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By thehappypleiades
Hi, newbie here! I’m hoping to get some advice on some star-gazing binoculars. I’ve read through the forum and I’ve decided to stay away from zoom bino’s because I’m just starting out, and I will eventually look into telescopes and whatnot if I wish to see the skies in more detail!
So I’ve pretty much settled on something between 8 x 42 and 10 x 50. Please let me know the best ones in this range!!!
I’ve read some reviews on the Helios Lightquest HR 10x50’s so any advice on those would be great too! I’m open to suggestions but what I’m really hoping to get is a sturdy pair of first binoculars that I can keep around for the long run, and hopefully drag around on many adventures. I’m willing to invest in a tripod as well for focused gazing, although I plant to keep them around my neck for a while so I can get used to them!
I’m also unsure of how to find a great lightweight tripod so any links would be great! Love the forum so far and I’m excited to start observing the skies!
Happy Stargazing,
thehappypleiades
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By Andy Cole
Hi all
I'm a newbie here but not totally new to astronomy. I've had a telescope since I was a teenager (over 30 years!) and only ever had 1 telescope - a Tasco 40x40mm reflector. I expect members my age are familiar with it - thin and white with a thin metal tripod and a push and pull focuser. It's still functional at more than 30 years old although the thread on the eyepiece is worn so the eyepiece falls off regularly! I've only ever used it to look at the moon, Jupiter and Saturn and that's always been good enough for me. Now I have been thinking of getting a new scope. I have a very limited budget and so I am wondering whether I will get any significant improvements on what I can see.
My earliest memories of the Tasco from childhood were that I could see the rings of Saturn as a line across the circle of the planet. Having rekindled my interest in the last few years, I have started to use it again, and nowadays, when Saturn is visible, I can clearly see the rings 'as a ring' and the gap between the planet and the rings, which I don't remember seeing as a kid.
Vieing Jupiter I can usually see about 4 moons.
I've heard that the Skywatcher Heritage 130P Dobsonian is a good 'budget' telescope, and great for casual use, which is what appeals to me most. I don't want a telescope with complicated setup or one that takes up a lot of space. TheSkywatcher seems to fit the bill, and it also fits my very limited budget.
What I am most interested to find out is whill I get an improved view of the things I have already experienced? I have read some reviews that describe what you can see with this scope and it sounds like it's pretty much what I can already see. And it's maximum 65x magnification doesn't seem like much better than the Tasco's 40x. But will the wider aperture make a bigger difference than the magnification?
I'm also interested to know if I could use this scope for basic astrophotography - I have numerous cameras - phone cameras, compacts and DSLR's (photohraphy is my main hobby). I'm not talking about hour long exposures of dark sky objects, just what can be seen easily through this scope.
I'd love to know what people's opinions are, especially if you own or have used this scope. I'm also interested to hear recommendations for other scopes, but please remember I have limited budget and space. I know that an 8" or more is better and I would love one but they are just too expensive and too large for me.
Cheers
Andy
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By Matty_C
Hello all,
I have just joined and have been looking around, and putting in various searches to find the answer to my question(s).
I have already found some valuable information, but i can't find a specific answer to a question i have relating to exposure times.
I have shot the milky way several times before, from a tripod and a wide angle lens. I am aware of and understand the "500 rule" and that worked fine for me at first when i was shooting with my Canon 6D Mark II. When i moved over to the Sony A7III i noticed significant trailing using the same rule and that led me to the NPF rule (Via the photopills app incase people dot know).
I am heading back to Tenerife once again in about 6 weeks time and want to buy a star tracker so i can get some really detailed images.
I have done a fair bit of research and in principle, the whole thing doesn't seem to be too daunting or difficult.
I have purchased the Polar Scope Align Pro app so i can align Polaris as accurately as possible, i will practise putting the unit together and familiarising myself with the different parts etc, but it is the exposure times that i do not understand.
My best glass is the Carl Ziess 50mm F/1.4 Planar, the 18mm F/2.8 Batis, the Sigma 35mm F/1.4 Art & the IRIX 15mm F/2.4 Blackstone.
I currently do not own, nor have i ever used a tracker, and I cannot find any information relating to which aperture, ISO and Shutter length any of these focal lengths should or could be shot at.
Is there anything similar to the 500 rule or NPF rule that relates to using a tracker with varied focal lengths? or is it just a case of stepping the lens down for sharpness and then trial and error?
Thanks in advance,
Matt.
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By RiponJas
Hi all..
New to astronomy, bought my son a cheap telescope for Xmas and have enjoyed viewing with him so just bought myself a 250mm dob. Pleased to say it arrived today so started off with a bit of moon viewing. Must admit I've had a lovely evening!
Can see me investing quite a bit of time and money into this. Look forward to hearing from some of you members as time goes on.
Jas
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By Ste297
Hi I am very new to this and looking to buy my first telescope I dint have a very big budget and looking at a secondhand scope at first. I have come across this on eBay and was wondering what people think of it
A Saxon 130 reflector telescope on an EQ2 mount and has motor drive it comes with 1.5x erecting eyepiece and a Super 10mm eyepiece
Thanks in advance
Ste
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