What’s in a [user]name?

[Uranus]

I really don’t remember why I chose “I’m no big deal“, but I do remeber shortening it to NoBigDeal here. Kinda wish we could change usernames on Fark. I would change it to NBD there too.

I thought it was from this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbOHumzGEP4

[chupathingie]

(Just try to find the Ring Nebula without GPS controls–it ain’t easy–and I never could)

I finally found it with my first DSLR and a 300mm lens…

Yeah, I know, cheap glass, but a dim, small object and I was pretty proud to manage even this image 😆

[ravnostic]

chupaIt’s actually a very nice image, IMO. I have yet to do as well, despite working with far nicer glass (or mirror, rather, in my case). Evey one I’ve got of the ring (all of three) has multi-stars due to shake. Yours is much nicer.

[Elsinore]

(Just try to find the Ring Nebula without GPS controls–it ain’t easy–and I never could).

Amazingly enough, I actually managed to find the Ring Nebula without GOTO or GPS. Dad’s scope has GOTO, but no GPS, and the GOTO and tracking system are kind of antiquated at this point, since he bought the telescope in 1998. At the time, I hadn’t even figured out how to get the tracking to work, but the manual that came with the telescope had a number of objects listed in the back. The Ring Nebula was the only one Dad had highlighted, so I went looking for it. Took awhile, but I found it. It was actually a bit of a let down, because I was expecting a nice colorful nebula like all the pictures show; I hadn’t realized all the filtering that happens with astrophotography.

[chupathingie]

DSOs are mostly disappointing visually, that’s why we call them “faint fuzzies”. There’s no substitute for time spent gathering photons so you can see the detail. It gets worse when they’re small objects in the sky… now all of a sudden you need 2000mm at f4 to get details in any normal time span unless you’ve got access to Plamadude’s toys.

As to filtering, normally all you ever see on that front is an LPR filter; and only then when someone is shooting from within populated areas to block sodium wavelengths or block all but h-alpha (which is a nice trick, it works even with a full moon). Most images are the result of good seeing and large aperture, but digital allows you to combine many exposures to increase the signal/noise ratio far beyond what a long film exposure can manage. My Ring shot was about 20 3-minute exposures, and I had to throw half out for tracking errors. This was maybe 7-8 years ago and I played with an idea that I had bounced around for a while that has since become known as “drizzling”, but my hand-made attempts are not nearly as good as what’s available now.

Thanks, Rav. I really should get out and do some more AP, even tho I still don’t have the Losmandy I’m jonesin’ for. I have much better glass at my disposal now, plus a step up from 6MP to 21MP… but good lord, that old Edmund Scientific mount I’ve got has an inspection sticker signed by Barney Rubble.

[Plamadude30k]

Just try to find the Ring Nebula without GPS controls–it ain’t easy–and I never could.

I’ve been able to do it, mostly by knowing the region of sky and a lot of luck.

Interesting stuff here, I think I’ll throw my hat into the ring. Be advised: the story is PG-13 in the special way that only a group of teenagers can devise.

Back in middle school (and through high school) I had a really good group of friends, one of whom had a very intelligent, though a little strange younger brother. Their family had certain political views, and being a young impressionable kid, the younger brother joined in the criticism of a certain political figure. I do not pretend to understand the thought process of this child, but it did produce this singular gem:

“…And, and I’m going to stick him in a…a giant…Plama…” etc.

Apparently he did not know the word for the male genitalia. Being the immature young’uns we were, we thought this was the most hilarious thing ever. We adopted this new word as a last name for all our online alter-egos-there was a Ryan Plama, an Ed Plama, and so on. I was Christopher Plama, and I had a hilarious blog under that name written from the point of view of a homeless guy living in the Albuquerque Public Library and doing daily battle with the librarians. You might still be able to find it if your google-fu is strong.

Later, we learned from our polish friend that “Plama” means “spot” in polish, and is usually a name for pets. Again, most hilarious thing ever. It wasn’t a far leap from that stage to Plamadude30k-I’m a dude, and the 30k just sounds cool. It’s like I’m an advanced model of the plamadude-the plamadude of the future. The rest, as they say, is fairly monotonous.

/end rambling.

[olavf]

And all this time I thought you were the Duke of Plasma….

[Zero_Exponent]

If I had my way, my farkname would be Rincewind, my favorite Discworld character. After trying several variations, I gave up on that one. Apparently there are lots of Fark Rincewinds already–I hardly ever see them post tho…
Anyway, I tried a bunch of different names I don’t remember, they were all spoken for as well. Having recently studied exponents in math class, I typed in my favorite one, the one that turns any number except zero into “1”.
Now everyone on Fark probably thinks I’m some uber-math-nerd 🙄
FWIW, my geekiness goes much deeper than that.

[kashari]

Kashari was part of my Appaloosa horse’s registered name when I got her (’73…many many moons ago).

[Yoyo]

I like Duncan return-tops, aka yo-yos. I can do lots of tricks with them. I’ve been a Farker since the late ’90s. Not many handles were taken by the time I got an account to make comments.

[stupido]

Not quite sure when I first started using Stupido as an username. I know Fark was one of the first places. Basically something easy and not used. I settled on a misspelling of estupido. Sorta of appropriate.

[aspidites]

Aspidites is a genus of pythons found in Australia. The name can be translated as “shield bearer” and pertains to their two symmetrically shaped head scales.

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/31214_112555595454606_100001004996627_79679_6886617_n.jpg

I’ve had this Green Tree Python since I got out of the Army in the 90’s. I have an alt that shows up less than I do so, pretty much never, Pha_Que I guess that one goes to the bad mood I was in when I created him

[Kestrana]

Welcome to the forum aspidites

[aspidites]

Thanks Kestrana, just found the place after 10 years, didn’t know about this place. Just one question…..What is it that you find scary?

[Kestrana]

Hah! Your remarkable wildlife photos of course – competition! All in good fun though, hopefully we can learn from some of what you’ve been shooting.

[Author]

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