Surprised Milky Way

[lol-lol]

I have owned a few go to scopes, to be honest I would spend the money on optics and eyepieces rather than a goto system. The starter scopes have smaller apertures and will not show many of the objects in a go to data base very well. A dob is a good starter scope if you want bang for buck.

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html     

 

I imagine it would be so difficult to find Andromeda, Moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Mars etc without using GOTO software so it sound like a good cheat investment to take the pain out working out where stuff is despite being able to find the Polestar or Orion without to much trouble.

 

Is 200 times enough to really look at Mars and other solar system stuff or should one aim at a higher magnification but is seems to be a near cube relationship of cost beyond this level?  

[io1901]

I imagine it would be so difficult to find Andromeda, Moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Mars etc without using GOTO software so it sound like a good cheat investment to take the pain out working out where stuff is despite being able to find the Polestar or Orion without to much trouble.

Used to find all of them with a rubbish Talco 50mm refractor. Edited 9 December, 2016 by io1901

[KenONeill]

Apologies to you Ken, I misread.

 

They are 7-15x35, but in this case the size of the objective lens is rather irrelevant to me as I was just commenting on the amount of stars that were in a particular spot rather than a wider bit of night sky.

 

And I believe a better quality binocular can give you the same field of view using a smaller objective lens than a cheaper set may give you.

And your 10x will need a bigger objective lens than your mums 8x to give similar fov, assuming similar quality binoculars.

No problem. I didn't mention this, but when visiting my friends we actually use my binoculars as a spotting scope for their reflector.

Also, I did state the objective size, and wouldn't have an issue with 7x35 (even on zoom binoculars although I've never used a set of those).

[GentleGiant]

Try Heavens-Above Home Page

 

You might find it useful to locate what you want to look at, just enter your viewing location as closely as possible and select the time you intend to be out viewing.

 

Also great for satellite spotting (like train spotting, but more difficult to get the numbers off of the sides)

[Fr0d]

I imagine it would be so difficult to find Andromeda, Moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Mars etc without using GOTO software so it sound like a good cheat investment to take the pain out working out where stuff is despite being able to find the Polestar or Orion without to much trouble.

 

Is 200 times enough to really look at Mars and other solar system stuff or should one aim at a higher magnification but is seems to be a near cube relationship of cost beyond this level?

Learning how to star hop nullifies all of that - It really isn't that hard.

Also high magnification will worsen the view, especially with an entry level scope and ep setup. Even more so in our not so great dark UK skys. Unless you have access to an observatory, I'd imagine Mars at 200x would not impress.

[Laurie61]

I imagine it would be so difficult to find Andromeda, Moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Mars etc without using GOTO software so it sound like a good cheat investment to take the pain out working out where stuff is despite being able to find the Polestar or Orion without to much trouble.

 

Is 200 times enough to really look at Mars and other solar system stuff or should one aim at a higher magnification but is seems to be a near cube relationship of cost beyond this level?  

 

Finding the brighter planets is not difficult as they can be seen by naked eye, when they are about. If you have a dark enough sky you can also see Andromeda by eye, if your sky is light polluted a scope will not show it. 200x mag is enough for Mars, when its at its closest, you will see some surface detail and pole cap. Seeing conditions become more important as you go much beyond 200x. Observing at higher magnification can be a case of standing at the eyepiece and waiting for a steady few moments when good detail will show.

Finding your way around the sky can be half the fun, even a go to system will not guarantee finding targets at higher magnification. it will get you in the area and you then might have to search around a bit. The advantage of go to is the mount will track objects once found, at 200x magnification a planet will move through the field of view in about 30 sec, with an undriven scope you need to keep nudging it to follow.

Astronomy is one of those hobbies that can cost more money than initially though, scopes only come with basic eyepieces and most folks will end up upgrading if they stick at it. My recommendation would be not rush into spending any money and find a local astro club and go and have a look at some kit and what it does, then see if you can find something used to start with, there is a lot of equipment available second hand.

 

http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?titlechoice%5B%5D=For+Sale&minprice=&maxprice=      

[MartynVRS]

Still learning my camera and wanted to start doing some astrophotography so when I was back home I went down Oxwich with my old man, a beach on Gower. He has his bino's and it's amazing how much you see with just them. Wasn't concerned at this point of making an interesting photo, more working out how my intervalometer worked, what ISO I needed and how long to keep the shutter open. You can just make out the Milky Way



These ones are down Usk Reservoir but I was still early, Sun hadn't long gone down, hence it seeming more blue. Need to go back up there once weather improves

 

[ColinD]

One during [perseids...got to pick your bit of sky. I picked wrong... Got a satellite mind  The camera I use, adds new light, hence the dotty nature of the satellite and the blown grass.

 

Grass would of worked, did by torch painting, except a guy pulled up in a car and left his lights on... my tip for meteor show photography, take more than one camera... loads came off camera while this was building.

[lol-lol]

Good piece on Sky at Night about setting up a fairly basic few bits of kit on a 70mm Refractor and taking a few minute exposures but by gum quite complicated getting the telescope and camera to track with the rotation of the Earth. Reminder me of the ancient fim of the HG Wells story of the man who could do miracles (ie he stopped the Earth rotating with drastic consequences.... 

