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Kit aspirations

MartinB

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MartinB

MartinB

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We all have our ideas about dream kit but what about realistic aspirations. If life goes well and those hoped bonuses/promotions/retirement lump sums come your way over the next 3 or 4 years how do you see your observing and imaging developing and what kit would you like to have to help you achieve your ends?

As for me, unless a certain tree in my garden dies I have no prospect of an observatory. So for now I'm pretty well sorted other than a good quality temperature compensating electric focusser such as the Optic TCF - S or a FLI DF2. Maybe the odd filter and a couple of quality low power UWA EPs -Paragon/Nagler/Uwan 30 and 40mm UWA EPs . I want to continue develping my capturing and processing skills concentrating on quality rather than quantity and producing up to half a dozen images a year

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jgs001

jgs001

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Martin, My wish list is getting longer and longer by the day. However, I would really like a WO scope or something similar, maybe a Megrez 90 on a decent EQ mount (not sure what the best suited would be, but maybe an EQ6). I'd also like a dSLR to use along with it and the associated accoutrements for visual and photographic use (I don't know enough about ep's etc to detail specifics at the moment).

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barkis

barkis

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Well, I am just pleased you put the life of the tree before the Ob. ambition Martin. At the rate humans are destroying forests, the preservation of one tree is important. I am not a tree hugger, but I don't like to see their wanton destruction.

As for Improving my kit, I have to start getting the gear I've got to pay me back in results. If I can't get all this to work, any future ambition becomes dead in the water.

Ron.

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Paxo

Paxo

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Martin, my wish is quite simple, get my observatory up and going - currently have the pier head made, pier is being fabricated as we speak, roll-off-roof obsy planned currently putting in the foundations for pier/building. This will house a 12" LX200R.

Beyond this, I would like something mobile as well. 45 minutes from dark skies at Kielder, I am looking long term to have a relatively portable imaging set-up for star parties and evenings out.

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MartinB

MartinB

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Well, I am just pleased you put the life of the tree before the Ob. ambition Martin. At the rate humans are destroying forests, the preservation of one tree is important. I am not a tree hugger, but I don't like to see their wanton destruction.

Oh I'd hack it down tomorrow Ron but then the wife would do something similar to me!!

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James

James

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An observatory in the garden would be nice but has been largely veto'd by the boss. My neighbour knows lots of farmers out in the Blackdowns about 10 miles south of Taunton (nice and dark). I'd love to be able to set an observatory up there but its not likely.***

In terms of kit perhaps one day a large Dob (14" plus) but I'm still firmly attached to goto.... :D

James

*** Just been told that she'll consider any application for finance just as soon as she gets back to work. May be a couple of years off (she wants to retrain) but thats the most positive I've heard her!! :shock: :D

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Sam Bo

Sam Bo

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ooh id like a 14" SCT such as the Celestron CGE, a 250 mm OO F4.8 NEWT and a really nice 110 APO reflector. Plus a really great Canon DSLR and all the rest... Not sure the wife would allow me to spend THAT much on a scope yet but ive got plenty of saving up time to persude her :D

At the moment though i am aspiring to a Celestron C8-NGT and a Canon 400 :D

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Ant

Ant

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Martin, on the side of the tree that the wife see's the least. drill a small hole going down at 45 degrees. make sure that you don't com eout the other side.

Then regually pour creosote into the hole - the tree will die :D

I have plans for a permanent peir on the garden, from that point on I'm planning on taking more time over things (because I can spend all my time imaging apart from failing to polar align).

I'd be happy with a couple of observing sessions a month with a couple of images worth mentioning. Also would like to get a 6" Mak for the planets...

Ant

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MartinB

MartinB

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Martin, on the side of the tree that the wife see's the least. drill a small hole going down at 45 degrees. make sure that you don't com eout the other side.

Then regually pour creosote into the hole - the tree will die :D

The tree looked distinctly unhealthy this year and she's been inspecting for little holes. If that tree dies it might be me getting creosote pored into a little hole :shock: :shock:

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Sam

Sam

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My current dream scope is a 16" light bridge - which I will use whilst my imaging setup (still getting the bits for that) is automatically doing it's thing in my purpose built observatory I'm going to build when I get back to NZ in a couple of years. Dreams are free, unfortunately astronomy equipment isn't so I'm not sure on the time frame to achieve all of the above.

Sam

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daz

daz

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If the plan pans out, I'd definitely like to upgrade the mount to something v.high quality - something for life type thing - within the next two years.

I've put a time frame on my DSO imaging as well - in that if I can't get a half decent result by the end of this season, I'm going to pack it in and focus on visual stuff. I'm not expecting to churn out stuff like SteveL or MartinB, but if I can't see an improvement in my skills, then why continue? If that should happen, then it'll be something like a C11 and just image planets/lunar.

Getting the observatory up in the next few weeks will make things a whole heap easier, so that is first priority!!

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Whippy

Whippy

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I'm not even thinking about an an observatory until we move out into the country a bit more, the garden is too small and there's too much light pollution where I live to justify building one. Other than that, the thing I can see myself doing is just gradually buying better quality EP's, filters and perhaps getting some cash together for some CCD imaging action, but I'm still very much experimenting with my afocal setup so that's a way off yet (probably!). But I'm essentially happy with what I've got for now but.... :D.

Tony..

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The Warthog

The Warthog

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I am thinking about a goto scope in the 8" to 10" range, and possibly a small goto catadioptric for travel. I'm keeping my frac. :D I don't know what style the 8-10" should be; I've considered Newts, SCTs, and Schmidt-Newts.

I'm thinking I might be able to find a witch to turn my wife into a newt, as long as she doesn't get better. :D

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blinky

blinky

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This year I am really hoping to get a DSLR and at Christmas Santa may bring the HEQ5 upgrade to SkyScan kit.

Thats all planned out (The missus does not yet know the plan mind you, so it may change)

In future I would love a long focal length refracter and of course a PST :D

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Andrew*

Andrew*

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The list is long... Going from the most realistic to less:

- upgrade to an EQ6 pro

- once I get the hang of mono imaging, guiding stuff, then colour imaging stuff

- shed to go around the astro station

- a "car scope" that really packs a punch visually. i.e. a 16/20" truss dob.

- upgrade ED80 to BO91

- upgrade all my eyepieces to Naglers.

- a QHY8 or similar

and then the list gets quite dreamlike....

Andrew

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saturn5

saturn5

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I would like to get that cloud busting machine that Donald Sutherland built and Kate Bush used in 1985.(remember the video?)Honestly ,all i want is more clear skies for us all ......oh yes ...and a full set of Baader hyperions,3.5 to 36mm. 8)

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