Telescopes

[markm]

I'm tempted to get some kind of starter setup, I'm clueless on the subject
 ut like the idea of giving some star gazing a try.
any suggestions or advice? Dipping your toe into a new hobby can so often 
peter out by making poor chices from the start.

[Bluefish]

I've thought about that in the past but have no decent view of the sky here only the blonde over the road

[Q]

I can see PLENTY of sky... I'd prefer a nice blonde though

I bought one from Aldi a few months ago, haven't had time to use it much, but to a complete novice like me it seems quite good, I also found that I can hold my phone over the viewfinder and take photos

Now WHERE IS that blonde

[VapingBad]

Jan 14, 2015 0:13:38 GMT Q said:

I can see PLENTY of sky... I'd prefer a nice blonde though

I bought one from Aldi a few months ago, haven't had time to use it much, but to a complete novice like me it seems quite good, I also found that I can hold my phone over the viewfinder and take photos

Now WHERE IS that blonde

Q you are really coming out of your cell shell lately

[Deleted]

Jan 14, 2015 0:13:38 GMT Q said:

I can see PLENTY of sky... I'd prefer a nice blonde though

I bought one from Aldi a few months ago, haven't had time to use it much, but to a complete novice like me it seems quite good, I also found that I can hold my phone over the viewfinder and take photos

Now WHERE IS that blonde

Ha ha. Funny........Quoted for future reference.......   

[Q]

Jan 14, 2015 0:24:43 GMT @letsavit said:

Jan 14, 2015 0:13:38 GMT Q said:

I can see PLENTY of sky... I'd prefer a nice blonde though

I bought one from Aldi a few months ago, haven't had time to use it much, but to a complete novice like me it seems quite good, I also found that I can hold my phone over the viewfinder and take photos

Now WHERE IS that blonde

Ha ha. Funny........Quoted for future reference.......   

or is that Blackmail

[Deleted]

Jan 14, 2015 0:26:51 GMT Q said:

Jan 14, 2015 0:24:43 GMT @letsavit said:

Ha ha. Funny........Quoted for future reference.......   

or is that Blackmail

No I just need some tell tales when I have to defend my self with the boss again.....well if Q said it......

[Q]

Fine by me, I'll keep watch with my telescope

[igual]

Had a couple telescopes in my time best I had was a Newtonian styled telescope was a go to styled one
4"
Cost about £280
Stepdaughters boy has liberated it off me last year, all I got was a box of chocs ( think he got the better deal there).
This is the closest to what I had www.opticalvision.co.uk/astronomical_telescopes-sky-watcher-sysncan_az_go-to_computerised_telescopes/skyhawk-1145p_synscan_az_goto.html

You need to think about what it is your wanting to look at.
Do you want something for land and space or space only.
Great article here might help.
www.astronomics.com/how-to-pick-a-telescope_t.aspx

[chykensa]

Good advice from igual there, I also had a 4" Newtonian, but without the Go-To facility which would be very useful. Coupled with a good computer program, you would get a great deal from even a fairly inexpensive telescope, but Igual's advice is worth considering; do you want it for space viewing? If so, there are many good fora and articles out there on the wonderful Interweb to help you in your decision.
Make sure it has a good tripod - this is really important if you want to take photos, as Q does (of the resident blonde - or was that Bluefish!?). Also make sure it has various different eyepieces - trying to look at the whole of the moon through something which magnifies too much is impossible!
The most difficult thing to get to grips with is that unless you have a correcting eyepiece (Barlow?) everything displays in the viewfinder back to front. For example, if you try viewing the moon it will be upsidedown and back to front! Some moon maps are printed this way to make your viewing easier, but some aren't!
It's all a learning curve, but a very rewarding one - some of the galaxies you will be able to gaze at are not visible with the naked eye, and yet are there every night if you know where to look!

[erik514]

Jan 13, 2015 23:42:47 GMT markm said:

I'm tempted to get some kind of starter setup, I'm clueless on the subject
 ut like the idea of giving some star gazing a try.
any suggestions or advice? Dipping your toe into a new hobby can so often 
peter out by making poor chices from the start.

Have a look at Skywatcher telescopes. They produce an excellent range of scopes and great value for money.  Opticalvision.co.uk seem to have a good range.  a 6 inch reflector would be an excellent first choice, without a motorised drive so you can learn to navigate the sky.  A goto can be added later.

[markm]

Many thanks folks, your pointers have been just what I needed to get me off
On the right foot.
As luck would have it one of my regular customers is also an enthusiast and
Has also given me some good advice.
I have some binoculars already, so I'm going to learn my way round the sky a little
Before committing to toys.

[prowler]

I think this only works in chrome browser, but might be worth downloading it, for a great star display and information.

workshop.chromeexperiments.com/stars/

[Ripshod]

While you mull this over, and to orientate yourself with the sky there's some great software here: www.stellarium.org/en_GB/ I used this at first before I even bought a telescope. Binoculars are a great way to start, can get some fantastic views of the Moon.

[VapingBad]

I had a free GPS enabled PocketPC/WinCE app that gave you a real time sky chart/map, I can't remember what it was called but there should be droid and iOS equivalents.