I am new to Astronomy and am looking for telescope advices.

[brantuk]

In Stellarium if you hit F4 and choose the markings tab you can switch features on/off. Switch on the constellation lines there - and it's useful to have the Ecliptic line on as well cos that's the path the planets follow

If you can find Virgo in Stellarium - you'll see Mars and Saturn too.

[oliethefolie]

Thanks for that, turns out I don't think it was a constellation, just a group of stars although I got the positioning right as it's in the bottom portion of orion (orion's belt?).

[themos]

If you see "Vir" that's the constellation of Virgo which follows Leo. Denebola is the last bright star of Leo (most easterly, I mean). Virgo is to the east of Leo and that part of sky has a lot of nearby galaxies.

[oliethefolie]

Cool, I reckon I might buy some more tonight.

For binoculars should I splash out on a 70 quid pair with a with a tripod (15x70) or get a 20 quid 10x50 pair that I can presumably hold.

[Woking]

The 15x70 will gather more light so you will make out more detail than the 10x50's.

You will get the 'shakes' with these though, so if you can afford a tripod it would be a very good option especially as you will be learning the night sky. I and others tend to use car roofs for balance but the planets and our moon will still jump around. Not so much a problem with DSOs and clusters but can get tiring on the old arms.

Welcome to astronomy, you are certainly going about things the right way and it's a great interest to combine with your studies.

Keep asking questions as everyone will be keen to help and others will benefit from reading your threads too.

[oliethefolie]

I think I might get the 70s as them + the tripod is about 75 quid so it's not breaking the bank. Would a 25 zoom be better worse, or just not worth it as they are 20 quid more.

Also, I could use the tripod for filming videos too, so it has a dual purpose!

[oliethefolie]

Also, a question, would an auto-tracking (motorised) Dobsonian mount work for tracking objects for astro-photography or should I get an EQ mount if I want to do that?

[Woking]

I think I might get the 70s as them + the tripod is about 75 quid so it's not breaking the bank. Would a 25 zoom be better worse, or just not worth it as they are 20 quid more.

Also, I could use the tripod for filming videos too, so it has a dual purpose!

Zoom bins are not very well recommended I'm afraid.

Have a look at the 'Observing with bins' sub-forum on here as you will get lots of excellent advice on bins and tripods, with previous posts to read up on.

SGL member tetenterre has his own bins website which is invaluable reading before making a purchase. Have a look on the sub-forum as the web address is in his sig.

I can't help on the dob as only have experience of my own frac on a eq3-2 mount, have seen views through dobs though and they are more and more impressive with size. You do get more for your money with dobs as it's all about aperature.

The thing with GOTO and mechanised tracking mounts is that they cost more money, which as a beginner might not be ideal as you want the best mount and scope for your 'dip your toe in' budget. Plus you will learn more starting off with a visual manual set-up.

[oliethefolie]

I think an auto-tracking one just keeps it in view as opposed to finds it (not a GOTO).

I've just heard that photography is pretty bad with Dobs and I'd like some pictures to take home to the family

[Dreamgazer]

I'm new to astronomy too!

Actually, I have a question for you. Is AS level physics hard? Also, are you studying maths? If so, is that hard?

I've always been fascinated by the stars and I would love to be an astrophysicist!

Also, from my research if you are going to get a scope I'd go for one of the shortish dumpy ones (yep, I don't know the official name, but I will find out for you) rather than a refractor as apparently they with let you see more of the stars.

Thank you!

[oliethefolie]

I don't find AS physics that hard, it's not easy, but I enjoy it which makes it easier.

I've been getting solid Bs and As.

I also enjoy maths AS far more than GCSE as it is far more challenging, as opposed to GCSE when you get the the hard stuff, you are already bored out of your mind, and I'm not sure if you have to do maths, but I highly recommend you do as it is integral. Also, I think one of the maths modules you do in U6th is basically the first term of AS Physics so that should be a walk in the park.

[Dreamgazer]

Thank you!

I got A in all the sciences and maths in my last report -I am nearly fourteen (one month off!) so I'm not doing any big exams- so I was quiet confident until our maths teacher started talking about how hard A level maths is. Looking "is A level maths hard" up on wiki answers is ABSOLUTELY no help as the only people who seem to answer have already graduated from university after studying maths, so of course they would find it easy.

If it's not too rude of me to ask which other subjects are you doing?

And also (yep, more questions!) are maths and physics GCSE hard?

