telescopes

[Sailor]

This thread just made go look for the Celestron C90 I had back in the day.

 

[cobber]

Nice thread, brings back happy memories!

 

[rvb]

This one is recommended as a very good deal at its $200 price point. AWB 'OneSky' Telescope [PN 31100] - $199.99 : Astronomers Without Borders Online Store, One People + One Sky

I was skimming some astronomy forums this weekend and saw this one mentioned a couple times. Might be a good starter piece, something kids can use, and transportable to take camping. Can usually find a picnic table or something to put it on...

-rvb

 

[rvb]

rvb,
Here is a pic of my current scope and mount/tripod. TEC 140 and G-11. I recently bought a DM-6 altaz mount for nights when I want nonguided viewing.

very nice!
-rvb

 

[rvb]

For father's day, my wife got me a nice pair of 8x40 binoculars. I've been using those in the back yard the last couple weeks when I see a break in cloud cover, just to see if I think I really want to get back into this. That's been pretty fun...

when I was a kid with a scope, I always went for as much magnification as I could get, and the more common stuff like Saturn and some of the nebula, mostly ignoring things like star clusters. I've really enjoyed just taking in some of the stuff you can see with the binoculars. Last night I saw the core of Andromeda for the first time ever. I never found it when I was a kid because I was looking for a text-book spiral galaxy, not just the faint cloudy core. I'm enamored with the Seven Sisters (Pleiades cluster) through the binoculars. I tried to find the double cluster in Perseus last night but the gap in cloud cover closed on me.

Trying to relearn some of the constellations... I was never that great with them, but it's either that or shell out for computer control!

So I'm thinking maybe that helps me figure out how I want to use the scope... maybe for most camping trips the binoculars are enough. so that reduces the portability requirement...

-rvb

 

[Ericpwp]

The star finder apps on the phones will help.

 

[Ericpwp]

Interesting
[video=youtube_share;QkaNqud_VxU]http://youtu.be/QkaNqud_VxU[/video]

 

[rvb]

Got a zhumell 8" dobsonian. Maybe not the most portable, but I think I can make it work. Should be a good scope though. After posting on some astronomy forums I kept getting steered that way. I figured, well, I hate it when folks come on gun boards and ignore the voices of experience, so I listened. Looking forward to the clouds parting.... Eventually....

 

[bulletsmith]

That's awful nice looking. I'm interested in hearing what you think of it, when you get to use it.

Got a zhumell 8" dobsonian. Maybe not the most portable, but I think I can make it work. Should be a good scope though. After posting on some astronomy forums I kept getting steered that way. I figured, well, I hate it when folks come on gun boards and ignore the voices of experience, so I listened. Looking forward to the clouds parting.... Eventually....

 

[rvb]

That's awful nice looking. I'm interested in hearing what you think of it, when you get to use it.

I got to use it for the first time last night. wasn't out too long as temps were in the teens (came in and out a few times, actually).

This thing is awesome. by far the best telescope I've used. I wasn't sure about the dobsonian design, but it was so simple to use. aiming was easier than anything on a tripod, and it was so steady, almost zero shakes. tracking was pretty easy, even at the higher power (133x), though I could see if I went even higher power needing to spend $ on eyepieces w/ good FOV to minimize having to bump it to keep objects in view.

Last night I saw the moon, mars and venus. I had never seen venus like that. I think I could even make out a hint of detail in the clouds.
I also saw a few star clusters, the pleiades, the owl cluster and the double cluster. I couldn't make out nebulosity in pleiades, but I suspect in darker skies maybe I could...
I saw the Andromeda galaxy like never before with a very bright core. I still couldn't see any hint of detail or its bands due to light pollution, both in the sky and neighbor's lights keeping my eyes from really dark adapting. cant wait to get somewhere dark (especially when it's warmer)

for <$400, I'm very happy with this scope.

-rvb

 

[gus1989]

I think there is supposed to be a comet this month visible by the moon. You should be able to see it with bino's but I'm guessing a telescope would be very cool.

 

[rvb]

I think there is supposed to be a comet this month visible by the moon. You should be able to see it with bino's but I'm guessing a telescope would be very cool.

I suspect that's 45P, the Honda-Mrkos-pajdusakova comet. I know that only cause it's one of the things that prompted me to want a good scope. I was trying to see it right after Christmas on its way towards the sun, but the scope I had was so hard to maneuver to star hop to it. I thought I caught a glimpse once but attempting to focus moved me off target. Mid February it should be on its way back out from the sun and even closer to earth, but I think you have to be up like 4a to see it....

-rvb

[h=1][/h]

 

[Ericpwp]

Very cool!

 

[rvb]

I just thought I'd revisit this thread now that I've had a few months to use my telescope. I don't get to use it as often as I'd like since it's been such a rainy year.

