Lunuar Mike

I am in the process in seeing who might want to join up for a club. I posted my interest on Facebook as well as my personal page on Facebook and a group site I will give it a day or two and see who and how many would be interested. If there's an interest awesome if not I will keep my brilliant hobby to my self and some friends either way I will see who may or may not be interested . Clear skies , Michael

Hello to you all. I usually look at the stars from my parents back yard its a quiet semi dark site. I have a few places I go to observe stars that have been really safe so far . Usually when venturing out to a distant site I always bring a friend or two . I just feel safer with a buddy tagging along and once the scope has been acclimated and the seeing is good and fun for all in attendance. Yup I use the buddy system when I go to an away site, but at home I observe alone usually . Clear skies , Michael

Hello and WOW!! Not long ago I purchased a Celestron 6SE. I have never had "GOTO" telescope before . After a few sessions to become acclimated with e scope I really am quickly falling in love with the "GOTO" system and being able to direct the scope via my iPhone/iPad, But I have these guilty feelings the scope finds the stuff for me. With all the scopes I have ever had from a 60 mm to a 10 inch dob they were all alt az or EQT scopes with no digital any thing. I would star hop and occasionally find a something or other in the great heavens above rarely. So I typically bagged 1 maybe 2 items in a 3 hour session under the stars. Tonite the guilty feelings came back again after I saw 6 galaxies, and multiple open star clusters, and possible a nebula or two in under an hour and half? I feel guilty because I can see well the sky is the limit I guess or what a 6 inch SCT can see with my observing abilities. I know the old school people will scoff at GOTO systems but I can only see how this ability to find multiple targets in a single session under the stars as a good thing. I have gotten completely out of astronomy as a hobby like 3 times pack it up Im done sold all the stuff I owned and it was usually based in massive frustration not being able to find anything in multiple nights under the stars. I am sure these guilty feelings will pass soon enough as I get more acclimated and getting the scope dialed in. I again have a child like curiosity of the night skies again. I am starting to think I should better plan my nights under the stars now seeing how I can find almost anything I want for now I will work on the Messier objects to start, though I have found several NGC objects as well as Messier objects as well in my efforts its awesome to see the faint fuzzies and dim green objects out therein the night skies. Clear Skies, Michael.

I bought a new Celestron 6SE and I bought a few semi cheap eyepieces . A 32 mm Televue plossl which I love, a 25 mm plossl it is fair at best, and a Celestron 24-8 zoom eyepiece which I hate . I am not at all interested in going into the 2 inch eyepieces. I am considering Baader Hyperion 24mm, 17mm and 9mm, 68 Degree as a solid set of eyepieces to start out with and they are priced just right at 550.00 for the set. Other eyepiece considerations are the double the price Televue Delite's for my mid to high powers I owned a few of the Televue Radians and loved them back in the day, or the Baader Morpheus 17.5 and the 9 mm for my mid to high power eyepieces are being considered as well. Of all specs on eyepieces no mater what the eyepieces have to have at a minimum of 18-25 mm eye relief I wear glasses and hate to take them off when observing. I guess my question is should I buy the 68 Degree Hyperions 24mm, 17mm, and the 9mm first at $550.00 for the set then upgrade later into eyepieces that are more expensive eyepieces like Televue delite's. I really want to put a solid base set of eyepieces together I will love and then add an eyepiece or two here and there as I feel it is needed for specific use like a set of planetary eyepieces, or an eyepiece that is better for galaxies and or nebula. Will the Hyperions be really good? I just want to make a good a good purchase one time on a set of eyepieces and then add on as my interests in this crazy fun yet extremely expensive hobby. Note*** I am only using these eyepieces with an 6 Inch SCT at F10 and or a Mak Cass at f/15 probably will not be using them on anything faster than the use of the reducer corrector at F6.3 ocasionally . I usually use the scope at F/10 typically or faster. So I do not need eyepieces that perform well at f/5.5 or faster . What I usually use the scope for is viewing the moon, planets, and I seem to really love tight star clusters, and brighter planetary nebulas. So I am not at all looking for how well an eyepiece will do at F/4 at 3-5 degree true field of view . I really want a set that will be good at f/10 or slower . My range of cost is 450-700.00 so If you have suggestions that fall between that price range I will be happy to hear your thoughts on semi premium to high end eyepieces . Clear Sky's Michael .

