36 replies to this topic

[Monkeys Fist]

Park Life, on 28 January 2012 - 08:31 PM, said:

Christmas Tree, on 28 January 2012 - 07:56 PM, said:

Gemmill, on 28 January 2012 - 05:32 PM, said:

I bet you're a fucking nightmare for getting carried away with things and wasting money in them, CT.

Have fun with it though, there's worse hobbies.

You dont know the half of it mate. Luckily the wife has become accustomed to it.

However have just got in from the depressing match, straight into the garden to listen to the middle and youngest daughter excitedly looking at Jupiter, its bands and the four moons. Priceless tbf.

Sounds like good stuff.

Have a good look at the moon and tell me it isn't artificial.

[Park Life]

[Christmas Tree]

Toonraider, on 29 January 2012 - 10:11 AM, said:

I'm really into Astronomy. Get yourself a Planisphere to start with.

http://www.amazon.co...27831641&sr=8-3

Cheers for that. I'll have a peep on EBay.

Do you have a scope of your own? What sort? What's the best thing you've seen? Etc etc etc

[catmag]

I went to the Maldives a few years ago and we went night fishing. We sailed off the island in a little wooden boat at sunset and sailed out into the Indian Ocean for about an hour. We did some fishing, but on the way back the fisherman put all of the lights out on the little boat so we could see the stars. It was absolutely incredible. I've never felt so overwhelmed or insignificant in my life - it was amazing.

[Christmas Tree]

alex, on 30 January 2012 - 02:04 PM, said:

I know you've posted a pic but what model / make did you get in the end, CT? if you don't mind my asking.

Its called a Skywatcher Skymax 102 goto.

I only spent several hours researching but still feel it was good enough and portable enough to suit my needs.

One of the nice features is that once you have done the initial set up, you just type in what you want to see and it automatically whizzes into the right position.

Got it at Bonsers in Newcastle.

[CleeToonFan]

My Dad's a surveyor and has loads of stuff like this for his job and that. Also made me realise how hard that job is. He tried teaching me the maths involved and I think it was 30 seconds before I gave up.

[Christmas Tree]

alex, on 30 January 2012 - 02:14 PM, said:

What did it cost, roughly?

£329

Could have got it £40 or £50 cheaper buying from the Internet but I wanted it there and then!

[Christmas Tree]

alex, on 30 January 2012 - 02:29 PM, said:

Christmas Tree, on 30 January 2012 - 02:25 PM, said:

alex, on 30 January 2012 - 02:14 PM, said:

What did it cost, roughly?

£329

Could have got it £40 or £50 cheaper buying from the Internet but I wanted it there and then!

Cheers, mate. Let me know how you get on with it and what you think of it etc. if you don't mind.

I'll probably sell you it in a week or so!

I'll let you know how it does, although its already blown me away seeing Jupiter and the four moons. I havent also figured out all the different lenses etc that come with it.

If you are considering one then I cant recommend that astronomy forum enough. Very helpful with advice. Even if you dont want to sign up you will see lots of advice re kit in the beginners section.

http://stargazerslounge.com/

There is also a company that sponsors that forum that seem very reasonable and have quite a bit of stuff on their website.

http://www.firstligh...telescopes.html

They will all tell you that your budget comes first. Once you have a spend in mind you fit kit to the spend. (Some of them are even building their own observatories

I also picked up that most of the board hero worship a model called Tal 100rs which is £249 for the scope only (no mount) a decent mount was sending the price to over £500 which was out of my budget.

[@yourservice]

Wouldn't mind a go of this but with one of those camera adaptors so I can take shots.

[Christmas Tree]

@yourservice, on 30 January 2012 - 03:28 PM, said:

Wouldn't mind a go of this but with one of those camera adaptors so I can take shots.

You need a very good mount for this. Something to do with long exposures??? so the telescope has to move with the stars. (apparently)

[Christmas Tree]

alex, on 30 January 2012 - 03:40 PM, said:

Christmas Tree, on 30 January 2012 - 03:25 PM, said:

I'll probably sell you it in a week or so!

I'll let you know how it does, although its already blown me away seeing Jupiter and the four moons. I havent also figured out all the different lenses etc that come with it.

If you are considering one then I cant recommend that astronomy forum enough. Very helpful with advice. Even if you dont want to sign up you will see lots of advice re kit in the beginners section.

http://stargazerslounge.com/

There is also a company that sponsors that forum that seem very reasonable and have quite a bit of stuff on their website.

http://www.firstligh...telescopes.html

They will all tell you that your budget comes first. Once you have a spend in mind you fit kit to the spend. (Some of them are even building their own observatories

I also picked up that most of the board hero worship a model called Tal 100rs which is £249 for the scope only (no mount) a decent mount was sending the price to over £500 which was out of my budget.

Thanks very much, CT. Let me know if it's going cheap.
Is it fairly portable btw?

Fairly compared to some of them.

The legs on the tripod retract and the scope part itself is about the same size as a loaf of bread.

This is the one quite a few of them were recommending to me and as you can see its quite a chunk. (£270)



http://www.firstligh...-dobsonian.html

There are also two youtube vids about my scope. One talks you through the different models and the other demonstrates the automatic goto system.

[@yourservice]

I never knew Rolf Harris was into Astronomy.

[Christmas Tree]

Watch The International Space Station Fly Over This Evening With Your Naked Eye.

At approx 18.27 tonight the ISS will be very bright as it flys over the UK. According to the weatherman, best chance for clear skies are in the East.

For updates etc and pictures you can follow this fella on twitter @VirtualAstro.

This site will also give you some info about watching the ISS for beginners.

http://www.universet...ce-station-iss/

This site lets you enter your village into a database and let you know exactly what time to look in the sky, what direction and how far up into the sky from the horizon.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

For those of you with cameras, this site tells you how to take photos like this....

http://www.universet...ce-station-iss/



And over egglestone abbey last night...

http://www.northnews.co.uk/article/337