Astronomy

[Myrkk]

Any astronomers here? I'm looking to get myself a telescope and am completely confused? Newtonian, Dobsonian, AltAzimuth, Equatorial, GoTo, Lenses... argh. I want to get it in time to see the planets in December that haven't been in alignment since the 1200's

 

[Colin_T]

Which planets are lining up?

 

[Myrkk]

Jupiter and Saturn. It's been 800 years since they were last in close conjunction.

 

[eatyourpeas]

What is your budget?

 

[Myrkk]

Around 800. Have narrowed it to 3 but thinking this is the one I'll go for Sky-Watcher Skyliner-200P FlexTube SynScan GO-TO Parabolic Dobsonian Telescope

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Cool! I love astronomy, although I’ve never really been that into it. $800 could buy a lot of fishy stuff.

 

[Link]

There's got to be a Uranus joke in here somewhere

I had a telescope as a kid, but all I remember was that whatever you viewed was upside down and it drove me nuts

 

[eatyourpeas]

I have a Meade Lightbridge and have been quite happy with it.

Meade LightBridge Plus 10" f/5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian AZ Telescope

Buy Meade LightBridge Plus 10" f/5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian AZ Telescope featuring Large 10" / 254mm Dobsonian Reflector, 1270mm Focal Length, f/5 Focal Ratio, Rigid Anodized Aluminum Truss Tubes, 2" Two-Speed Rack-and-Pinion Focuser, Focus Lock and Vernier Focuser Scale, Tension Adjustment Knobs...

www.bhphotovideo.com

Complemented with a pair of Celestron binoculars that can be mounted on a tripod.

 

[Colin_T]

There's got to be a Uranus joke in here somewhere

I had a telescope as a kid, but all I remember was that whatever you viewed was upside down and it drove me nuts

I'm not looking at Uranus

 

[Myrkk]

Cool! I love astronomy, although I’ve never really been that into it. $800 could buy a lot of fishy stuff.

It could but my hubbie is ok about a telescope but I can't get him happy about the 240L tank I want (which is what I was saving up for initially).

 

[Myrkk]

I have a Meade Lightbridge and have been quite happy with it.

Meade LightBridge Plus 10" f/5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian AZ Telescope

Buy Meade LightBridge Plus 10" f/5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian AZ Telescope featuring Large 10" / 254mm Dobsonian Reflector, 1270mm Focal Length, f/5 Focal Ratio, Rigid Anodized Aluminum Truss Tubes, 2" Two-Speed Rack-and-Pinion Focuser, Focus Lock and Vernier Focuser Scale, Tension Adjustment Knobs...

www.bhphotovideo.com

Complemented with a pair of Celestron binoculars that can be mounted on a tripod.

That looks amazing but too big to move. How big is it? The one I've gone for is the biggest I can move comfortably I think and is GoTo, although I've since been told they're not so good for photography. We'll see. I'm hoping to see some deep sky stuff rather than just planets, lovely as they may be.

 

[Link]

I'm not looking at Uranus

Don't knock it until you've tried it!

 

[emeraldking]

I had some interest in astronomy when I was in my teens and twenties. But somehow, I got passed it...

 

[eatyourpeas]

That looks amazing but too big to move. How big is it? The one I've gone for is the biggest I can move comfortably I think and is GoTo, although I've since been told they're not so good for photography. We'll see. I'm hoping to see some deep sky stuff rather than just planets, lovely as they may be.

Very easy to move. It comes apart and it is not very heavy.

 

[Fishmanic]

If you look a just below Uranus, you might be able to see the planet where @Colin_T was born....the planet ORK.