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Hello!!! More than likely repetitive questions...

Paul2015

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Paul2015

Paul2015

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Hello SGL,

I'm Paul and I live in Devon,

Introductions aside I've been lurking around this site for a while and have spent a long time now just going out and looking at the stars and studying/learning the constellations and looking up and learning about scopes, mounts and so forth.

The thing is i know I want a refractor, I'm not sure why but that's what I want. In fact I've already decided on a slywatcher evostar 120 on an eq5 mount with polarscope. So that's not what the topics about, makes a change right!

In fact the problem is money as always. My credits shot and with a growing family, moneys tight but I've already saved a chunk of what I need and it wont be much longer before I'm where I want to be. But in the mean time I've been toying with the idea of getting some binoculars for some slightly enhanced visual observing.

However a half decent pair of binoculars costs around £100 and I've noticed that in the same price range I could have a slywatcher heritage 75/100 or a skyliner 130 for a tad more, so I guess what I'm basically asking is what would you get and why?

If its of any relevance I live right near Dartmoor and the sky at night is dark and I mean real dark so just visual observing is rewarding. My garden is south facing so I see Venus going down each evening at the moment and Jupiter was striking last night to the east at around 11pm but I want more.

Please help me I'm stuck, really stuck on what to do !!!!

Thanks in advance for your help,

Paul

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Peter Drew

Peter Drew

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I would get a binocular, a suitable 10x50 can be had for much less than £100. From your location it will very much enhance your progress and will be a keeper. A small telescope would probably need to be sold on at a later stage to help fund the telescope you really want.  :smiley:

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jabeoo1

jabeoo1

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.................getting some binoculars for some slightly enhanced visual observing.

You may well be very surprised at what you can see with a set of decent 10x50's or 7x50's.  The depth of star fields that a 50mm aperture gives you is a massive leap compared with the naked eye.   The ability to spy the Jovian moons, some deep sky objects also are achievable too. On a tripod a decent set bins also make for good lunar viewing. Even once you have a scope the bins are great for planning star hops or just pin-pointing down the correct place you may want to aim the scope.  

Binos rule :)    

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Coastliner

Coastliner

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I've only recently got into this astronomy lark, I guess I've been delayed by the misguided thinking that the interesting stuff is difficult to see and needs expensive gear. Let me tell you that I was childishly excited when I saw the rings of Saturn through my Computerised Nexstar for the first time, having gone through all the setups etc, but I was just as excited when I saw the Pleiades and the Orion nebula (including the Trapezium) through my 10x50 binocs, they are Minolta, and not expensive, certainly < £100!! Go for it, you will get a huge amount of enjoyment out of them!

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Astro Imp

Astro Imp

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In your position with a decent scope in the nearish future it's a no brainer, get the bins. 

IMO A pair of bins is a complement to a scope not a replacement and you will still find yourself using them when the scope arrives.

Good luck and most important of all enjoy.

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RT65CB-SWL

RT65CB-SWL

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Thanks for all your advice, binoculars it is then!

Any tips on what to look for in them? Aperture, magnification and so on,

Thanks

Paul

1. Don't go for zoom binoculars or the ones that have ruby coloured objective lens.

2. Checkout the 'Observing - with Binoculars' section here on SGL and sign up for the 'Binocular Sky' newsletter.

3. Ask or see if they can be attached to a tripod/monopod.

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pevsfreedom

pevsfreedom

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This website is one of them, really helped me choose my binocs:

http://binocularsky.com/binoc_basics.php

Also, I have extremely shaky hands and I'm only in my 20's, 

so a tri-pod and tri-pod adapter are nice things to have. I got a super-tall / heavy one with a pistol grip which is extremely awesome and comfortable to use, as I'm 6' and using my 4'8 tripod wasn't too much fun. 

Night Watch is also a great beginner book, both at home and in the field. 

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ronin

ronin

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Easy answer is a "standard" set of 8x42 birding/nature binoculars.

They are popular for the reason they are easy to use and you will not see more with anything else, at least until you get tothe specialist binoculars and they are serious money.

Zeniths are good, likely to be a bit heavy but the idea is not to hold them up all the time.

I assume they do not have wind up/down eyecups for people with glasses but should do a good job.

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SacRiker

SacRiker

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I have a pair of Celestron 8x56 skywatchers.  They are excellent (once you get a tripod!).  I can often see the moons of Jupiter (although sometimes it's hard to see all 4).  Also M44 and Plaedies (spelling botched) is great with bins. 

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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Bins are good for sure, will certainly be a huge step up from the mark 1 eyeball. 

A cheap tripod will certainly help, they wont bust your bank either.

EG http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-00004161-Star-61-Tripod/dp/B0000WXD0W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423833536&sr=8-1&keywords=camera+tripod

The one I use was a bit more expensive but that is for a different use.

hth

steve

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Paul2015

Paul2015

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So I just managed to get a quick look through before work as there was a break in the cloud,

I thought id just have a quick look at Jupiter to see what I could see. Amazing would be the word, I got it into view and as I focused it in I could make out 2 maybe 3 moons as pinpoints of light.

I was freehanding them as I don't have a tripod and its harder than it looks lol.

So I tried to rest on the top of a fencepost and used it as kind of a rest. And while I was scanning around I saw what I think maybe the beehive cluster just slightly SE of Jupiter and a tad lower on the horizon. The crab constellation I think.

Again that was amazing. I couldn't believe how much more I can see with just 10x, hopefully when I get home around 11:30 the clouds will have cleared a tad more to the west and I might get to see a bit of andromeda.

Thanks for all your help guys,

I'll keep posting what I'm finding with the binoculars here to help others who may be wondering why they might see with them when they too are just starting out

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RT65CB-SWL

RT65CB-SWL

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If you have just had a rain shower, like I have just had within the last two-hours then that would have taken all off the 'dust' out of the atmosphere and left the sky 'clean'.  :clouds2:  I was tempted to get my binoculars out too as the sky was looking great here. Alas another 0400am start tomorrow - sigh!

...cloudy here  now :clouds1: and an even bigger sigh!

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Paul2015

Paul2015

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If you have just had a rain shower, like I have just had within the last two-hours then that would have taken all off the 'dust' out of the atmosphere and left the sky 'clean'.  :clouds2:  I was tempted to get my binoculars out too as the sky was looking great here. Alas another 0400am start tomorrow - sigh!

...cloudy here  now :clouds1: and an even bigger sigh!

Bottom of M5 here, so not complete cloud cover yet just hope it holds off lol

I'm really chuffed with them considering the cost ;)

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Paul2015

Paul2015

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Just had a quick look, first sight Venus,

Following suit with views of Jupiter and 3 moons,

Then a quick look at the Orion nebula,

Followed by M45,

Then what I think is mars, but I'm not sure,

Will hopefully get some more of the messier catalouge seen tonight!

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