Official greetings to everyone!
While I have been on this site for a couple years now, I have never introduced myself. Is there a cutoff for this type of thing? haha
A bit about me not related to Astro
My name is Chase and I have been living in the northwestern cities of Minneapolis, MN (a lovely bortle 7 pushing 8 area), all my life. During this time I have found passions in a large variety of hobbies. With Minnesota being a state with... pretty harsh and long winters, I naturally found great enjoyment in snowboarding during these 5 months of cold weather. As a pastime I enjoy playing my guitars, or the latest videogames, and visiting the family lake (Bortle 5 but never imaged there) during summer weekends. I am also a gearhead, and will take any opportunity to work on my car, partake in car shows, or just find an excuse to drive somewhere for a fun daytrip on a nice day. I also love camping and wildlife photography and always try to find new areas in darker skies to bring my portable rig with and also image new and interesting wildlife. Lately, every year I have gone up to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota, an absolutely gorgeous area in a mostly bortle 1 sky. I highly recommend visiting if you enjoy camping and canoeing!
The bit about me related to Astro
Astronomy has been my greatest interest for almost as long as I can remember. However, I didn't start thinking about astrophotography until I was in my mid 20s, with serious thoughts on potentially purchasing equipment in my late 20s. The event that pushed me over that slippery slope was on my 30th birthday in 2020 when a group of my friends surprised me with the funds that they all chipped in to help me purchase my first telescope. That is where my Orion ED80T CF telescope came in and the rest is history.. I have been in love with this hobby ever since, despite the light pollution and my current yard (has no Southern or Eastern view). While it has been a fun and rewarding experience, along with frustration from time to time, I am looking forward to my future in this hobby.
My future in the Hobby
I am very excited to say that I just had my offer accepted on a new house! I will be moving further west into a bortle 5 area in early May, and my new backyard faces westward away from the nearby small town (still bortle 5) to my east. The yard is tree free and has unobstructed views of the sky from my south all the way to my north. I am beyond excited for this! I can't wait to take my first images from this new location.
Question Relating to my Move
Light pollution - As I am currently in a bortle 7/8 area, I naturally use the Optolong L-Pro for my broadband imaging (ASI294 MC Pro), would you recommend I continue to use this in a bortle 5 (19.97 Mag/arcsec)? Or do you think I would be better off moving to my UV/IR filter? I would not be imaging over the town to my east, and the west is farmland after another half mile or so of neighborhoods.
Observatory - Also, this may just be me dreaming, but has anyone converted a normal 10x12 wooden shed into a roll off observatory? I feel it may be too difficult to convert a prebuilt shed as opposed to buying and building up a new roll off observatory.. The shed is new and in good condition.
Thank you on any opinions you may have!
Clear Skies!
-Chase
While I have been on this site for a couple years now, I have never introduced myself. Is there a cutoff for this type of thing? haha
A bit about me not related to Astro
My name is Chase and I have been living in the northwestern cities of Minneapolis, MN (a lovely bortle 7 pushing 8 area), all my life. During this time I have found passions in a large variety of hobbies. With Minnesota being a state with... pretty harsh and long winters, I naturally found great enjoyment in snowboarding during these 5 months of cold weather. As a pastime I enjoy playing my guitars, or the latest videogames, and visiting the family lake (Bortle 5 but never imaged there) during summer weekends. I am also a gearhead, and will take any opportunity to work on my car, partake in car shows, or just find an excuse to drive somewhere for a fun daytrip on a nice day. I also love camping and wildlife photography and always try to find new areas in darker skies to bring my portable rig with and also image new and interesting wildlife. Lately, every year I have gone up to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota, an absolutely gorgeous area in a mostly bortle 1 sky. I highly recommend visiting if you enjoy camping and canoeing!
The bit about me related to Astro
Astronomy has been my greatest interest for almost as long as I can remember. However, I didn't start thinking about astrophotography until I was in my mid 20s, with serious thoughts on potentially purchasing equipment in my late 20s. The event that pushed me over that slippery slope was on my 30th birthday in 2020 when a group of my friends surprised me with the funds that they all chipped in to help me purchase my first telescope. That is where my Orion ED80T CF telescope came in and the rest is history.. I have been in love with this hobby ever since, despite the light pollution and my current yard (has no Southern or Eastern view). While it has been a fun and rewarding experience, along with frustration from time to time, I am looking forward to my future in this hobby.
My future in the Hobby
I am very excited to say that I just had my offer accepted on a new house! I will be moving further west into a bortle 5 area in early May, and my new backyard faces westward away from the nearby small town (still bortle 5) to my east. The yard is tree free and has unobstructed views of the sky from my south all the way to my north. I am beyond excited for this! I can't wait to take my first images from this new location.
Question Relating to my Move
Light pollution - As I am currently in a bortle 7/8 area, I naturally use the Optolong L-Pro for my broadband imaging (ASI294 MC Pro), would you recommend I continue to use this in a bortle 5 (19.97 Mag/arcsec)? Or do you think I would be better off moving to my UV/IR filter? I would not be imaging over the town to my east, and the west is farmland after another half mile or so of neighborhoods.
Observatory - Also, this may just be me dreaming, but has anyone converted a normal 10x12 wooden shed into a roll off observatory? I feel it may be too difficult to convert a prebuilt shed as opposed to buying and building up a new roll off observatory.. The shed is new and in good condition.
Thank you on any opinions you may have!
Clear Skies!
-Chase
