newAstronomer

Indeed, astroshop looks like a good reliable shop and the delay would be worth the low price. But as heliumstar said if it arrives damaged then I'll have to send it back and the savings dissapear. Of course, that's a risk that all internet purchases entail when shopping from other country shops (Amazon for example). I already asked my local shop for a discount and they offered to give me for free 2 astronomy books worth 70 EUR, which I already have bought years ago. They seem unyielding to make a discount. So I'm currently at a dilemma, I'll keep thinking about it. Perhaps they might put it at a discount for summer sales (starting July in my country)

The thing is that the price difference is huge (72 EUR if I account shipping costs from astroshop.eu). However, your arguments were convincing regarding showing my support to my local supplier. Perhaps it is worth the extra cost the security and reliability of a local supplier than an eshop outside my country. Thanks for your insight!

Hello everyone! I'm currently in the process of buying my first telescope (Sky-Watcher Dobson 150P) but I'm having trouble deciding the shop from which to buy it from. I was thinking of ordering it from astroshop.eu https://www.astroshop.eu/telescopes/skywatcher-dobson-telescope-n-150-1200-skyliner-classic-dob/p,15559 where I was able to get a special offer at 242 EUR using their Best-Price-Guarantee (because I found it cheaper on FLO) but I'm having second thoughts because of the long time it will probably take for it to ship to me (ready for shipping in 1-2 weeks + 5 working days for UPS Standard shipping to my country). My 2nd option is buying it from my country's local astro shop which they have in stock but it is way more expensive (334 EUR). What would you recommend I do? Is it worth to wait 3-4 weeks for astroshop.eu which is cheaper? I'm also having conerns about further delays due to the coronavirus and about possible damages being done during shipping. Does anyone have any experience with this shop, especially recently with the coronavirus?

So even a Skywatcher Telescope N 150/750 Explorer BD EQ3-2 would be out of the question for astrophotography? The thing is that right now with my binoculars I spend more time on trying to get a picture rather than observing (The Moon, stars). I'm worried that if I buy a dobsonian I'll regret that I can't even take a picture of a nebula or a star cluster or a galaxy or a double star. Not only that, but I might even get frustrated having to keep adjust the AZ mount. On the other hand, is there any chance I'll find the EQ mount impossible to align and use? Perhaps my ignorance of how exactly dobsonians or eq mounts work make be have doubts. I have read books (Backyard Astronomer's Guide) and searched various astronomy forums in the past but I didn't understand everything. Perhaps I shall give my book another pass.

Thank you for taking the time to help me choose a telescope. Besides astrophotography, as I understand it, I should prefer a telescope with an EQ mount because it is easier to track an object? Is a dobsonian going to be an inconvienience if I want to observe (NOT photograph) something for quite some time? Is the SW 130/900 EQ2 a bad choice? The specs of this one say that it spherical, it that going to be a problem for observations? Unfortunately, that's the only one sold at the only astronomy store in my country. Unfortunately, buying a dobsonian 6" and placing it on an EQ mount is not an option to me due to the high cost. Perhaps I shall try to find from another store a SW 150 on an EQ3 mount as you suggested? Aside what I plan to do (astrophotography or not), what kind of telescope would you suggest to me, in terms as to which is easier to use, a dobsonian or a reflector on an EQ mount? Will I be able to manage to correctly align the mount with Polaris? I hesitate choosing an EQ mount due to difficulty in aligning it.

Hello everyone! I'm looking to buy my 1st telescope and I need your help. So I'm looking for a telescope for up to € 300. At first I was thinking of getting a cheap 70mm but after some research on various books and forums I came to the conclusion that these are to be avoided. Should I go to 90mm achromat at 199 € (in my country), is it worth it? What worries me most is whether I shall prefer a Dobsonian or a newtonian on an equatorial mount? The large diameter of the dobsonians is really tempting, but will I be able to track an object (eg the Moon) if it's lost after a while from the field of view? I'm worried that the AZ mount of a dobsonian will make observation of objects difficult at high magnifications. Not only that but will I be able to take photos of planets or galaxies with a dobsonian? I'm not interested in getting deep into astrophotography but I would like to have the ability to take pictures of what I see. For capturing nebulas or galaxies, do I need long exposures? Is it possible to take long exposure shots of Deep Space Objects with only few seconds of exposure (<15 seconds)?? Besides that, I'm interested in it being easy to carry and easy to set up for a beginner. What caught my attention is (at a rising price): - DOBSONIAN TRUSS 130mm Heritage 219 € (planetarium) although I'm worried that I'll touch it (table?) - SKYWATCHER 130/900 EQ2 € 279, will EQ2 be a sturdy-solid mount? Why aren't there enough telescopes with better supports? A question, as the number goes up (EQ3, EQ4, EQ5) does that mean it's getting better? - SKYWATCHER DOBSONIAN 6 ″ 349 € - SKYWATCHER DOBSONIAN 8" second-hand priced 250-300€ (if I found one) Also, is the 8" way more difficult to move? I see that it is at least 10 kg heavier than the 6" dob.

Very useful site, thank you. Although the iphone software reviews were not on the link you gave me. I found it here: http://www.weasner.com/co/reviews.html#iphonesw Great, thank you for all your replies. I decided to buy NightCap Camera. So far it's a great app, only problem is that in order to take long exposure or even slow shutter photos I absolutely need a smartphone adapter to keep it steady.

Hello Although I'm new to amateur astronomy, I'm trying to use my binoculars and my telescope (when I get one) to take some photos of the Moon, other planets and perhaps some DSOs. I will be using my iPhone XR as my only tool for capturing these photos since I'm tight on a budget. The problem is that you can't accomplish much on the astrophotography front with the stock camera app on iOS due to the lack of manual settings. What app would you recommend that features manual ISO, exposure, long exposure (I need at least 30 seconds) and is a worthy replacement of the default camera app. I've done some quick search but I can't decide which one is best for astrophotography as well as daily use. Some apps I've found are Halide, ProCamera, ProCam, Camera+ 2 and NightCap Camera. Which one would you recommend as the one with the most features and ease of use?