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Showing results for tags 'equipment'.
Found 44 results
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Hello all, I am looking into making a hobby out of spectroscopy but don't exactly know where to start. All I can really go off is a high school education of physics and the various reading that one usually does when looking into something new. The main questions are, essentially; 1. What is the best spectrometry equipment for an amateur like myself? I have little to no knowledge on all the necessary equipment, so any recommendations would be very much appreciated. For any suggestions, if you wouldn't mind giving a reason as to why you recommend a said product, I will take this information with great appreciation. In terms of a camera, I've read that CCD monochrome cameras are the best. How does a DSLR rank against this though? In terms of a telescope, should I be looking at one with a specific aperture range? If so, are there any other properties I should be looking at? Is a grating better than a prism? Why? What software is the most effective and easiest to use? Do I need some sort of focusing device? 2. How do you collect spectral data using the technology? Is it as simple as pointing at a star and recording the acquired data? How long should I view the chosen star? Is it a photo or a video? I would assume that these questions have been asked plenty of times, so any links to other forums which discuss the same questions and topics I am raising will be very helpful as well. Any type of reply is welcome. As an amateur, anything is helpful. Looking forward to discussing this with you all. Monte.
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How does this Sky-Watcher Explorer 130m Reflector Telescope compare to the zennox D6816 ive bought ?
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My Az GTi mount had been working well, apart from occasional Wi-Fi drop-outs, until yesterday, when the batteries ran low. I'd left it running unattended for a while, and when I came back found it had stopped tracking and the red LED was continuously rapidly flashing. This isn't described in the users manual, but I presumed it was a low power indication. I plugged in an external battery pack, that I know to be good as it has been used before and has 8 of the same batteries as the internal battery pack, but now when I switch it on the LED flashes a couple of times and then stays steady on. The manual says that this indicates that the internal Wi-Fi is off and, sure enough its SSID is now never broadcast. There is no explanation in the manual as to why the Wi-Fi should be off, nor how to switch it back on, which is a shame, as the mount is now effectively "bricked", as I don't have a Synscan handset or Wi-Fi dongle to try. I've put new batteries in the internal battery pack and tried that, but get the same result. Has anyone else had this experience, or better, know of a solution? Is there a secret internal factory reset button that can be accessed by removing the cover? - or will I have to return it for repair? The Az Gti firmware is the latest Equatorial compatible version. Thanks! Pete
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So I am very new to gazing the night skies and I have a very important question about equipment / lenses for what I'm trying to do. PLEASE keep in my that I have tremendous respect for the entire universe (whatever and however I may see it, it's just amazing) but my preference in my new hobby is just to view the Planets & our Moon. I'll start off by first saying that I bought the Celestron 8se Goto Scope (8") from Amazon along with 8mm to 24mm Baader Planetarium zoom lense, 2.5x & 3x Barlow lenses and a new Telrad finder scope. I spent over $1,800 and tried for the past week in the evening under clear night skies viewing Venus & Mars. Then at about 4:00am to 6:00am in the morning viewing Jupiter. In all cases for the past week and a half Mars, Venus & Jupiter were clearly seen and they were correctly centered and focused in my eyepiece. I had no success in seeing any features on either planet with using 6mm up to 24mm lenses (with and without the Barlows). I did see Jupiter focused and managed to see three moons. However, very in focus but still just no features! Obviously, the Moon was seen with great features in every case. (Simply incredible for the first time!) So of course I hit the Google button and searched this forum for hours! I ended up sending everything back to Amazon for a refund. I know by this point you must think I'm very impatient but 95% of my search results stated that I do not need an 8" scope or this type of scope just for viewing the Solar System if I'm not really interested in viewing Deep Space objects (which is my current preference). And I pretty much don't need the Goto features of the 8se (which is very difficult to allign anyhow) as I can easily identify any planet and of course, the Moon in the night skies. For the money I spent, I was really hoping to see alot more than just focused colored circles. However, it was very cool just knowing I was viewing these planets for the very first time but not worth the $1,800. Finally, the reason for this post is to ask the more experienced Astronomers to recommend the best sensible telescope / lenses to purchase for just viewing Planets. Thank you in advance for any help and taking your time to read this as I'm very anxious to purchase something new this week. (I got back my $1,800 but I'm not looking to spend it all, lol) Please, give me your best recommendations!