 

[Lady Elanore]

just seen these on the BBC News site. Awesome in the true sense

 

Milky Way 

[ColinD]

That is the sort of view I'd like to see with my own eyes before I can't. That's a view you don't get from the top of the ben in the winter

 

I'm guessing by the place names, most all of them are south of blighty

[mac11irl]

just seen these on the BBC News site. Awesome in the true sense

Milky Way

That very last one with the milkyway rainbow is absolutely stunning

[ColinD]

Aye and of all of them, the most appealing approach for it's a 4k mountain too

[RampantBadger]

Who has a GoTo telescope and would like to share their thought on a beginners telescope whether to go for Meade or SKYMAX or what for a few hundred quid? 

 

I don't have a GoTo but I have this Skywatcher Newtonian Reflector

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-130p.html

 

I didn't pay that price for it either, Its a brilliant first scope imo. It is powerful enough to see the rings of Saturn or Jupiters spot. it has an Equatorial Mount as well which at first look is a bit fiddly but once you get the hang of polar alignment it makes tracking objects much easier (you'll be amazed how fast stellar objects appear to move across the eyepiece).

 

Astrophotography is bloody difficult but I managed to grab this shot of the moon through it last year

[lol-lol]

I don't have a GoTo but I have this Skywatcher Newtonian Reflector

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-130p.html

 

I didn't pay that price for it either, Its a brilliant first scope imo. It is powerful enough to see the rings of Saturn or Jupiters spot. it has an Equatorial Mount as well which at first look is a bit fiddly but once you get the hang of polar alignment it makes tracking objects much easier (you'll be amazed how fast stellar objects appear to move across the eyepiece).

 

Astrophotography is bloody difficult but I managed to grab this shot of the moon through it last year

 

 

Sounds a great scope etc, will seriously consider.  Just need to move somewhere with less light pollution.     

[Titanium_Man]

Not tried my hand at shooting Milkyway, but the conditions in Iceland last January were perfect when I was there

.... I do need a Milkyway photo in my album. Stunning and striking images.

[Shifty]

In the UK I am also in search of somewhere dark enough to see the Milky Way in all of it's splendour. I'm sure you are aware there is a season for viewing it here in the Northern Hemisphere. There are some very useful phone apps, I use 'stellarium' and the 'photographers ephemeris' on android, if you have an apple phone then photo pills is the holy grail of planning apps.

 

Here are a couple of shots I got on the same night in an area called Manning Park, British Columbia, Canada back in September. We were 7500 ft up a mountain (we drove obviously) and went with the sole intention of seeing the Milky Way. As luck would have it we were treated to a very rare Aurora. I say rare as apparently it doesn't get that far South often. That was 2 things of my bucket list in the same evening. I still haven't got around to procesing the RAW files in a way that I'm 100% happy with so you will have to make do with these :)

[alltorque]

Mrs Torque is treating me to a night flight from Humberside Airport to circle Shetland, early Feb. Billed as a Northern Lights flight with pre-briefing and on-board expert. Cabin will be dark for viewing. Should be interesting.

Northumberland would be a good location and verybeasy to get to.

I would certainly go back to the Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff is a 'Dark Skies' town and the observatory is open to the public a lot of evenings for a few Dollars. You also get to look through a couple of their telescopes. We had a great time viewing Saturn through a big 'scope....one with it's own building...and the Moon through a smaller one.

Arizona is so sparsely populated you can get away from light pollution very easily and the high desert is fascinating. V hot in Summer and cold in Winter. We left Flagstaff one late-January morning at 29F...arrived in Phoenix about 4 hours amble later and it was 69F. 29F is actually comfortable in shirt sleeves as the air is so dry. Great state.

[mac11irl]

Mrs Torque is treating me to a night flight from Humberside Airport to circle Shetland, early Feb. Billed as a Northern Lights flight with pre-briefing and on-board expert. Cabin will be dark for viewing. Should be interesting.

Northumberland would be a good location and verybeasy to get to.

I would certainly go back to the Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff is a 'Dark Skies' town and the observatory is open to the public a lot of evenings for a few Dollars. You also get to look through a couple of their telescopes. We had a great time viewing Saturn through a big 'scope....one with it's own building...and the Moon through a smaller one.

Arizona is so sparsely populated you can get away from light pollution very easily and the high desert is fascinating. V hot in Summer and cold in Winter. We left Flagstaff one late-January morning at 29F...arrived in Phoenix about 4 hours amble later and it was 69F. 29F is actually comfortable in shirt sleeves as the air is so dry. Great state.

True about the weather being bearable cold. I havnt been but a buddy of mine from Sth Florida joined the Airforce and was stationed out there for a while. Advice in arrival briefing was never stand still for too long on the tarmac or your boots will melt. He never had a problem with the heat there as, while was hotter than florida, the humidity was so much less oppressive than home he bearly noticed the heat while everyone was crippled from it :)

O/T id love a trip for northern lights and some proper "dark skies" camping.. will have to convince swmbo its a good idea when little guy gets a bit older.

[VWD]

mIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING AT THIS

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-38156621