#741  
Old 29-11-2008, 02:17 PM
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iceman (Mike)
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Hi Steve, to IceInSpace!

What scope did you get?

Keep asking questions!
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  #742  
Old 29-11-2008, 04:29 PM
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drahyrt (Steve)
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I'm reluctant to say, only because it goes against what a lot on the forum have recommended a newb to get.......

It was a 6" newt skywatcher on eq mount...... (gasp I hear)

The reasons were.....
1. Was going to get an 8" dob (as per a lot of discussions recommend), but wanted to get a bit more portability (probably some debate about that now I see it in my louge room)
2.Sister has a dob 8" and said her frustration was not knowing where in dec and RA she was in the sky and that she regrets that.....
3. I love technical details, so was mentally prepared for the challenge of a frustrating and difficult mount

So the forum is good in that it has prepared me for frustration. (it is always about expectations isn't it?) I'm not after an easy 12 months then getting bored with it, I am after a good challenge to start then an escalating interest in astronomy.

I also reaslise the mount may not be perfectly accurate, so am prepared for that too, but perhaps will give me some idea of where I am.

SO PLEASE be gentle..... it isn't what many of you guys would recommend, but also what you said, there is no perfect fit for the newcomer anyway.

So I am like a pig in sh$t at the moment, just hoping for some clear nights, the wife thinks it is kinda amusing.......

So all the questions will be about the EQ no doubt, so please be patient everyone, and YES I am waiting for a I TOLD YOU SO in the questions ahead.

Thanks for the welcome, bring on the 1st December!

Also I just found out to my amusement that the basketball court (council land) concreted in the park outside my back fence NOW has a use , it will work perfectly as a level telescope viewing pad!!

Thanks for the great site, I have use it to great effect so far,
Also love stellarium, incredible program.
Regards
Steve

Last edited by drahyrt; 29-11-2008 at 04:52 PM.
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  #743  
Old 29-11-2008, 05:17 PM
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jungle11 (Greg)
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Hi guys, it's looking like I may get some gaps in the clouds to view tonight (first light!)

On my dob there is a dust cap, and on the cap there is a smaller cap you can open. I was wondering, when i fan the primary tonight, can i just leave this cap open, or is it better to take the whole thing off to achieve equilibrium?

drahyrt, bud obviously I don't know enough to pay you out on the scope, but it sounds cool to me. Once you work it out, im sure there must be advantages over a dob mount.
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  #744  
Old 29-11-2008, 07:18 PM
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jungle11 (Greg)
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Hey... First light

Saw Jupiter and 3 moons, could make out the cloud bands! Was using the 26mm wide angle. Will wait half an hour for the sun to set properly and ill try the plossls

Im stoked
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  #745  
Old 30-11-2008, 12:25 AM
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jungle11 (Greg)
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Well I've had an enjoyable night. Jupiter as i mentioned before - it was good with a 15mm, but too much mag with the 9mm (I guess because of low altitude?) Next was 47 Tuc, which blew my socks off - more mag the better it got. Andromeda and the Triangulum Galaxies were not quite what i expected but still pretty cool - made out the dust lane in A and perhaps a hint of structure in TG, I think the Sculptor was more impressive at first sight.
Orion was gobsmacking I knew it would be!
Tarantula Neb was great for detail as well.
I tried the rosette, and the cone but I couldn't see them. Is that to be expected?
Learned that I will need patience, and experience in first finding objects (nearly gave up looking for the sculptor) and teasing more detail out of them (I noticed more in the Orion and Tarantula Nebs each time I looked at them.
Oh yeah, and an eye-patch would be grouss - I will make one of those me thinks
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  #746  
Old 30-11-2008, 01:51 AM
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Davros (Lauren)
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G'day Steve
Probably more useful to your sister now but you can easily make a setting circle degree indicator that fits around the base of a dob and then attach an inclinometer to the OTA so that you an figure out RA and Dec. If you search around on setting circles you will find heaps of info.
cheers
Mick




Quote:
Originally Posted by drahyrt View Post
I'm reluctant to say, only because it goes against what a lot on the forum have recommended a newb to get.......

It was a 6" newt skywatcher on eq mount...... (gasp I hear)

The reasons were.....
1. Was going to get an 8" dob (as per a lot of discussions recommend), but wanted to get a bit more portability (probably some debate about that now I see it in my louge room)
2.Sister has a dob 8" and said her frustration was not knowing where in dec and RA she was in the sky and that she regrets that.....
3. I love technical details, so was mentally prepared for the challenge of a frustrating and difficult mount

So the forum is good in that it has prepared me for frustration. (it is always about expectations isn't it?) I'm not after an easy 12 months then getting bored with it, I am after a good challenge to start then an escalating interest in astronomy.

I also reaslise the mount may not be perfectly accurate, so am prepared for that too, but perhaps will give me some idea of where I am.

