Stu
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What telescope to buy with a £120-200 budget?
Stu replied to britto765's topic in Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice
Not a bad buy I suspect. I think @Helentried out the Pronto mount so may be able to give some input. It's not going to be amazingly steady but on a budget it's probably better than some other options. -
I know it involves potentially more expense, but it is work trying the head on a better photo tripod or even something like an EQ5 or 6 stainless one. I think the mount can take the weight but the standard tripod is not so strong. I use my AZGTi on a photo tripod and it is very solid.
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untilThe Lunar X is visible tonight, along with the Lunar V. Timing I have is 18.07, I believe that is the peak of the event but it may be the start so keep checking! EDIT I now believe 18.07 to be the start, and 22.26 to be the finish of this event. If you have more accurate info, please add to the thread in the Heads Up forum. Lunar X 2018 TXT.pdf
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I think you are correct, it just happens that I believe in many instances the ED scopes perform better in the other respects too, particularly at shorter focal lengths needed for a Quark. The 102mm f11 scopes and TAL f10s are very good for instance for PST mods, but the focal length is too long for a quark really, you need to keep the power down because of the x4.2 barlow element built in so a faster ED helps with this. I tried a 150mm f5 with a Quark but the SA made the high power views quite soft. The 152mm f5.9s are much better in this respect whilst still not EDs.
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It's not a matter of CA, it is to do with the figure of the optics, lack of SA etc which give the additional fine detail which is easily lost.
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Lovely I thought you had your eyes on that one
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NEW! Sky-Watcher EvoGuide 50mm ED GuideScope
Stu replied to FLO's topic in Sponsor Announcements and Offers
No, it's the same thing, they just don't use the S most of the time. -
What telescope to buy with a £120-200 budget?
Stu replied to britto765's topic in Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice
Hi Britto, There are many scopes out there to be avoided, with poor optics or poor mounts, or both. You have received good advice here, a number of different options but all from reputable astro manufacturers which will perform well. It is worth taking the advice, and also buying from a reputable specialist. Stu -
The Opposition of Jupiter, with the planet at its largest and best placed for viewing. Visual magnitude will be -2.5 and the apparent diameter 44.8 arcseconds. The planet transits the meridian at 12.59am, when it will be at 22.6 degrees above the horizon. GRS will be transitting at 2.14am on 9th (don't get caught out by the date)
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Mars at Opposition, best placed for viewing ie at its largest apparent diameter of 24.3 arc seconds, visual magnitude -2.8 and a distance of 57.8 million km. It transits at 1.15am but at a height of only 13.2 degrees above the horizon from London. Best bet is to get on a plane and head South!
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The best time to see Mercury in the morning sky in many parts of the world, but unfortunately virtually on the horizon at sunrise from London latitudes.
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The peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower. Some meteors expected to be visible between 19th and 25th April. The Moon will be at First Quarter so will interfere in early evening. ZHR of around 10 from a dark site with the peak at 4am.
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Another early morning conjunction, the Moon will be 15 degrees above the horizon at 5am, with Saturn 4 degrees away and Mars 2.5 degrees from Saturn. A lovely binocular or naked eye sight.
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Another tricky low one, but certainly viewable. At 5am Mars will be 10 degrees above the horizon, with Saturn only 1 degree 17" away. Best seen with binoculars or naked eye, telescopic views will likely be poor due to the low altitude.
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Full Moon is at 1.57am
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The Moon is at First Quarter at 10.45pm
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New Moon is at 2.57am
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The Moon is at Last Quarter at 8.17am
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Full Moon is at 1.36pm
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The Moon is at 1st Quarter at 3.35pm GMT
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Visible for much of the night until around 4.15am, the closest approach is at around 2.15am when the 76% illuminated Moon will be 2 degrees 36" away from M44, the Beehive Cluster. Best seen in binoculars or a wide field scope.
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Very tricky one unless you are further South. Occurs around 11.38pm with the Moon only 3.5 degrees above the horizon from London. Aldebaran will disappear behind the dark limb of the Moon, so fun if you can catch it. Good if you've got a sea horizon perhaps
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The two day old Moon will be 19 degrees above the horizon when the sun sets at 6.11pm. Venus will be shining brightly just over 10 degrees away, with Mercury close by Uranus will be 5 degrees from the Moon too but too faint to see
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The best time to see Mercury in the evening sky, when it is at around 15 degrees above the horizon when the sun sets. It will be shining at around mag -0.2, but wait for the sun to set before trying for it.
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Another tricky one, being low in the sky just before dawn. At 5am the Moon will be at around 10 degrees altitude, with Saturn close at just over 2 degrees away. Best seen with the naked eye or binoculars
