Starting from scratch!

[loki78 (Jon)]

Hey guys, I'm starting completely from scratch. Both on a knowledge level more or less and definitely on an equipment level.

I've been reading quite a bit and am at the point where I want to get my first scope. Ultimately I want to get into AP and already have a capable enough SLR, but that's further down the track.

I would love to be able see clearly, the moon and planets, with DSO's again, further down the track.

I live in an apartment block with an open topped large balcony I'm hoping will suffice in some small way, but i live in suburbia of Sydney so it's fairly bright, so a view to travelling occasionally for dark skies so portability is a bit of a factor.

My budget is around $500-$1000. Over the past months I keep chopping and changing what i want to get from originally a bit reflector for the bang for your buck, then an 8" dob based on recommendations as a starting point, then a 120mm saxon refractor when i read refractors are better suited to AP, then back to the 8" dob when i rationalised getting right into AP on a limited budget is pointless. So I'm all over the shop as it were, and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Hi Jon,

to IIS! We're all only too happy to spend your money...

In a couple of weeks at Randwick Girls' High School we're holding a viewing session on Friday 4'th of November. Have a look here for details. You'd be most welcome to join us. There's always a variety of scope there, all with their own pros and cons and their varying price tags. The school's 8" dob will be there. There will be at least two other dobs, including my 17.5", and I may bring my 8" SCT too.

That night the Moon's on view as is Jupiter. We may even have a shot at Uranus and Neptune too. Once the Moon's gone DSO's are the main fare. You be able to see what the different scope designs offer and what different eyepieces do too.

[AndyK (Andy)]

I've only recently got back into astronomy ... and I'm a long way from having any sort of expertise ... so take the following as possibly lacking the credibility of our more experienced members.

I found THIS thread quite helpful in deciding which way to go.

I ended up buying a second-hand (from the IIS classifieds) basic 8" dob (not the goto version) and I'm extremely happy with it. I've found it easy to come to grips with and slowly but surely I'm learning my way around the sky.

I also had a yearning to play with astrophotography but came to the same conclusion as you in as much as I realised a significant budget would be required for significant results.

Instead I bought a small (90mm), inexpensive Mak on a basic alt/az goto mount second hand from Ebay as well as the little Celestron NexImage webcam. This combination has yielded a lot of fun and has the advantage that the whole setup is very portable and goes away camping with me on many weekends.

The entire spend was under $700.

I have subsequently bought some additional eyepieces. I don't mind spending a bit on these as I figure they'll stay with me even if the 'scopes are upgraded. Like you I have a fair bit of normal photography gear so it's a bit like buying premium lenses ... they'll last a lifetime even though the camera bodies might come and go.

... Oh ... and welcome, from one newbie to another.

[Paddy (Patrick)]

Hi Jon and welcome.

You'll have to bear in mind that I'm a visual observer and can offer you no advice on imaging other than

Even if you are looking at imaging down the track, it might be worth starting with an 8" dob for planetary viewing. You'll certainly get more detail on planets than with a smaller scope. And it is something that will a bit of investment you can put on an EQ mount later. Basically if you're going to image, the scope is not the big investment, it is the mount. So buying an 8" dob especially second hand will be small bikkies in the scheme of things.

BUT above all, take up Alex's suggestion of a star party to get an idea of what you will see through what gear. There is no better advice than that offered by your own eyes through a scope.

All the best with it!

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Hi Jon
Paddy as always gives excellent advice. The 8" dob is a great starting point for beginner observers, easy to handle, portable, easy to setup, relatively cheap, easy to sell when you want to upgrade, can later be used for basic imaging if remounted on an EQ mount. Alround a lot of pluses.

Malcolm

[Poita (Peter)]

Definitely get to a star party, there is a section here on the site that lists them. I find I am now using my 4" APO refractor more than my 8" or 10" scopes and am stunned by how good the planetary views are with a good eyepiece and barlow and it is much more compact. Everyone will have their own preferences so join a group and get some time looking through some head before you buy.

[loki78 (Jon)]

Thanks everyone for your kind help. I have a pair of recently bought 25x70 binos to start playing with once the clouds in sydney bugger off.

I have been trying to join ASNSW for over a month but their website doesn't seem to be accepting applications, nor do they reply to emails so not sure what is happening there.

The one on the 4th sounds good but I'm babysitting that night and driving to VIC early the following morning, but I'm sure there will be other I can get to.