I want to thank everyone for the reassurance as well as the reflections. I slept on the thought that the 6 is the right scope and you all are so right for my circumstances I think its the best scope for my situation. Thank you so much Michael.

Recently I bought a Celestron 6SE . I fear I should have bought the Evolution 8" instead . Am I really missing that much with the 2 more inches of aperture. In the past I owned a C5 on Orion SVP EQT mount I used that 5 inch scope more than any other scope I have ever owned including a 10 inch Dob or the Meade ETX 90, and two 8 inch reflector and sct configurations combined . With the 6 SE I have seen in a few sessions more than I have with any other instrument. I bought the 6SE as a compromise scope it all fits in 2 cases the mount and the scope/eyepieces fit in one case and the legs fit in their own case . I live in an apartment on the second floor and I figured the 6SE was the biggest I could lug up 2 flights stairs. Then another trip for the legs/power tank battery . This would not be possible with the 8 inch version it would be 4-6 trips up and down the stairs. I bought the scope and case as I figure the 6 inch SCT was the biggest of the small scopes and the smallest of the big scopes. Use is another point I have no yard to set up so I must always go to another place to set up and use my scope. So I figured the 6 inch SCT would be an awesome scope to transport and use. Again my 6 inch scope full of compromises. I keep getting hung up on the fact that maybe the 8SE and or Evolution 8 would have been a better choice visually or maybe not and the 6SE's package fits the bill perfectly. I rationalized the 6SE with performance is mind I feel in a few sessions I already see just how powerful the 6SE optically actually is. So I guess what I am asking of you is would you have bought the 8 SE or an evolution in my situation or is the 6SE actually the perfect scope for 2 flights of stairs, storage issues, and Tavel and from the observing site, I feel its a massive compromise scope but so far I have seen the heavens in a way I have never seen it before with the 6SE mount/scope are along. I keep tripping on the 8 inch scope or will a 6 inch satisfy my urge for seeing many things optically. I must say I dont have aperture fever because when I do that its all-out 10-18 inch dobs.

Hello and hope you are having great day ! I am in the market for a new /used scope. I was into astronomy many years ago and want to get back into it. I have a few factors that I must be honest about I live in a second floor apartment with 2 steep flights of stairs, as well as I have to go to a different site to look at stars in my car not due to light pollution but I cannot use it on my street (rough neighborhood). . I have owned 3-8 inch telescopes an Orion 8" Eqt reflector and a Meade and Celestron C8 Sct's, a 10 inch dob, 90mm mak, 11x80 binoculars . I feel a 6 inch SCT would be the biggest I would go in diameter. In all of the past the scopes I used for 8 years was a C5 Sct . I have been thinking about 80-102 mm APO refractors never owned one and I wanna see what'll the hype is all about. My budget for the scope is around $600-1800.00 USD for the optical tube maybe an f5 or f8 scope , and I want a really good alt-az mount. I would like to get a solid alt az mount around $200-800.00. I know there's no perfect scope out there, I really want wide-ish, fields of view but the scope and utilize 2 inch eyepieces, and Barlow as well and give me contrasty close up views as well. The most important part is I plan to do extensive lunar study as well as lunar /planetary digital photography. I also love double and triple star systems, and open star clusters. When I had a 10 inch dob I saw the faint fussy things I never could seen smaller scopes. I guess I am looking for a scope that is very portable, easy to use, simple and refined set up, but most of all I wanna have some fun under the stars and moon. I would go higher in price if the OTA would be a forever scope but my max is 2500.00 USD. this would be a scope I would use and cherish for the rest of my life. I have looked at Telvue, Orion, Celestron/Meade, William Optics, I really want a scope the is simple and fun to use and I can carry the whole operation in one/two trips to the car or back to my apartment. That would give me years of fun and usage. Thank you for your opinions, ideas and help . Thank you Mike.

