A little help please

[Top-Cat]

Hi i've been interested in the night sky and what lies out there for years and i've finally decided to get a telescope, i have recently purchased a set of binoculars to start with. i was wondering what telescope to get, i live in an apartment with quite a lot of external lights near where would be convenient for regular viewing when i can't get out somewhere different. i don't really know what I'm looking at when i look up at the sky i can spot 2-3 constellations when i look up. i have a rather busy schedule and not loads of time i was thinking of getting a go-to telescope for ease but i would like to be able to find everything for my self. i also looked at an 8" dobsonian  that i have established would be a good telescope for the money.

what I'm really after is advice on weather i could just point an 8" dobsonioan at an object in the sky that i don't know what it is just to get my enthusiasm going and start wording about where stuff is as i go. some advice would be very appreciated.

[buzzlightyear]

Hi

I have a GOTO Meade 70 with a hard carry case. It's a great little scope to have as it's very portable and light.

You can see ok with it but the main thing is that I live in a block of flats high up so a big scope is to much for me to carry.

[AndyWB]

 i have a rather busy schedule and not loads of time i was thinking of getting a go-to telescope for ease but i would like to be able to find everything for my self. i also looked at an 8" dobsonian  that i have established would be a good telescope for the money.

FWIW, I think manual Alt-Az scopes, such as Dobs, are far faster and easier to use than GOTO scopes. You still need to align the GOTO scope, and you'll need to consider your power source; I'm guessing that with your apartment mains power might not be an option. Once aligned, yes, they can find things for you, and that could be useful if you can't actually see that many stars where you live.

Personally, I considered getting a GOTO scope, but didn't in the end - and I've not missed it really. Finding things isn't that hard as long as you've a good guide book and/or atlas, and remember to use the lowest power eyepiece you've got when seeking a new target! It's also really nice to not have to worry about electricity too.

The only time I have missed having a driven scope is trying to view the planets at really high magnification. Mostly that isn't a problem.

An 8" dob is very good value, but you might want to check it's size - carting it outside regularly could be awkward, depending what floor you're on. I'm in a ground floor flat, and my 5" scope gets more use than the 10" just because carting the base, then the optical tube, then a seat, eyepieces case, atlases and books and so on gets to be a faff. I can travel outside in one load with the 5" - not a chance with the 10". Heck, I could nearly store the 5" inside the 10".

Don't forget that a small scope you use is better than a big one you don't. For me, I use the 5" more, but the 10" is for taking away somewhere dark. It seems counter-intuitive - using the small scope more at home - but I think that's living in an apartment for you. If I'd a garden shed, well, it'd be very different.

[Owmuchonomy]

Hi.  If you do nothing else, buy and read the book Turn Left at Orion by Consolmagno and Davis.  This will answer most of your questions and help you choose a scope.

[NGC 1502]

Hi and a warm welcome to SGL from a fellow Essex member.

If you have just purchased binoculars, and are not familiar with the night sky, then I'd spend some time with the bins and naked eye, to learn at least the main constellations and where the bright deep sky objects are, and the current location of the bright planets.  At the moment, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars & Venus are all easy naked eye objects at various times of the night.

At the risk of being wrong, I do think you need that basic knowledge before getting a scope. A standard Dob needs input from its user to find objects, of course a go-to does that, but more of the money will be in the the technical bits rather than the optics. Not knocking go-to in principal.

Don't know where in Essex you are, but my club, Castle Point AC, have some events in the upcoming National Astronomy Week 1 - 8 March. We have a public observing event on Sat 8th March at Hadleigh 19.00 - 21.00.

We may have something on during the day on Sat 1st March and Sat 8th March at the Central Museum Victoria Ave Southend, details not yet finalised on these daytime events. ( Yes I know, leaving it a bit late for sorting it  )

You could speak to club members at these events, or come to the club on any Wednesday evening club meeting.

Details here http://www.cpac.org.uk/

Regards, Ed.

[SW130p]

Hi 

I have only been into astronomy since Christmas and I got a skywatcher 130p to start with. I can see many great things with it and progressing well with it. As time goes on I seam to know what I like to view and equipment I need for my location and seeing.

What I would recommend you do is try to find a Astronomy society near you, I 've just join one a mile from where I live. They have regular weekly meets where you can use various scope they have set up, they even let you take one to use at home if you wish. Many members don't yet or won't own a scope probably due to constraints such as living in apartments or cost. They just turn up and view using theirs.

Lots of enthusiasm at the meets and you get to learn faster. You'll be able to make up your mind as to what you want out of the hobby.

Hope this helps.

[Astro Imp]

Don't know where in Essex you are, but my club, Castle Point AC, have some events in the upcoming National Astronomy Week 1 - 8 March. We have a public observing event on Sat 8th March at Hadleigh 19.00 - 21.00.

We may have something on during the day on Sat 1st March and Sat 8th March at the Central Museum Victoria Ave Southend, details not yet finalised on these daytime events. ( Yes I know, leaving it a bit late for sorting it  )

You could speak to club members at these events, or come to the club on any Wednesday evening club meeting.

Details here http://www.cpac.org.uk/

Regards, Ed.

 I would try and take advantage of this.

You say that your knowledge of the night sky is limited, a great help to finding your way around is Stellarium, a free planetarium program:- http://www.stellarium.org/

Good luck, any more questions just ask.

[itmo]

8" dob, stellarium, red dot finder/telrad. If you have money get an 8" dob with goto BUT usable without goto. A goto will need all round visibility to do a proper alignment , so from a balcony for example you will not be able to align it. 

Also think of getting a planisphere. Use stellarium to get acquainted with "what is visible this night". 

[ronin]

The choice of a first scope can be difficult.

A Donsonian mounted Newtonian scope will give the biggest aperture, sounds great but you have to get it pointed at the objects and you have to nudge the scope to follow them. Owing to the nature of the useage it is a scope that if you locate something then handing it to someone else to look is not simple - whatever you had in view will drift, they may need to refocus so when they look it could be blank. Also it will have moved to the edge and unless they can track whatever was there will soon go.

A goto, to me them seem simple, supply all the data accurately and set it up accurately and there should not be a problem. Sounds easy? So why are there so many posts asking how to get a goto to goto? They also need power, so standing in a nice dark location miles from light pollution isn't much use if you do not have a supply of electricity.

In Essex there are several clubs, and as NAW is coming up have a look round for one with an event on: Which bit of Essex are you in (town). Looking at the NAW site there is an event at Braintree, but not much else it would seem.

Look up fedastro and look for clubs in Essex, there are 6 listed: http://fedastro.org.uk/fas/members/

I would say that a first scope should be easy to use, and present as few problem to use as possible. Otherwise you won't use it. So unless you are dead set on one thing get a scope that is general and does most things well. Then decide on what you actually want.