Saturday, April 4, 2009

Slooh Robotic Telescopes

Eagle Nebula


You know how it is, you get home after a hard day at work, flop down in your easy chair and turn on the TV, and you think, "Geez, I'd like to view 16 Zet hya in the constellation Hydra but I just don't want to spend the hour it takes to set up my scope" and then you think, " Wait a minute.........I don't even have a scope, I'm really screwed, I'll never be able to look at 16 Zet hya in the constellation Hydra".

Cat's Paw Nebula

Well normally you would be screwed, but enter Slooh. For just 49.95 a year you get unlimited access to telescopes, LIVE in real time viewing, in the Canary Islands, Chile and soon to be Australia.... that's right I said Australia.

Omega Centauri


Choose between watching the programed tours of the live night sky or step in yourself and take control by way of booking the telescopes in 5 minute time slots where you are able to choose any object your heart desires, like 16 Zet Hya in the constellation Hydra, or something good like Omega Centauri, Image above.

North American Nebula

But that's not all folks, you have access to imaging equipment, where you can image your celestial target, as well as download it to your hard drive to use as wallpaper or post like I'm doing on the Internet, all this again for only 49.95 a year. They have a 7 day trial period where you can try before you purchase as well as a 14.95 plan where you can purchase 100 minutes of telescope time, either way if you are interested in viewing the night sky through a telescope, can't go wrong with Slooh, nothing like it anywhere else. I have been a member since 2004 and I have blogged about Slooh before, but they keep adding scopes and decreasing the price, thought I should give them another mention.


This coming Friday, April 10 at 10 pm ET 400 Years of The Telescope will be airing on PBS. "The 60 minute film takes viewers on a breathtaking journey back to Galileo's momentous discoveries, through the leaps of knowledge since then, and to the future of colossal telescopes both here on Earth and floating in the cosmos." I'll leave you now with the trailer, looks pretty good.


59 comments:

Stephanie Barr said...

Wow, cool, Bob! How did you know what I was thinking when I got home last night. I'll have to check out Slooh!

final_transit said...

Bob, I am truly baffled at the power of internet and the 'miracles' it can do! Loved the preview, maybe the documentary itself will be available on youtube!
happy star gazing!

Swubird said...

Bob:

I sure wish that we could have had all of this nifty astronomy stuff when I was twenty-one years old. The Internet, digital cameras, computers and all the rest of the cool stuff would have been my dream come true. Especially, when I lived up near Death Valley with its dark, crystal clear nights that were literally lit up by the thousands of brilliant stars. It's hard to describe how beautiful it was. If had had a digital camera and an eight, or even a six inch scope, I could have captured some breathtaking shots.

Another great post on your part. I'm sorry I missed the show last night.

Happy trails.

Anne Vis said...

Cat's paw nebula ... I like that! :-) Thanks for sharing!

Peter said...

Hi! "That's right I said Australia". Who would have thought us convicts could have progressed that far since 1770!

Oh Bob! Between the $2000 to have the tree loppers get rid of my downed trees from the recent storm and the $1300 to replace my wooden power pole out the front, I'm having trouble enough scratching around for money just to get me to work let alone coming up with goods to take advantage of the Slooh site that you've mentioned!

But not to be outdone, I'll come back to your site to get a glimpse of it for free!

Take Care,
Peter

Bob Johnson said...

Hey Stephanie, you will really like it, I still can't believe you get control of live scopes for the 50 bucks a year, and imaging as well.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hi Priyank, it is amazing isn't it. Hopefully we will be able to buy the show on itunes if not on youtube.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hey swubird, I wish we had this stuff back when I was younger as well. Slooh is an amazing software program, to be able to view any deepsky objects live and then take pics is remarkable.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hi Anne, it is cool, one of my favorites since I love cats.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, Peter, yes Australia, great location and climate for viewing the heavens.

Too bad about all the damage that happened to you, but you are always welcome to view the treasures of the cosmos here for free.\m/\m/

S-V-H said...

Hi Bob,
thank you very much for your kind comment today.
btw, do you have seen my post (scroll down a little bit) about the Meteorite Crater in Arizona? I was there and made some photos about, very impressive! Maybe it's from interest for you :)

Have a wonderful trip to China. You're going soon, right? :)
Looking forward to those photos too!
Susanne
Sue's Daily Photography

Mike said...

Hey Bob - thanks for sharing about this site! The price is cheap to get telescope time - I don't have a scope and the only observing I get is several times a month at star parties at the astronomy club. I hope PBS makes the program available on DVD. I don't get PBS. Thanks

Bob Johnson said...

Hi Susanne, it is a major interest to me, I actually have a piece of the meteorite that created the crater, very cool, thanks for bringing it to my attention.

I will be going to China in July, it will be here in no time.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hey Mike, I think you'd get a lot of use out of it.\m/\m/

Genie said...

OH! The $14.95 thing would be a perfect gift for someone! Especially my husband! We're not sky nuts enough to make full use of the $50 a year plan, but it's still an awesome deal. Too cool.

I love it, you find the best stuff! With your telescopes, your cameras, and with your puter!

Cashmere said...

Very cool... Interesting video!
Thanks for sharing.. :)

RW said...

