stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Dec 16, 2006 8:31:15 GMT -5
Help me!!! OK I have always been a bit of a "stargazer" But latly My daughter and I have found ourselves sitting out in the FREEZING cold staring into space. SO I bought her a telescope for Christmas- now not one of those cheapy kids thing- but a 5" Newtonian Reflector (If any of you have a telescope you will probably know what this is) so Here is my problem- I found an imager for it pretty cheap (FYI an imager is basically like a digital camera that takes the place of the eye piece- then you can "scan in images as the telescope follows what your shooting). I also have our old laptop that will control the whole works- so my question is? Am I jumping in too fast?? I mean my total investment into all the equipment will amount to under $300 dollars (I got a Kick Butt deal on the telescope- It was a refurbish model- and when we got it it included 4 extra eyepieces, and an extra computer drive for it) But should I sell all my rock equipment to get a better scope (just kidding!) Does anyone out there have a scope or do anything Astrological? Am I nuts??
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Dec 16, 2006 9:34:43 GMT -5
Hey Stefan, I think it's great! Astronomy was one of my first great passions, and I really wanted to make it my life, but I just kept asking myself, "How do I feed my family doing this?". And the answer kept coming back, you don't. But I never lost my love for the stars. You don't even need to leave the solar system to see some terrific things, and it doesn't take much to see them. Seeing the rings of Saturn, in person, is truly amazing. The crescent shapes of Venus and Mercury (when it's in that stage), and just wait till you get a chance to view one of the larger, closer comets! Under the right conditions, you can see four of the moons of Jupiter with just a pair of good binoculars.
All the computerized stuff didn't exist back then. The possibilities now are endless. Post some images when you get them!
Ron
ps.
Cold air is the best to view the stars in. It has less moisture, and thus less distortion. That is, if you can stop from shaking. That's where the imager and tracking system can really make a difference.
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KG1960
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2008
Posts: 512
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Post by KG1960 on Dec 16, 2006 9:47:05 GMT -5
Sounds like a good setup, especially since it's something to do with your daughter. I have a lot simpler setup. Here's a story - I was the den leader for my son's cub scout group and one meeting I brought my telescope. We looked at the moon of course and it happened that Jupiter and Saturn were visible then. My 'scope was good enough to make out the cloud bands on Jupiter and see some of its moons. Saturn happened to be angled right to get a good view of its rings. Quite recently, a week or two, I ran into a mother of one of the boys at the local grocery store (my son is almost 19 now so it's been awhile since cub scouts), and she said her son got interested from that one night and eventually got his own telescope and is even taking a college course or two (but that's not his major) in astronomy.
So. it can get quite interesting (and addictive!). Oh oh, you now have me thinking about getting telescope out again.....
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Post by BAZ on Dec 16, 2006 11:34:43 GMT -5
Stefan, 300 bucks sounds like a good deal on the whole thing. My advice is DON'T TURN BACK!
We got our scope when we moved up here to the mountain. At 7,000 plus feet we have some great stargazing, the first time I found M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy) I almost fainted. Knowing that I was viewing something more than 2 million light years from the measley mound of dirt from which I stood blew my mind!
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Dec 16, 2006 14:25:25 GMT -5
Astronomy is way cool. I got a nice "goto" scope. It's a meade, LXD55. It's a Schmidt-Newtonian, with alot of extras like filters, and 6 other eye pieces. One time I was scanning the sky and stumbled onto the Cigar and Bodes galaxy. I was like Baz, freaking out. I have Starrynight pro. 4, if you want a copy of it. I think it's the best program out there for star charts and for running the scope. Here is a link to some free software, go and look around, see if there is anything there you like. freeware.intrastar.net/astronmy.htmNext I'd like to get a Dobsonian scope, a huge light bucket! |
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Post by Original Admin on Dec 16, 2006 17:44:01 GMT -5
Stephan - please read the book "A brief history of time" by Stephen Hawking - go through gravity and light and time dialation and such.
LCARS is VERY IN THE KNOW about this stuff - hit him up for certain for good advice on telescopes.
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Post by LCARS on Dec 16, 2006 21:58:38 GMT -5
I would have jumped in sooner but we had another storm that knocked out the power and cable for a couple days here... I have a Celestron 4" Newtonian and a 90mm Maksutov Cassegrain. I also have the "goto" Alt-Az clock drive fork arm mount. For $300, sounds like you got a pretty good deal. As long as the optics are in good collimation you should be fairly pleased with the performance. Atmospheric and light pollution have just become your #1 pet peeves. ;D We can talk telescopes by PM or here, whichever you prefer. I'd babble some more but I have alot of internet catching up to do from the last two days..  |
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Post by rockyraccoon on Dec 16, 2006 22:22:59 GMT -5
i never had a telescope stefan but i could watch the stars or even just the clouds for hours. very relaxing stuff!
kim
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Post by parfive on Dec 16, 2006 23:03:20 GMT -5
"My daughter and I have found ourselves sitting out in the FREEZING cold staring into space."
