Binoculars..

[erick (Eric)]

You need some software that shows you where the planets are. This one is free:- www.stellarium.org and will do the job.


Best options right now are Mars and Saturn. Jupiter, Venus and Mercury are too close to the Sun at the moment.

Mars looks like a bright red/orange star at present - look for the brightest object to the North crossing the Meridian around 11:30pm. Saturn is a bit harder - a cream coloured "star" - not very bright, crossing the meridian about 3:30am - but it is well up in the NE when you will be looking at Mars at 11:30pm.

[samos]

Appreciate that eric! I think for now, I need to concentrate on making some form of stabilization system before I try and find anything. It really is difficult with the jitters, and i'm a coffee drinker which doesn't help.

I was thinking a painters pole (or mop), which allows back and forth swivel (as from what I've read, it's the left and right rotation which really impact what you see).

Anyone here done the mop/broom/painters pole trick? When I get a bit of extra time up my sleeve, i'll go for that wooden contraption

[that_guy (Tony)]

what about that mirror reflection trick where you view the sky using a mirror so you don't strain your neck too much??

[erick (Eric)]

Like this?

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=51971

[dannat (Daniel)]

samos keep in mind binos are not really for planet observation with a couple of exceptions:
1. the phases of venus
2. picking up jupiter's galilean moons

there are a couple of others but its late

[samos]

Damn Eric, that's dedication!

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by samos

Damn Eric, that's dedication!

It doesn't take too many sore necks to drive one to this sort of level.

I am part way through a similar project myself for my 9x63, even though I also have a BT100 with tripod and 45* eps.

Great to see it works!
Now to finish the project.

Oh, and SAMOS listen to dannat you should.
Knows of what he speaks he does.
Planets are not generally satisfactory through binos (of any size)

[dannat (Daniel)]

can i add to the debate re: mirrors when using binos..i personally (my brain) much prefers the true orientation binos provides - using a mirror then defeats this purpose.
I prefer a tall 6" tripod with a good head, and i usually have my observing chair - but standing is also OK

can i also add i find it much easier to find DSO's with the correct orientation that binos provides - either just locating objects or using charts

[samos]

Well boys, last night the sky here at 3133 was pretty clear. Moon was almost full, and had aligned itself perfectly with my driveway. Few people have asked me, why'd you get Bino's.. you just wasted money. Jump on the net instead and find a few pictures close up of the moon.

I can now happily say that i'd pay that amount of money again just for a 5 minute gaze. It was brilliant. Pictures from hubble, or any other scope for that matter don't do it justice. I could see the craters on the top right, and it was so bright. Hopefully the next few nights are clear as well, so I can show my father.

I can see now that when the moons out, how it dulls everything else. I'm not sure of the name, but the 3 stars aligned, with a handle above them (and one in the middle with a strange glow around it, not visible to the naked eye) was dimmer last night than usual.

I brought my chair out to stabilize and it worked very well (particularly because my driveway is slanted, and the positioning of the moon was perfect which allowed me to get on my knees for some leverage - however this will only work for objects ~45 degs from the ground (assuming directly up is 90)


When the budget allows, i'm definitely considering an amateur telescope (~$400.00 if possible) as I really wanted to zoom in more. Just something I can use to point and look at a little closer.


Long winded post yes, but I have to ask - to the right of the moon last night I saw a relatively bright star to the naked eye. However, when looking at it through the binoculars it was very red/orange. I'm colourblind-ish, but I got my brother to confirm it.

Mars? Or another star? If I remember, blue-ish tinged stars are the hottest, and red is a star towards the end of it's life cycle and very cool??

[erick (Eric)]

Answers/comments:-

Three stars aligned - Orion's belt within the constellation of Orion. Very distinctive three bright stars almost in an evenly space line. Visible from every major city in the world because they fall on the celestial equator. Just above that ("above" to we southern hemispherians) is Orion's sword containing the Great Orion Nebula - M42.

Directly up, is the zenith and it is at 90 deg elevation above the horizon - also called the altitude - altitude goes from 0 deg at horizon to 90 deg at the zenith.

Mars - how close does it get to the Moon tonight? Sometimes, the Moon will pass in front of Mars - occulting it. But the Moon occults many stars every night as it moves relative to the background stars. Sometimes it occults a bright star. If you are watching, you can see the star vanish behind the dark limb of the Moon, Get your timing right and you can watch that happen with your binoculars!

