231 replies to this topic

[sunnyday]

what is your favorite constellation or target  and why?

mine is orion why ? first a saw in a telescope m42 wow .

after I will say Saturn because of the rings.

you ?

[Astroman007]

Orion.

 

It was the first that I found entirely on my own when a small child, and the point of origin for my lifelong interest in all things concerning the starry sky.

[sunnyday]

Orion.

 

It was the first that I found entirely on my own when a small child, and the point of origin for my lifelong interest in all things concerning the starry sky.

same for me .

[PXR-5]

Scorpius, I love the Summer Milky Way

[Garyth64]

Yep, Orion for me too.  When I got my first scope for Christmas I was finally able to get a clear night about a week later,  and Orion was standing there.  Jupiter was high up in the sky, and it was the first planet I had ever seen with a telescope.

Edited by Garyth64, 27 November 2019 - 05:10 PM.

[kkt]

Taurus, because the Pleiades are there.

[Garyth64]

Scorpius, I love the Summer Milky Way

That's my second favorite constellation.

[StrStrck]

Ursa Major, ‘cause my name Bjorn means Bear.

So since my mother pointed it out to me as a small kid, that has been “my” constellation. 

[KennyJ]

Orion for me, too.

 

I must have only been about 4 or 5 years old back in the mid 1950s. when my older brother first pointed it out to me, by name of "The Hunter" rather than "Orion".

 

I've always been fascinated by the way the naked eye view of it resembles a kind of combination of the figures 5 and 3 on a dice.

 

If dice or dominoes included a number 7, the digits would have to be arranged in that manner for me!

 

I always think of my brother every time I look at it.

 

Sadly, it will be exactly 3 years tomorrow since he passed away.

 

Kenny

[csa/montana]

Moving this to General Observing, as OTO is for topics not related to astronomy.

[Neptune]

I think Orion.  I woke up early (before school) and went out in the chilly early fall morning air and saw it high up for my first time. It was just memorable. So majestic.

[tommy10]

Cygnus, Sky high in the summer, the Milky Way, the dark rift, alberio, the Summer Triangle.

[Astroman007]

So many of us have a similar story of discovering Orion, right down to the details of time, age, location, and impressions.

[Vesper818]

Orion and Ursa Major were my first learned constellations. But one fall, my son and I turned our first telescope, a home made copyscope, to the late fall darkness. In a barren looking patch of sky, the scope revealed a treasure of glittering jewels. Stars had different colors!

And we had discovered Coma Berenices.
Since then, I have always had a soft spot for that constellation, and the romantic story that gave its name.

[Allan Wade]

Argo Navis. It’s one of the most target rich and brightest patches in the sky.

[Astroman007]

Argo Navis. It’s one of the most target rich and brightest patches in the sky.

Infinitely better from your latitude than mine, alas.

[DDEV]

Lyra for me!

Not only does it have many wonderful DSOs (The Ring Nebula, Epsilon Lyrae etc.), but it is also associated with a most heart-wrenching love story. When I see it I am reminded to cherish my wife's love because one day it will be gone. It's easy to be distracted from the important things in life, but Lyra has a way of re-focusing my attention on what matters most: love.

Call me an old romantic, but Lyra all day long (well night, come think about it) .

Clear skies,

Darren.

[Astroman007]

Lyra for me!

Not only does it have many wonderful DSOs (The Ring Nebula, Epsilon Lyrae etc.), but it is also associated with a most heart-wrenching love story. When I see it I am reminded to cherish my wife's love because one day it will be gone. It's easy to be distracted from the important things in life, but Lyra has a way of re-focusing my attention on what matters most: love.

Call me an old romantic, but Lyra all day long (well night, come think about it) .

Clear skies,

Darren.

Nothing wrong with that. I see symbolism in the constellations and eternally relevant meaning within the ancient myths.

Edited by Astroman007, 27 November 2019 - 08:45 PM.

[payner]

The first constellation was Ursa Major, the bear, followed by the Little Dipper. Those were pointed out to me as a pre-schooler by my dad as we camped in the "holler" at my great grandpa's. I can still see the blackness of a 1966 October sky in the Kentucky hills as we lay under the stars.
I suppose my favorite from an amateur astronomer's perspective is Scorpius. Love to see it and blazing Antares enter the evening sky in spring. And oh, did I mention the DS objects and the Milky Way?

Happy Thanksgiving,

PS: Sorry guys, but as you may know Scorpius stung poor Orion to death. The scorpion rises as Orion sets.

[Frisky]

I have two favorites. I like the boldness of Orion. All those bright stars cutting through the light pollution and that fantastic nebula! I like Sagittarius, a harbinger of summer! 

 

Joe

[MP173]

I will break mine down into seasons.

 

Winter - Orion, Monoceros, Taurus

Spring - Bootes, Cancer

Summer - Lyra, Cygnus

Fall - Casseiopea, Perseus

 

Overall favorite - Orion.  So much there, M42, open clusters, doubles, etc.  

 

Ed

[slavicek]

Winter: Orion

Summer: Cygnus

[MikeTelescope]

Taurus.  It has been depicted in cave paintings from tens of thousands of years ago.  I find it fascinating to look up at Hyades and the horn shape and think I'm imagining the same animal shapes our distant ancestors imagined too.  

[Allan Wade]

All you guys matching constellations with seasons are forgetting one small point. 

[twjs]

Orion for me too. However it's because that was the one I was gazing into  when I realized that I had fallen in love with she who was to become Mother to my children.

Edited by twjs, 28 November 2019 - 09:43 AM.