star gazing at night-astronomy

[karen327]

My husband and I love astronomy and hope to be able to find a quiet and perhaps dark place on the Pearl to look at the stars with a binoculars or small portable telescope when we go on our first cruise in March 09. Is there anyone reading this who also enjoys astronomy and has tried to do this from a ship? The sea location is obviously great, but are you able to see much with the ships light polution? We would greatly appreciate any advice that can be given. Also, we booked an alt portside balcony cabin.

[bakerintn]

I would think that 7x50 or 10x50 binoculars would work well. With the ships motion, a telescope would be very hard to use. The smaller the "front" lense, the harder to use because of the motion. Standard shipboard binoculars have historically been 7 x 50 for that reason.

 

You won't find many places without light at night for safety reasons. The lights around the pool will be a lot of polution, so head forward or aft to get away from them. I think that the "free style deck" (clothing optional ) sun deck would be a good place at night (Deck 15 forward on the Pearl).

[terrymtex01]

When not too cloudy, your aft balcony will be a great place for you to gaze starward. I love to stargaze as well and have enjoyed many a night on our aft balcony looking upward. I do have to say that even with binocs, you are going to have a hard time with anything other than your naked eye due to the movement of the ship.

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

My husband and I love astronomy and hope to be able to find a quiet and perhaps dark place on the Pearl to look at the stars.

 

On our recent cruise to Mexico, the cruise director exercised his love for and knowledge of astronomy, and hosted a sky show on the prow of the Sun one fine evening. He had a laser pointer, and pointed out all the latest constellations. Way cool.

 

They shut down all the nearby lights, and posted a couple deckhands near the ramps with flashlights, to help clumsy passengers navigate the steps with fewer fractured bones. I thought that was a nice touch.

[raudacruise]

Had an aft balcony 2 weeks ago on Spirit. Had the crescent moon and jupiter and mercury (I think) most of the cruise even though cloudy). Last night we had very clear weather and could see the milky way no binoculars required. Extraordinary.

[terrymtex01]

Had an aft balcony 2 weeks ago on Spirit. Had the crescent moon and jupiter and mercury (I think) most of the cruise even though cloudy). Last night we had very clear weather and could see the milky way no binoculars required. Extraordinary.

 

That must have been so amazing to see the milky way with your naked eyes. I have heard you should be able to see it but I have never been able to or at least didn't realize it was what I was looking at. I maybe wrong, but I think it was Jupiter and Venus you saw. We sat in the back yard for several hours that night and watched it all. I think it will be like 20 years or so before they are in that position again.

[arby70]

I love the night skies and to gaze up at the stars. I also saw the moon with Jupiter and Venus hovering next to it. Gorgeous. Here in the Black Hills of Wyoming we have wonderfully dark, clear skies and so being able to see the Milky Way with your naked eye is fairly common. I never take it for granted tho. We also got a special treat one winter night and were visited by the Northern Lights. REALLY COOL!

 

Always am looking up at night, even when we are cruising.

[raudacruise]

Yes, it was Venus, not Mercury (had to do a little googling here). Always thought of Venus as the evening/morning star.

 

There is going to be a convergence of Jupiter/Mercury at the end of the month:

 

http://stargazing.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_night_sky_for_december_2008

 

But it looks like telescope only.

 

There is nothing like looking out at the sky on a cruise from you balcony. Hearing the waves and nodding off to sleep.

 

Until you get woken up by rain which happened to me on our last cruise :eek:. 2am in the morning and I really never got back to sleep.

 

The price you have to pay I guess :rolleyes:.