Hi!

[Mutant]

iceman you homoski!

This is my HAI I'M NEW TO THIS BBS post

Another o2 member with keen amateur astronomy interests :D

get an account on http://www.badastronomy.com home to incredibly informative astronomy chats, as well as a bunch of amateur and professional astronomers and physicists alike!

[iceman]

Hey Mutant, welcome to iceinspace!

What equipment do you have?

[Mutant]

Hey icey .. I have no equipment at the moment. I've spent a bit of time at the local observatory, especially during Mars's last ultra close fly-by.

As mentioned earlier, the best celestial object I've seen was the globular cluster near the smaller magellenic cloud, on a forty-something reflector at the observatory.

I'm looking to get a smallish amateur scope in the near future. Got any recommendations?

[iceman]

I'd start with a good set of binoculars (10x50 or higher, such as 11x70, 15x70) and a camera tripod (you'll also most likely need a tripod adapter if it's not built into the binos).

You'd be amazed what you can see with binoculars.. on a clear night and a dark sky, there's nothing better than just scanning the milky way with binoculars.. globular clusters, open clusters, nebulas, they all just jump out at you.

It helps you to learn the constellations and what objects you're looking at (get a star chart, books etc).

If, after your binos, you're still interested in the hobby, then it's time to get a telescope! What telescope you get, will depend on many things such as:

1. How much you have to spend

2. How portable do you need it to be? Do you have somewhere to set it up permanently, or will you be carrying it inside and out each night? Will you be taking it out to dark sky locations if you live in a populated area?

3. Do you want to do pure visual observing or do you have plans of doing any astrophotography in the future?

4. Are you going to be happy to star-hop, or do you want a telescope that tracks objects across the sky, and has a goto database?


In the end, cost might be the driving factor, but for most people just starting out, a 6", 8" or 10" dobsonian would suit most purposes - it's portable, cheap, easy to use and setup and you get good aperture for your dollar.

If you want a telescope that tracks objects across the sky and has a goto database, then expect to pay a lot more (at least 2-3 times as much). They are obviously better for photography though, and will enable you to do deepspace photography, not just planets and the moon (like I am limited to).

I'd expect to spend at least $600 for a dobsonian reflector, and at least $1200 for a EQ-mounted reflector. You'd probably get around 6" of aperture for that money.

[Starkler]

Hi Mutant.

When you get serious about buying a telescope it pays to do your research.
95% of all telescopes sold are absolute rubbish and a total waste of money. This includes anything sold in kmart, ebay, typical camera stores and the like.

[Mutant]

I did the binos thing ages ago. I'm definitely looking at spending a bit on a telescope and being able to do astrophotography.

I know a bloke whos retired, came back out of retirement and worked a 6month contract so he could set up a really awesome goto telescope hooked up to his home computer and various starcharting & astronomy programs. Still, since he was prolly making a fair packet, it must have been pricey o_o

Can you point me in the direction of some reuptable brands of the non-dobsonian goto types?

What am I looking at here?

1k
5k?
100k?

o_o?

[Starkler]

5k by the time you have got a moderate sized sct on a decent mount.

[iceman]

Starker is right..

and then you need the photography equipment..

Planets and moon? No probs, get a ToUcam webcam, $200 and you're done.

Deepspace, you'll want a Canon EOS 300D (digital SLR), another $2k on top.

alternatively, that Meade DSI camera is sounding pretty good and will only cost ~$500 or so.

You'll also want some good software - there is free stuff that you can use no probs, but i've found some of the better stuff needs to be bought, another few hundred.

Save your pennies!

[Nick]

g'day guys,
Im another keen o2 member with astronomy interests. Im on uni wage so cant afford much :( but already have 10X50 binoculars, and a telescope, pretty ordinary one tho, only good for looking at planets and constellations and such.
Im doin Applied Science(microbiology), so if you want to know about bacteria just give me a yell :p im studying it right now actually lol.