I never have in the past considered Zoom eyepieces. When I purchase my scope some day prob mid summer, probably a Sky watcher flex tube 10 inch Dob or 12 inch Dob ?? I want to try a zoom eyepiece and see what all the rave is about. I definitely will be doing public outreach stuff in my home town. In the past I made astronomy so difficult I just want simple fun under that stars. What are your feelings on zoom eyepieces . Are the zoom eyepieces worth it? If you have experience with zoom eyepieces which one would you buy and why ?? I have looked at the offerings here in the USA they seem to go from sub -$100.00 to well over $350.00+ are they all the same or is it worth spending the extra money on a really expensive one. As usual with this incredible hobby you get what you pay for so is the crazy expensive ones worth the extra money. Or would 350.00 on up be better spent on a small collection of Mid Grade eyepieces. Thank you so much ! Clear Skies!

Awesome insight for sure, yes the moon is literally super easy to look at but for some reason it still is my favorite thing to look at along with open star clusters, tight bright nebulas, and double stars and planets. Yes indeed it makes sense to go the Mak Cass first. I definitely see your point. I own a pretty stout camera tripod so thats what I would mount it on for now. Thank you for the insight something else to ponder for a while.

Thank you all for your input. It really made me think. While an ED 102mm refractor would be great I really think that is way out of my budget for what you get 4 inch of aperture . So I think I will get an Orion ST80 f/5 wide field refractor for grab and go/easy to store. Then find someone (a relative) with a garage where can put a 10-12 inch Dob for when I want to do more detailed observations. I can use the ST80mm scope for grab and go scope as well as a super finder on a 10 or 12 inch dob. Another thought I had reflecting on this subject more is when I use my 11x80 mm binoculars I always have thought it would be cool to have a single tube 80 mm scope to compliment the observations in the 11x80 binoculars and dive deeper into what I see with the binoculars. Clear Sky's

Hello to you all, I have been thinking of buying a scope for many months now and really I'm in a jam trying to figure out what would be best scope for me and my situation. First off I live in an apartment 2 fights up with no elevator, and have very little room to store a whole scope set up, maybe a shared closet space. No matter what scope I buy I will have to drive to a site locally where there's not so many trees/houses/street lights ect... So I figure that the scope I were to buy would be a 60-120 mm F/5 rich field refractor , or a 90-150 mm f11-15 Mak Cass. . I have owned many scopes but never had to store one in my apartment before. Everything from a 60mm first scope refractor as a child, and many 8 inch SCT/Reflectors and up to a 10 inch Equatorial mounted reflector when I had the space to store it/them . If I had a garage space to store a telescope it would be a no brainer I would buy a 10 inch f/5 Dob or a Meade LX90 10 or 12 inch. What I want to view with a scope is star clusters, double stars, brighter-tighter nebulas, the moon, planets. My favorite things to view are the moon and double stars. I really have very little ambition to do astrophotography or dabble in it this scope is for visual only. Currently I use either 11x80 mm binoculars or 10x50 binoculars and star charts. I know I want a simple to use, fun scope to explore the heavens with that would nicely compliment the binoculars and such and be able to not have to make too many trips up and down 2 flights of stairs. As of right now I am leaning to an 80mm f/5 short tube refractor in some flavor on a camera tripod which I already own. Then some day mount the 80 mm scope to a big Dob and use it as a super finder . I know it sounds like I have my mind made up but I still consider scopes like the ETX 80/90/125, a Sky Watcher AZ mount with either a 102mm wide field refractor or a 127mm Mak Cass. or own both optical tubes, one for wide field stuff and the other for planets and such, I also consider an iOptron mount of some flavor so I can use many different small scopes for different needs visually. The ETX 125 in a foot locker type case would be the biggest scope I would want to carry up and down 2 flights of stairs. You would think there would be a ton of info on the topic of astronomy for apartment/condo dwellers but in actuality there is very little suggestions for this dilemma . PS no German equatorial mounts, and storing a scope in the trunk of my car will not work. Thank you so much for any information you could send my way. Clear Skys to you all.