I am leaning towards a solid tube 8" dob atm, which leaves me the possibility of EQ mounting it later in life. I have a decent sized car and i'm a big guy so carrying it around over the collapsible shouldn't pose too much of an issue for me.

Much difference between the skywatcher, saxon, and bintel branded ones? They seem to be the main three solid tube 8" dobs i can find around at the moment.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Hi Jon.

Welcome to the money pit called Astronomy.

Don't be completely disheartened by your location.
Chris Go is one of the worlds finest Planetary Astrophotographers and he does a lot of it from his open top balcony in his High-Rise apartment in the WAAYYY over-light-polluted city of Cebu City, Philippines! SEE HERE
He does also travel for many images, but he is living proof that fantastic images can be achieved from a balcony in massive light pollution.

I know others too, Chris A in Ontario Canada and Gabriel in Romania are 2 more that do almost ALL their imaging or visual from light polluted apartment balconies.

Get to darker spots as often as you can, but by all means know that you can also do it from home

Here is Chris Go: http://www.christone.net/astro/aboutme.htm

and also, here is the very 1st Astronomy Forum in the world (still very active) with the majority of it's members based in light polluted Singapore: http://www.singastro.org/forum2/
Look through their image galleries of images taken from the city of Singapore. Amazing!

and finally, the personal website belonging to Remus Chua (a member in here and Founder and owner of Singastro, the worlds 1st Astro forum) showing what can be achieved in Light pollution: http://celestialportraits.com/cp_index.php

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

Randwick Girls' High School we're holding a viewing session

Do you know how bad that sounds??

If you're going for AP, the mount is the most important - a small mak on a gem sounds sweet for AP and good for planetary viewing

[loki78 (Jon)]

haha I didn't even pick up on that, which is surprisingly considering where my mind lives most of the time...

[Paddy (Patrick)]

Originally Posted by loki78

I am leaning towards a solid tube 8" dob atm, which leaves me the possibility of EQ mounting it later in life. I have a decent sized car and i'm a big guy so carrying it around over the collapsible shouldn't pose too much of an issue for me.

Much difference between the skywatcher, saxon, and bintel branded ones? They seem to be the main three solid tube 8" dobs i can find around at the moment.

All will do the job nicely. And an 8" is very portable for most people.

[Poita (Peter)]

You could also look at a 2nd hand celestron C8, extremely portable and often under $500.

[deejayvee (David)]

Originally Posted by loki78

I have been trying to join ASNSW for over a month but their website doesn't seem to be accepting applications, nor do they reply to emails so not sure what is happening there.

Hi Jon,

I am not sure about ASNSW, but you apparently live only 3km from me, so may be the Sutherland Astronomical Society could be of interest to you. Visit the website at http://www.sasi.net.au/

I myself am a beginner and have recently joined.

[loki78 (Jon)]

I thought I would update here with how I have been going after taking in everyones advice.

I eventually bought a 8" GSO dob from Andrews along with a moon filter, 2X Barlow and laser collimater (the latter turned out to be a good buy, collimation was a bit dauning to a newbie but that thing is easy as pie). Also a T-ring/adaptor to have a play with my EOS 600D.

Since then I've added another plossl, so now have 6mm, 9mm, 15mm, 25mm and a 40mm. Also a telrad, eyepiece projection kit and a cheap onsale neximage ccd webcam to have a play with.

Only had 3 or 4 good clear nights to have a play around with the weather we have had, but got some great looks at Jupiter and 4 galilean moons and a few nice clear photos of the moon as well. A few fuzzy but passable jupiter shots, but is a bit harder without a tracking mount and will need to practice more with stacking images to clean it up. But that's fine, the astrophotoraphy was more for later down the track when i get a better scope/mount more suited to it for tracking.

Hoping to get to the Sutherland astronomical society meeting this Thursday and sign up to that and talk to some people.

So a big thankyou to everyone on their advice, i'm well and truly hooked. Just had the 25X70 binos at work tonight and had everyone looking at the moon trying to cultivate a bit of interest there. Think I sparked a few to life.

First time i got a clear look at Jupiter from my balcony in suburbia, I won't forget that feeling. I imagine that only grows exponentially with other discoveries. I have lots more questions now, but I'll save them for other parts of the forums

[Octane (Humayun)]

Jon, my old friend! Wow! haha, there's a couple of people I've met on here who I first knew on IRC. Damn.

Sorry, my inbox was full. Please try again!

Regards,
H