how to begin space research

ok ive had a fascination with space since i can remember. but its always been hard to get into properly..

what’s the best way to keep an eye out for new stuff..
are there online live telescope feeds or space feeds that people can watch and look for ufos and other stuff?
if i stare at the sky long enough is it likely id ever be able to film anything good?? im assuming some people try there whole life and get nothing but is it easy to film something moving heaps far away..
what other ways can i do this? Or whatelse can I do to feel that I am atleast involved with the space field without a lot of money..
i want to look for ufos and just generally spot anything out of the ordinary, because we all know there so much of it..
any other info would be great.

The best way to research space would be to go there lol. Something I figures would happen in my lifetime. How wrong I was. My kids have the same glimmer of hope in their eyes that I once did and the same feeling my father said he had when he was a kid. I feel bad for my kids as they will be let down in the same fashion as I was.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


wish i was richard branson..id do my best to make it affordable for most people. or atleast give heaps of free trips to researchers or anyone really

reply to post by UniverSoul


I had always thought that if all sci-fi fans, trekkies, geeks, nerds, UFO nuts, and general space enthusiasts pooled their money together we could fund a n extremely robust space program that would not only work but see civilians in space within a fifteen year timeframe.

reply to post by metaldemon2000


well if i ever get rich ill put it into action aha
can you flag this so i cant get some more answers please

Originally posted by UniverSoul
are there online live telescope feeds or space feeds that people can watch and look for ufos and other stuff?

Yes, but if by "ufos" you mean space aliens, don't hold your breath.
www.nightskiesnetwork.com...

if i stare at the sky long enough is it likely id ever be able to film anything good?? im assuming some people try there whole life and get nothing but is it easy to film something moving heaps far away..

When I first read this question my kneejerk reaction was "yes, of course," but then I realized you may be asking about something else entirely. I've made a number of videos I would consider to be "good" shots, but perhaps my idea of filming something good isn't your idea of filming something good. If by "good" you mean moon shadow transits across Jupiter, the International Space Station orbiting high above, or a comet sailing through the solar system then yes you can film all these things with a little skill, experience, and patience. If by "good" you mean filming an alien mothership zooming through space, then you're most likely going to be met with disappointment and frustration. I won't say you shouldn't try; if that's your deepest desire and passion, then by all means try, but I will caution you that you're probably not going to be satisfied by the experience.

There are plenty of awesome things and events out there to see, but unfortunately tales of routine alien visitation have de-sensitized people to the true wonders of space.

i want to look for ufos and just generally spot anything out of the ordinary, because we all know there so much of it..

And there we have the problem. We don't "all know" there's so much of it. I've spent the last 16 years as a serious amateur astronomer, looking up at the night sky and have never seen any extra-terrestrial craft or object, and I'm young compared to most amateur astronomers. Most of these guys are in their retirement years and have been active in the hobby since the space race began 50 years ago. Go to a major national star party and ask around if anyone has seen an alien spaceship before and you're going to find that there are far fewer aliens flying around up there than you think.

I'm not saying there's no such thing as an amateur who had an anomalous sighting, indeed some do, but considering the man hours we put into watching the sky, the number of reports of alien spacecraft from amateurs is incredibly dismal. If there were nearly as many aliens flying around earth as some people seem to think, amateur astronomers would be the primary group reporting about it. That's not the case though. We know how to identify satellites, weather balloons, Venus, etc, etc, so there's very little up there that we can't quickly identify.

Originally posted by UniverSoul
ok ive had a fascination with space since i can remember. but its always been hard to get into properly..

what’s the best way to keep an eye out for new stuff..
are there online live telescope feeds or space feeds that people can watch and look for ufos and other stuff?
if i stare at the sky long enough is it likely id ever be able to film anything good?? im assuming some people try there whole life and get nothing but is it easy to film something moving heaps far away..
what other ways can i do this? Or whatelse can I do to feel that I am atleast involved with the space field without a lot of money..
i want to look for ufos and just generally spot anything out of the ordinary, because we all know there so much of it..
any other info would be great.

1 Get a descent telescope or exceptional binoculars.
2 Get a sky atlas-- or at least a planisphere.
3 Earn your Messier Certificate.

In step three, you will become very familiar with the sky and your instrument. You will record your observations, fine tune your descriptive ability, and most of all-- spend many hours out at night doing nothing but looking up.

You will see meteors, probably get a view of a comet for a few nights. learn to know a satellite when you see one, and learn to hate the moon's brightness, the name "Tasco," and dew.

It is lots of fun.

You know, I've been asking myself a similar question. I've always been infatuated with flying and space, so helping with space research is a hobby I'd delightfully dig into. Now I can't really help with observing, since I only have a cheap telescope, but I am a programmer, so maybe I could somehow help with data processing.

Does anyone know if there is a way to help with processing and analyzing images and electromagnetic signals? Or maybe a way to contribute to research of aerodynamics, propulsion systems, etc. ? Even if it's just something simple, since I'm not an expert in any of those fields, I feel like I could devote some of my spare time to the cause. I've done some googling, but have found nothing on this subject.

Originally posted by Shenron
Does anyone know if there is a way to help with processing and analyzing images and electromagnetic signals?

www.galaxyzoo.org...
Not exactly "research," but if you're interested in processing, future editions of this contest might interest you:
www.eso.org...

Thanks, that looks interesting! I think I'll have some fun with classifying the galaxies.

P.S. They also seem to have The Moonzoo, hehe: www.moonzoo.org...