Robert Bruce Thompson > Quotes

“For observing faint fuzzies, cool down is less critical. You can’t see much fine detail in them anyway, so the resolution degrading effects of an uncooled mirror don’t matter much. We often observe DSOs [Hack #22] while we wait for our mirror to cool down.”
― Robert Bruce Thompson, Astronomy Hacks: Tips and Tools for Observing the Night Sky

“are”
― Robert Bruce Thompson, Astronomy Hacks: Tips and Tools for Observing the Night Sky

“As much as we like unit-power bulls-eye finders like the Telrad, they are often of limited use under light-polluted skies. Using a Telrad effectively requires being able to see more stars than may be visible under urban skies.”
― Robert Bruce Thompson, Astronomy Hacks: Tips and Tools for Observing the Night Sky

“Chemical heat packs”
― Robert Bruce Thompson, Astronomy Hacks: Tips and Tools for Observing the Night Sky

“The secret is totap the telescope tube slightly, just enough to make the field of view jiggle. Often, an object you couldn’t see will jump out at you as the view jiggles.”
― Robert Bruce Thompson, Astronomy Hacks: Tips and Tools for Observing the Night Sky

“When a cold front moves through the area, it pulls air pollution, dust, and haze with it, often providing excellent viewing conditions with very stable air. Periods immediately after a heavy rain are often best of all; the rain does a wonderful job of clearing dust from the air, which improves atmospheric transparency, stabilizes the air, and reduces the effects of light pollution. (It doesn’t matter how much light escapes into the air if there’s nothing for it to reflect from.)”
― Robert Bruce Thompson, Astronomy Hacks: Tips and Tools for Observing the Night Sky