Astro Noodles

If you are in Australia, you will probably want to buy from an Australian retailer.

Sky-Watcher Virtuoso 150mm (6") Collapsible Dobsonian - Bintel

Hi Bob. Welcome to SGL.

Hi and welcome to SGL.

Hi Nick

I think those Virtuoso mounts are a brand new product. So it may be you telling us whether it can be controlled by PC. 🙂

1 hour ago, Iem1 said:

The first query I'd love some advice on is what kind of exposure times do you think this set up should be capable of before star trails become apparent? Anybody else had experience?

Hi lem, I am using a Skyguider pro and a WO ZS61. The best I can get out of it reliably without guiding is 90 seconds.

Or maybe lasers?

It won't be long before this thread gets locked. 

If it gets left open too long, I expect some mysterious new person will appear saying that they have had nothing but joy dealing with DFO - like happened the last time.😒

24 minutes ago, Barnjet said:

Thanks, just to be sure does “integration time” means more lights and/or longer exposures?

Affinity says it also does image editing, but that is a process I have yet to understand.   I confess, I’m finding a lot of the image processing terminology a little baffling eg “stretching” “rasterising” etc   But,  I’ll get there in the end! 

More lights. 

Image processing is at least half of astrophotography, and probably more difficult than image capture. Stick with it and you will get there in the end. 🙂

Are you in the UK? If so, the biggest challenge is probably getting clear dark nights.

It's a good image.

Maybe try a lower ISO, and go for more integration time as well.

If you processes this through image editing software you will probably be able to pull out a lot more detail from Andromeda.

Which is the more messy eater?

One of these?

Or this?

I think they are about the same. 😁

20 hours ago, Macavity said:

During my morning walk (06:00!), I started to ponder the wider questions... 
How many people still do (any) Astronomy? Do people still have Hobbies? 😲

But for the fact I have come to know folks from the local Amateur Astronomy
community, one could easily assume (asking neighbours etc.) that FEW people
had any hobbies at all! Not to mention the rise of... "anti-science" rehetoric. 😔
(This is, dare I suggest, dependent quite a lot on the local demographic too.)

Whereas I acknowledge the *stimulating* aspect of comparing the *virtues*
(hopefully!) of various sub-types of Astronomy, we may be "Balkanising" it
out of existence? c.f. "talking about" (STEM publicising?) versus doing too? 🙃

There's nothing quite like F2F meetings with folk who like/do your hobbies. 🥳

Although many people have pass-times, I imagine far fewer have a hobby. I, (like many on here I suspect), have multiple hobbies, and I live for them. If I suddenly didn't have to work any more, I would never become bored. If my current hobbies couldn't expand to fill my time, I would just get more hobbies.

Astronomy is my latest hobby and as far as I can tell, it is more popular than it has ever been. Far more accessible in terms of equipment, price, information than it could ever have been even 10 years ago. 

Rather than fragmenting, I just think there is more to explore within astronomy as a hobby, which means it can be more appealing to a wider base.

Hi Arty and welcome to SGL.🙂

Yeah, I'm thinking along those lines. The optics are probably the same so maybe I can make some Franken-Swifts by using the best bits from both. Although I know nothing about binocular optics so there is a good chance that I will make a dog's dinner of it.

So what do you think? Bin them? or is there enough there which would be worth repairing?

This is pretty cruddy. It looks like it has been dunked in muddy water. The marking is present on all the optical elements.

The left hand one is better but still has these water/fungus masks. There is a lot of dust and grit in there too.

Look at the patina. The covering has been rubbed off with use ! The previous owner must have been left handed.

A lot of corrosion around the eyepieces. I managed to get the left hand one off. It was full of gritty crud. The focuser on the right hand eyepiece wont budge - need to get some WD-40 and a strap wrench on it.

Exhibit B

Swift Audubon Mk II circa 1971. I think these were probably purchased originally to replace the first pair.

Eyepiece lenses have a few marks and there are quite a few dents.

There is a distinct 'clunk' in the left side barrel.

Damn it!

I wonder if the other pair will be any better.

Oh, wait a minute, that's a nasty scratch on the objective lens, and I don't like the look of that dent.😟

Focussers move quite freely. a little stiff. Quite a bit of dust and muck. The RSPB stickers suggest that these have been put to good use. 

Exhibit A

1966 I believe. Made by Tamron in Tokyo. Well used and a bit knocked about. Nice piece of string instead of a strap. Eye pieces don't look too bad.

So, two pairs of Swift Audubon 8.5x44. One pair from circa 1966, and one pair from circa 1971. £10.00 each from local charity shop.

Who would like to see what condition they are in? 😄

Has Noodles got a bargain, or will these bins be destined for the bin? 😁

23 hours ago, johninderby said:

In the US Swift gives a lifetime warrantee on binoculars. Sadly not anywhere else. 😢

 

🙂

5 minutes ago, johninderby said:

 I have noticed a lot of imaging related posts are of the “help needed” type as people get to grips with the intricacies of imaging. SGL must be an invaluable resource for those need a bit of help. 👍🏻

It most certainly is. 🙂