I'm an ultra-newbie since I don't yet have the 'scope I ordered... just another couple of weeks or so!
However, I have been busy reading all the good stuff on here, playing with Stellarium, subscribing to Aust. Sky and Telescope, and reading a bunch of books, including the two Steves' Atlas of the Southern Night Sky.
Now, if I could just find a protein pill to enhance my memory for all these constellations ...
Too good Nicholas - you are way ahead of me when I got my first scope. And I still know too few constellations and stars by name! Welcome, by the way. Post your adventures into this crazy hobby as you go! Eric
hello every one last night as i was observing i seen a star that was changing color from red to white and back again but when i looked at it through my scope it was white but when looked at it with my bios it was changing color again can any one explain this? (oh and it was not a satellite)
My bet is that it's Canopus.
All bright stars look like that when they're low in the sky as the light is being refracted through a lot of atmosphere, dust, smoke and pollution.
This is my first proper scope as I was previously using an 80s era (or earlier?) hand-me-down 60mm Bushmaster Spacemaster II (which is pretty much a spotting scope for bird watching/shooting!).
Cut my teeth by looking at Mars, Jupiter and Saturn back around 2001-2003.
Nowadays I use Stellarium to help me out and I've done a small amount of astrophotography with a mate and his Canon EOS 450D/Nikon D90/D300 SLR cameras.
Some samples attached (taken from Avalon/Mona Vale, Sydney):
Last edited by Menthu Rae; 07-11-2009 at 02:47 PM.
Total noob here and looking for some straightforward advice on two things. Firstly, what is this , I live in Mandurah, Western Australia and thought id try my hand at this astral photography stuff and this was my very first effort just using my Pentax DSLR with a 50mm lens on a tripod, its a stacked set of 8 x 30 sec exposures.
Second question is, im now keen to start taking some better quality shots but im completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of info out there regarding what equipment I should look at so im asking for some advice here, I have a small budget of about $800.00 to stat with and I understand that I will not get very much for that but its all I can afford at the moment, so can you recommend me a starter kit if you like
Hey guys, anyone here use skyglobe dos, I know really old but a goodie, we've been using it the pass 2 years as a guide to see what we can see with our naked eye. Just curious to know if anyone else uses it...LOL
Hi everyone.
I'm a new to the forum and to the world of telescopes. I want to buy a dob 8 in but they were out of stock and ended up getting a skywatcher 130, 1000 focal lenght. Did I make a big error by getting the Skywatcher or should I have waited and got the dob.
Also not shore if I got a good deal I payed $430 for the telescope, eq2 tripod and two lenses a 20 and 10mm
Hi Nov, it's certainly better than no telescope at all. There is much you can see with that scope with dedication and patience.
But after what we say, you might need to decide - will they will allow you to return this one and can you be patient - you will do better with a 8" dobsonian.
130mm versus 200mm diameter mirror translates into less that half the light gathered by the 130 compared with the 200. When you are looking for fainter objects, this is important.
The mount may prove to be annoying. If you can align it to the south celestial pole, good - some people find that difficult. But it may not be really stable so the view at the eyepiece may wobble around a little as you adjust the controls. Especially if there is a little breeze. The dobsonian mount is a lot more robust and wobble proof.
Don't worry about eyepieces - the ones they supply will get you started, You can buy better ones later - second hand from this forum is a good way.
Hi matey...I'm new to telescope's too but if it were a dob 8' you were after, Andrews communication have a great deal.
I purchased a Guan Sheng and very happy the one I purchased cost us $499 and even the Deluxe would have cost $399 with I think it was 4 or 5 eye pieces cant remember...but next time check them out if you are after a bit of a bargin and it cos me $50 for shipping from NSW to MELB...cheers darl and I hope you have better seeing weather than the crap I've been getting in Melb.
Hi Nov,
Skywatcher have a wide range of good gear.
Got a 8" truss dob myself, and it's a fantastic bit of kit for a beginner.
