New toy...this could become an expensive hobby!

[jimi43]

Astronomy!

Always wanted to get into it...and fully intend to do so with a very careful and hopefully not wasteful approach.

So...yesterday I joined an astronomy forum and today I picked this little baby up secondhand:

Lots of knobs...buttons...electronics and whizzy bits....

Ok...ok...those of you in the know will probably say..."but Jim! It ain't got no scope on it!"....and they'd be correct.

This is what I mean by "carefully"....since this lump of electronic gizmos set me back nearly £400....I can now see why they call it astronomy!! :mrgreen:

It's the astronomic price of the hobby!

So...once I get the tube...and the camera mount...and the battery thingy...and the dome (no I don't intend to stand in a bleedin' field in the winter!)....I think this little hobby might just prove slightly more expensive than the woodie one!

We shall see!!

Any other stargazers out there in woody land?

Jim

PS...there is one benefit from this hobby. Now that I've got this gadget...at least I know which way is north!!! :mrgreen:

 

[devonwoody]

Let us know if you find any woodworkers up there!

 

[Sawyer]

Welcome to the best light show in existence, Jim! I have a TAL 6" reflector and the luxury of very dark skies above me.

RIP Sir Patrick Moore.

 

[nev]

so is all that gubbins 'just' to help you point it in the right direction?

 

[woodshavings]

...and the dome (no I don't intend to stand in a bleedin' field in the winter!).

I look forward to the WIP pictures of your dome construction ....
John

 

[No skills]

How do you find the space to keep all this stuff?

 

[UTMonkey]

I have a 12" Dobsonian flextube. Its the auto one, just point it at something and it will track it.

It was when the electrics broke that got me started in woodworking, one of my goals is to make my own scope from wood.

Clear skies

Mark

 

[Dangermouse]

MY GOD Jim, think of all the planes you could have bought for that amount of money !!!!!! (hammer) :shock: :shock:

 

[Dangermouse]

Oh and couldnt resist,

When you find it, remember, " its life Jim, but not as we know it " :wink: :lol:

 

[jimi43]

I'm so glad I posted this! I have had a good laugh after getting home from work just now! (practising for late nights!)

DW...the greatest Woodworker of all is up there...you know this don't you! :mrgreen:

Sawyer...I live in a fairly dark part of Kent so I think I might get at least some good images...will keep you posted! :wink:

Nev...yes...my sense of direction is dreadful so having something which says "NORTH" on it is a great help....otherwise it's back to trees and moss! :mrgreen:

John....you know me too well! I started looking at the tops of Sky Pods at work tonight as I'm damned if I'm going to fork out two grand on a plastic bubble! Then I drifted into geodetic domes....out of wood...and Lancaster bombers...and...you know how tangential life can be!

No Skills...I have a VERY understanding wife! The tripod is still in the lounge at the moment awaiting the optical bit! 8)

I have a 12" Dobsonian flextube.

Now you're just boasting Mark!!! :mrgreen: Seriously though...I did think about getting a Dob (notice how he drifts smoothly into the lingo! 8) )......but in the end I chickened out and bought a refractor...less time to fiddle about, more to watch the skies eh!?

DW...you don't know how much I thought that too! It's criminal it really is! And even more worrying is the distraction! Mind you if I DO make the dome out of wood...I think this will mean more time in the shop...and I still have to make the heated chair for ALFIE!! (Now to be called ALFIE CENTURI...when in astrodog mode!) :mrgreen:

I have the scope thingy coming this weeks...something called a Skywatcher Evostar 100ED DS-Pro or some such gobbledegook....

Apparently I can see moons and deep space objects without actually Hubbling about in space...we shall see!

More on that later when it arrives!

Cheers

Jim

 

[RogerS]

Rather ironic tale. We live on the West side of the Malverns. Very dark countryside, the night sky is remarkably free from light pollution and because the airflow is lamina, the air is good for looking through. Which is why an astronomer bought the house across the valley from us. Lots of seriously BIG telescopes..seen some of his photos of far galaxies...pretty amazing. He also consults on light pollution.

Only...only...he refurb'd his house and ending up sticking very bright but incredibly energy-efficient LEDs bulbs in all his rooms. So he tends to leave them on. All the time. Like looking at bloody Blackpool illuminations now when previously we looked out on dark.

And 'im being a light pollution consultant an' all. Not something to go round and see him about...but just hoping to bump into him when I'll mention it in a jokey sort of way.

 

[bugbear]

Seriously though...I did think about getting a Dob (notice how he drifts smoothly into the lingo! 8) )......but in the end I chickened out and bought a refractor...less time to fiddle about, more to watch the skies eh!?

In general, dobs are the serious sky watcher's tool of choice (more light per buck, but you have to do your own navigating), but EQ mounts are better for astrophotography (which I suspect you'll want to try)

BugBear

 

[Webby]

Nice piece of kit

When you do get the glass on top of it ...do me a favour

look at the Moon and tell me if you see any flags and debris up there :lol: you know where to look :wink:

that will settle it at last :wink:

 

[devonwoody]

Nice piece of kit

When you do get the glass on top of it ...do me a favour

look at the Moon and tell me if you see any flags and debris up there :lol: you know where to look :wink:

that will settle it at last :wink:

I expect the Russians or Chinese have taken them away :wink:

 

[Dangermouse]

One word of warning, if you see little green men ( or women) waving back at you from up there, you've been out in the cold toooooo long....... or you've been out in the cold toooooo long and had to much of something to keep you warm. :roll:

 

[Jensmith]

I had a 4" Tal which is still living at my parents house. Not used it for quite a few years now but used to love seeing the planets. I was surprised how small they all were but seeing Saturn and it's rings for the first time is something else, especially if you get them when they're at a nice angle so you can see them all.
It's also great seeing the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. You do have to continually track them though as they move very fast across the eyepiece. One thing I could never find was the Andromeda Galaxy. WOuld have liked to see that. Not very dark around where we live. Too much light pollution.

 

[Sawyer]

Once you know where to look, the Andromeda Galaxy is visible to naked eye - far easier to find than with a telescope: but once you know exactly where to point your 'scope, a treat awaits you! Light pollution is a problem, but I've been able to pick it up from Northampton. It's quite an experience to see it for the first time and ponder on the enormity of the universe. Hope this helps:
http://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-Andromeda-Galaxy

 

[Jensmith]

Thanks Sawyer

 

[Harbo]

I have an iPhone App "Pocket Universe" which you can use to locate items.
Don't know how highly these are rated in Astronomical circles though?

Rod

 

[bugbear]

Once you know where to look, the Andromeda Galaxy is visible to naked eye - far easier to find than with a telescope: but once you know exactly where to point your 'scope, a treat awaits you! Light pollution is a problem, but I've been able to pick it up from Northampton. It's quite an experience to see it for the first time and ponder on the enormity of the universe. Hope this helps:
http://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-Andromeda-Galaxy

There's a famous and excellent book called "Turn left At Orion" about finding objects in the sky by "star hopping" as opposed to using coordindates.

It's applicable to small (4" or less) telescopes and binoculars.

BugBear