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Wow it's dark in Devon (and xmas list)


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I've recently moved from South London to darkest Devon!

Blimey London was hiding a lot of stars from me!

I had a 200p Dob, all I've used it for is moon observing and looking at Jupiter with my jaw dropped. These 2 things I can do quite easily, I have been lazy though and not looked for much more but I am getting my scope out much more frequently now because the skies are simply beautiful without all that light from the big city.

I am putting together my Xmas list and will be asking for a couple of new lenses. I have a 12mm a 25mm and a x2 Barlow. I want to get 2 new lenses and would really appreciate your recommendations. One for better planitary viewing, and one that will help me begin to look deeper.. What would you suggest?

Also as a newbie, what would you suggest I look for that is a bit out of my comfort zone?

Thanks!

Philip

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Work through the Messier Catalogue or the Caldwell Catalogue. Either will occupy you for a while.

Standard suggestion for eyepieces are the BST Starguiders, 8mm is a good higher magnification all round one, the 5mm you may not use much until Mars come back in a year or so. They are a set of 6 and if you like them then there is a good arguement to collect the 6 over time.

The X-Cels are much the same and have a slightly better selection at the shorter focal length end, cost a bit more however.

Final suggestion, change the location from London to Devon or a town in Devon. Helps if you ask- Where can I get ........

Go meteor watching, the skies lend themselves to that sown there.

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Don't know if you drive but NLO is not that far away if you do, however I recall someone saying that it was now basically all imagers and no (little?) visual. That was I think about a year ago so not sure what the situation is, they have been very quiet.

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You have received plenty of good advice for EPs but you also ask for observing suggestions, worthy of consideration is Turn Left at Orion. This book details about 100 deep sky objects with instructions and diagrams to aid finding them and an idea of what to expect when you do find them.

Good luck and make the most of those great skies.

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As you have some experience under your belt, a copy of "Illustrated Guide to Astronomical Wonders" would not go amiss on your book shelves. Deals with all the interesting subjects that can be seen in each of the Constellations, includes directions, comprehensive charts and diagrams, often accompanied by small photos. Intended for the small scope user and very much like TL@O but with far more extensive material, this book also comes highly rated by the forum membership. Enjoy your dark Devon skies :)

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For Christmas, i wouldnt mind moving to deep dark Devon. As for what to look at?..............

With a 200mm Dob and dark skies...........the universe is your oyster.

As for EP's............the BST's are a firm favourite with many many many members here. Must be a bargain @ the price. Myself, i am a big fan of the Vixen NPL's, but some people say the eye relief is not great. It doesnt seem to bother me because i have 4 of them. They are slightly cheaper then the BST's.

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If you are in the East Devon area then come along to the NLO (Norman Lockyer Observatory) in Sidmouth.

Ronin, the NLO IS NOT JUST ABOUT IMAGERS. We have a thriving observers section and a technology section doing radio meteor detection and other radio astronomy stuff, a spectroscopy section too.

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Have asked Santa for an 8mm and 15mm BST and I've bought myself the Turn Left at Orion book.

I went for the 8 and 25 first. With hindsight I would advise  for the 8mm and 12mm. Not that the others are bad, far from it. You will probably buy them all anyway once you have tried the 8mm?

My suggestion involves a Barlow! The 12mm would give you a 6mm and the 8mm would give a 4mm which is almost too extreme for the 200P, but still  just within  practical limits.

I like the 5mm BST  mainly on the Moon.  BST doesn't have a 6mm so I chose the  6mm WO SPL. But the 12mm BST gives me a 6mm-Barlowed.

I found an article that suggested I use my focal ratio as a guide to buying some eyepieces, so the Skyliner rounded up is an f/6 so EP's of 6mm  & 12mm  work fine for me. The BST 12mm offers that with a 2x Barlow. The 8mm is a very good EP on the Moon compared to your standard Skywatcher EPs. If you think your skies are really dark, get a Skywatcher 32mm Panaview , low powered, wide angle, a brilliant EP.

 I have no regrets with any of the EPs in my collection, however I'm still waiting for the best weather condition, and the perfect position for Jupiter to re-assess whether the 6mm WO is any better than the 8mm BST?

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I went for the 8 and 25 first. With hindsight I would advise  for the 8mm and 12mm. Not that the others are bad, far from it. You will probably buy them all anyway once you have tried the 8mm?

My suggestion involves a Barlow! The 12mm would give you a 6mm and the 8mm would give a 4mm which is almost too extreme for the 200P, but still  just within  practical limits.

I like the 5mm BST  mainly on the Moon.  BST doesn't have a 6mm so I chose the  6mm WO SPL. But the 12mm BST gives me a 6mm-Barlowed.

I found an article that suggested I use my focal ratio as a guide to buying some eyepieces, so the Skyliner rounded up is an f/6 so EP's of 6mm  & 12mm  work fine for me. The BST 12mm offers that with a 2x Barlow. The 8mm is a very good EP on the Moon compared to your standard Skywatcher EPs. If you think your skies are really dark, get a Skywatcher 32mm Panaview , low powered, wide angle, a brilliant EP.

 I have no regrets with any of the EPs in my collection, however I'm still waiting for the best weather condition, and the perfect position for Jupiter to re-assess whether the 6mm WO is any better than the 8mm BST?

I'm afraid I don;t know what much of what you've said means... :/

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.........I was trying to suggest you purchase an 8mm and the 12mm BST Starguider for your telescope. They give very good views and are great value for their money. I also suggested a larger eyepiece to make better use of the darker skies you now have inherited.

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