Flash Astronomy: A Couple of Minutes Alone with Your Telescope

An average length of life is a bit more than 70 years. This means that on average we live for over 600 thousand hours. That’s a lot of time. One hour is such a short period of time even on a scale of a single human. Imagine how small one hour is for the universe. However, there is a lot that can be done in this hour by an astronomer. This method called Flash Astronomy.

Some star gazing sessions are long and take time. This is mostly due to the fact that heavy, and often outdated, equipment is hard to set up and get ready for usage. Take big reflectors. They are efficient and help you to see farther, but their primary mirrors usually take a lot of effort to cool down. This is more productive, but incredibly time consuming. Now, think of Tele Vue’s Pronto. This model is smaller and takes a couple of minutes to set up.

Flash Astronomy requires you to be as mobile as possible. Mount your telescope on a wheel cart and make it faster. Simply roll it out whenever you need to take a look at the night sky. You can also make sure to set up everything beforehand instead of mounting and dismounting your telescope each time you want to use it. Permanent mount will spare you precious minutes.

Flash Astronomy also demands you to be efficient at everything. Make sure to store your equipment properly so that every single instrument is accessible. Do not pile your accessories in a plastic bag, purchase special cases to organize your storage. Consider using organizers (on your smartphone or PC) to schedule your star gazing.

I do not want you all to start distinguishing each other as “no life” observers and Flash observers. In fact, I enjoy long nights in a small observatory in my neighborhood. However, I also greatly appreciate those short star gazing sessions that I spontaneously have from time to time. When I don’t have much time, I roll out my trusty Pronto and point it on Jupiter. I pack up quickly and my session ends just as instantaneously as it started.

At the same time, you can definitely make your short observations useful. Make sure to visit AAVSO. American association encourages contributions and you can definitely help out by making your Flash astronomy more targeted and better scheduled. Short sessions don’t have to be inefficient!

If you still doubt the benefits of Flash Astronomy, consider these advantages:

• Learn how to set up and pack up your equipment in a blink of an eye!
• Avoid the most dangerous and vicious bloodsucking predators who prey on humanity – mosquitoes!
• Enjoy clear sky during cold winter nights and get away from freeze before catching a cold!
• Spend time waiting for your significant other to prepare for a lovely date by watching stars!
• Share your hobby with your friends, family, and even strangers by quickly setting up everything your need for a star gazing session!
• Enjoy astronomy and its beauty while not harming your relationships with your SO or your family… You need to spend at least some time with them!

My own long lasting career as a Flash astronomer paid off greatly. Today, I’m a successful star gazer who can observe celestial bodies so quickly that I don’t even need to take out my telescope. A glass of refreshing drink and a comfortable couch – these are the only things I need to enjoy the sky!

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References:

Flash Astronomy by Alan Rifkin

Images by Miracle Studios