#1121  
Old 28-01-2011, 06:28 AM
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Ric
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Welcome to IIS Chris.

Research is a wonderful thing, I know I spent quite a few months researching my scope.

I trick I used was to download the manuals if possible, they will give you a lot of insight to the scope. I think I knew the full in's & out's of mine before I'd even purchased it.

Cheers
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  #1122  
Old 31-01-2011, 02:42 PM
PaPPy (Con)
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Hello

I am fairly new to star gazing and have enjoyed a great read in this forum and have just joined up since it has given me a lot of information and all the members here seem really knowledgeable and helpful indeed.

I have recently purchased an 8" skywatcher dob and have immediately fallen in love with it..I know, I know, I gotta get out more anyways, it's been an absolute breeze locating Jupiter, the Moon (ofcourse), Saturn and even a very bright glimpse of venus...albeit having to stay up until around 5am and battle those bloomin' mozzies. I am using EP's supplied ie..10mm and 25mm and also have a 2x barlow. I have enjoyed some great views, but am now at the point where i want to 'add to the fleet' so to speak.
I apologise for if this has been explained multiple times, however, I am unsure what the coloured filters will help with, what each colour will provide in viewing experience and also recommended filters for viewing nebulae and galaxies and why?
Finally, due to premium EP's costing over $300AUS, are there any 'higher range' EP's (compared to the standard $30 jobs) that are great quality and worth purchasing that may cost around $100 or so, or do i just keep saving the pennies for the premium EP's?

any input would be greatly appreciated...and sorry for the novel

PaPPy
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  #1123  
Old 31-01-2011, 09:32 PM
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barx1963 (Malcolm)
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Hey Con
Welcome to IIS. Well done on the 8" dob the ideal starter scope!
With filters try this link
http://www.lumicon.com/astronomy-acc...d=1&cn=Filters
It gives a rundown on the various filters and what they do. Straight coloured filters are used primarily for planets to improve contrast of certain features. I use an UHC neb filter to try and improve contrast in faint nebs and an OIII to help with planetary nebs. Find them useful.
Unfortunately with EPs you really get what you pay for. Having said that I observed for 2 years using just a 25mm plossl and was quite happy.
I am a big fan of the 24mm Televue Panoptic but that is still a $300+ ep. If you see one second hand - grab it.
Televue make plossls that would have a better build quality than the $30 jobs, but cannot comment on the views.

Malcolm
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  #1124  
Old 01-02-2011, 08:41 AM
PaPPy (Con)
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Hi Malcolm,

thanks so much for your great reply..that information was exactly what i was looking for...much appreciated.

i think i will hold out before buying any EP's as i expected the response would be to save the pennies for something like a panoptic or nagler. i am very happy using the 10mm and 25mm EP's..i've had great images. i will, however, consider purchasing some filters for planetary detail and higher contrast for viewing nebulae.

thanks again for your very helpful information.

cheers
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  #1125  
Old 08-02-2011, 05:49 PM
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barx1963 (Malcolm)
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Glad it was of help Con.
With EPs many have found going to a club night or star party a great way to check out the various options. Most obervers are happy to show of their EPs and what they can do if you ask politely.

Once you have a really nice one you'll never look back, but having said that I nailed most of the Messier objects (80+) using just a 25mm plossl in an 8" dob.

Malcolm
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  #1126  
Old 08-02-2011, 08:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gpb View Post
Hi All, Astronomy has always been fascinating to me but now I'm going to take it to the next level. Being very new to this forum it has already provided me with heaps of knowledge and it is changing me from purchasing a SCT to a Dob, mind you this will be my first ever telescope. I know it will take a few months before I decide on which one exactly because now I'm weighing up whether it would be beneficial if I went GoTo.
I'd buy a big dobsonian
big apeture and good superior value for money.
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  #1127  
Old 14-02-2011, 09:08 PM
andyroo (Andrew)
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HI THERE..

