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| 01:23 PM | ||
| Users Online Now: 2,187 (Who's On?) | Visitors Today: 1,226,679 | |
| Pageviews Today: 1,674,209 | Threads Today: 429 | Posts Today: 7,056 |
| 01:23 PM | ||
Buying a new telescope. Advice please. | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 41279272  United States08/27/2014 08:00 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 41279272 United States08/27/2014 08:05 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 33471750 United States08/27/2014 08:05 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 24124419 United States08/27/2014 08:06 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 24124419 United States08/27/2014 08:09 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 41279272 United States08/27/2014 08:09 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The homeless are welcome to get a job. Besides, I intend to join a society and contribute in a small way to the body of data that astronomers have to work with. I'll be contributing to the furthering of humanity's knowledge. That's noble enough. |
| Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 41279272 United States08/27/2014 08:12 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I knew somebody would bust out a reflector right off the bat. I know they have their share of advantages, but I just don't want to fool with something that can be so finicky. Besides, a certain amount of the advantage attributed to reflectors is just bunk. Quality refractors out perform mirrors inch for inch....IMO. |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 17572239 United States08/27/2014 08:14 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 41279272 United States08/27/2014 08:16 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
eolian  User ID: 54583872 United States08/27/2014 08:20 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I been into Astronomy since about 1979. I`ve owned a lot of scopes and still do. I am currently restoring a 5" refractor made in the 1920`s the focuser weighs 7 pounds on this yard cannon. I have had a look through about all makes and types. The best scope i have enjoyed the most is a C-5 Celestron i bought used made in 1980. I have a C-9.25 but with the mount it`s really a hassel to set up unless i plan on a long viewing session. Go join your local Astronomy club and look through a few before you make up your mind and join us on the "Cloudy Nights Astronomy forum" as well. |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 17572239 United States08/27/2014 08:23 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 24124419 United States08/27/2014 08:27 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I knew somebody would bust out a reflector right off the bat. I know they have their share of advantages, but I just don't want to fool with something that can be so finicky. Besides, a certain amount of the advantage attributed to reflectors is just bunk. Quality refractors out perform mirrors inch for inch....IMO. IMO refractors put the big hurt on your neck after hours of viewing. The best place to place your cash is gas so you can drive to a dark site. |
| Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 41279272 United States08/27/2014 08:28 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I been into Astronomy since about 1979. I`ve owned a lot of scopes and still do. I am currently restoring a 5" refractor made in the 1920`s the focuser weighs 7 pounds on this yard cannon. I have had a look through about all makes and types. Quoting: eolian The best scope i have enjoyed the most is a C-5 Celestron i bought used made in 1980. I have a C-9.25 but with the mount it`s really a hassel to set up unless i plan on a long viewing session. Go join your local Astronomy club and look through a few before you make up your mind and join us on the "Cloudy Nights Astronomy forum" as well. I've already got my packet to join a club locally. I'm also looking into joining AAVSO or some similar organization so that I can participate in organized data collection. I'm actually more interested in NEOs. But I need to get my scope in and get some experience with it. There's a bit of expense involved with tracking asteroids and all that. I very much enjoy participating in science and conducting technical exploits. As such I'm of course a member of SETI@HOME. My Linux machine crunches away nightly. |
| Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 41279272 United States08/27/2014 08:30 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I knew somebody would bust out a reflector right off the bat. I know they have their share of advantages, but I just don't want to fool with something that can be so finicky. Besides, a certain amount of the advantage attributed to reflectors is just bunk. Quality refractors out perform mirrors inch for inch....IMO. IMO refractors put the big hurt on your neck after hours of viewing. The best place to place your cash is gas so you can drive to a dark site. I remember the neck pain. Of course today it isn't all that hard to view it all on a laptop. Indeed, if I participate in research that'll be a part of it. |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 24124419 United States08/27/2014 08:35 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 51741562 United States08/27/2014 09:42 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | [link to www.telescope.com] Sign up for the print catalog. |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 62235654  Norway08/27/2014 09:44 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| MIgardener User ID: 2218630  Canada08/27/2014 09:45 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Where's Doc when you need him? lol Last Edited by MIgardener on 08/27/2014 09:45 PM "All that is necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing." That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.-Romans 10:9 "In this galaxy, there's a mathematical probability of three million Earth-type planets. And in all of the universe, three million million galaxies like this. And in all of that... and perhaps more, only one of each of us."-Dr.Mccoy |
| Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 41279272 United States08/27/2014 09:48 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I know. I'm really leaning for the 150mm. A 6 inch refractor is kind of big. 6 inches might not be all that big when you're talking reflectors, but at the star parties I've been to 6 inch refractors are usually pretty popular hang outs. |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 36042441 United States08/27/2014 10:00 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 62146176 United States08/27/2014 10:05 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 62146176 United States08/27/2014 10:08 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I didnt see you were saying refactor. Get get a reflector, you should be able to get something in the 8"-10" range on a good GEM mount... or get a 10"-12" Dob. it will get you much further than a 6". Also the refractors can be a pain in the ass to use because of the eyepiece location depending on where in the sky you are looking. |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 62146176 United States08/27/2014 10:10 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 58964694 Canada08/27/2014 10:10 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| UniversalTraveler User ID: 60943438 United States08/27/2014 10:11 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Rabid Wolf User ID: 9598539 United States08/27/2014 10:13 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | [link to www.telescopes.com] More reasonable and practical: [link to www.telescopes.com] |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 62146176 United States08/27/2014 10:14 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 62231299 United States08/27/2014 10:14 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | EBAY Craigslist there used to be a news letter called the Starry Messenger where a lot of used equipment was sold. Google yjay nad hunt around. BTW, I'd buy older optics. Other than Astro Physics which will cost you like a nice sports cars. The older optics for refractors were made in Japan. Now I bet everything is made in China. bleh |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 6544774 United States08/27/2014 10:24 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | What are your interests, OP? The higher your level of interest in the moon and planets, the more you'll appreciate the longer F ratio of the 102. Speaking for myself, I'd take a long look at the 120 as a compromise between objective and the f ratio. It'll perform well over a variety of celestial objects. |
| Anonymous Coward (OP) User ID: 41279272 United States08/27/2014 10:25 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | For drooling purposes: Quoting: Rabid Wolf [link to www.telescopes.com] More reasonable and practical: [link to www.telescopes.com] That celestron Omni xlt 120 is right in the middle of the two I was considering. I'm leaning toward an Omni xlt 150, but am considering a 102 with lots of accesories. The Omni 150 is almost $900. |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 6544774 United States08/27/2014 10:26 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | What are your interests, OP? The higher your level of interest in the moon and planets, the more you'll appreciate the longer F ratio of the 102. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 6544774 Speaking for myself, I'd take a long look at the 120 as a compromise between objective and the f ratio. It'll perform well over a variety of celestial objects. That being said, however, I should mention that you'll get more for your money with a good reflector. |
