19 replies to this topic

[Zdee]

Greetings,

My name is Dave, and I'm the new moderator of this forum.

Please feel free to PM me if I can help out with anything.

Thanks.

[Vondragonnoggin]

Hey Dave! Congrats here too. I have yet to use my sky scout mount on my new mak, but as soon as I do, I'll post some impressions.

The sky scout barely comes out anymore, but used it quite a bit when in the first year and a half of my observing. Fun tool. I bought the mount for it, but really have stopped using finders at all. Mostly because of straight through types. Next observing session - ill break out the sky scout on the astronomy shoppe mount I have for it.

[Zdee]

Thanks, Eric! Looking forward to reading your impressions!

[Scott in NC]

Hi Dave,
Congrats and good luck in your new role as moderator of this forum! That's quite a responsibility, being sole mod of a forum. But then again, how much trouble could SkyScout and MySky users get into?

[Zdee]

Thanks, Scott!

[star drop]

Congratulations, Dave!

[Zdee]

Thanks, Ted!

[Jawaid I. Abbasi]

Hi Dave,
Glad to see you here too. Your experiance and having tons of information will guide us and get the correct answers right away.

Congratulation again.

[Zdee]

Thanks, Jawaid!

[rmollise]

Welcome aboard. Alas, I doubt you'll have a lot to do. The cellphone apps have pretty much put the SkyScout in the background. The MySky? Alas, it fell on its sword some time ago.

[NigelR]

Greetings and welcome to the position from sunny South Africa :-) Re note from 'uncle Rod', my own observations (no pun intended) and experience are that mobile phone / other portable devices do not have a very good display 'dynamic range' and always seem 'too bright'or unable to read info. The 'mySky' on the otherhand works fine. Although my unit is not 100% functional (was unable to repair the audio) and have not found how to store "custom tours' (even with extensive assistance from Andrew and Dick), I find it usefull as often I am 'learning solo' at home and whilst also have MANY books, guides, planisphere and 'other' aids the mySky provides at least some 'feedback' - but admitidly not as good as when attending a viewing evening (Pretoria society once a month)! Clear skies *nd as always, KEEP SMILING :-)

[rmollise]

A telling experience? I was out with my university astronomy students one night. In the past, I have always AMAZED them by pulling out the SkyScout and finding stuff. "Let's locate Alderberan," says I. Before the 'Scout could get a fix, half a dozen cellphones came out: "OH, THERE IT IS!"

Don't get me wrong...I used and loved my SkyScout for several years. For the purposes I used it for, however--finding Polaris or other alignment stars at dusk or use with students--I simply have to admit SkySafari running on my iPhone beats it hands down.

[NigelR]

Hi Uncle Rod :-) Absolutely understand and agree with your feedback and perhaps good to highlight that I am using 'mySky' either at 'outreach' (Scouting and Pony club youngsters - no public stuff as I am not that qualified!) or when on my own at home trying to learn more "stuff"! Think 'learning' is the key word as am sure once internal knowledge sufficient then "aids" such as the mySky will become redundant. A VERY good example is when I visit the Pretoria Astronomical Society (here is link - http://www.pretoria-astronomy.co.za/ - am not [yet] a member but a super bunch of enthusiast well worth driving the hour each way to meet) public viewing session I invariably learn LOTS from others who use NO aids whatsoever yet are able to 'point out' MANY objects and provide interesting background information. As an aside (maybe an opportunity for our new moderator to use his "off topic" marker <smile>?) amongst the first 'observing guide books' I obtained is your "The Urban Astronomers's Guide" which is VERY informative! Clear (dark) skies to you from sunny South Africa :-)

[FarrOut]

OK, now I'm really starting to feel like an 'old (gass passer)'. Just turned 65.

See, so far I have refused to get a smart phone. No iPhone, no Android for me.

I got a SkyScout when they first came out and still use it from time to time, mostly when using the binoculars for casual viewing.

I'm not sure how long I'll be able to hold out without getting a smart phone, but I'm doing the best I can.

Dennis

[rmollise]

OK, now I'm really starting to feel like an 'old (gass passer)'. Just turned 65.

See, so far I have refused to get a smart phone. No iPhone, no Android for me.

I got a SkyScout when they first came out and still use it from time to time, mostly when using the binoculars for casual viewing.

I'm not sure how long I'll be able to hold out without getting a smart phone, but I'm doing the best I can.

Dennis

Get the phone.

The big improvements of the iPhone over the Scout? In addition to the full-color hi-res screen, you don't have to wait minutes for a GPS fix, and you don't have to worry about that dratted little magnet icon anymore...

Most of all, though...? Much as I liked the SkyScout, the iPhone (SkySafari, SkyQ (Celestron), and Distant Suns) gets used much more because I always have it with me...

I still have my SkyScout, but I must be honest, I just don't use it much anymore. No reason to. Using Celestron's SkyQ app is very much like using the SkyScout, with audio files and all.

[nytecam]

OK, now I'm really starting to feel like an 'old (gass passer)'. Just turned 65. See, so far I have refused to get a smart phone. No iPhone, no Android for me.
I got a SkyScout when they first came out and still use it from time to time, mostly when using the binoculars for casual viewing. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to hold out without getting a smart phone, but I'm doing the best I can. Dennis

Get the phone. ;)The big improvements of the iPhone over the Scout? In addition to the full-color hi-res screen, you don't have to wait minutes for a GPS fix, and you don't have to worry about that dratted little magnet icon anymore... Most of all, though...? Much as I liked the SkyScout, the iPhone (SkySafari, SkyQ (Celestron), and Distant Suns) gets used much more because I always have it with me... I still have my SkyScout, but I must be honest, I just don't use it much anymore. No reason to. Using Celestron's SkyQ app is very much like using the SkyScout, with audio files and all.

With phone apps did wonder if Celestron SkyScout/ Meade mySky are history and Forum should be renamed to include all devises with these features - just a thought - for the new moderator

[MAURITS]

Welcome Dave!

[Vondragonnoggin]

OK, now I'm really starting to feel like an 'old (gass passer)'. Just turned 65. See, so far I have refused to get a smart phone. No iPhone, no Android for me.
I got a SkyScout when they first came out and still use it from time to time, mostly when using the binoculars for casual viewing. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to hold out without getting a smart phone, but I'm doing the best I can. Dennis

Get the phone. ;)The big improvements of the iPhone over the Scout? In addition to the full-color hi-res screen, you don't have to wait minutes for a GPS fix, and you don't have to worry about that dratted little magnet icon anymore... Most of all, though...? Much as I liked the SkyScout, the iPhone (SkySafari, SkyQ (Celestron), and Distant Suns) gets used much more because I always have it with me... I still have my SkyScout, but I must be honest, I just don't use it much anymore. No reason to. Using Celestron's SkyQ app is very much like using the SkyScout, with audio files and all.

With phone apps did wonder if Celestron SkyScout/ Meade mySky are history and Forum should be renamed to include all devises with these features - just a thought - for the new moderator

Awww, you'll turn Dave's moderating job from sleepy to on-guard!

Platform wars on android vs iPhone, app wars on Sky Safari vs whatever else.

I agree that these sky scout and my sky are a little dated with smart phones all over now though.

[Zdee]

Platform wars on android vs iPhone, app wars on Sky Safari vs whatever else.

That could get ugly.

Thanks for the welcomes and anecdotes!

[Scott in NC]

We're still welcoming you over a month later? Thought you'd have been "old hat" by now!