Calling all newbies

[moonunit (Joe)]

Originally Posted by zimzum71

hi all, i just have to share an experience with y'all.....i trust no one will go "yeah yeah, bin there done that....ive only been into asto' since the start of this year, started off with a pair of giant 20x80 skymasters (they are just fantastic), then aquired a puny tasco galaxsee...but i won it off ebay for around $30, so couldnt go wrong realy, especialy learning to use an equitorial mount, and it had those department store eyepieces - H20, H12.5, SR4 ect.....BUT i have just aquired a celestron c90 Mak-Cass (about the size and weight of a 2 letre milk bottle--wonderfully portable)....it is simply incredible, add to the fact it came with a 32mm plossl, its also my first experience with a proper eyepiece. so this morning i was up around 4am and holy sh** the nothern sky is full of eye candy...jupiter, venus, orions belt + nebula...with the new gear i could see jupiter so sharp with at least 4 cloud bands. i NEVER knew the importance of a good eyepiece, befor i was all about how to put cash aside and go for an 8inch+ dob...that can wait...too long to save that much, now im looking at and researching eyepieces like mad, again i never knew of all the different types, brands and designs...i figure two excelent eps and a good barlow will keep me very pleased indeed, ooh and a couple of filters. now on top of all that i was able to construct a wonderfuly solid stand that works like a giant camera mount....so pointable with a long handle to freely move accross the sky AND ive attached one of those holographic red dot target thingys used for airsoft guns. its connected by a swivle ball that came off a cheap camera stand - you look through the little screen with an iluminated red cross or reticle, line it up with say saturn and your on target within seconds....i put so much time into making the stand and the viewing very very easy to use, i love getting the "wow!" responce from friends and visitors as they look around...especialy the rings of saturn. cheers to you all, ive learnt so much from this site and you fine people......a special thanks to astroron for inviting me to his observitory, nice people, great gear---40cm wide, 6 foot long dobsonian
.....need i say more....................
p.s. just a quick question to anyone who can help, my c90 came with a pretty solid diagonal corector, but ive heard its a bit ordinary, is it worth getting a premo one? will it add more to viewing quality?

Ever heard of paragraphs?

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by moonunit

Ever heard of paragraphs?

I saw one once !
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...90&postcount=1

[zimzum71 (Pete)]

yeah me too, but the foto was blury and to tell the truth i think it was just a guy in a hairy suit....

hey zeroid cheers for the info on the diagonal, its good to know. at the moment ive just got a celestron 32mm plossl, and a whats called a "super barlow x2" from a mob called seben in germany....seems realy solid and well made.

but i have just come from the world of H20, H12.5, SR4, so its already a huge improvement. i was thrilled with the fov on the 32, makes the huygens like looking through a black soda straw...

at about 1.3 km from my house i can read car licence plates with the lower power plossl + barlow comapared with H's that come nowhere close ....on the same road is one of those "40km/hr school zone 9am - 4pm" signs thats great for use as a focus chart and calibrating the spotter...

also does a realy good barlow (as apposed to a plastic tube you get with a department store scope) make a big difference? id be greatfull to know about say a top of the range price and make, and then a middle range but still decent..

yes its inevitable i will get aperture fever but my c90 has eased my panic of pooling enough cash together to get something big, im just so happy with it, cost me $160 from the U.S. and your dead right with what ever i spend on 1.25" eyepices can be put to use on the next toy.....

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Seben is good I beleive. On your 32mm that will give you a 16mm option. It will be slightly dimmer than a 15-16mm EP by itself though.
I 'd suggest a range of about 10mm, 15mm, 20mm would give you plenty of options. I also have 6mm and 9mm TMB Planetaries but not sure how these would go on your smaller scope ( mine is 10")

[zimzum71 (Pete)]

ah i see, i guess because there is simply another layer of glass between your eye and the view... i wouldn't have though of that. for sure the ep sizes you mentioned are about what ive been checking out, except for around 14-15mm because i now used to think i could just halve the 32 and get the same brightness....again cheers for the info man....