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Stupid question time! My 2" Altair dielectric diagonal has a thread on the tube end that inserts into my Skywatcher ST120 telescope, so if I buy a new 2" filter to use I assume that I can screw the 2" inch filter in here OK so I can then use either my 2" EP I have, or with my 1.25" adapter inserted into the diagonal also with all my 1.25" EPs to right? None my other 1.25" diagonals has a thread at that end of it, so can't test any of my 1.25" filters like this with any of my current equipment line-up,
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I stupidly lost my Celestron ps76/700 lenses whilst moving homes. I'm trying to look for new ones, but I'm having trouble. Could anyone recommend some please
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Hi there, can anyone recommend the optimum length for a pair of dew shields for my 15x85 binoculars. Kind Rebards Paul J.
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I currently have a laptop in my roll-away observatory, connected to a powered USB2 hub on the pier, from which I then power and control the various bits and bobs on the rig. This is now the 2nd USB hub that has stopped working. Can anyone recommend a reliable one? I have seen a few threads mentioning USB hubs but none actually recommending a reliable one. The laptop only has 2 USB sockets so although my cables will reach it, without the hub I can only connect 2 things at once, one of which has to be the mount. All the stuff in the observatory is powered via an extension cable from the house.
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I am thinking about a future setup capable of doing both astrophotography and visual. Right now i have a Bresser Pollux 150/1400. It is a bird-jones telescope which means i can't do prime focus photography. I can see the orion nebula and ring nebula with it even in fairly light polluted areas (about a 5-6 in stellarium). The two scopes i have thought might being the future scope is the following: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-ds-eq-5-pro-goto.html And the skywatcher explorer 130p-ds with the heq5 pro synscan (which i can't link to). Am i going to regret that i got the eq5 mount with more aperture instead of the less aperture and the heq5? Is the 130p-ds going to give me the same views of DSO's as the scope i have now? (because it doesn't have the "corrector" lens in the focuser) would i be able to use the 130p-ds for planetary views and imaging, or would it be impossible? (btw, i have a 2.5x barlow and a 6mm planetary ocular) Sorry for any misspellings (i am 14 years old and live in Denmark) but i hope that you can help me out by telling me your opinion -
Celestron Powerseeker 60 AZ and Celestron Astromaster 130E Being absolutely new to Astronomy and not knowing much about the subject (other than scouring the internet on the topic and for reviews on equipment which would fit my budget for a few weeks before finally making my decision). I would say I have hit on lucky with the purchase of these 2 Telescopes. The first one I bought with a bit of Birthday money and put towards a few pounds,…… Purchased from Jessops Internet (Astromaster 130EQ) and this included a FREE Celestron Firecel Light, Charger / hand warmer…. All for 120 pounds incl postage to my works address. (Mid July 2016) The second purchase was the Powerseeker 60AZ (30 pounds incl Deliver from AMAZON). BH Monday August 2016. Firstly, although the Astromaster offers much more light optics and is a lot sturdier with the equatorial mount, the Powerseeker offers almost the same view (other than it is more condensed, lens quality is not there and it is a lot lighter, albeit flimsier - it takes a little extra patience to be able to focus the Powerseeker over the Astromaster - however because I was not expecting the Hubble Telescope views for the price,….. I would say either of these 2 are ideal for the first time Astronomer like me…. They do what they say on the box and then some). There is a lot of talk out there saying you would be better off purchasing a pair of Bino's first. I would agree with this (partially) as from experience, I did just that. During my travels in my 20s (working for a UK Holiday company overseas) saw me in Tunisia (Sahara Dessert) and Tenerife (Mount Teide Plateau). As recent as a few years ago (I am now 41) I holidayed in Egypt (Sanai) as well as Turkey (Marmaris). The Astronomers did manage to keep us interested (providing Beer and BBQ was included)with their torch pens. We gasped in awe as they pointed their lasers to the heavens and explained the constellations and the fact that they had around 2000 magnification Telescopes - Dobsonions I recall, all of them MEADE. (made viewing Saturn, the Moon, M51 an absolute treat). I had my Binoculars to hand throughout all of these experiences and I have to agree, they were quite good and offered me 10X Zoom and a powerful focal view of 50mm. (10 X 50) Having said that, in a nutshell…. To get the equivalent in a binocular that I have now (130X Magnification or 195X Magnification with a Focal view of 650 / 700mm - with Barlows) even if we are talking the cheaper of the 2, the Powerseeker 60AZ, it would cost you a few hundred pounds plus to achieve the same with BINO's….. Therefore If I had known I was going to get into this at a later date, I would personally have skipped the Bino's and went straight to the purchase of the Scope. Why Do I need 2 Scopes……. ???. First reason: My Back Garden in my home is (almost ) in a Dark Sky Park and with the Powerseeker alone I see a reddish tint of the Milky way. If I drive to Keilder water (40 mins away) I always make sure I have someone with me for company - the wife or a friend…. That way, they don't get bored…. Then the Milkyway, the planets and the other well known Deep Space objects and the rest of the Constellations are an absolute treat to view…. The only thing I have not managed to view during my 6 occasions out with them - is the moon, it is never out when I am free and vice versa etc. However I am awaiting a date with it soon and no doubt, albeit I will be impressed. Second Reason: the Powerseeker I use on partially cloudy nights and the Astromaster when I have totally clear nights….. Even though I have got the setting up of the Astromaster to 3 minutes, psychologically, the Refractor offers me a quicker 'GRAB and GO' Option….. Not to mention albeit more time in the field (viewing) during the up and coming Stargazing Event I am attending on 22 Oct at Keilder Campsite…. Partially due to condensation. I have 2 question I have one for the Astromaster 130EQ Newtonian……that is - If I am in the field and I get condensation on the lens and inside, is that my night over and I am limited to the refractor…. Or if I just simply point it at the floor, will I be able to continue viewing the constellations as soon as the Condensation .... if it is possible,..... has dried up? For the Powerseeker 60AZ Refractor - will I still get condensation in the lens? Thanks in advance for your responses and I hope you enjoyed the honest, practical review of these 2 Scopes which either one I would highly recommend to the First Timer. -
Hi there guys, realise it’s probably a bit of a long shot, but I’m hoping that someone on Stargazers is looking to part with an Altair Astro Starbase. Have my heart set on one of these as the ideal future proof tripod for my field observing platform. Paul.