Re stars, colours, heat etc - listen to lectures 31, 32 and 33:-

http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/.../Ast141/Audio/

And no, you didn't waste your money!

[stephenb (Stephen)]

You certainly didn't waste your money. Binos are a great investment! And there's nothing like lying back on a deck chair under a dark sky with a pair of binos, just wandering aimlessly around the Milky Way!

[samos]

Thanks fellas!

Just found out my mate has a spare tripod, I think I can use it to create something for the bino's, even though they don't have a mount. Brilliant.

Full moon, too.

[samos]

I know this is ****, but how **** is it?

http://www.redwrappings.com.au/produ...Saxon+F767AZ++

I only ask because I can get it for free

[dannat (Daniel)]

the mount is crap but it will let you look at a few things if you are patient

[Luna (Annie)]

Hooray for thread revival!
My grandpa heard I was becoming interested in astronomy and he let me borrow his old binoculars. I've tried a couple of nights to use them but I'm having trouble. I'm not sure if its because they are old, not good enough or whether I'm just not focussing them correctly but I can't seem to get a clear image. It always looks blurry or like the colours are trying to separate out from each other, no matter how much I adjust them. I think I did actually see a moon near jupiter though, so I was still excited!

Anyway they are Tasco brand, fully coated, 7x50 CFCBLEWM. (I have no idea what that big code means )
I can adjust the diopter on the right eye (hope thats the right word) but there isn't one on the left. And then its called the focussing wheel in the middle I think? Either way I've played with both of these and I'm not having much luck. If anyone has any tips or suggestions, let me know! Thanks!
(And yes I did read the binoculars basic guide which was very good, now I just have to remember it all )

[dannat (Daniel)]

I tend to use both eyes & use the centre focus. Then close the eye without the individual eye focus, adjust the individual eyepiece focus while looking thru with that eye, with that eye adjusted now open both & readjust the centre focus to make sure it's fine

[Luna (Annie)]

Thanks Daniel, I'll have to try what you suggested. Last night I fiiiinally got the chance to see the moon for the first time! O.M.G I can't believe how beautiful it is! I mean I've seen pics of the moon but to actually see it for myself in all it's crated glory was aaamazing
Also the moon was really easy to get into focus! It just seems like stars and planets are being difficult

[Octane (Humayun)]

Annie,

You viewed the Moon on a good night, too. I think it's roughly first quarter, so all the good craters are visible.

The ultimate test of a lens (or, binoculars) is focussing on point sources of light, which stars are.

The colour bleed you mentioned is likely chromatic aberration. This happens when a point source of light doesn't come to a single point of focus. Usually you will see red or blue fringing.

Good quality optics can account for this aberration. But, as with all quality items, they come with a price tag to match.

H

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

Thanks Eric and happy b/day , good advise . except for one thing ....
My new NG 127 apo and mount and things that ariived just before christmas ,,, I will be fiddling with this until the dry comes around and as you say all the rest of my gear is packed away except for my 8x56 celestron's , one of my favorites .
Brian.

Originally Posted by erick

Yes Bintel have a good reputation.

I'm gathering you are in Melbourne. The answer to your question "how many nights in the week/month on average do we have skies that are clear enough to view properly, without clouds interfering?" depends on location. Ask the NT, Nth Qld folks now and they'll tell you their gear gets packed away for several months this time of year.

Melbourne is moving into a dry season (believe it or not!) so you can expect plenty of observing nights from now until July. But, of course, they are always on the nights you are otherwise busy, and not on the night you have planned to go out observing! Prepare to be very patient. If you are not, I suggest that you pick another hobby!

Depends what you want to see. For the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mars, double stars and bright star clusters - you can work from your Melbourne back yard. For galaxies, globular star clusters, emission and reflection nebulae, you'll need to get well away from Melbourne - out towards Gembrook to the east, Romsey/Lancefield to the North, beyond Bacchus Marsh to the West and well down the Mornington Peninsular to the South. Just try different locations and see what you can see.

Remember, if you want to see fainter things, don't try while the Moon is in the sky. Also don't try until your eyes have adapted to the dark - about 20-30 mins minimum.

Good luck

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

I can see jupiters cloud bands in my 8x56's mounted and steady .
Brian.

Originally Posted by dannat

samos keep in mind binos are not really for planet observation with a couple of exceptions:
1. the phases of venus
2. picking up jupiter's galilean moons

there are a couple of others but its late