SO PLEASE be gentle..... it isn't what many of you guys would recommend, but also what you said, there is no perfect fit for the newcomer anyway.

So I am like a pig in sh$t at the moment, just hoping for some clear nights, the wife thinks it is kinda amusing.......

So all the questions will be about the EQ no doubt, so please be patient everyone, and YES I am waiting for a I TOLD YOU SO in the questions ahead.

Thanks for the welcome, bring on the 1st December!

Also I just found out to my amusement that the basketball court (council land) concreted in the park outside my back fence NOW has a use , it will work perfectly as a level telescope viewing pad!!

Thanks for the great site, I have use it to great effect so far,
Also love stellarium, incredible program.
Regards
Steve
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  #747  
Old 30-11-2008, 08:39 AM
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jungle11 (Greg)
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Hey drahart, I was wondering how you make out with viewing through your dob on an EQ mount? I know nothing about them at all. Does the eyepiece get twisted around?
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  #748  
Old 30-11-2008, 01:33 PM
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drahyrt (Steve)
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Thanks Mick, I'll post it along to her, she'll be very happy to hear that. I'll keep learning!

Hey Jungle,

Yeah went well, the newt I have was amazing, only 6" but incredible, I believe I actually said "wow" as a first word! Really looked like a sparkling diamond.

I had only a very very short first light to the south east due to clouds and rain. I managed to see Conopus and was amazed at just how bright it was through the scope.

The positioning went well, not nearly as hard as I thought it was going to be so far, but it was a quick point and look rather than really measuring or targeting something, so I'll see. Didnt have any eyepiece issues either, yet.

I judged the clouds well as it poured from nowhere just minutes after I brought the scope inside.

Today looks like it is clear, hoping to get some better views to the west, south and north tonight, just to give it a whirl. I also want to get some planet action!

I have some reading and it appears that getting it in the right orientation at the beginning is one key to the mount, but once it is, hopefully tracking the movement is just as simple as twirling the RA knob.

Funnily enough I thought I had a dark environment, until I felt like throwing a stone through my neighbours window to "defuse" a light, and the street lights also some 500m away cast a lot.

So I am hooked!

Now I just have to start my journey with getting to know the night sky a little better, oh well, only have about 50 years until I'm dead, no rush....
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  #749  
Old 03-12-2008, 09:17 AM
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erick (Eric)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drahyrt View Post

It was a 6" newt skywatcher on eq mount...... (gasp I hear)
No problems! Your reasoning is fine! Welcome to IIS. Point it at the Orion Nebula (M42) and 47 Tuc (NGC 104) when you can!
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  #750  
Old 03-12-2008, 09:20 AM
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erick (Eric)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jungle11 View Post

Oh yeah, and an eye-patch would be grouss - I will make one of those me thinks
Aaaaaaarrrrrggh! Ditch that parrot and take yourself to your local Pharmacy. They'll sell you one. Buy the hard plastic type, not the soft material type since you will be wanting to keep that eye open behind the patch. I stuck some felt around the edges to make it a bit softer on my face. Must paint a bloodshot eye on it one day!
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  #751  
Old 03-12-2008, 09:26 AM
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erick (Eric)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jungle11 View Post

On my dob there is a dust cap, and on the cap there is a smaller cap you can open. I was wondering, when i fan the primary tonight, can i just leave this cap open, or is it better to take the whole thing off to achieve equilibrium?
Well, there is a good question. If the rear of your scope is quite open (you can see the mirror), then for cooling there is no great need to open the top of the tube.

However, if the rear is closed (and some people cover it purposely) and the air driven in by the fan has to come out somewhere else, I suggest you open the focusser - just take out the 1.25" plug. You'll feel enough airflow coming out.

Some argue that leaving the fan running through the night discourages dew formation on the primary - I haven't down the tests. Obviously do this only if vibration of the image isn't evident.