In less than 6 months, I have gotten to see some really cool things. I've seen:

Jupiter:
I've seen the Great Red Spot.
I watched while one of Jupiter's moons, Io, "set" behind the planet.
Can easily see many of the cloud bands around the planet.
I hope to catch one of the moons transiting in front of the planet this summer...

Saturn:
Can easily see the cassini division.
Saw several of its moons.

Uranus:
insert joke here.
but seriously, first time I had seen that planet.

Mars:
it was in a bad position this winter/spring.... too far. Never got good air to see it in. thought I might have seen a hint of polar cap, but could have been me wanting to see a hint of polar cap.

Venus:
Nothing exciting about this planet, other than observing it going through phases like the moon.

Whirlpool galaxy:
Could also see the smaller galaxy it is colliding with. Had to get out of town to see this one. Very cool.

I've developed an appreciation for doubles and star clusters. These never interested me as a kid. But the owl cluster, butterfly cluster, the double cluster, Pleiades, Ptolemy, etc have a big wow factor for me now. It also helps that my skies are too light-polluted to see deep-space objects like many of the galaxies/nebula, but the clusters can often be found, even in parts of the sky where you can't see stars w/ your eyes.

One of my favorite "discoveries" has been sigma orionis... a multi-star group just under the left star in orion's belt. There are 6 stars in that group, 5 of which can be seen. Of course there is the orion nebula, which I have new appreciation for after seeing the "trapezium" cluster of stars in its center.

I made a solar filter, so I've also looked at the sun, and seen a sun spot. Hoping for good weather during the solar eclipse this summer.

I even saw ISS through the scope. It was quick glimpses... that thing moves FAST. (I'm hoping to talk to ISS on the ham radio this summer, too...)

Anyone considering getting into the hobby, do it. There is a lot of cool stuff to see. And you don't have to spend a fortune. My scope (8" reflector) was under $400 shipped. Deciding what scope to get was a chore, but I'd buy the same one again. Hoping to take it on our camping trip to WV this summer, where we'll be in one of the darkest spots east of the Mississippi...

-rvb

 

[gus1989]

I've been thinking of getting a telescope. The stimulus check might make that possible. I'm leaning toward the 8" Dobsonian. Especially the Zhumell or Apertura. I appreciate your writeup on what you've seen. Are you still enjoying the night sky? Still loving that scope - done any upgrades? Where would be a good place to go in Indiana for the darkest skys possible?

I just thought I'd revisit this thread now that I've had a few months to use my telescope. I don't get to use it as often as I'd like since it's been such a rainy year.

In less than 6 months, I have gotten to see some really cool things. I've seen:

Jupiter:
I've seen the Great Red Spot.
I watched while one of Jupiter's moons, Io, "set" behind the planet.
Can easily see many of the cloud bands around the planet.
I hope to catch one of the moons transiting in front of the planet this summer...

Saturn:
Can easily see the cassini division.
Saw several of its moons.

Uranus:
insert joke here.
but seriously, first time I had seen that planet.

Mars:
it was in a bad position this winter/spring.... too far. Never got good air to see it in. thought I might have seen a hint of polar cap, but could have been me wanting to see a hint of polar cap.

Venus:
Nothing exciting about this planet, other than observing it going through phases like the moon.

Whirlpool galaxy:
Could also see the smaller galaxy it is colliding with. Had to get out of town to see this one. Very cool.

I've developed an appreciation for doubles and star clusters. These never interested me as a kid. But the owl cluster, butterfly cluster, the double cluster, Pleiades, Ptolemy, etc have a big wow factor for me now. It also helps that my skies are too light-polluted to see deep-space objects like many of the galaxies/nebula, but the clusters can often be found, even in parts of the sky where you can't see stars w/ your eyes.

One of my favorite "discoveries" has been sigma orionis... a multi-star group just under the left star in orion's belt. There are 6 stars in that group, 5 of which can be seen. Of course there is the orion nebula, which I have new appreciation for after seeing the "trapezium" cluster of stars in its center.

I made a solar filter, so I've also looked at the sun, and seen a sun spot. Hoping for good weather during the solar eclipse this summer.

I even saw ISS through the scope. It was quick glimpses... that thing moves FAST. (I'm hoping to talk to ISS on the ham radio this summer, too...)

Anyone considering getting into the hobby, do it. There is a lot of cool stuff to see. And you don't have to spend a fortune. My scope (8" reflector) was under $400 shipped. Deciding what scope to get was a chore, but I'd buy the same one again. Hoping to take it on our camping trip to WV this summer, where we'll be in one of the darkest spots east of the Mississippi...

-rvb

 

[rw02kr43]

We got 2 for Christmas. We haven't had them out yet. We got the Celeston for all of us and then my son got a little portable one for looking at he moon and birds.

[/IMG]

 

[gus1989]

Man - you need to get that Celestron I out and find something. What size is it?

 

[rw02kr43]

It's the Nexstar 4SE. 4" mirror