[Mutant]

Hmm 6kish .. longer term ..might have to try and get my olds to contribute and have a joint setup on their property down south. Less light pollution and the like :D

We already have an array of fair SLR digis so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I can't be assed with planets because the blurriness caused by the atmosphere is pretty gay, especially at the 3AU or so jupiter sits at.

I'm more interested in deep space objects like galaxies .. globular clusters, etc.

[iceman]

Hey nick! Good to see you signing up here! :)

Mutant, how far is it to your olds house?
Astrophotography can be soooo expensive.. but the images are just unreal and i'd love to be able to produce them one day.. oh well the stars ain't going anywhere, right? When the kids have moved out of home in 18 years maybe then i'll get a big SCT and digiSLR! :)

[rumples riot]

Cost of astrophotograhy.

1x 10"Lx 200 Gps Uhtc = $6500.00
1x Nikon D70 with lens for terrestrial shots = $2200.00
1x Waeco battery to run system =$450.00
1X Field derotator for alt az setup =$750.00
1x off axis guider + illuminated reticle= $380.00
1x spare battery for the D70 = $80.00.
1x laptop to run LPI and do software work and talk to you lot $2500.00.
1x weight set to balance the tube of my scope =$200.00.
1x power cord with lighter fitting for powering scope in the field =$70.00.
1x JMI hard case for scope protection to dark sites +$1000.00

Software so far free.

Total cost a whopping $14,130.00Au just for the pleasure of taking deep space astro shots that you can be proud of. This is a seriously expensive hobby, just be prepared to spend the money once you get hooked. The shots can be worth it, but the cost can be very high, the rewards great and very time consuming. Best of luck with your decision. I am glad I made my decision!

Paul

[iceman]

Ouch that's expensive..

Lucky this is a long-term hobby, and at least it's a hobby where you CAN be satisfied just visual observing without all the gadgets etc.

Of course we always want more, but i'm not at the stage in my life where I can be too liberal with money.. mortgage and 3 kids :/ oh well it'll come in time.

[astromark]

:rolleyes: Hi all, and thanks for inviting me into this exalent site. I will opoligies just this once for my imaginative spelling. I wish to offer some advise to the biginer. As a senier member of the Ward Observatory's control board. Nothing is more pleasing than to see a young person viewing for the first time through a high quality teliscope. This sort of instroment is beond the budget of most of us. I would encorage you to join a local observatories club, and join in the splendour of the skies at reasonable cost to your self. But dont be put off by a bunch of stuffy old men. Be persistant and they will welcome you in... mark.

[iceman]

hmm definitely interesting spelling :)

Welcome to the site and look forward to hearing about the state of amateur astronomy across in kiwiland!

[Starkler]

You know for the price of a modest astrophotography setup, you could have a totally kickass premium quality 15inch truss dob which is as big as you would want while keeping your feet on the ground to view.

This would run rings around any sct when you actually look through it.

[iceman]

yeh but how do you SHARE those views with other people if you don't take photos of it?

For me, I love visual observing just fine, and it's great to share it with other people when they can come and look through your scope..
But also I want to be able to SHARE the views with other people when they're not up at 4am to look at Saturn.. i want to be able to take good photos to share my passion and say "look at this! isn't this awesome".

The problem is, astrophotography is so expensive and time consuming and without the right equipment, you're always going to be left wanting and frustrated with your efforts.

[astromark]

:rolleyes: Yes Iceman, your point is well made. We can and do use the web to view some of the best astronomical images. The sort of thing those of us with the keys of a good observatory can see. BUT its only when you look through the telescope and here that childs gasp of delight, that you know you've made a diferance. Answering the questions and showing the sights is what does it for me. and you .
We live in truly enlightened times. I can use the hubble links to view some of the best images of space available. we will soon have acsess to the south african VLT. and be able to see what its seeing anytime.... all good stuff, but to look through the eye piece of a 500mm guided reflector, and allthough old, still very usfull 240mm refractor. Nothing is better. Organising a star party and BBQ. summer is here in the land of New Zealand.