lee g

So I’m still toying with the idea of getting one of the skywatcher startravel scopes to accompany my 8”sct.

my question is would one of these give good views of the sun? If so what filter would work best and which scope would be best suited the 102 or the 120

thanks

Just now, lee g said:

I mostly due visual 

Or should I correct it to “ I mostly (dew) visual...😁

7 minutes ago, andrew s said:

Do you mean visually or imaging? In both cases both collect the same amount of photons ( give or take few) so it depends on what else your doing. 

 For dim galaxies field of view is not an issue. @alacant point is specific to the circumstances. 

Regards Andrew 

I mostly due visual 

16 minutes ago, M40 said:

Interesting subject, I think something like the 200P explorer has to be better as the primary mirror is basically at the bottom of a tube so any direct light source is diminished but I don't think anything will help with the skyglow itself. As for the difference between f10 and f5 and observing DSO's it will be interesting to see what others think. I suppose a screen or obs is not an option?

I already have a screen up but due to the weird shape of the garden an observatory is a no no

I currently have an f10 8”sct and observe under bortle 6 skies. My scope is great on bright objects but not so good at the dimmer dso’s such as galaxies. My question is would an 8” f5 reflector be a big improvement ie allow me to see more galaxies? 
I know dark skies would improve my view but I do all my observing from my back garden.

many thanks for any input 

I thought this was to good to be true

i have just purchased a 2" star diagonal for a refractor. My question is..... is there an adaptor i can buy which would allow me to connect this diagonal to my CPC sct.

Thanks

I really like the S@N presenters but would rather it was presented by passionate amateurs and focus more on observing the night sky ie techniques, what to observe, how to’s and equipment reviews. And less space flight news.

Hi i already own an 8"sct and was thinking of buying a Sky-Watcher Startravel 120 (AZ3) as a quick setup grab and go.

I mainly only do visual astronomy my question is would i benefit anything visually ? Is it worth the purchase or not.

Thanks for any feedback

10 minutes ago, John said:

Have to make do with an unlovely one !

I've left a link in the original posting location so people can find it from both places.

 

apologies and thanks i think i was so pleased with myself and excited to share that i lost concentration

So this is how it turned out after running it through Registax. I took it using my new Zwo asi224mc it took a bit of playing about with and reading a ton of posts and watching hours of video but I feel this looks half decent it’s definitely more detail than I ever managed with my webcam. Quite pleased I must say 😁

Interesting thanks 

Aha more reading to do  then judging by this 

Ok so just to recap I have an 8” sct (cpc800) on alt az mount with no plans on changing to equatorial i also have a f6.3 focal reducer at my disposal I initially wanted to get into live video astronomy but that’s a bit out of my price range so thought I’d give planetary imaging ago which I already occasionally do with a modified webcam 

I would also be interested in some close up lunar imaging and possibly joining a program to monitor Transient Lunar Phenomena 

so it’s come down  to these two cameras (ZWO ASI 224MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera or ZWO ASI 290MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera) which do you think would best suit my needs?

it would also be a bonus if I could image or live stream at least some dso’s

thanks for any help offered 

Lovely clear skies over Norwich last night the best views I’ve had of Mars.

took this with a modified webcam 2 x Barlow on 8”sct 

this is my first attempt at mars 

10 minutes ago, andy fearn said:

Nice. A pity no pics or video.

Yeah I got a view clips on my phone but they really didn’t do it justice it’s always the same when you see something awesome you wish the whole world was there  watching with you 

Got up at 2a.m. This morning to grab a look at mars and boy was it hot.

I live in Norwich UK and I could see a constant flashing in the sky but I couldn’t see the source, so I crept upstairs to get a higher vantage point and there low in the south moving slowly east was a distant mass of slow moving cloud. It was honestly like something from The War of the worlds. At first I thought it was low cloud being illuminated by lights below as it was so impressive. There was no sound just a constant flashing. 
It was so impressive that I woke my wife and daughter and they were equally blown away by what could only have been a superb display of summer lightning or heat lightning.

Mars was a treat but this was totally unexpected and the perfect accompaniment on a hot summer’s evening 

So I’m still looking at a camera to get into planetary imaging when I came across Celestron NexImage 5 Solar System Imager so I was wondering how this compares to something like the ZWO ASI 224MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera.

Also would either of these be suitable for my 8” sct

Yeah clearly brings out more details thanks

Wow yeah definitely an Improvement on all fronts cheers for that 

So whilst I’m still gathering info and funds before considering video astronomy I thought I might bide my time with a bit of planetary imaging. I have been recommended this camera ZWO ASI 120MC-S USB 3.0 and would like some opinions please 

I currently use a modified Philips webcam on my cpc800 on alt az mount would this camera be a big  improvement?

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up to this new podcast I discovered it’s called The Observers notebook podcast. it’s the official podcast of the association of lunar and planetary observers and I find it very informative. Give it a listen 👂 

cheers mike just took a look at your suggestions in the eeva reports section and wow that's really got me excited. To begin with all I would be interested in is live views at the scope and then once I had mastered that then maybe I would process the odd image. I just want to use my scope to its maximum potential and cut through that damn light pollution.

I would like to use my scope to view better live images (eaa) I have a Celestron cpc800 8”sct on alt az mount which I have no plans of upgrading I also have a f6.3 focal reducer.

i was looking at the zwo cameras but I don’t know where to start. 
whatever I get I want something that won’t need upgrading after I’ve Learned to use it.

I need something that will at least allow me some views of DSOs without an equatorial mount as well as show me planetary views.

so basically a good all rounder.

i see this step as more of an upgrade to compensate for the ever growing light pollution I have to deal with.

basically I would like the kind of live view results that the folks on nightskies network have.

thanks kindly in advance 

Yeah I know I was the same, I picked the smallest crater and zoomed in so close that I found craters within that crater.