Hello my name is Scott and I found this site after researching astronomy in Australia. Always had an interest but never the time (a familiar tale I'm sure) but our family holiday the next school holidays is we're off to Dubbo for four nights and the Warrumbungles for three nights and I am told it is one of the best spots to look at the things above our heads!
Looked at a lot of Telescopes and read a lot about telescopes but until I read an interesting article
http://www.ebay.com.au/gds/Choosing-...3136783/g.html I was at a loss as to which way to go. It is nothing that you folks haven't told beginners before but it was a very handy article and stopped me from buying a 76mm reflector....
I am sure that if you really embrace Astronomy the first telescope you buy is not your last.
To start with I took the advice of many forums and picked up some binoculars (a set for each child!) and looked to the heavens. They were good and it only spurred me on to "go bigger!" It was then I remembered I had an old spotting scope from my big bore target rifle days...20X power!!! Better again!!!
Was looking around for "something" when I came across a telescope that seemed to fit the mark. It is a refractor but as a starting scope and something for the kids to look at I think it's pretty good.
It is an E,Frantis (Korean Brand) 80mm lens 800mm tube (F10) and it has a very good focus tube with about 6 inches of travel. It came with 2 eyepieces (25mm and 9mm) and the dreaded EQ mount. The tripod is sturdy and the whole lot came in a bag with places for everything. For $90 I cannot complain.
Tonight was the first chance in Sydney to see the moon as it has been cloudy since Sunday when I bought it.
Amazing!!! Feels like I could reach out an touch it!!! Very happy on a "you can't miss the moon" level.
Fairly certain I will get the build my own bug at some point but for now its get out of the house and go somewhere in Sydney that's not too bright (hows the light pollution!!! Unbelievable!!!)
I would like to get down to SASI's open day this weekend and look through some monsters but as a starting point I am pretty happy, although I can already see some shortcomings (finder scope) that will need to be addressed soon. Let the spending commence!!!