Can Anyone tell me why the forums are upside down? I've seen many a forum but this one it's back to front its really quite annoying, is there any particular reason for this?
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  #1128  
Old 14-02-2011, 09:29 PM
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erick (Eric)
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Andrew, do you mean the order of the posts - whether latest at top or first at top? If so, there is a parameter in the User CP that will swap them.
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  #1129  
Old 14-02-2011, 09:37 PM
andyroo (Andrew)
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^^^ Yes I did and thanks all good now
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  #1130  
Old 14-02-2011, 09:44 PM
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erick (Eric)
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Originally Posted by andyroo View Post
^^^ Yes I did and thanks all good now
In that case you need to turn your "^^^" upside down to point to my post
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  #1131  
Old 15-02-2011, 01:06 AM
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cavemaster (Danny)
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Hello All from the state of Indiana!
45 years in the hobby. Building my first observatory w/o
my DAD. Well I am in to Cave/Astrola's. And trying to understand CCD
Astro-Photgraphy. I sure hope you all are okay we always liked Australia
and our prayers go out to you/hurry and dry out.
v/r
Danny
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  #1132  
Old 25-02-2011, 07:14 PM
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The_bluester (Paul)
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Hi all from Kilmore (Victoria) australia.

Just returning to the hobby. I was always keen on it when I was at school and have had a small reflector (Meade 4500) for years but several years on the coast really damaged the mirrors which put me off for ages.

I recently lashed out and bought a Celestron CPC 9.25 (Last scope I will get to buy for years so I wanted something nice) and it really does provide some wow factor compared to the little old Meade.

I am really looking forward to getting some more use out of the Celestron but it has been cloudy almost every night since I picked it up!
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  #1133  
Old 27-02-2011, 04:57 PM
spaceguy (Ken)
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Cool Paul

Quote:
Originally Posted by The_bluester View Post
Hi all from Kilmore (Victoria) australia.

Just returning to the hobby. I was always keen on it when I was at school and have had a small reflector (Meade 4500) for years but several years on the coast really damaged the mirrors which put me off for ages.

I recently lashed out and bought a Celestron CPC 9.25 (Last scope I will get to buy for years so I wanted something nice) and it really does provide some wow factor compared to the little old Meade.

I am really looking forward to getting some more use out of the Celestron but it has been cloudy almost every night since I picked it up!
Hi Paul, happy viewing from now on. The scope you bought seems a beauty. Powerful I think. I have a celeston 127mm reflector, which has given me about 4 years of good viewing. I might up date one day. It's been cloudy here too in NSW. Not a really good summer for viewing this one. Take care. Cheers. Ken.
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  #1134  
Old 27-02-2011, 06:53 PM
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The_bluester (Paul)
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I have had a few niggles getting the alignment right so it tracks properly, but reading I have done seems to indicate that the scope is "Frozen" so to speak until you complete the entire alignment process so the longer you take the worse the alignment. I have been trying to use stars as far apart as possible. I may be better off using closer stars to begin with and then replacing them in the alignment later in the night.

The times I have had it right it has tracked rock solid for hours. Centre Jupiter in the EP at a fairly high power then walk away for half an hour and there is is still in view. The first view really was something special compared to the old Meade. In particular I love being able to actually get right up to the EP and even use the eye cup without worrying about bumping the scope as it stays rock steady where at high power you could not afford to touch the old one at all.

I am hoping that he weather is good next weekend as I am planning on going to the ASV Messier star party if it looks at all reasonable. It is under an hours drive for me.
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  #1135  
Old 01-03-2011, 04:07 PM
Dash8 (David)
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Hi,

I am hopefully (then I won't have to keep researching) on the verge of buying my first telescope - for the family, not just me.

I was was going to get a SkyWatcher 10" Dobsonian (collapsable) but it wasn't available at the time. Subsequently I have been considering the Guan Sheng GS-630 SDX from Andrews Communcations. I realise the latter has less aperture but it seems to me to have the advantages of right angle finder, 10:1 fine focussing and easier tracking with the equatorial mount. If anyone can give any advice or direct me to any reviews or comments about the GS-630 SDX, it would be appreciated.

Thought I might as well ask before I buy.
Thanks
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  #1136  
Old 02-03-2011, 10:29 AM
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The_bluester (Paul)
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I would have to say that for a keen but relatively inexperienced person like me and perhaps worth considering yourself if you can afford it the best thing about the new scope I have is the goto mount. Not even so much for the goto function (Although that is nice while I am relearning my way around the night sky) but the tracking component of the mount is just brilliant and makes light work of what used to be one of my frustrations, less time spent twiddling with the mount to keep things in view means more time at the eyepiece! As a relatively advanced newcomer (Through earlier interest) I am not sure if an equatorial mount would not be a recipie for frustration. I liked the idea of an equatorial mount but the ease and speed of setup of the alt-az goto has really converted me now that I have one. If I ever want to do serious imaging I will buy a wedge for it.

