged: 11/13/07
Posts: 11
Loc: Texas
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Deleted TOS violation.
Edited by Snaproll (05/24/08 10:16 AM)
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chexmix
sage
Reged: 12/01/04
Posts: 346
Loc: Arlington, MA, USA
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Since I understand whole new fora don't approved often, I'll leap in too: if there is anyone in the Metro Boston area who would be interested in linking resources (as previously stated I have scopes but no car), please PM me! I would love to hear from you! My scopes are gathering dust and I HATE THAT!!
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8" Discovery DHQ
Celestron C102-HD
9x63 Orion mini-giants
(2) Frontally-placed visual organs, incl. lens, vitreous/aqueous humors, assorted rods, cones.
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Out of Focus
sage
Reged: 09/23/07
Posts: 232
Loc: Roseville (Sac) CA
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Orion XT10i w/FT
Orion XT6
Orion Mini Giant 15X63
Orion ST80-A
24mmHyperion,13mmEthos,
9mmNagler
AO series 160 &
L10 Microscopes
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Blue Canyon, Placer Co. CA
 
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Nick Lloyd
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/24/06
Posts: 1641
Loc: cincinnati
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As far as organizing a Scope Buddies forum, would it make sense to have dedicated threads for each State?
How about a "Scope Buddies" sticky on the "Astro Outreach, Clubs and Star Parties" page? Much like the 2008 Star Parties and Events sticky... except the Months listed would be States listed. CN users that want to observe together could simply list their name and their general geographic location. CN users that want to contact them would have the option of simply sending a PM.
Keeping it as a reference and not an ongoing-let's-talk-about-Bob-and-that-funny-thing-he-did-at-CSSP
would make it easier to navigate.
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"The best scope is the one you use." -rcg
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Snaproll
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/20/04
Posts: 3491
Loc: Wisconsin
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Nice thought Nick, perhaps put it in feedback. I'll bring it up when I get a chance to.
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-Jim-
Happiness is a clear sky and a Denk II
old AP images and some new C14 Hyperstar images
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JamesE
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/22/07
Posts: 521
Loc: Westbank, BC, Canada
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Post deleted by JamesE
Edited by JamesE (05/24/08 04:58 PM)
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28628
Loc: montana
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Quote:
I think the discussion should revolve more around CN's part in ensuring some security measures for protection. I think it is obvious that CN can not be accountable for the actions of individuals. CN can be accountable to how info is presented ie, member information, TOS rules, etc.
Since CN already monitors how info is presented, member info, TOS rules, & enforces the TOS; what security measures for protection do you propose for CN to adopt?
Also, I don't believe it's a good idea that a new member is prevented from PMing other members in this particular group, and doubt if it would be possible anyway.
If your suggestions are welcomed by the readers of this thread, you might consider opening your own website for this group, & that way you could enact all the measures you suggested.
CN is for all members, and our TOS, etc. extends to all equally, without creating a special TOS for a specific group.
This thread has merit, but the old saying comes to mind; "buyer beware", in this case, "member beware" when exchanging personal information & meeting publicly.
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm B/TMB 3.2
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Protheus
Vaguely offended
Reged: 09/01/07
Posts: 4657
Loc: Illinois, US
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Quote:
Also, I don't believe it's a good idea that a new member is prevented from PMing other members in this particular group, and doubt if it would be possible anyway.
Possible? Yeah, we could completely scrap and re-write UBB. It would be great. 
Probably not a good idea, though.
Chris
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"To tread the sharp edge of a sword;
to run on smooth-frozen ice,
one needs no footsteps to follow..."
"Well, people sometimes ask me 'how did you get involved in astronomy?' I said 'I got born, what's your problem?'" -- John Dobson
"In discussing the large-scale structure of the cosmos, astronomers sometimes say that space is curved, or that the universe is finite but unbounded. Whatever are they talking about?" -- Carl Sagan
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THEPLOUGH
Nailed Again
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 3957
Loc: Carlisle, Cumbria, ENGLAND
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Quote:
Quote:
I think the discussion should revolve more around CN's part in ensuring some security measures for protection. I think it is obvious that CN can not be accountable for the actions of individuals. CN can be accountable to how info is presented ie, member information, TOS rules, etc.
Since CN already monitors how info is presented, member info, TOS rules, & enforces the TOS; what security measures for protection do you propose for CN to adopt?
Also, I don't believe it's a good idea that a new member is prevented from PMing other members in this particular group, and doubt if it would be possible anyway.
If your suggestions are welcomed by the readers of this thread, you might consider opening your own website for this group, & that way you could enact all the measures you suggested.
CN is for all members, and our TOS, etc. extends to all equally, without creating a special TOS for a specific group.
This thread has merit, but the old saying comes to mind; "buyer beware", in this case, "member beware" when exchanging personal information & meeting publicly.
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Geoff...
Nexstar 8SE -- 9X50 RACI Finder scope... 6.3 F/R.-- 13 & 17mm Hyperion EPs.. 25mm Celestron E- Lux EP.. 2X Celestron X-Cel Barlow----- Celestron solar filter + A few bits and pieces..
Never give up on any one..... MIRACLES happen every day....
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chexmix
sage
Reged: 12/01/04
Posts: 346
Loc: Arlington, MA, USA
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I'm trying another craigslist post since all seems silent here. Kind of depressing -- but maybe I'm just inadequately patient.
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8" Discovery DHQ
Celestron C102-HD
9x63 Orion mini-giants
(2) Frontally-placed visual organs, incl. lens, vitreous/aqueous humors, assorted rods, cones.
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LLD
Lucky so far
Reged: 11/14/05
Posts: 1698
Loc: MASS.
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Chexmix. Hi few of Cloudy Nighters and a few of my friends in the Sharon area try to meet 2 or 3 times a month to observe at one of our local parks in Sharon And Easton, If you have access to a zip car and would like to join up with us your more than welcome too! We are meeting at Borderland state park in Easton tonight for a night of stargazing and we also will be hosting a public astronomy night at the Moose Hill Wildlife sanctuary in Sharon on June 14th! We also observe once a month at the Amateur Telescope Makers Of Boston at their club house In westford ! Give me a pm or a post here and let me know if you can make it to any of these or maybe one of our other observing nights! Same goes for any other local CN'er That would like to join up with a bunch of local stargazer's ! Web site for Borderland State Park web page
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LLD. Meade 16 inch dob. Meade 60mm Polaris refractor 76mm Bushnell reflector
Meade ETX60-BB,Meade 70MM / USB color camera
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