#161  
Old 28-03-2006, 07:15 AM
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acropolite (Phil)
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Steve, even if you have to wait a little longer, wait and go for the 10 inch dob, there's no substitute for aperture and the difference in price isn't that much.
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  #162  
Old 28-03-2006, 10:05 PM
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It's done, I have bowed to the superior knowledge and experience of all you kindly folk ..... my new GSO 10" (Deluxe version) has already been dispatched and is on the way. When I did the maths the 10" will gather 56% more light (actually more, assuming the secondary mirror is the same size in the 8 and 10 inch versions). Therefore it's not only a better scope but slightly better value - better again when you also get the mirror fan. That's my story and I'm sticking to it - you can see how I quite reasonably "logicked" myself up into the bigger scope. :-)

Now it's off to Woollies tomorrow to buy a months worth of instant noodles .... but I'll be happy eating them!
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  #163  
Old 28-03-2006, 10:17 PM
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good logic Steve! Buy your noodles in bulk from an Asian grocer instead of Woollies and you'll get better for a lot less! Koreans make the best instant noodles btw.
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  #164  
Old 29-03-2006, 09:02 AM
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While your at Woollies get a month's worth of mozzie repellant too. The things they don't tell you about when you get into astronomy.....
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  #165  
Old 29-03-2006, 09:09 AM
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And a fold up table, a couple of towels (to lay on the table and then to drape over your sky maps) and some red cellophane (for the end of your tourch). Oh and a beanie, white zinc for the moon burnt nose, a pocket protector and some sandals. Might as well look the part. Do you need glasses? Better get some new ones with thick black frames. Or if you go for wire frames they will need a bandaid wrapped around the bridge area. (you don't actually have to break them, but looks are everything you know)
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  #166  
Old 29-03-2006, 12:49 PM
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It's really funny; I've always kinda been the "bit nerdy" one out of all my friends, they all kinda gave me and each other 'side ways glances' when I've been telling them I'm getting into astronomy.

The funny thing is every single friend that I've had over after sunset and set up my wobble master 2.5" refractor to point at saturn (a tiny white fuzzy dot but you can make out the ring!) inevitably and without fail, has had the same reaction, goes something like:

Oh My GOD! That's SO COOL! you CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT! ! WOW!!!! I Never knew you could actually SEE it, that's BRILLIANT!!! Show me more!!!
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  #167  
Old 29-03-2006, 02:54 PM
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So true.
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  #168  
Old 29-03-2006, 03:00 PM
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" IT " has arrived !!!!!
It has been just over 24 hours since it was despatched .. mighty good service both from Andrew's and the courier people!

Thanks janokiss for the good word on noodles, I'm going to need that!

cjmarsh gotcha on the mozzie repellant ... as a long time, avid bush traveller and camper I know only too well how annoying those things can be, and as we will want neither a fire nor dry cow dung patties to throw on it while astr-observing (nor fresh wet creek mud smeared all over our exposed skin, and lenses) I guess regular commercially-available repellant will be the best option. Do they have one that smells of manly leather yet? :-)

Paul I'm only going to take half your advice, already had a list of table, towels, chairs, red torch, etc planned, perhaps my laptop with Cartes du Ciel loaded. Negatory on the sandals, when in nerd mode I'll be wearing my favourite comfy warm uggies (I'll wear the black formal ones on special night events!) and sadly I don't wear glasses ... yet.

Ok ... now I just have to make room in the lounge to unpack it, bribe the dogs with snacks to NOT lick any optical parts, assemble the base, check collimation, etc.

(oh yes, we do the Happy Dance)
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  #169  
Old 29-03-2006, 04:25 PM
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enjoy Steve.