While, in theory, taking the dust cover off entirely should allow more exchange of air inside with air outside, the danger of opening the top of the tube is things falling onto the primary- ranging from dew formation to empty chip wrappers from a visitor looking for a bin! to other things that fall from the sky (Watch the pelicans and fruit bats!) Therefore, if uncovered, keep the tube unit horizontal while cooling (don't point at the sun!) Then only the cat can get in and sleep there!
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  #752  
Old 03-12-2008, 10:48 AM
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jungle11 (Greg)
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Hi everyone, was looking at the calender and noticed the upcoming conjunctions of Neptune and Uranus with the moon in the next couple of days. AdrianF (who lives nearby) told me I could observe Uranus as a blue dot (haven't tried yet - still new to the sky and a bit hard to find, plus I haven't tried)
Was wondering if neptune would be visible through a 12"? I figure by it's magnitude that I'll see it - will it appear blue? Not much to see, but i just think its cool to see it and know what it is..
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  #753  
Old 03-12-2008, 11:43 AM
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erick (Eric)
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Yes, they are both visible as small discs with colour. I've seen Uranus easily in my previous 8" (after a search to find it!). Haven't tried Neptune yet. Get a detailed plot of position relative to the star field. Better wait until the Moon goes well out of the way - it may wash out the colour?
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  #754  
Old 05-12-2008, 08:17 PM
Kane2000
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Hi guys. I'm 100% new to astronomy. So I need some help starting out. Where do I begin? Do I join some kind of group or do I buy equipment. How did you guys start out? Did you like randomly buy equipment and then it got you interested?
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  #755  
Old 05-12-2008, 08:38 PM
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jjjnettie (Jeanette)
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Hi Kane,
Welcome to IIS.
The very best way to start off is with a pair of 10x50 binoculars and a star chart. Australian Sky and Telescope magazine has a good basic all sky chart that has marked on it, enough DSO's (deep sky objects) to search for to keep you busy for a while.
Then, if you are still interested, it might be time to start thinking about upgrading to a telescope.
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  #756  
Old 06-12-2008, 12:57 PM
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Ric
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Hi Kane and welcome to IIS.

I started out as a kid with my mums birdwatching binoculars looking for Apollo 11 on the Moon, didn't see them but was fascinated by the craters then cluster and nebulas. Been hooked on astronomy ever since (40 years).

I'd be looking to join the local astronomical society, I'm sure there would be few down Melbourne way. If you go along to their viewing nights you will find a wide array of different scopes and a lot of helpful info to guide you in the right direction.

In the meanwhile it's just like jeanette said, a pair of 10 x 50's and a star chart will help to get the enthusiasm started.

Cheers
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  #757  
Old 06-12-2008, 01:28 PM
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Kevnool (Kev)
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Hi Kane and welcome .
My interest has always been there probably the same as 99% of the population but i decided to do something about it.
Ive owned binoculars for a very long time, then came the scopes.
First i jumped in and got a 4" tasco which now collects dust in the corner,then i went out and got a 10" meade lightbridge which sits in the other corner of the house, now i have a 16" GSO which i allways use and by the way i only observe and not into the astrophotography side of it.
Can you see a problem there Kane its called aperture fever and i had it and it costs thousands but i,m excited and love it with a passion.

Thats my story yours will be if you want to observe visually or be the great astro photographer i,m sure you will decide which road to take.
Prices are well placed but dont go buying off ebay please there cheap and nasty and you will be so dissapointed.
Find some books and read the forums and participate in the forums, find an observation site of the star parties which are all here on iis and you will be rewarded with knowledge that one day you will be able to share with others.

Cheers Kev.
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  #758  
Old 06-12-2008, 04:43 PM
Kane2000
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Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.

With the 10x50 binoculars, is there a particular brand you recommend? I want something that's good quality. Could you perhaps point me to an exact model? I looked at some online prices and they seem to be around $100-120. The price is fine with me, but is this a fair enough price? I just need to be ensured that I'm not being ripped off.

Last edited by Kane2000; 06-12-2008 at 04:59 PM.
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  #759  
Old 06-12-2008, 08:10 PM
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garyp
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kane2000 View Post
Hi guys. I'm 100% new to astronomy. So I need some help starting out. Where do I begin? Do I join some kind of group or do I buy equipment. How did you guys start out? Did you like randomly buy equipment and then it got you interested?

Hi Kane to IceInSpace.

I agree with Kev. You need to decide first what direction you want to go. Astrophotography or visual.
of course that can change in time as your hobby develops.

I started with using binoculars I already had and using star charts to learn about the sky first. I spent alot of time researching about all the different types of telescopes and talking to a few people to try and figure out the best type for me. They can cost a lot of money and it might be the only one I buy so I wanted something I would use and be happy with. I wanted to be as educated as possible about them before I made a purchase.


Use these forums to ask as many questions as you like and read up on the articles etc...
Hope it helps you

Cheers

Gary
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  #760  
Old 07-12-2008, 11:32 AM
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erick (Eric)
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Kane, in my experience you cannot go wrong with these folks:-

www.aoe.com.au

Read their site, look at their advice, check their specials etc. Email them for more advice.

Get a tripod mount as well ($19 something at the most) and use a basic camera tripod for binoculars up to 10x or maybe 12x

Mail order, but I haven't had any problems nor heard of anyone else having problems (except no phone number for AOE.)

Cheers
Eric

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kane2000 View Post
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.

With the 10x50 binoculars, is there a particular brand you recommend? I want something that's good quality. Could you perhaps point me to an exact model? I looked at some online prices and they seem to be around $100-120. The price is fine with me, but is this a fair enough price? I just need to be ensured that I'm not being ripped off.
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