8" VS 10" Dobsonian - Page 3

mickoking · #41 06-01-2006, 07:27 PM

Fantastic Neo similar 'scope to many of us in IIS. No doubt you will have a ball will it.

DRCORTEX (Lance) · #42 06-01-2006, 09:14 PM

All assembled - actually very easy. A few obvious mistakes in the assembly instructions - such as "insert 6 screws", when there are only 4!, etc, but it is pretty straightforward. Diagrams need to be clearer to give you a better view of the completed scope.

Pity about the weather - alas. Can't even allign the finder

As for the eyepieces, should they be inserted completely into the holder or protrude some measure ?

Neo ( Lance )

janoskiss (Steve H) · #43 06-01-2006, 09:38 PM

Just put the eyepiece in the focuser (smaller 1.25" barrel ones need the adapter, the big 2" one does not) as far as it goes and tighten the locking screw. Don't worry about the clouds. They won't be around for long by the look of the satellite map.

DRCORTEX (Lance) · #44 06-01-2006, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janoskiss

Don't worry about the clouds. They won't be around for long by the look of the satellite map.

Could you point me to this resource - certainly something to add to my favorites. I have the BOM 128km Radar site, but that only shows rain, not cloud cover.

Neo ( Lance )

janoskiss (Steve H) · #45 06-01-2006, 11:52 PM

Neo, latest satellite photos here:
http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/satellite/

iceman (Mike) · #46 07-01-2006, 06:32 AM

Check here too:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/?resources

There's weather resources under that.

DRCORTEX (Lance) · #47 07-01-2006, 10:18 PM

My first experience - excuse the obviousness of my lack of obvious

Cloud, Cloud, Saturday night, some breaks, GO GO GO! - my inital results , really dissapointed.

At this point, what I saw through the finder, did not match what I saw through the scope. Light could be seen through the 2" crawford, just not where I thought it would be. Obviously, my obviouslessness, was not obvious at this point

Well, twist this, turn that, and then, realise that sometimes, left, actually means right, and we get the moon.

The moon, yeah, right, the moon, twist, turn, and then BANG! - WOW! - that is absolutely farkin ( scuse me ) incredible!

The whole family took a look, and there was not one "yeah ho hum" amongst them. I actually had to get the son to "move it - my scope, my time when I want it - heh = felt good". I was really amazed by the clarity of seeing a crater, and a crater within that crater!

Started to move to another point, then, ah, clouds - what can I say. Not the greatest start to my astronomical endeavours, but, pleased. I can only imagine what I could see on a fine night, no light.

What is more, I didn't actually see that particular point of light next to the moon, but, I think I will look up a few maps and see what it was, why, becasue I'm curious. Hmmm, they say that curiosity killed the cat ?

All in all, if the moon is a start, then the skies the limit - good grief - I should be in adverts

Interesting that the 2" EP ( hehe - my first journey into astrospeake ) should show the moon so cool ! - yet the 9 and 15 EP's - showed just a wash of light. Obviously again, I have a lot to learn ( insert READ READ HELP here ).

I would love to get the moon even closer, so comments please.

If this is a taste - then "Whip The Monkey" - give me some more

- I want to show my nephews there is more to life than PS2 - well Amiga 500 anyway
EDIT: and C64 and ELITE! - they couldn't duplicate that

Regards,

Neo ( Lance )

Next stop Mars!

mickoking · #48 07-01-2006, 10:25 PM

Your on the steep learning curve of being an Astronomer great stuff

you will thru trial and error and with some friendly help gain experience and enjoy this fantastic hobby of ours.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #49 07-01-2006, 11:34 PM

Lance,
Mars has moved away from us and has become a hard target so don't get too dissapointed when it looks like a little blurry orange ball. Next target for you should be the Orion nebula. Easy to see at almost any magnification and quality of EP. I prefer it in either my 2" 30mm or especially my 2" 32mm, but also looks stunning at 15mm. Then anywhere from 10mm down to 4mm you can concentrate on the stars in the centre of it (the 'Trap' or 'Trapezium').

Here is a link to a simple map for finding it. http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...2&postcount=12

Once you find it, stare at it for a long time. After a few minutes you may make out the very light green and pink!!!

janoskiss (Steve H) · #50 08-01-2006, 05:30 PM

When you pop a different eyepiece in you have to refocus, i.e. turn the big knob on the side(s) of the focuser. There are two small screws on the bottom of the Crayford focusers. The one closest to the tube is the locking screw. When it's done up the focuser is locked in position. You need to loosen that one to be able to refocus. The other screw is the tension. Need to tighten that one until there is no slippage.

