Beginners Start Here! - Page 15

iceman (Mike) · #**281** 04-12-2006, 07:38 AM

Hi Eric

There's a few meteor chasers on this forum, i'm sure they'll be posting info about the geminids in the next little while.

Keep an eye on the observational astronomy forum, which is where it's most likely to be posted.

erick (Eric) · #**282** 04-12-2006, 10:17 AM

Thanks Iceman - I'll look out for Geminid postings.

(Of course, brilliant sunshine today - not a cloud to be seen!)

ving (David) · #**283** 04-12-2006, 10:24 AM

g'day erick

welcome aboard!

erick (Eric) · #**284** 08-12-2006, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

Why didn't someone warn me? Apart from an eclipse, the only sure way of switching off the Moon is to park big black clouds in front of it. But it's easier to just cover the whole sky......

Please bushfire smoke - stay away! I'm going to try again tonight! All being well, I'll get in a couple of hours with my 20x80s before the moon rises.

Better still, would the bushfires - please go out and stay out.

rmcpb (Rob) · #**285** 08-12-2006, 08:23 PM

I agree with that thought of the fires going out. We are on standby to go to Victoria, I would rather go to work next week and have some time to star gaze.

erick (Eric) · #**286** 09-12-2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

Please bushfire smoke - stay away! I'm going to try again tonight! All being well, I'll get in a couple of hours with my 20x80s before the moon rises....

Very heavy smoke over my home, and undoubtedly heavy smoke at my normal dark skies site to the north. So we drove west to try and get past the smoke. Turn left at Ballarat and go south 30k and we found the side of a country road with clearish skies - LMC/SMC visible to naked eye, M31 almost visible. That'll do. We got in 90 minutes before the smoke finally rolled in. I'm working with hand-held 7x50, tripod mounted 12x60 and on separate tripod, my new 20x80 bins.

Lots of Oooh! and Aaah! from my work colleague who could not remember every seeing skies outside of Melbourne. "So many stars!!", she said.

We worked our way around - M31, M42, Hyades, Pleiades, The Jewel Box (4755), the SMC, 47 Tuc, then 2070 (The Tarantula neb?) in LMC.

Then the moon rose behind the intense smoke clouds in Melbourne's direction, and, as luck would have it, right between the trees so we had a good view from soon after rise. Deep red brown.

We had Melbourne glow (must have been 90-100km away) and Ballarat (30km) and a bit of Geelong from the Southeast to put up with.

Left around 1pm - I wasn't home in bed until 4pm. A call from my wife at 3:40am - "Where are you?" Oops!

We are hooked!

Eric

anthony.tony · #**287** 25-12-2006, 10:07 AM

Does anyone know much about setting up Gstar EX ccd camera to TV monitor anthony.tony

iceman (Mike) · #**288** 25-12-2006, 04:12 PM

Hi Anthony,

I'd start a new thread in the Equipment forum asking about your Gstar.. You're more likely to get people see it there.

btw

to the forum!

33South (Chris) · #**289** 25-12-2006, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthony.tony

Does anyone know much about setting up Gstar EX ccd camera to TV monitor anthony.tony

On the back of the GStar there are two video-out connectors marked Video-Out and S-VHS. (Video-out is also composite video)

If the monitor/tv has a composite video-in connector that will match the cable supplied with the Gstar so plug in the cable between the Gstar and monitor. If its a TV you will need to select the appropriate video-in channel for the connection being used.

If the montior has only s-video in you will need to buy a cable and use s-Video.

You can use both at the same time to different monitors, or a monitor and a pc capture device

anthony.tony · #**290** 26-12-2006, 10:37 AM

I set up the Gstar last night put it to a Andrews 120mm acro f/8 scope played around with the settings and started getting images .The instructions that come with it are poor.I had it hooked to a 14 inch TV.It is very sensative when set in deepsky mode "frame intergration mode."there are 11 sensitivity settings. I still have a lot of things to learn about the settings on it .reguerd's Tony

33South (Chris) · #**291** 26-12-2006, 10:46 PM

If you are referring to the little bit of paper that comes with the camera - yes its worse than useless. Have you checked out the doco from MyAstroShop

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/guides/gstar.htm

and specifically

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/guides...-guidev2-3.pdf

and there is also a yahoo group

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/gstar-users/

chris (chris) · #**292** 27-12-2006, 11:03 AM

Hi everyone

, my name is Chris and I’m new here.