BTW have you looked out at the sky yet...........It's your fault.
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  #170  
Old 31-03-2006, 02:05 AM
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Well a day and a half after the scopes arrival and several hours of attempted collimating I may finally have my scope somewhere near being right, at least close enough that I can't bear to wait any longer to at least try it on something! When I got home from work just after 11 the sky had a fair number of stars visible in the southern regions, enough so that I thought I'd sit up, try to refine the collimation, drag the scope outside and have a first peek through it! Even setting up the finder scope for a peek may have held me over.... Alas! The sky is covered with clouds, not a star visible, exactly as predicted. Thanks Paul!! :-) I guess I'll try after work again tomorrow night when I get home around 11-ish again. In the meantime I think I'll try and get some much overdue sleep so I'm fresh for a stunning nights viewing come Saturday night.

(If you don't make wishes, then your wishes can't come true........)
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  #171  
Old 21-04-2006, 01:08 PM
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Hi guys,
This is my first post and I am in the process of buying my first telescope. I have had a look at a few online, at the moment the best one I can find (and afford) is the Bushmaster SE114-900 reflector. I also have a good quality digital SLR camera and was told I could get a T-mount and clock drive to allow me to take some astronomical photographs.

The telescope is on special at the moment for $199, down from $400.

Does this sound like a good purchase for my first telescope?

any feedback would me greatly appreciated.

Shannon
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  #172  
Old 21-04-2006, 01:44 PM
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I'm a newb to astronomy and I can tell you the best advice I got was to 1st buy a pair of half decent binoculars. They are much cheaper then a telescope and handier and you'll be surprised with what you can see through them!

$119 would get you a 7x50 or a 10x50 pair from http://www.aoe.com.au/binoculars.html

I ended up buying a 8x56 pair that I found on special. wether you prefer 7 or 10 magnification is up to you but don't just decide based on thinking more magnification is better! You will still see the SAME objects, you will just see fewer of them at once in higher magnification, and higher mag is harder to hold steady for as long too. The best idea is to try to look through a pair of each before you decide, but that's easier said then done for some people, I didn't get a chance to do this myself.

With my 8 mag binocs, i can literally JUST fit the southern cross into their field of vision.

Binocs are a great 1st purchase! You can learn a LOT about the sky with them and see some pretty amazing things, this then will be the best way to show you HOW MUCH pursuing the hobby will be worth to you. You may decide that the 114mm telescope is enough, or you may decide that you want something a bit more! (Like me )

But whatever you choose, even if you chose NOT to buy a telescope at all, you will STILL have a pair of really useful binoculars!

I, and most people would NOT be without their binoculars for an observing session, they make locating things so much easier, and a lot of things that just don't fit into the field of view of a telescope just look great through binoculars. You also have no chance of tracking high flying planes and satellites with a telescope, but they are a piece of cake with binoculars. I almost always start an observing session just having a scan around the sky with my binocs while my eyes dark adapt.
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  #173  
Old 21-04-2006, 02:03 PM
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thanks for the tip vespine, I do have a reasonably decent pair of binoculars already.

At this stage im just looking for a cheap, but decent quality scope to use from my balcony for both astro and land viewing.

Once i get used to astronomical observations etc, using skycharts and the like, I will probably upgrade to a much better telescope.

Any other feedback re my consideration of the SE114-900?
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  #174  
Old 21-04-2006, 02:15 PM
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hehe sorry! I guess I should have just asked 1st Like I said i'm a new comer too so don't really know anything about the bushmaster.

Andrewscom have similar specced telescopes for $300-$400 from skywatcher, celestron and guan sheng. http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm

so if the bushmaster is in a similar league it may be a good deal. From my limited experience, the question I would be asking is if this scope uses 1.25" eyepieces. I borrowed a refractor that had the 0.9" eyepieces and it was rubbish, I personally would not recommend anything that doesn't use at least the 1.25" and I thing it would easily be worth the $100 extra to get a scope that does.

Actually, for the extra $100 I bet a lot of people would tell you to go for a Guan Sheng GS-580 Limited 150 x 1200 $299.00 AUD, and for another $100 you could get Guan Sheng GS-680 200 x 1200 Limited version $399.00 AUD about 3 times the light gathering power for twice the price.

a LOT more bang for your buck
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Old 21-04-2006, 02:39 PM
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thanks vespine, i wil give the retailer a call and find out what the eyepiece size it.

seeing as i am a real noob, is the eyepiece size of 1.25" the diametre of the eyepiece or a different measurement?

