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Hello and please help!

Sempei

By Sempei
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Sempei

Sempei

Posted
Posted

Hopefully  I'm  here to  introduce  myself  and ask for help.  I'm  a double  newbie.  This is my first forum and I'm  still  learning  to  negotiate  it.  On the same hand I am a novice at dedicated stargazing too.  Please feel free to advise me about either.

I have surreptitiously  stargazed for most of my adult life but. Just recently  found  that  my  wife  had the same secret interest.  We have unleashed ourselves and are trying to forge ahead as intelligently as possible.

This has of course  led to some very elementary questions. I know the first may be obtuse but, was our choice of our  first telescope generally acceptable?  It is anothing orion starblast 4.5.  It seemed to be the best in our price range but that could  have  been  lack of experience.  

Secondly, what, besides the obvious, is the capability of a solar filter?  I want to get one for the upcoming eclipse but am unsure of what use it will be beyond that.

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Pondus

Pondus

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Hello and welcome to SGL. :).

I`m not sure if the Starblast 4.5 is very common here in Europe, but I know its mentioned in positive ways at the US forum Cloudy Nights

I recommend you read this blog : http://uncle-rods.blogspot.no/2009/02/joys-of-simple-things.html

I think a Scope like this is the kind you want to keep for grab&go, even if you invest in a bigger scope later on.

 

Rune

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northward

northward

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Welcome. I have to mention how amazing it is that you and your wife both discovered this secret passion about each other. It's quite inspiring and also touching. Especially since you refer to the aftermath as unleashing yourselves. So great. Have fun and enjoy this new phase of your relationship :) 

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ecuador

ecuador

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The solar filter is useful for seeing the sun with its sunspots anytime except during eclipse totality. So, you use it for the partial phases, but during totality it will block out everything.

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ronin

ronin

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I personally do not like the Starblast as it is an f/4 scope so very "fast" in optical terms and that tends to be a problem. It needs maintaining in collimation and eyepieces that will operate decently in it may not be easy to get. Easy answer in a way is only go for low to medium magnifications.

You should be able to get a solar filter for is and at 114mm viewing the sun will not be a problem - get rid of the finder first however as people have a habit of putting the filter on the scope then looking for the sun in the unfiltered finder. Not sure what diameter the tube is for the relevant filter.

They are "white light" filters so you in effect get a big whitish ball in the finder. Not sure what will happen at the eclipse as the moon covers the sun and there is not a lot left, the corona will I suspect be lost in a solar filter. But while the moon moves into place you need one. By the way one of the "white light" filters comes out orange. Just to add minor confusion.

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laudropb

laudropb

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Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL. DO NOT look at the Sun through a finder scope, unless you have used a filter on that too. In fact most solar observers remove the finder all together. It is better to be safe than sorry.

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JOC

JOC

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I found it online - its a baby 'desktop' style 4.5" Newtonian - looks fun and maybe in time you could upgrade the EP's.  I reckon you'd see the eclipse it in with a solar filter.  Welcome to SGL

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Sempei

Sempei

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Thanks to all. I appreciate the help.  I get the impression that I may be better off waiting till I can afford a hydrogen alpha filter so I can see solar flares also.  Just use eclipse glasses for the eclipse.

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RT65CB-SWL

RT65CB-SWL

Posted
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Hi Sempel + wife and welcome to SGL. :hello2:

Just remember the solar filter you will need to purchase needs to be FULL APERTURE for both the OTA, (ie front end of the main tube), and also the front end of your finder-scope, (if it is supplied with one), ...or you can make one from Baader Solar Safety Film, or whatever is the popular brand on your side of the Atlantic Ocean, some stiff card and sticky tape, (ie duct/gaffer tape).

If it has an RDF, (Red Dot Finder), remember to remove it before looking at the Sun too!

There are 'dedicated' solar finder 'thingys' that will make it easy to locate the Sun. Need advice on which one to buy before hitting the BUY button... ask here.

 

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