{"id":3680,"date":"2013-07-28T20:57:43","date_gmt":"2013-07-28T20:57:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=3680"},"modified":"2013-07-28T20:57:43","modified_gmt":"2013-07-28T20:57:43","slug":"watching-the-sky-for-satellites-with-a-looking-down-viewer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=3680","title":{"rendered":"Watching the sky for satellites with a looking-down viewer"},"content":{"rendered":"

A reader was interested in\u00a0Satellite Observing<\/a> and wondered if I knew of any looking-down<\/em> style telescope devices<\/a> like that used in Project Moonwatch<\/a> during the 1950s:<\/p>\n

\"Moonwatch+scope2_f[1]\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Such a system is much more comfortable for long observations, especially for those with back problems that make upward viewing difficult and painful.<\/p>\n

I noted there were compact\u00a0 telescopes with bent eyepieces such as this Orion TableTop Refractor Telescope<\/a>. However, he pointed out that these had narrow fields of view.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, he later found the Sky Window<\/a> apparatus that combines binoculars with an adjustable mirror:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Allows observer to be seated while “looking down” at the sky in total comfort.<\/p>\n

Keeps binoculars fixed at a “microscope” angle while observing from horizon to zenith. Observer’s head never moves ! Only Sky Window\u00ae can do this !!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It works with “most modern \u00a0binoculars with Standard 1\/4-20 spindle tripod port ( adapter for Celestron giants and custom fit available)”. Check it out if this would suit your satellite observing style.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A reader was interested in\u00a0Satellite Observing and wondered if I knew of any looking-down style telescope devices like that used in Project Moonwatch during the 1950s: Such a system is much more comfortable for long observations, especially for those with back problems that make upward viewing difficult and painful. I noted there were compact\u00a0 telescopes … Continue reading Watching the sky for satellites with a looking-down viewer<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-astronomy","category-satellite-watching"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p34aWK-Xm","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3326,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=3326","url_meta":{"origin":3680,"position":0},"title":"Satellite watching intro","author":"TopSpacer","date":"July 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Here's a nicely done overview of how to observe satellites passing overhead from your backyard and without a telescope: How to Spot and Track Satellites - Universe Today - July.11.13 Find more about tracking spacecraft in the HobbySpace Satellite Observing section. You can also use the the Satellite Tracking Tool\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Satellite Watching"","block_context":{"text":"Satellite Watching","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=29"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12759,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=12759","url_meta":{"origin":3680,"position":1},"title":"Amateur satellite observers can spot a spysat","author":"TopSpacer","date":"June 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Spysats can't hide from determined amateur spacecraft trackers:\u00a0Backyard Detectives Out-Spy the Spies Orbiting Above - WIRED\u00a0 Even spy satellites can\u2019t hide from a civilian with a pair of binoculars and a lot of free time. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to hide something that you can see in the sky,\u201d says John Magliacane,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Satellite Watching"","block_context":{"text":"Satellite Watching","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=29"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4032,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=4032","url_meta":{"origin":3680,"position":2},"title":"The FUNcube Dongle SDR for satellite reception","author":"TopSpacer","date":"August 19, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I've posted about the FUNcube Dongle before but it's worth a repeat. This small device plugs into a USB port and when combined with a program like\u00a0 SDR# \"A Software Defined Radio in C#\" your computer becomes a fully functional radio tuner. With a proper antenna and preamplifier you can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Satellite Watching"","block_context":{"text":"Satellite Watching","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=29"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"http:\/\/www.assoc-amazon.com\/e\/ir?t=hobbyspace&l=ur2&o=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7429,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=7429","url_meta":{"origin":3680,"position":3},"title":"SpaceX Dragon and Falcon 9 stage seen with telescope as they passed over Europe","author":"TopSpacer","date":"April 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"On Friday\u00a0at Cape Canaveral, SpaceX launched a\u00a0Dragon spacecraft on a cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. \u00a0With a modest amateur telescope, astrophotographer Thierry Legault in Paris imaged\u00a0the shape\u00a0of the\u00a0Dragon, including its two solar panels, as it passed over Paris: http:\/\/youtu.be\/pdS8isz_Ujw (Check out\u00a0Legault's other amazing images of spacecraft in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Astronomy"","block_context":{"text":"Astronomy","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=12"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/pdS8isz_Ujw\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":925,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=925","url_meta":{"origin":3680,"position":4},"title":"Observing the SpaceX Dragon","author":"TopSpacer","date":"March 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The SpaceX Dragon launched yesterday will be visible in the southern hemisphere tonight as it moves towards the ISS: SpaceX's Dragon Space Capsule Visible in Southern Night Sky - Space.com. Find more about tracking spacecraft in the HobbySpace Satellite Observing section.","rel":"","context":"In "Satellite Watching"","block_context":{"text":"Satellite Watching","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=29"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5303,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=5303","url_meta":{"origin":3680,"position":5},"title":"Binary Space Satellite Tracking Tool – now available in standalone mode","author":"TopSpacer","date":"November 15, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0Satellite Tracking Tool\u00a0from\u00a0BINARY SPACE\u00a0is available here at\u00a0HobbySpace. \u00a0The Windows based program allows you to track a large\u00a0set of satellites in both low earth and geostationary\u00a0orbits. It comes free with many features and display options. Up till now the Tool has only run within a browser but there is now the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Satellite Watching"","block_context":{"text":"Satellite Watching","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?cat=29"},"img":{"alt_text":"StandAloneScreenCap","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/StandAloneScreenCap.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3680","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3680"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3684,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3680\/revisions\/3684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}