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Not wanting to get a telescope?

Claire

By Claire
in Observing - with Binoculars

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Claire

Claire

Posted
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Okay since starting this hobby (obsession :)), I've been out looking just with my eyes and getting to know the constellations and the stars and their place in the night sky relative to each other etc.

And I've been out with binos and looking at a few nebula and the pleides.

I just feel like there is still so much stuff out there to see with my eyes and binos that if I went and bought a telescope I would miss seeing so much of it.

I know so many people just starting rush out and buy the first telescope they come across, but I do feel sad that they are going to miss out on so much of the night sky.

I'm sure my feelings will change, but do you ever actually run out of things to see in the night sky? I somehow think you can't!

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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My observing time is limited so the chances I would run out of things to see is not very likely.

I have scopes galore plus binos, the binos offer a different perspective. I mostly use them when I am on holiday. I have toyed with getting a monster pair of binos to use from my top floor flat but never really get round to actually parting with the cash.

Using bigger two scopes is a rare event. I have a large Maksutov which I have owned for ages and as yet its never even had a first light. Its only chance at use was last August but dew was so bad it was unusable within 15 minutes.

I do like using the binos when on hols under clearer skies, where I live they are almost useless because light pollution is so bad. I can use them on the moon and bright planets only.

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perrin6

perrin6

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I think you're doing the right thing, Claire, by not using a telescope because if & when you do, you will appreciate what you see so much more, plus you will have a deeper understanding of what you are looking at. I think stars tend to get overlooked once people get a scope, so you are in a great position to get to know 'them pretty points of light'. Have you watched a variable star vary yet? (An observation log book is handy for this purpose, as well as being a good idea generally.)

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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I understand your feelings Claire about the joys of observing with your eyes and binoculars and wanting to learn the night sky. I salute you for this. It is a great way to get into the hobby.

However i dont think you miss more by owning a telescope. In fact you see more with a telescope. The eyes and bins only afford you one particular magnification. With a telescope you have many different degrees of magnification which in turn allow you to see much more then your eyes or bins will ever allow.

Having said that. Many people spend their whole lives observing the night sky with either just their eyes or bins. This is great and the panoramic views are next to none. However a telescope lets you focus in on the smaller things in the wider picture that is our universe.

I absolutely love just sitting outside on a clear night and using my eyes or my bins to take in the views, however i also really love using a scope to see those things that my eyes or bins simply cant see.

Never say never to owning a scope, but enjoy the sights with your eyes and bins until you decide to buy one or not. You will have a greater understanding of what is what by using your bins/eyes/books when/if the time comes to buy a scope.

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Rob

Rob

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I've got a few books :)

Good, read enjoy and when your ready try and have a go with somebody elses scope. The best, most well corrected scopes are your eye's.

Enjoy what you see...

Rob

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chrisp

chrisp

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Absolutely doing the right thing by learning your way round the night sky with naked eye and binos. Thats how I started.

Then when you feel youre ready you can get a telescope and continue exploring the universe :)

maybe this is what Jonathan Ross should have done hehe

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BinocularSky

BinocularSky

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About a decade ago I got rid of my scopes (I had several) and got a big binocular. It was like discovering the joys of visual astronomy all over again. I have since bought a couple of scopes (one for planets, one for video work), but the big binocular still gets much more use.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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That's what I mean Paul, imo with a telescope, because i know so little about the sky, just focusing on what i would see with a telescope would limit how much i actually see!

I tend to agree. The way you are doing things is spot on. Learn the night sky to a nice level and then go have a gander with a scope...........concentrating on the finer detail.

Its how i did it........and so many others.

I'm not saying that jumping in head first and buying a scope is wrong.

Whatever turns you on really is fine by me.

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nicnac

nicnac

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i see where you are coming from claire but bins only go up to a certain size, you will get the fever at some point :D

just imagine...........nice big telescope........nice shiney binoviewers..........

sorry, had to be done :)

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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i see where you are coming from claire but bins only go up to a certain size, you will get the fever at some point :D

just imagine...........nice big telescope........nice shiney binoviewers..........

sorry, had to be done :)

Nicnac, like you i also thought Claire was saying she will never buy a scope. That isnt the case.

In time she will/might. Right now she is happy to learn the night sky using her eyes/bins and books.

There was a time not so long ago when experienced observers told new comers to the hobby that this is the best way to do things (I think it really IS).

Lately it seems that the advice has changed and new comers are being told to buy a scope post haste. I am guilty of telling people this myself because i can tell from their post that they dont want to sit around learning. They want to see stuff and they want to see it NOW.

The trouble is that most people these days dont want to spend

months or years learning the night sky with bins and books. They want instant gratification (such is the society we live in today).

I think people like Claire (sorry Claire to use you as an example...,but i admire you for your method) who are prepared to take the time to learn the night sky (not all of it obviously) with the aid of eyes/bins and books will have a lasting interest in the hobby more so then those who rush out and buy the latest new thing and their firstscope is a 14" beast.

Sure they will have GREAT views but they really dont/wont understand/know the night sky or have a connection with it.

I really think that to know the universe..........you have to learn about it first.

Call me "old school". I am old school and very proud to be.

As Tony Blair once said "Let's get back to basics".

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Claire

Claire

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Haha you think I am hooked? Nah - don't be silly :D

Paul you said exactly what I feel - I'm sure I will get a scope one day. I'm generally pretty laid back and I almost don't want to spoil it by going out and getting a scope and missing things! I feel that by knowing the sky, when I do get a scope it'll be even more amazing :)

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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Haha you think I am hooked? Nah - don't be silly :D

Paul you said exactly what I feel - I'm sure I will get a scope one day. I'm generally pretty laid back and I almost don't want to spoil it by going out and getting a scope and missing things! I feel that by knowing the sky, when I do get a scope it'll be even more amazing :)

Yes it will. You will know it like the back of your hand and you wont spend hours trying to find things. On the other hand you may decide on a Go-To scope which will get you to where you want to go in seconds.

Your choice.

But even with Go-To, if you know the sky..............you will enjoy it more because you really WILL know exactly what you are looking at.

Any news back from the local astronomy club about taking your son along to meetings?

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Claire

Claire

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I think I'd go for a scope where I have to do some work to find what I'm looking for :)

And nope, not heard anything back yet. I might just take him to just look at the observatory on the park, see what he thinks to it. We drive past it often but I don't think he actually knows what it is!

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Claire

Claire

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thanks DP :)

I'm not entirely sure yetimonster. Am I allowed to post a link to the observatory here? If not let me know and I'll edit and remove it

Home Page the website doesn't really give very much information at all, and I'm still waiting to hear back from the email about maybe bringing my son along to a meeting. What part of the north west are you in?

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