For other info grab the Orion XT10 manual here:
http://www.telescope.com/text/conten...Quest_XT10.pdf

The XT10 is essentially the same scope (except you have a Crayford focuser). The Orion manual has everything you need to get started, including info on collimation.

barees63 · #51 08-01-2006, 05:53 PM

Quote:

yet the 9 and 15 EP's - showed just a wash of light.

Sorry if this is too obvious or if I missed it somewhere in this thread, but do you have moon filter? I find I can't really look at the moon comfortably without a filter because it's way too bright.. I got a cheap (maybe $12) moon filter that screws onto the bottom of my 1.5" eyepieces and it makes a lot of difference to how much detail I can see..

RAJAH235 · #52 08-01-2006, 06:07 PM

I like to use one, but a few do not. Best viewed in early thru to late phase. No good when full. No detail visable.

L.

barees63 · #53 08-01-2006, 06:31 PM

Quote:

I like to use one, but a few do not.

They must have teflon eyeballs :-) I find the moon painfully bright in my 10", I've been thinking about getting one of the adjustable polarising filters eventually.. it would be nice to be able to dial in just the right amount of brightness for comfortable viewing.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #54 08-01-2006, 10:54 PM

I go blind for about 10 - 15 minutes when I forget my Moon Filter!

Dopey me gets it dead centre in the finder then I go straight to the EP, and BAM!

And I've got a 12" reflector!!!!!

And then after using the Filter, Dopey me (agian but even more Dopey) forgets to take the filter out and wonder why everything else is so Dark!!!!

And the really stoopid part is - I do it often

The Moral of the Story is: If you use a Moon Filter, remember to take it out after looking at the Moon

DRCORTEX (Lance) · #55 11-01-2006, 07:50 PM

I got a set of filters with the scope - which one is actually the moon filter - it dosn't say. They are all different colours. I am guessing the "black" one. There is also red, green, blue, yellow, etc.

Focused in om my first messier objects last night:

M42/M43 - looked great. I can see why they are photographed so much. The gas clouds stood out so well.
M4 The Pleiades - also good to view.
Mars - just a big red blob from what I could see ( with a 2X barlow and 15mm plossi ) - but now I know what to look for.
Satellite - no idea which one. I was concetrating on Orion, when a blip of light rapidly passed through my field of view.

For the moon, I have found the 2" widefield to be pretty well perfect. I tried my webcam with it to see what came out - absolutely nothing but darkness, but I didn't really expect anything - cams and photography in general are further down the track.

Tonight, back to clouds, storms, summer weather.

I want to try and find a spiral galaxy next if I can

Could anyone point me in the right place for a few of the spectacular sights in the summer sky ? Pity I live in the suburbs. The light really hampers good viewing. NGC or M numbers would be fine, I can look up the rest.

I'm going to have to get used to having my neck screwed into so many strange positions for viewing as well - ouch!

Enough rambling. Catch you later

Neo ( Lance )

davidpretorius · #56 11-01-2006, 08:34 PM

here looking south,

where do you have less sky glow.

i would say looking south is best at the moment.

as for spiral galaxies.....hmmmm very hard in city, you may see the core, but not the arms..........anyone any thoughts???

by the way, there are 2 comets to chase on this screen shot!!!

scultor galaxy is very nice ngc 253 and easily viewable!

janoskiss (Steve H) · #57 11-01-2006, 09:19 PM

Moon filter looks green when you look through it.

Few things to look at:

NGC 104
NGC 253
NGC 2070
NGC 1365 is one of the easier face-on spiral galaxies. Needs reasonably dark skies (mag 5.5 at least).

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #58 11-01-2006, 10:49 PM

How about exploring Carina? Eta Carina nebula is stunning, there are lots of beautiful open clusters in the area as well.
The Large and Small Magelanic Clouds are worth cruising around.
47 Tuc ( NGC 104) is very special as well, start with your biggest EP and work your way down to your smallest. This globular cluster is right next to the SMC.
Do you have a copy of Sky and Space, or Sky and Telescope? Their maps are easy to follow, and show you the highlights of what to look at, at this time of year.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #59 11-01-2006, 11:00 PM

Sombrero Galaxy is back up again. Always worth a look! Easy to find and easy to see!

barees63 · #60 12-01-2006, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Which One is the Moon Filter

A purpose made "moon filter" is a greenish color but the "black" filter is probably a Neutral Density filter which would also be good for the Moon..

Since you have other colour filters as well check out this great website: http://sciastro.net/portia/advice/filters.htm