All the good stuff on TAC

[Mark Wagner]

Just a quick note as to how excited I am to see several excellent visual observing reports recently from excellent observers:

Steve G

Howard B

Akarsh S

Muriel D

These folk's reports should inspire others to head to dark sites and follow suit.  More reports would be great, even beginners - consider doing so, its where we learn the skills and share our successes, whether Messiers in binoculars or an 8", or galaxies filling an eyepiece on a 48".

Bravo TACos!

[Shashi Sathya]

I second this...

Truly wonderful ORs.  Extremely inspiring to see these gentlemen to narrate their observations and sketches in such great details.  It would literally take same amount of time  (or more!) as observing to write these ORs.

Many Thanks!

Shashi.

[Mark Wagner]

Thanks Shashi,

I will also mention a few other "observations" (pun intended):

1.  This list (TAC) is fortunate to sport three (or more?) accomplished visual observers that are Sky and Telescope regular authors/editors, and I would be surprised if the fourth mentioned member did not become one as well at some point.

2.  We have many, many hundreds subscribed in the wider bay area (or affiliated); both observers and imagers who, whether posting or simply reading, help the hobby.  As a web-based astronomy forum it is truly a world-read resource.  Its subscribers, whether active on-list, under the stars, or doing things like managing events (GSSP & CalStar - ongoing and available to all for over twenty years) - it helps fill of our daily astronomy wants and needs. 

It is rich, free,  unencumbered by bureaucracy, and existing in the "now".  Great for learning and planning.

More TAC please!  Those who are tempted to join in, please post (even beginners - our hobby's future).

Thanks to Jamie D, John P, Charlie W, Richard O, Steve G and others (many unnamed) who've generously contributed and continue doing so.

With 2026 around the corner, my New Years wish:  Clear dark steady skies for TACos!

[Peter Santangeli]

I recently revived and old personal web site (temporarily) that has been essentially dormant for 20 years. On it, I included a bit about TAC. it's remarkable given how much has changed in terms of both our society and the media that either binds us or separates us how little this has changed in 20 years:

"Astronomy is more fun with others. Standing out alone in a field with a telescope can be both awkward and strangely unnerving. Over the years, I've tried joining a few astronomy clubs. I'm not really a "joiner" though, and though I was seeking some community, my idea of fun was NOT going to monthly meetings and watching slide shows of somebody's trip to see the african eclipse while eating stale cookies. This is not to put down astronomy clubs... There are many good ones out there, they just aren't my "thing".

Somehow, I stumbled upon a group known as TAC (for The Astronomy Connection). TAC is an interesting new creation of our wired community. It has many of the attributes of a club, providing community and communication, but has no meetings, no membership dues, and no boring slide shows. It consists of a couple of hundred people interested in astronomy ("observing" to the initiated), who communicate completely online. TAC has an email list, and a web site, and a charter, and that's about the whole of its formality. Essentially, we are a bunch of people who like to go out observing together. On any given weekend you can find 10 - 50 of us out somewhere, at some state park where it is dark."

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[Mark Wagner]

What a great and truly revealing comparison.  Thanks Pete!

On 12/1/2025 09:41, Peter Santangeli wrote:

it's remarkable given how much has changed in terms of both our society and the media that either binds us or separates us how little this (TAC) has changed in 20 years

[Ted Hauter]

Trying to get up enough gumption to go to camp bortle 1 with just Binoculars and charts as John Read Binoculars book suggests. 

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[Ted Hauter]

Several binoculars.