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Hi from Merseyside

Faraday

By Faraday
in Welcome

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Talitha

Talitha

Posted
Posted

:) Hi and welcome to SGL. Choosing a scope depends on a few things like price and portability. For openers, how much can you spend, and will you need to carry it down flights of stairs or go out to a dark site to use it?

Btw, happy upcoming birthday! :D

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Faraday

Faraday

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Hi Talitha and thanks for the welcome.

I have around £200 to spend which I gather isn't a great deal. But at the moment I am just looking to get myself up and running. Portability isn't really that great an issue for me.

My brother some years ago bought a pair of binoculars (Sky masters?) - how do they rank against telescopes?

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Talitha

Talitha

Posted
Posted

Some Amateurs (that's what you're about to become :) ) exclusively use binos, although they use ones made especially for astronomy. Anything you have will do just fine though, even common 7x35s... I once saw Neptune and Uranus with a pair that size. Btw, the first number indicates the magnification, and the second number indicates the aperture size in mm.

I'm about 5000 miles across that big pond to your west, so as far as advising what scope to get with the money you have to spend, I'll let your fellow citizens take over. They'll give you great advice, too. SGL members are collectively the best group of Amateurs I've had the pleasure of meeting in 10 years of being online... you're in good hands. :D

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scotastro

scotastro

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Hi Faraday - Welcome to SGL.

You wll get almost as many suggestions for the type of scope to start with as people on this site. Give First Light Optics a call (see link at top of webpage) James or Steve wll give you some good pointers. Before that have a think about what you want a look at most and where you would keep the scope - a damp shed for example is not a good place.

Binoculars and detailed star charts are always a good starting point especially if you have dark skies. Skymaster is the name Celestron give to a range of their binoculars. Most amateurs will use both a telescope and binoculars.

Mike

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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:) Hi Faraday - £200 is easy enough to get a seriously good starter scope with - theres quite a few out there at that money and most will give you some pretty decent views of things.

If its any help Sky at Night Magazine have an article on starter scopes in this months edition. Lots of people here started with scopes at under £200 so you should have a pretty good choice. As has already been said there will be as many opinions as memebers on here :D

I re-started the hobby with a Sky-Watcher 130PM which was £155 and it gave me enough interest for me to upgun and theres plenty of people on here with the 130 who think its a great bit of kit.

Anyway - welcome to the foum - in no time at all like the rest of us you'll be spending every spare penny you have on this hobby.

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David Galvin

David Galvin

Posted
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..... If you have a local astro club pop along, they should be able to help with advice about scopes.phillc :wave:

Hi Faraday, I would suggest that you hold on to your hard earned money for the time being and visit your local 'club'. This is The Liverpool Astronomical Society, the website and details for visiting the observatory can be found at http://www.liverpoolas.org

The group meet at the Observatory each Wednesday evening and will be able to help and advise you in all astronomical matters. Send me a P.M if you need further details.

Regards from Dave Galvin.

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barkis

barkis

Posted
Posted

Hi. Welcome to SGL Faraday. That's a well known name you have chosen.

Were you thinking of Michael Faraday perhaps. The discoverer of electro magnetic Induction.

Hope you enjoy your stay with us.

Best wishes.

Ron. :)

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