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Future developments


jason.p

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I was wondering what future plans or developments people have for their hobby. I don't mean just upgrading eyepieces etc, but I presume there must come a point where you've got as far as you can within the practical restraints of circumstance (finance etc). Have most people reached that point or will there always be a "next step"? When I see the set-ups some have got, it makes me wonder.

In my own case I think my 6in Newt is brilliant and I'm slowly working my way through the Messier list, but I already have in mind getting an 8in to fix on the mount so that I can go back and get more detail. Then I want some sort of observatory and possibly start dabbling in photography. Will it ever end:o

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Definitely a 'simple' style observatory (read shed with an openable roof) for me when I move house... Have just upgraded the mount, frac and bought a new lens - so none of those for quite a while!

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I use the VLT and HST but will upgrade to the E-ELT and JWST, so there's always a next step... :)

But being serious, I find that with backyard astronomy it's more a case of interests and personal circumstances shifting that drive changes in equipment, so there's never really been a constant. A few years back I was heavily into imaging with all the kit that goes into that, but even with an observatory setup cutting out some of the work I found that job, family, kids, etc. mean that i've no longer got the time to tweak kit, grab hours of data, and then process it all - so i've heavily simplified things and now i'm pretty much all either grab'n'go visual or video. That'll change some day, and it will be all change with the equipment too

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I was wondering what future plans or developments people have for their hobby. I don't mean just upgrading eyepieces etc, but I presume there must come a point where you've got as far as you can within the practical restraints of circumstance (finance etc). Have most people reached that point or will there always be a "next step"? When I see the set-ups some have got, it makes me wonder.

In my own case I think my 6in Newt is brilliant and I'm slowly working my way through the Messier list, but I already have in mind getting an 8in to fix on the mount so that I can go back and get more detail. Then I want some sort of observatory and possibly start dabbling in photography. Will it ever end:o

Will it ever end? Hopefully not! A permanent obsy is like having your own 'spaceship' ready for startravel at a moments notice

:grin: I got into AP long time back and never looked back - not the "is two hours long enough thingy" [nice that it is] but in very brief exposures that go really deep in a few seconds for virtually instant colour snaps way beyond our modest eye's sensitivity and on to the next object like my http://home.freeuk.com/m.gavin/eyelode2.html . And so many other areas to play like putting a prism or grating or IR filter before the cam for a different view of starlight - the list is endless but as always driven by self - good luck in your journey :police:

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There are a few bits that are on my wish list, it never seems to end! A high-res CCD will always be a temptation, though I think I would need an obsy to get the most out of it, and then there's the cost, so this is probably not going to happen!

If I started again and wanted to keep spending vaguely sensible, I'd get a 10 inch dob and a few eyepieces, and stay well away from imaging!

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Like you I have a 6" newt and come the start of this year I was very keen to start a fresh with the same plan of working my way through the Messiers, Lunar 100 and get into Solar imaging a bit more but things like the weather and other commitments have gotten in the way, although it's mostly the weather if I'm honest.

So here I am stuck in a rut yet again but it's kind of self imposed now, in 6 weeks time we will be moving to Spain so time is not on my side for observing right now but I know very shortly things will only get better.

So my plans for this year are to move house and with that a better observing environment, I can throw myself into all/some of the ideas I had at the start of the year.

I really want to come to terms with getting the best out of the planets with the equipment I have(150PL & SPC900) before jumping into a big upgrade.

I also want to come to terms with solar imaging on the PST Mod and seeing as I might actually see the Sun in Spain I'd say I might stand a chance.

The next upgrade I want within the year is a C11, at least that's what I have my heart set on although for the right price I might be swayed by a large Meade and I still find myself going back to wanting a C9.25 but the C11 is the dream and I may just be able to get a good deal on one new but I have to wait on the fine details of the relocation package first. And I suppose with that comes a larger mount new planetary cam and a few accessories, etc.

That should do me for upgrading my gear for a while at least.

The other thing that is in the works for the future is an obsy build but that will be only after we have found a house too buy after this year, I don't see the point in going through all the hassle of one on a rented property.

So hopefully the future looks brighter.

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I'm around 5 years' from retiring and if my pension plans hold together (so far, so good...) I plan to skip the UK for a warmer climate and put together a decent obs. I have in mind something like a 20" Planewave on a big ASA mount. And I am thinking about getting a decent spectrometer for the business end. I am looking for an interesting project like studying some variable stars - to measure how the spectra changes with intensity. Betelgeuse would be an interesting one, assuming it hasn't gone bang before then...

Until then, it's keep my head down and make sure I don't get the sack!!

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All the best with the move Jarrod. I hope it goes smoothly and that you settle in well.

I would simply like to move to darker skies, in a detached house far away from other neighbours. :) This may be a possibility soon.

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i want my local council to instigate streetlight powersaving :grin: which will increase my observing pleasure immeasurably!

if they do this then my plan for either a 10" dob or 8" eq will be realised and wonderfully used in my back garden. if they dont, then i will get angry and probably buy a SCT - 6" ish - as a portable scope for darker sites fairly local to me.

to me thats the end game. dont have any dreams past that, as once thats all bought, the excess income will continue to get thrown at my landrovers.

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All the best with the move Jarrod. I hope it goes smoothly and that you settle in well.

I would simply like to move to darker skies, in a detached house far away from other neighbours. :) This may be a possibility soon.

Thank you, I hope so too. So much to consider and it's rapidly creeping up.

At this point the house isn't going to be in real dark skies but definitely it will be clear skies. The darker skies and away from neighbours bit will come later with any luck.

Hopefully you can make that possibility happen as well.

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I would simply like to move to darker skies, in a detached house far away from other neighbours.

My in-laws live in the high desert in Arizona, once you're away from the city the skies there are unbelievable - very dark, clear with almost no moisture, and great seeing. Plus at 32N there's a fair chunk of southern sky that we don't get at all in the UK.

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I keep looking at telescopes and mounts and thinking about what I could buy, but realisticly from my location with LP and encroacing trees I think it wouldn't be worthwhile, though I may stump up for an autoguider package.

Anything major will have to wait until I can put my plans into action of selling up and buying something smaller and cheaper in a darker location. Still aiming for somewhere in the Canary Islands (Assuming we're still in the EU by then).

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