Looking for some telescope geeks!

[Ira]

I'm jealous:

I was gonna buy one for my younger one too, but finances...and his last-minute gift desires...coincided in such a way that it never happened.

I still want to get him a REAL one like this, but I was leaning toward that other funny looking one.

[mikeschn]

This thread has been quiet for a while so I figure I'll wake it up, especially since I'll be looking at these buggers for the next few months...

Elmo, how do you like your Skyquest XT8? Can you use a camera with it?

I'm looking to do astro-photography... does anyone one else here do that? Recommendations for a beginner setup?

I called my local camara store and they recommended the Meade ETX-80 with a Rebel XTI. Good? Bad? Your thoughts?

I'm going to go to the professional hobby store later today. I suspect their advice will be a little more realistic, albeit more expensive.

Mike....

[TPMcGinty]

Mike, A friend of mine who is trying to get me into Astronomy gave me this link.

http://cloudynights.com/

Maybe it will help you. They also have a forum that has a bunch of Astrophotography stuff.

[mikeschn]

Cool! Thanks Tim!

Mike...

[elmo]

This thread has been quiet for a while so I figure I'll wake it up, especially since I'll be looking at these buggers for the next few months...

Elmo, how do you like your Skyquest XT8? Can you use a camera with it?

We don't use it as much as we thought we would. It is pretty cool when we do. I think when the kidlets get older it will be more entertaining for them.

No camera...at least that I know of!!

edit:

Just looked this up...

The well-designed Dobsonian base is made of wood and uses Teflon and UHMW bearing pads. The base includes a navigation knob for slewing the scope and keeping an object centered. This is one of the tradeoffs of a Dobsonian system. With standard equatorial mounts, slewing can be performed simply with clock drive motors, allowing you to concentrate on viewing or taking photos with your camera. Dobsonian bases must be manually slewed, which limits camera use to quick shutter speeds. There's no option to use the long exposures required for deep sky objects.


I just like to look at stuff....haven't tried pictures. Come to think of it the young lady across the river does leave her.......never mind!!

[Smitty Smith]

I'd like to add that I recommend 2 books,
both by Terence Dickinson:

http://www.fireflybooks.com/books/3026A.html "Nightwatch" at around $30.

http://www.fireflybooks.com/books/507XE.html "The Backyard Astronomers Guide" at $50.

The Backyard Astronomers Guide is kind of an expanded version of Nightwatch and has much more information. I know, 50 smackers is a lot for some folks but it can save you boo-koo dollars when you can make an informed purchase on a telescope or accessories. It's the best $50 you could spend on a telescope/astronomy interest.

[mikeschn]

Smitty,

The library had Nightwatch... which I am reading right now. They were also supposed to have the Backyard Astronomers Guide, but I've not been able to find it yet.

My biggest shock was the price of the ccd cameras. The cheapest dual CCD camera from SBIG is $2100.

Mike...

P.S. Nice dob you got there! Did you build it?

[mwolford]

Let's see if I can remember how to post --- it has been a LONG time!

Mike, I saw your comment about the SBIG camera cost. While I am not yet standing on the slippery slope of astrophotography, the wife and I have reached the bottom of the slope as far as astronomy equipment goes. (Her scope is a 12.5" dob, and I have just purchased a 22".)

Here is a web page of one of the local clubs (Indiana Astronomical Society) members. I have no clue how much money he has invested in the equipment that he uses, but I would guess that it is easily 10 times the amount of that camera that you mentioned!!!

Welcome to astronomy! You'll be able to use your teardrop trailer to attend many of the star parties in the midwest. (We are gearing up to go the the Smoky Mountains for a week at the end of March.)

Indiana astronomical society --- www.iasindy.org
Doug S Astro page --- www.dougsastro.net

If I can be of any assistance, let me know --- I LOVE pushing people down that slippery slope of needing more "schtuff"!!!
Mike

[Smitty Smith]

The library had Nightwatch... which I am reading right now. They were also supposed to have the Backyard Astronomers Guide, but I've not been able to find it yet.

Excellent Mike! Do track down a copy of the Guide, I think you'll be impressed with it.

Yes, the quality high end CCD gear is quite expensive. Gotta remember this, astrophotography can put equipment and skills to a real test sometimes compared to snapping portraits, speeding race cars, or getting pictures of nice sunsets. It's amazing though, now a days amateurs can capture images of distant and faint objects in the heavens with CCDs that a couple of decades ago only professional astronomers with larger scopes and film could do.

Thanks Mike, the scope with me in my avatar is a 10 incher made by Coulter, the first company to manufacture Dobs for the masses and long since out of business. It's been heavily tweaked/modified/redone/etc. by me. (I also have a 16 inch Dob too but no pictures of it.)

Smitty

[asianflava]

the scope with me in my avatar is a 10 incher made by Coulter, the first company to manufacture Dobs for the masses and long since out of business. It's been heavily tweaked/modified/redone/etc. by me. (I also have a 16 inch Dob too but no pictures of it.)

Isn't that a big part of any hobby. Tweak what you got till you can afford to move up. Then you tewak on that one.

[mikeschn]

It seems that way, doesn't it.

If you're not tweaking the telescope, then you're out back building an observatory in the back yard!

Here's a collection of homemade observatories btw...
http://obs.nineplanets.org/obs/obslist.html

And here's some homemade telescope stuff... aka ATM or amateur telescope makers...
http://www.starastronomy.org/TelescopeMaking/Links/

Isn't that a big part of any hobby. Tweak what you got till you can afford to move up. Then you tewak on that one.

[Smitty Smith]

Wow Mike, those two links show that you've really been doing your homework!

Here's another with a heap bunch of info on all aspects of astronomy and telescopes:
Astronomy Web Guide http://www.astronomywebguide.com

And for books:
Willmann-Bell http://www.willbell.com


Enjoy! And when do all of us start spending your money?


Smitty

[mikeschn]

Thanks Smitty,

Mike...

Enjoy! And when do all of us start spending your money?


Smitty

[alffink]

Mike

Did not see this thread developing,
A realatively inexpensive way of getting into astronomy
is to use a modified WEB=CAM

Still will need a scope with on a tracking mount probably theleast expensive would be a Short tube Refractor say from Orion, on a medium weight German Equitorial Mount.

The ETX 80 is not really the way to go, good little scope, software complicated, and you will out grow the scope before you get your moneies worth out of it.

Do a search for "astronomy clubs" there will be several lists, find one in your area, attend a couple of star parties, ask many questions....just like here.

Al Fink
Teardrop Builder
and
Outreach Director
Riverside Astronomical Society
www.rivastro.org