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Hello to all, I have got a chance of going for a IOptron CEM25P that I want to use in my back garden. I also would like to take it on my travels around the UK and possibly abroad. I have organised a deal for this mount together with an 80 mm triplet refractor and guide scope. I can order the mount with 1.5” or 2” legs; weight difference is about 3kg for the heavier version, extra cost about £100. I just wondered if anyone could advise if the 1.5” legs would be good enough and stay stable in the wind? Does anyone own this mount and have either of the two sizes of legs? I would love to hear your experiences before I finally put in the order. May I thank you in advance if you can offer any help. Cheers!
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Hi there, could someone please provide depth and thread pitch for the front cell screws on an 8" Edge HD, as in the empty socket portrayed in the attached photo:8" Edge HD, as in the empty socket portrayed in the attached pho Kind Regards Paul J. -
Hi there, I'm wondering if any SGL members might have a spare secondary assembly for an 8" EdgeHD. Basically, the previous owner of my Edge did something abominable to the collimation screws which mean that they will not move. I suspect the original owner has used a threadlock product or similar on the collimation screws. I am therefore looking to replace the entire secondary assembly. Shipping the scope off to David Hinds is one possibility and I am pursuing this, however I'm also looking at other options, such as replacing the secondary assembly myself. Kind Regards Paul J.
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Hey everybody, I’m thinking about picking up a new telescope this year. My budget is about $1000. The features I would like to have with my scope would be it’s GPS enabled, computerized motor system, an HD camera etc. I’m sure you know what I’m looking for. Anyone who could help steer me in in the right direction would be much appreciated. -
Hi there folks, at the moment I'm primarily a traditional, through the eyepiece observer, however I'm putting together a list of components/software that I will need going forward as I venture into the realm of EAA. Primary consideration for my EAA platform is that it be easily transportable with as small an on-site footprint as possible. My thought is that I want to be able to control everything remotely over WiFi, I have an abhorrence for spaghetti cabling, so want to be able to keep this situation down to a minimum. To this end I have put together a list of components which I think will facilitate the sort of observing platform that I am aiming for: Item 1 - Polemaster from QHY and associated control software. I have both Alt-Az and Equatorial setups, however I see the equatorial as being the primary mount for EAA, hence the investment in Polemaster. The EQ is a Vixen SXW and the Alt-Az and Altair Astro Sabre. Item 2 - Small footprint CCD/CMOS Astro-Camera (I'm thinking along the lines of the SX Ultrastar), and associate control software. Item 3 - Guide camera (Although this may not be an immediate requirement bearing in mind my primary goal is near real-time observing rather than traditional CCD astro-photography). Thinking perhaps the Altair Astro GPCAM, or perhaps an older SX Lodestar. Associated software perhaps PHD2, what alternatives are there? Item 4 - Computer stick or very small footprint PC capable of being fixed to either the mount or OTA, without seriously adverse weight impact. The device needs to have integrated WiFi capability and the ability to interface to guide camera, primary camera and Polemaster. Needs to be run from 12V DC supply. Item 5 - Apple iPad (already acquired). Item 4 poses the question, does such a device exists that will enable simultaneous connectivity to all three devices? Immediately people may think of alternatives such as the Mallincam line of products, Revolution Imager etc... however I want to try and steer clear of the older analogue technology. Is the suggested approach realistic, in getting me to where I want to be, if not, are there alternative ways of achieving the same goal? Would appreciate the forum’s thoughts, and in particular any insight from fellow forum members who may have taken a similar approach. Kind Regards Paul J.
