cletrac1922

Welcome Matt from land down under When doing school and scout group presentation, I use a 17mm wide-angle eyepiece Gives good eye relief, and a slightly wider spread when observing globular clusters Not sure if you able to observe Scorpio this time of year in your location, several globular clusters round Antares, including the Butterfly Hope you both have our of enjoyment from your new toy John

Louis You access the docs I responded back to Martin with Great for your daughter In the Joey's Space Badge, is also a link to European Space Agency https://www.esa.int/esaKIDSen/index.html Click on Need Help With Your Homework, and glossary from A to Z including Black Holes to the ISS

Lance Welcome to SGL from land down under This forum, you wander the universe

Scope choice depends if just want to observe moon, planets and other DSO's, then a SW 10" collapsible dob is weapon of choice If you want something which tracks, to do AP, then go for something like a SW ED80 on a HEQ5 or 6 mount Have attached both my weapons Dob does not track, where the ED80 tracks on EQ5 mount ED80 shown with solar filter as well, taken at recent public solar viewing club day

Martin Something else your daughter might have fun with her friends Scale model of our Solar System, which I use with my club's school and scout programs Print the attached document on A3, Landscape, and if care to, laminate AU is one pace, or you can vary depending on your environment Solar System.docx

Hi Martin and welcome from land down under I would go for either a SW 200 or SW 250 collapsible dob Easy to store and transport With club belong to, go into primary schools, grade 1 - 6, and do presentations, as well as Space Badge Joey's scout movement I use my dob over my SW ED80 on EQ5 mount, as quicker and easier to set up, as 4-6yo's not very patient while doing a 2 star alignment on an EQ mount Use a small kitchen step ladder for students to stand on to reach eyepiece I use a 17mm wide-angle eyepiece, as gives better eye relief for 4yo's, and when viewing Jupiter, wider angle easier showing moons around Jupiter Have attached pic of my dob, as well as copy Space Badge for Joey's in Australia doc, which you can adapt with your daughter, for Northern Hemisphere Pic was taken at recent Saturn in the Park public viewing night with my club I have a 4yo grandson, and we have hours of enjoyment using my dob Couple of nights ago, he phone me, and said poppy, poppy, look at the moon, so big, and a bright star beside it Told him that is not a star, he responded, then has to be Jupiter poppy, which was correct John Space Badge.docx

Welcome from Land Down Under Before upgrading to a new scope, first decide what going to use it for Just viewing planets, moon or other deep sky objects, than cannot go past SW 250mm collapsible dob, as easy to set up, and store and transport If looking to venture into AP, then probably a SW ED80 on a HEQ 5 or 6 mount Helpful as well, to lob up to a astronomy club in your area, and talk to members there, and they only too happy to show you there set-ups John

Hi monetrun Would look at a Skywatcher ED80, with EQ6 mount, as can purchase as a package, and takes 1.25mm and 2mm eyepieces with diagonal supplied I have mine on an EQ5 mount, and can also get a solar glass filter as well I use car jump battery box for powering, and have run my EQ5 for a couple of days, with no issues When do school programs, scout/guide presentation, with club belong to, I use a 17mm wide angle eyepiece Gives good eye relief with 6-9 yo students, and a wider spread to observe moons around Jupiter Pic shows my ED80 with solar filter

Pete My first weapon of choice Purchased my SW 250 MM collapsible dob about 10 years ago, and given my countless hours of trouble free service When doing school presentation and space badge, Joey's, Scout movement, find it easier and quicker to set up than my ED80 on EQ5 mount, especially when have 20+ 7-9yo's around your ankles, begging Mister, Please mister, can we have a look EQ5 mount can take up to 30+ minutes setup, then do 2 star polar alignment With my dob, just lay laser pointer along dovetail of spotting scope, to object want to observe, and fine tune using spotting scope Attached pic taken at a recent Saturn in the Park night with my club That night had quarter moon, Saturn, Jupiter, M4, M7, M8 in Scorpio, Jewel Box in The CRUX, Omega Centauri

Viktiste Solar viewing Located in the plastic lid, there is an detachable small hole cover Get some Baader solar film, and sticky tape a small piece over the small hole, with small hole cover removed, and you are able to do solar viewing Remember to leave your spotting scope off as well Attached pic was taken during the 2012 solar eclipse, where I was we only had 80% eclipse, and taken with mobile phone to eyepiece

Welcome from Land Down Under Have a SW 250, and use for school, scout/guide groups presentation Your SW 200 fixed or collapsible tube? Your next time out, try viewing the rings of Saturn, and you also should be able to detect the Orion Nebula Been in the Southern Hemisphere, have other deep sky objects to view as well Not sure if where you are also able to observe Omega Centauri Global Cluster I use APP called Heavens Above to assist with observing as well, and there are other star chart APPs available depending if you have an Android or Apple mobile phone John

Geoff Mate of mine runs an observatory on Philip Island https://phillipislandobservatory.com/ Tell Rowan I sent you Last weekend club co-hosted Star Stuff at Byron At last minute I had to cancel due to other family commitments

Welcome Alvin from Land Down Under Geoff, if you make it up my way, drop in on one of our club meets John

Still have to do 2 star alignment. Where APP comes into its own, do not have to enter GPS location, time and date, like with hand controller

Welcome from Land Down Under In this forum you get to travel the universe