At the moment maths is ridiculously boring. It was so boring last year that I didn't pay any attention in lessons and was therefore moved down a group. In my current group it takes us a whole lesson to do ONE long division exercise... Ugh.

[oliethefolie]

Long division sucks.

But don't get me wrong, maths & physics are no walk in the park.

Also, the reason they tell you it's really hard (I suppose it is for some, I'm not having real difficulty), is because they are trying to cut down on the numbers doing maths as it is really oversubscribed with people who don't like it but just do it because it's the thing to do.

[Dreamgazer]

I think the dumpy telescopes are called reflector telescopes (or dobsoni... Something or other).

I'm saving for a telescope at the moment, although I'm not sure which one yet.

I went to the local telescope shop and I swear the man there wasn't speaking English!

[Dreamgazer]

Yeah...

I don't think many people in my year will do maths.

Not because they couldn't do it, just because my year are more into stuff like drama (which to me personally in the second worse subject in the universe) and P.E (the worst thing in the universe). Both of which I am rubbish at, I'd rather just hide in the science labs!

But anyway, do you think you will do physics at university?

Thanks again!

[oliethefolie]

It's called a Newtonian Reflector, the mount is called a dobsonian.

And yeah, I've pretty much decided to do Physics with Cosmology / Astrophysics / Particle Physics (depending on what I decide I enjoy the most) at Lancaster. It's a great Uni with great research, the entry requirements aren't ridiculously high (AAB for BSc, AAA for MPhys) and it's really far from home and it's not London, god I hate that city.

[Dreamgazer]

Haha really?

My family are pretty much making me go to London because they don't want me to be too far from home!

I've read before that Lancaster is really good for research.

Why do you hate London so much?

I don't want to go to Cambridge or Oxford, no matter how famous they are.

I can't really explain why, I just don't really like them, and other cities seem a lot more diverse.

[Dreamgazer]

I think I would go and study either just Astrophysics or Natural Science. I don't know whether the outcome would be different depending on which I studied.

[oliethefolie]

I don't think I'm clever enough for Oxbridge and I don't like the Oxford Crowd and prefer the Cambridge crowd but I don't like their natural science course (I'd rather just do physics).

I don't like London because the parts of it that aren't a dump are profoundly expensive.

[Dreamgazer]

Although London has lots of interesting people it has an equal amount of irritating and self centred ones.

I was going to say that I didn't like the Oxford crowd but I refrained from doing so in case that was going to offend you.

Why don't you like their natural science course?

My family all want me to be a doctor... I don't know, I think I could probably get the grades to do it, I just don't know if I want to.

And I do not want to work with children.

I'd like to go and study in Japan, but I think my family would disown me.

Ok, slight exaggeration, but they wouldn't be pleased.

[oliethefolie]

Cos it's not really specific enough, I don't give a monkey's about chemistry or anatomy, I just want to do physics.

Tell them that you will be a doctor... OF PHYSICS! OH SNAP!

Don't let your family tell you what to do, do what you think is interesting and will enjoy.

[Dreamgazer]

Ha! thanks

I find biology booksquite interesting, but lessons are so easy that it's boring.

Chemistry is also easy at the moment (I guess it will get harder).

Most things are a bit "meh" at the moment.

And magnets. Don't get me started on magnets.

We have been learning about magnets since year three. And up until very recently we learnt the exact same thing every single year. Magnets are on the GCSE course as well.

out of geography, ict and history which do you think would be the most useful for a career in physics?

[oliethefolie]

NOT ICT, NEVER DO ICT, IT IS THE MOST USELESS THING TO EVER GRACE THIS PLANET! Also, no one thinks geography is a real subject, it's too general in my opinion. I do history as my only humanity but it's just because I enjoy it and not because it's useful for physics, maybe for writing skill.

I would suggest doing computing A-Level, I did the AS and GCSE Level as there was no Computing GCSE at the time as learning some programming could be useful for coding sims and stuff. I only got a C at AS so I'm doing retakes, I did module one last Monday and module 2 is tomorrow at 2:00pm (I actually revised this time, did a practice paper on Wed and got 90 odd percent ) so I need to get some shuteye before the exam.

[John]

Can we get this thread back on topic again please - telescope choice.

Thanks

[sabana]

The Astrophysics research programme at Oxford is top dollar . The UK Gemini Observatory support group is worth looking up and Andrew Gosling is very approachable to help you decide. Good luck guys!