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I had my first attempt at having a go at Orion last night. Reasonably happy with results; 10 frames mix of 20s and 5s at ISO800 using canon760d and Evolution 8, quickly assembled in Lightroom but no editing. My own thoughts are that: 1. need to practice more on focus (big yes!) 2. perhaps raise iso to 1600? 3. perhaps increase exposure times to 30s - 1M? 4. should i use mirror-lockup on the camera; reading conflicting info on the web? 5. should i invest in some of those fancy filters I see on the market? I'd be interested in feedback around the exposure time suggestions for my telescope in particular.
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I am planning on imaging the Orion molecular cloud complex this spring before it goes away again. It's always been my favourite collection. I'm interested in hearing advice/ tips/ suggestions on the best course of action to capture this in the best possible way. ie. what exposure times, Iso etc, would yield the best results. I have some basic equipment so hope to make the best use of it possible with help and guidance. I'll be using: Nikon D90, Sky Adventurer, Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-S DX, or Nikon NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4 Lens. I have DSS and PsCS6 and LightRoom 5 for editing after. I'd like to get at least 2-3 hours of data over the coming months. how would you go about this? -
Advice with Balancing OTA
BrendanForward posted a topic in Getting Started Equipment Help and Advice
Cannot get the optics to focus without extension tubes but it makes it impossible to balance the OTA on my mount. Help! -
I’m looking for a supplier of telescope quality mirror sets at 100mm f4, preferably parabolic. Does anyone have suggestions? I would specially commission if necessary. -
Hi All I’m considering purchasing an 8”aperture, f3.8 newtonian ( primarily for EAA) from Orion UK and would appreciate any input or feedback from anyone familiar with the product, the company or the purchasing process - and how to assess the compatibility with my current cameras. This is would be a step up from my current equipment and entails selecting components that I’ve never used and know little about such as a rack and pinion focuser and components (ACU-3L), and coma corrector (Wynne Corrector). I’ve added links to these items below. I’m also feeling unsure of how to mate up my Zwo 178 and 294 cameras to the 3” focuser and whether there will be an acceptable match between the scope optics and my sensors. I’m sure the folks at Orion UK will assist with all this but I’d sure welcome input from the Stargazer's Lounge community before starting the dialog with Orion UK. thank you in advance for any help you can provide! Gary ACU-3L Focuser selection Info: https://www.orionopt...sers.html#ACU3L Wynne Corrector selection Info: https://www.orionopt...torsfittin.html
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Hi Everyone, Like a few others out there, my wife and I are new to Astronomy. We are currently looking at purchasing our first Telescope and have been looking at some of the posts on your great forums. We thought we had an idea of what we wanted to get but like everyone, that changes with the information you give and receive from others and what you want to be able to do. I am going to take the advice from some of your members and do a bit more reading before spending our hard earned cash. My questions are as follows: 1. We currently do a lot of birdwatching. Would the Nikon ProStaff 5 Fieldscope 82mm Angled Scope Body and Eyepiece be suitable for some viewing just now until we decide what Telescope and Mount to Purchase? 2. Would we need to purchase any Filters for the Scope if it is of any use? 3. We have a couple of sets of Binocculars that we use for birdwatching, would these be any good for viewing anything (Bresser 8 x 42 & 10 x 50)? Look forward to any replies and advice you can give. Kind Regards Angus -
Hey Guys, I have set my self a budget and after reading peoples recommendations, i've got some equipment together. I am new to this and before buying, i want to know if this set up is ideal ... Thanks In Advance, just want some reassurance haha Matthew SkyWatcher NEQ6 PRO SynScan Equatorial Mount & Tripod Explore Scientific ED APO 80mm f/6 Deluxe FCD-100 Hex-Focus Altair 60mm Guide Scope & GPCAM2 Mono Guide Camera Baader RGB Filter Set 1.25 Inch With IR Cutoff Filter SkyWatcher 5 Position Filter Wheel SkyWatcher Light Pollution Filter 1.25 Inch Nikon t ring & 1.25 inch adapter Nikon d5200 (not astro edited)- 10 replies
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Hello, I have been wanting to get into Astronomy for quite a while now, and I need some advice for buying a telescope. I want something that I can look at nebula's(my personal favorite thing to look at), as well as planets, at a high resolution. I also need something that is decently portable, something that could easily fit into a truck. Do you have any suggestions for a good high resolution telescope? P.S. Sorry if I say anything stupid, kind of new to this.
