Very Large Telescope images stunning central region of the Milky Way

i RECEIVED AN INTERSTELLAR MESSAGE AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T WANT ANY MORE IMMIGRANTS.

originally posted by: sligtlyskeptical
i RECEIVED AN INTERSTELLAR MESSAGE AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T WANT ANY MORE IMMIGRANTS.

They must have one hell of a big wall.

originally posted by: gallop
Damn, there is simply absolutely no way every one of those suns does not have a planet inhabited by life. Just unfathomable to consider that...

What an amazing place the enormity of the universe is...

exactly..

if we are a fluke.. then there must be millions of other 'flukes' out there

originally posted by: LSU2018
a reply to: gortex

What would I need to somewhat sort of see something close to this with a common telescope bought on a middle class income budget?

Best bet for amateur stuff is just to buy a decent amateur scope with most of the bells and whistles that you might want. You're never going to match what can be done from a proper observatory by experienced astronomers. You don't really need to. If it can be done, it's being done or been done (better). That takes nothing away from the experience of (say) seeing Jupiter or Orion with your own eyes. Or (more expensive and more effort and more time-consuming) create your own images of things amateurs image all the time.

I'd say that $3k (USD) will get you comfortably in the door. But just. You can spend as much on an amateur setup as you could spend on a house.

ANY telescope, or even binoculars, is a useful tool for astronomy. Even looking at the Moon is interesting. Just pick a price point and go for it....I'd start on Amazon.
Geez.

originally posted by: RickinVa
a reply to: LSU2018


Celestron NexStar 6SE 150mm f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain GoTo Telescope

www.celestron.com...


I had one, they go for around $700. You won't see images like in the video, but what you will see will astound you for hours on end.

That telescope has Proposition 65 Warning. Any idea why?

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment is establishing this website to provide the public with information on chemicals, products and locations often associated with Proposition 65 warnings. These warnings inform Californians about their exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

www.p65warnings.ca.gov...

a reply to: M4ngo
Everything does. I wouldnt be surprised if a carton of milk does. Mostly, it's a CYA thing, but some are rediculous. OR, they're trying scare you wont buy and discover the truth thats out there?! Hmmmmmmm

a reply to: mtnshredder

I agree. I think it is one of the reasons I hate those sci-fi scenes that show starships zooming through space with what I guess is suppose to depict stars, flashing past them as the try to make it look like they are dodging them.

It always distracts me because then I start thinking, "Now how can that be?" Then I lose interest in the movie altogether.

a reply to: gortex
When I see photos, images, movies like this one and the one posted about the Andromeda Galaxy. I cannot for the life of me figure out why people believe that we are the only living beings in the universe.

a reply to: LSU2018

Try a meade Lightbridge, they are on Amazon, for less than a 1000. You wont see these kind of images on any small telescope however, these are digitally enhanced time exposures by a large aperture instrument. You will be able to see some spectacular lunar features, nice star fields, planets and a galaxy or two if you get some decent astronomy guides and or software.

originally posted by: LSU2018
a reply to: gortex

What would I need to somewhat sort of see something close to this with a common telescope bought on a middle class income budget?

Hallucinogenic drugs. Lots of them.

These will be composites of millions of images that have been processed by a team of artists.

This is way beyond backyard telescope.

originally posted by: Bob350
a reply to: gortex
When I see photos, images, movies like this one and the one posted about the Andromeda Galaxy. I cannot for the life of me figure out why people believe that we are the only living beings in the universe.

It's called being agnostic. You take what you know about life in the universe and do not jump to any conclusions outside your knowledge. We know there is us in the universe pondering the - life out there - question, so we know the number for life in the universe is at least 1. This gives knowledge that there is a first for life in the universe.

The universe is probably teaming with question asking life, but it does not have to be that way. Calling aliens when seeing lights in the sky, even if it is billions upon billions, just doesn't cut it for me.

Imagine, just for a moment, we are the universes first. Wouldn't that suck?