MarsDrive

[FrankS]

Hi everyone. I have a telescope that was given to me(it's my first) and it comes with no instructions. Can anyone help? It's the Bushmaster Jupiter F 700. Also I lead agroup called MarsDrive- www.marsdrive.com (http://www.marsdrive.com) Check it out and let me know if you are interested in anything. In the meantime can anyone help me with my telescope problems?

[Hitchhiker]

Hi FrankS,

I googled the Bushmaster Jupiter F700 telescope and found the Australian home page for the supplier. The link is http://www.bushmaster.com.au

There is an email address for the Australian operation - bci@bciinternational.com.au

Maybe you could email them and they might be able to send you a manual. If not, this model looks like a stock standard 60mm refractor on an alt/az mount. It is a very common type of scope. I have a similar refractor - I will hunt up the manual. If you can't get any satisfaction from bushmaster I could scan it and it would probably be pretty helpful.

Mars Drive site looks cool - haven't had a detailed look yet but, hey - when can I go to Mars?

[FrankS]

Thanks Adam, the scope came with a cd but its older than my OS so I'm pretty blind here. Any help you can give would be great. (maybe I could even spot Mars!)

[Hitchhiker]

Here is a picture of the scope from the web site. Better confirm for me that this is the scope you have. My old 60mm refractor is out in the garage so I'll have to go and have a look out there in the morning.

This telescope should be pretty easy to use - you certainly will be able to look at Mars with it.

Did you get all the accessories with the telescope? The website says it comes with eyepieces and a moon filter and various other bits and pieces.

[FrankS]

yes, thats the one, and I do have all the accessories. A good starchart would help me as well.(that includes planets). What did you think of the site? We are not promising tickets to Mars, just hard work and the chance to be a part of going there instead of just watching from the sidelines. The only thing I can see is the Moon with it. A good in depth manual would help also. Next year I'm hoping to get the Meade RCX 400 next year 16 inch.

[jjjnettie]

FrankS,
Pick up a copy of Sky & Telescope, or Sky & Space. Both have basic star charts that will give you quite a few objects to start yourself on.

[Mick]

Welcome to the forum FrankS, That's quite a jump 60mm to a 16"RCX.

[FrankS]

Thanks for the replies. That manual helped alot too. I just have a question I was wondering on, What do astronomers and astronomy clubs look for in the way of information on the web most frequently? What could my own site include that would be helpful to you all? www.marsdrive.com (http://www.marsdrive.com) Let me know your thoughts on this and I'll get our team working on it right away.

[nubulaeboy]

hey, i saw this telescope a couple of days ago, and thought that i might get it for my sisters birthday, just as her first telescope, would you guys recommend it as a first telescope,

[davidpretorius]

hey nebulaeboy, is she serious about astronomy , a passing intersest??

if it is to be a "toy" then this one is fine, but if it is a hobby, then $400 is about where you want to budget at least.

[Starkler]

$300 will buy the 150mm dob from Andrews, which is good enough to be called a "real scope". Anything less will be a toy.

[janoskiss]

Yep. The 6" Dob would be the least expensive scope with some grunt.

Nevertheless, "toy" scopes can be fun for kids & adults alike. Probably more so for the adults, because the mount would frustrate most kids too soon.

FrankS, I know you got a manual already, but if you have not checked out Orion's 60mm refractor manual you should: http://www.telescope.com/text/content/pdf/IN_194_Observer_60mm_AZ.pdf

[FrankS]

Thanks guys, I have so far managed to see Venus with my pathetic scope, I even took a picture of it. Awe is the word that comes to mind. I did an interview with Andy Thomas, our Aussie astronaut the other day, you can find it here- http://marsdrive.com/node/293?PHPSESSID=f7bbbfffd3b2e0ea249e2 fc9dee8a055
Let me know what you think of the site.

[jjjnettie]

Frank,
That was a terrific interview. Just the sort of questions I'd ask myself, and Andy answered them with all the detail you could want.
Love your website.
Jeanette

[nubulaeboy]

sorry about the extremly late reply, but my computer stuffed up,

anyway, to answer your question, no not really, i just want to set the fire within you know,

can she see the moon, mars etc, i dont want to get anything too fancy, its just to get her started,

[janoskiss]

A cheap refractor on a wobbly mount is more likely to kill any possible interest in astronomy rather than nurture it. Almost every kid gets something like that at some point and tries to use it once or twice before giving up. Aiming a telescope and keeping it on the target as the Earth rotates is very frustrating with a flimsy mount.

The f7.5 80mm refractor on the AZ3 mount for $249 from AOE would be a nice scope for a child: http://www.aoe.com.au/refractors.html

[jaysastra04]

hi, i bought a f700 from a garage sale yesterday but the veiw is upside down. the 90 degree veiw peice is missing, is that the reason?

[xelasnave]

Hi ther welcome to iceinspace form me.
Astronomy scopes dont worry about being upside down or not. I dont know if you have a reflector or refractor but image possition is not a concern. If you wish to get the image "the right way up" for terrestial viewing you can get an "erecting prism" for a refractor. But if you plan to use it for astronomy only dont worry.
alex

[jaysastra04]

thankyou for your help, i will be using it for land veiwing too. i have one more favour to ask if possible, i have seen a telescope im interested in, its a 114mm and they are going pretty cheap via auction, is it a cheap peice of rubbish? or a decent scope? and does the size really matter, comparing a 60mm with a 114mm? thanks again

[jaysastra04]

ooops i meant to mention its on ebay. ta, jason

[jjjnettie]

The scopes you mentioned on Ebay are not the best.
You get better views with a pair of binoculars than with the cheapy 60mm refractors. ( I know, I've got one )
The 114mm newtonian you mentioned is a bit better. Well suited for budding junior Astronomers, but not enough apeture to keep an adult interested for long.