I was doing a google

search on telescope reviews, which led me to this site and I read your beginners forum in where you help the beginners with some of your knowledge on astronomy. I was so impressed

that I joined up with the hope that I too can get some advice.
I have always been interested in astronomy, but always believed that you need to spend a fortune to be able to see anything decent or with clarity. So my interest never took of the ground.
A few months ago my wife and I went on a holiday and we stopped one night in Gilgandra. I found out that there was an observatory there, and that they have night viewing for the public. I convinced

the wife to go and it was a full house, I met Steve Schier

and he proceeded to show us all the night skies. I was amazed at what could be seen and it has revitalized my interest in Astronomy again.
When we got back from holidays I started searching the internet for telescopes and I am now more confused

than ever on what type I should be investing in.
All the reviews I read say that I should buy a refractor for planetary viewing and a reflector for DSO. I would like to view both planetary and DSO but my bank manager

is telling me that I can’t buy both, I would also like to track the object I’m observing through the night sky aswell.
Can anyone suggest a telescope that will fulfill these requirements and give me clarity and a decent view of both planetary and DSO?
All your advise is most welcomed and very much needed.

Cheers
Chris

anthony.tony · #**293** 01-01-2007, 04:04 PM

A Very Happy new Year to Everyone

anthony.tony · #**294** 01-01-2007, 04:24 PM

It has just started to rain here Hopefully we will get a good bit of rain

Ric · #**295** 01-01-2007, 07:07 PM

Hi Chris and welcome to the group.
First up I would suggest to visit your local Astronomical Society and attend a couple of their observing nights, that way you will get to see a variety of different makes and models as well as talking to their owners about what they can and can't see.
I own a reflector and in my opinion have no problems in seeing and imaging both planets and DSO's. If you want to track what you are observing then I would look at the models with computerised mounts and GOTO, that would also be useful as well should you wish to take up imaging at a later date.

Cheers

chris (chris) · #**296** 15-01-2007, 06:00 PM

Hi Ric,
Thanks for the welcome and the advice. Just got back from holidays. I have looked up my local astronomy club (WSAAG) and will be joining them soon.
I am however interested in either the celestron C10-NGT or the sky watcher SW-252, but not to sure about the mount on the celestron it looks a bit flimsy.
https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7282X.jpg
http://www.celestron.com.au/Portals/1/ImagesStock/11048_c10n_gt.jpg

Any suggestions?

Cheers
Chris

Ric · #**297** 16-01-2007, 01:07 AM

Hi Chris, they are both nice looking scopes, but it's a bit hard to judge a mount with a photo. I would suggest to join your Astro club first and discuss your choices with some of the members.
I would also visit the Astro shop around Sydney and have a look at them in the flesh and have a chat with the people there as to your needs and your future directions, when it boils down it is your money and the more research that is done the better and another couple of days is worth it to make the choice.
In my case I had researched my LX200R 12" for nearly 2 months before I bought it and the was numerous questions and emails prior to purchase, I had even downloaded the manuals as well.
there may be some other members as well who own these models that may be able to add to this.

cheers

Grinz · #**298** 16-01-2007, 07:38 AM

Just saying hello - I have just joined so I am a beginner here - although not a beginner as far as Astronomy is concerned. Won't call myself an expert either - rather an "addicted one".

Oh I am from South Africa and it will be grand to get to know some of you there in Aus.

And before you ask - yes I like cricket & rugby too. *chuckle*

Lee AKA Grinz

iceman (Mike) · #**299** 16-01-2007, 07:43 AM

Hi Lee!

to IceInSpace! What's the astronomy scene like in South Africa? Would be great to see more South African members at IceInSpace!

Grinz · #**300** 16-01-2007, 07:53 AM

Hi Iceman - lots to tell about what we do around here - and probably will, in due course *smile*. But since I have to rush off for the moment, I will leave you with the url of my local club here in Cape Town: http://assa.saao.ac.za/capecentre/ I'm kind of assistant cook & bottle washer there at the moment (Vice Chair, unofficial webmaster, editor etc) and if you want to, you are welcome to download the latest version of our newsletter.

I also have a website of my own of a more international nature - http://www.thenewradiant.com and have been hoping to see more people from Aus & NZ there. I have a "thing" about Astronomy being something to be shared by people all over the world and am even attempting a series of lectures on the subject. First two were on..... Astronomy in NZ & Aus. Was supposed to be one lecture only but there is so much going on in Aus (even from what I could gather on the Net) that it took me two lectures.

Gave me a great deal of respect for Astronomy in Australia to do the research!

Hope to look in often - meanwhile thanks for allowing me here into your community. It is really a great one from what I have seen.