Further to my last post, The sky (All to briefly) cleared up last night so I got the scope out and tried my alignment on three objects much closer together than I had previously been doing to speed up the alignment process. Firstly the alignment was a lot quicker as I was not slewing over half of the sky and secondly it pointed quite accurately and tracked nicely straight off the bat. Later on in the night I replaced one of the alignment stars with Saturn as when it became visible the scope was maybe 1 degree off when slewing to it (My big frustration, it clouded over then and I got all of about 10 seconds of clear'ish viewing of Saturn when I wanted to try out a new eyepiece on it, an 11mm Nagler, even through a Nagler, clouds are boring!)

I gave up then and took it all inside at about 11PM, should have stayed up, my two hear old was crook and we ended up awake for half the night, at midnight when he first woke us it was a beautiful clear sky and it stayed that way until morning!
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  #1137  
Old 08-03-2011, 04:57 PM
AstroGuy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Saturn%5 View Post
I am far from an expert .



So my question would be if you are going to clean your mirror what would you clean it with
I'm thinking steam, pure distilled water derived steam baby! like from one of those portable hand steam cleaners. Does not touch the mirror and gets rid of the grime. Obviously you would not hold the steam gun right up close to it for fear of cracking damaging the mirror from heat etc... If you stand a few feet away and gently let the vapour condense enough to spray it off with even strokes, It should do the trick. If you're not confident I would not try it. Pyrex mirrors would be the safest to use this method on.
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  #1138  
Old 08-03-2011, 11:50 PM
KenNo2658 (Ken)
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Hi Guys

Not quite sure how many other Ken's are here but there seems to be quite a few so thought I'd play it safe!!

Been having a look around here for a while, since I found this site coming up all the time when I did Google searches.

Pretty much a Newbie. Got a Nexstar 80 with a mount that rarely seems to want to Goto. Got a couple of photos of the Moon and Saturn. I'm interested in Astrophotography and have a Cannon 450d EOS, (not bought for Astrophotography, unless you include the Belle Nebula!!) I am firmly convinced that the Belle Nebula is the center of the Universe, and will never be persuaded otherwise! (She's my Granddaughter!)
Only decided to register when I spotted a thread where my input might be useful. May not be but it brought me out of the closet!

I'll stick around for a while if you want me to, but been on forums before. If I get abused for honest mistakes, or for making comments that "The Powers That Be" don't agree with, I'll be gone faster than my internet connection!! (Not that that is real fast!)

Sorry to be a downer, but I'm here to learn and help if I can, not to fight.

Ken
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  #1139  
Old 12-03-2011, 07:28 AM
guggle (Michael)
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Hello

Hi all,

My name is Michael and I live in Dingley, Melbourne.

I bought a Saxxon 8" collapsible reflector with a dob mount after we went on holidays to Swan Hill about 18 months ago and visited a privately run observatory just out of town.

I got it out the other night after not using it for a while and remembered how much fun it was. I realised that I don't know enough hence joining this forum to help learn some more.

I was also a little saddened the other day when Discovery landed for the last time - the beginning of the end of an era.

What a great site this is - I don't know how iceman can afford all the time supporting it!!

Cheers, Michael.
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  #1140  
Old 12-03-2011, 01:36 PM
AstroGuy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by guggle View Post
Hi all,

My name is Michael and I live in Dingley, Melbourne.

I bought a Saxxon 8" collapsible reflector with a dob mount after we went on holidays to Swan Hill about 18 months ago and visited a privately run observatory just out of town.

I got it out the other night after not using it for a while and remembered how much fun it was. I realised that I don't know enough hence joining this forum to help learn some more.

I was also a little saddened the other day when Discovery landed for the last time - the beginning of the end of an era.

What a great site this is - I don't know how iceman can afford all the time supporting it!!

Cheers, Michael.
Hi Michael,

Good to have you around.

Mike's got a sweatshop full of chimpanzee's in his garage typing away at keyboards, and mice running on treadmills powering the server!





Regards...
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