This is the description it gives for the Bushmaster SE114-900

450x Power high resolution, heavy duty aluminum tripod, deluxe equatorial mount.
MIRROR DIAMETER: 114mm
FOCAL LENGTH: 900mm
MAIN TUBE POWER: 150XMAX.
POWER: 450X
ACCESSORIES INCLUDED:A) 6mm eyepiece,B) 20mm eyepiece,C) Lunar filter,D) 2x barlow lens,E) 3x erecting lens
Recommended uses:

Professional astronomical viewing and terrestrial viewing

If someone could explain what all the accessories are, it would be greatly appreciated...
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  #176  
Old 21-04-2006, 02:58 PM
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has anyone ever bought a telescope on ebay? would you suggest doing so? as there is a 1000-114 Seben reflector with an automatic drive included plus a heap of accessories for $320.

what would one expect to pay for a Skywatcher 254/1200 EQ6 with a GOTO motor drive?

Again, as I am really new to astronomy, i don't know if this brand is good etc.

Last edited by Shacky; 21-04-2006 at 03:34 PM.
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  #177  
Old 21-04-2006, 03:01 PM
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I'll try (someone should confirm/ellaborate, i'm a newbie)

The eyepieces are what performs the magnification. Magnification = focal length / eyepiece diameter.

The lunar filter attaches to the eyepieces do reduce brightness, which is good when looking at the moon. Don't try to look at the sun with it though, under any circumstances. You need a proper solar filter that attaches to the front of the telescope (and i still wouldn't bother).

The 2x barlow goes between the telescope and the eyepiece, and doubles magnification.

The erecting lens flips the image around so it's correctly oriented. Most useful when looking at stuff on earth. I guess it magnifies x3 too. This is the one i'm the least clear on.
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  #178  
Old 21-04-2006, 03:16 PM
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thanks for that BYU!
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  #179  
Old 21-04-2006, 04:16 PM
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RB (Andrew)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BobsYourUncle
The eyepieces are what performs the magnification. Magnification = focal length / eyepiece diameter.
Just a correction on that BYU,

Magnification = telescope focal length ÷ eyepiece focal length not eyepiece diameter.

So if your telescope Focal length is 900mm and you put in a 6mm eyepiece then you have 150x magnification. (900 ÷ 6 = 150)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shacky
seeing as i am a real noob, is the eyepiece size of 1.25" the diametre of the eyepiece or a different measurement?

This is the description it gives for the Bushmaster SE114-900

450x Power high resolution, heavy duty aluminum tripod, deluxe equatorial mount.
MIRROR DIAMETER: 114mm
FOCAL LENGTH: 900mm
MAIN TUBE POWER: 150XMAX.
POWER: 450X
ACCESSORIES INCLUDED:A) 6mm eyepiece,B) 20mm eyepiece,C) Lunar filter,D) 2x barlow lens,E) 3x erecting lens
Recommended uses:
Eyepieces basically come in 3 diameters, 0.96", 1.25" and 2" inch.
That's the diameter of the barrel that goes into the telescope.
If your telescope has a 2" opening then you can use both 2" and 1.25" eyepieces but you need an adaptor to reduce it down to 1.25".

This is not the focal length of the eyepiece. The focal length of the eyepiece is used to calculate the amount of magification it will yield.
This can range from around 50mm down to about 2.5mm even though the diameter of the barrel is the same, either 2" or 1.25".

Hope this makes sense.

Click here for a quick rundown and diagram

Last edited by RB; 21-04-2006 at 04:31 PM.
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  #180  
Old 21-04-2006, 04:57 PM
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Yeah, thanks for the correction, that's what i meant Just used the wrong term, typical newbie
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