There's plenty of information on dobs on these forums, just run a search and you can't go wrong
I started reading this wonderful forum a few weeks ago and have really enjoyed myself browsing through the wealth of information available - can't believe how friendly and helpful people are here. So I finally joined up today
I've dabbled with astronomy on and off all my life but have recently renewed my interest. My previous telescope was a homemade 5 inch refractor on equatorial mount. It suffered from a lot of coma.
I'm now looking to buy a 'proper' telescope and am very interested in the 12'' collapsable dobs from Skywatcher. Most comments I have read about them report that these telescopes are very good value. I think 12'' appeture will be right for me but wanted to get the opinions of others with more experience.
I'm interested mainly in 'deep sky' viewing but also some planet observation. I was wondering what people think about the appeture - will it satisfy me in the forseeable future or should I consider going up to say a 16'' light-bridge. The 16'' is really out of my budget and I am worried about transportability: 95% of my observations will be done in my fairly light-polluted backyard but hope to occasionally get to a dark site. Even in my yard though I will have to manuver it around to access different parts of the sky. Would the 16'' appaeture be wasted in my yard?
As many have said on here over time. The best scope is the one you'll use most.
And if you're already worried about transporting/carrying and the general ergonomics of working with a large scope then it may not be the best thing.
Working with an 8" in my backyard I can get pretty decent views of dsos and planets. Thats with a street light shining directly into my backyard. *curse those power wasters*.
Sounds like you're no stranger to the skies, so you probably know fairly well what you want out of a scope.
Yes those streetlights are a real killer. We have one on the pole right outside our house which washes out the whole front yard.
I have some experience with the sky but it was mainly confined to the planets and bright-clusters and the odd nebula as my old telescope did'nt work very well - it was built by my Dad and I from a salvaged giant telephoto lens. Mostly it had to be stopped down to an effective apperture of 2-3'' for give a half decent view. So I don't have alot of experience with what can be expected from 'proper optics' of resonable size.
My main question is whether people think it would be worth the extra expense and inconvence of the 16'' for home viewing or would that type of scope be reserved for darksite viewing only.
My inclination at this stqage is to stick to 12'' which I think will be much much better than what I had before.
Hello! I am new to the forum and a total noob when it comes to astronomy. I know a few things about physics but other than that, I never actually looked through a real telescope (I know... Real sad right?). I've been looking around for a telescope in the star optic website... I got my eye on a cheap dobsonian: http://118.127.11.230/catalog/produc...products_id=34
Please comment on whether this is a good deal or a load of horse poop.
Hello! I am new to the forum and a total noob when it comes to astronomy. I know a few things about physics but other than that, I never actually looked through a real telescope (I know... Real sad right?). I've been looking around for a telescope in the star optic website... I got my eye on a cheap dobsonian: http://118.127.11.230/catalog/produc...products_id=34
Please comment on whether this is a good deal or a load of horse poop.
Thanks,
Tony
OMG!! This is exactly the same one that I have ordered!! I as you also has never looked through a telescope but will very soon indeed!! ahhaha we are like related somehow. (I also know abit about physics, as you would know from my new thread: General relativity, Quantum Mechanics and the New String Theory). The guy that recommended me this scope said that it is the perfect scope for beginner, and i am pretty sure that the guy wasn't a random person who just recommends a random scope. I am sure that it is VERY good indeed, and for that price you are getting it much cheaper than I did. A great scope for sure that one.
OMG!! This is exactly the same one that I have ordered!! I as you also has never looked through a telescope but will very soon indeed!! ahhaha we are like related somehow. (I also know abit about physics, as you would know from my new thread: General relativity, Quantum Mechanics and the New String Theory). The guy that recommended me this scope said that it is the perfect scope for beginner, and i am pretty sure that the guy wasn't a random person who just recommends a random scope. I am sure that it is VERY good indeed, and for that price you are getting it much cheaper than I did. A great scope for sure that one.
Clear Skies
Sebastien.
AHA!! Great! I live on Gold Coast so I can just pop over to the shop in Mermaid Beach! And great thread about string theory I already posted there and that gave me an idea for a thread as well. The Big crunch thread. hoping for a good read and a good discussion.