\m/ Cool stuff Bob I'll have to give'er a check!\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, thanks Genie, I bet your Hubby would like, always looking for things to use the old puter with, so much out there right now, we are all so lucky.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

No problem Cashmere, thanks for dropping by.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks Roger, I know you'll appreciate what it can do for you.\m/\m/

Will said...

That is exactly what I am thinking when I get home from work every day! lol.

I wonder how soon it will take for people booking 5 minutes of custom viewing to create a 100 year back log of reservations?

Speedcat Hollydale said...

Now .... if That was not a cool post, I do not know what is. Makes you think of life as much bigger that what I see out my window.

Excellent :-)

kml said...

Wow - that is way cool! What we don't have access to these days. It's amazing!

Bob Johnson said...

Lol Will, I knew it. People really don't know the value of the telescope, I always get on with just a few days wait, and even a few hours during odd times, like morning or afternoons.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hey Speedy thanks a lot for dropping by, it is cool to think in a matter of minutes you could be looking at the stars, even controlling a robotic telescope.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hi Kathy, it is amazing, and more and more cool things are bound to be coming in the next months and years.\m/\m/

kRiZcPEc said...

sounds great fun to me, thanks for sharing.:stars:

Mike said...

Hey Bob - I would like to share this site with the local planetarium - McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. I think it would be a neat tool for them.

Ivanhoe said...

"Or you can visit Bob's blog few times a week and get to see a cool stuff, too (and for free)" :o)
But kidding aside, I think it's a great deal on Slooh site. Especially for an astrostuff enthusiast like yourself.

Bob Johnson said...

Hi kRiZ cPEc, no problem, I love sharing the stars.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hey Mike that would be a great idea.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol Ivanhoe, for sure, anyone that is interesting in the stars and the like you just can't go wrong with Slooh,\m/\m/

Max Coutinho said...

Hey Lord of the Astropics,

I must say that I found in you, another great skill: marketeer!! You know how to sell man!
I loved the way you advertised Slooh "for 49.95 a year"...well done!

These images are incredible! You must be having the time of your life with Slooh, eh?

400 years of telescope? Already? Boy we are getting old LOL LOL...*nodding*.
Telescope have gone a long away...I loved the video, Bob - thanks!!

It is amazing how little we are before the "ocean of space and time", isn't it? So many things out there; and thanks to you I get to take a peek at it :)!

Have a blessed week!

Cheers

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting about 400 years of the Telescope for us Bob! Hope the show entertains everyone. You can find clips on youtube, but I'm pretty sure itunes will not be getting this. PBS's online store has a DVD you can purchase as well. Thanks again and happy skies!

Jeni

Bob Johnson said...

Lol Max, hey I used to sell life insurance, like for 5 years.
Well I'm getting old and yes there is so much out there for us to enjoy, have a great week Max.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks 400 years of the telescope person, and thanks about the heads up in the PBS store if we want to purchase it, may be the only way us Canadians get to see it.\m/\m/

Stephanie Barr said...

I have changed locations, by the way.

Rocket Scientist is now at http://Rockets-r-Us.blogspot.com
Ask Me Anything is now at http://askthers.blogspot.com

Feel free to update your bloglist if you'd like. I'll be checking back whatever you decide.

Take care.

Bob Johnson said...

Hi Stephanie, good luck with your new locations, I think it was a great move. I added both your sites.\m/\m/

Max Coutinho said...

Bob,

Life insurance for 5 years? No wonder you are good then :D!

Thanks, my friend!

Cheers

Sherer said...

Bob, Awesome post. So the question is. Does Looking on your computer on through the magnificent telescopes equal the erethral beauty and unique trancendental experience derived from getting out int he old mountains and doing it the old fashion way?

I am going to check out that PBS thanks.

Jesse

Rose DesRochers said...

Well Cool Bob, but pssss I never think that. ;-)

Bob Johnson said...

Lol, no prob Max.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Hi and thanks Jesse, no it doesn't, but it's the next best thing, nice to get up close and personal with a scope sometimes, I think you know what I mean having one yourself.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Rose, really,lol.\m/\m/

Marvin said...

Fifty bucks a year for a chance to see through a telescope that you could never, ever hope to even afford to buy time on? That's VERY cool!

I'll sign up when they give me a joystick to steer it.

myonlyphoto said...

Hey Bob lol just ignore my email, I guess you did see this, lol. This is cool stuff, from my laptop now everything is possible. Thanks for sharing. Anna :)

AngelBaby said...

Wow! That is just amazing, I am so glad you found this place so you can quench you appetite for more knowledge about the universe. It is just perfect for you. Now about those shows I am going to watch them they look fabulous. Thanks for sharing this.

Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby

Bob Johnson said...

Hey Marvin, it is very cool, I don't know about the joystick though, you could attach one to your computer and pretend,that would be fun,lol.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Lol Anna, I just read your email, thanks for thinking about me, I know of a lot of programs similar to this but none are live or as cheap.\m/\m/

Bob Johnson said...

Thanks AngelBaby, hope you like the show, I would watch but not available in Canada,:(\m/\m/

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I am interesting in space from my childhood.
This solar system moons article might be interesting for all of you.

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Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for sharing the link - but unfortunately it seems to be not working? Does anybody here at blackholesandastrostuff.blogspot.com have a mirror or another source?


Cheers,
Peter

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