Winter's comin', me boy!
Cut a hole in the roof and sit in the attic, nice and warm, sippin' hot chocolate.
Easier yet, cut the hole in the camper's roof.
Then put in a skylight before monsoon season.
Rich
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Dec 16, 2006 23:40:45 GMT -5
I bought a expensive laser collimator, and don't understand how to use it...
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Dec 17, 2006 15:18:35 GMT -5
Well thanks all!!! Right after the first of the year I'm gonna get the imager!! I've been cleaning up my old laptop to use for INDOOR control on those Subfreezing (you know like BELOW ZERO STUFF) nights! Earth- Would love a copy and the laser collimator is actually pretty easy to use- (course you gotta read the directions hahah) I think you just put it in the eyepiece holder- and look for any offset laser beams- if you don't see any then everything is centered!! Rob- we can tlak scopes here if you like- You always have so much knowledge (I saw some of your mmon images so I knew you would eventually jump in!) that it would be great to share with any of those who are interested! Mark- I got that book on my list- But I tried reading Hawkins once before (I don't even remember the article) and he was WAY OVER MY HEAD!!! Rich- I'm actually hoping to set up the scope and control it from inside!!! At least on the real cold nights- My duaghter is a trooper and will brave the elements- but I want this to be FUN- ON another note- We went out last night and caught the last of the Geminides Metor shower- Only saw 3 but Man they sure were bright!
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spikeict
fully equipped rock polisher
Alba gu bra! In Promptu
Member since November 2006
Posts: 1,413
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Post by spikeict on Dec 17, 2006 19:38:23 GMT -5
I've missed the stars more than just about anything since moving to town 3 years ago. The light pollution hems me in as bad as any fence.
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Post by Condor on Dec 17, 2006 20:36:59 GMT -5
It's an extremely fun hobby. You are doing the right thing, especially since it gives you so much time with your daughter. I have a Starmax Cassegrain, and I just enjoy taking it out camping and star gazing. I'm a Science teacher, and for the last two months, I have been selling polished rocks to students in order to buy for them a Dobsonian telescope. We've been out a couple of times, and the kids have greatly enjoyed it. Problem is, those cheap, and expensive telescopes that our school has don't work half as well as the one we are going to get.
Condor
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Dec 17, 2006 21:34:32 GMT -5
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181lizard
Cave Dweller
Still lurking :)
Member since December 2005
Posts: 2,171
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Post by 181lizard on Dec 18, 2006 13:26:12 GMT -5
I remember one of my brothers friends from school was HUGE into astronomy back in the early 70's. Those boys looked through everything they could & even let the little sis hang with them once in a while. I got to see a spectacular comet one time & it's locked in the brain forever! I remember the friend was credited with finding a new star in the system too!
Neat Stuff!
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blarneystone
spending too much on rocks
Rocks in my head
Member since March 2010
Posts: 307
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Post by blarneystone on Dec 18, 2006 13:43:33 GMT -5
You guys are making me jealous that you have so many stars to see... The light 'polution' here in Houston makes stargazing almost impossible. The last time I was in Central NY the skys were crystal clear and I took advantage of great stargazing in the evenings...
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Dec 19, 2006 19:18:00 GMT -5
Yea I am very fortunate to be in the country- We have a big farm nearby that has some lights on 24/7 but we can go on the side of the house and see no light at all- plus just up the road from me is the highest point in the county- which happens to be part of the county forest system and is ALWAYS dark!!! Well I got my old laptop all cleaned up (man the spyware and junk that was on that machine!!) I'm gonna order some more memory for it (it is currently running XP with only 64k of ram- but has an open slot so I'm gonna pop another 64 chip in there). Then- Man I can't wait till Christmas gets here- Lets hope for some clear skys!!!
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Post by lonewolfrockhound on Dec 20, 2006 12:13:37 GMT -5
Good lord! I can't believe this place! Not only did I land in a great rockhounding/lap board but astronomy as well??? Fate I say! Ok then, here's me and my 12.5 Meade equatorial newton. The roll-off roof observatory in the background is no longer operational since the county park behind my house has installed a crap load of lights. I use it as a tumbling room now.  |
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Dec 20, 2006 13:12:25 GMT -5
Damn! Thats a huge scope. We all should get together and have a star party this next summer. I like Meade.
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Post by lonewolfrockhound on Dec 20, 2006 13:29:41 GMT -5
Hi earthdog. That 12.5 is a real pain in the butt to move around. I really like my 8 inch f/4 newton. It's just right! Here it is mounted on my pier inside the observatory back in the good old days. That's a 70mm refractor as a guide scope mounted on it inside 3 inch PVC.  |
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