Low cost astronomy

[oldtrucker]

Note to anyone using optics of any kind...


Never touch your eye on the eye piece at minus 17 C if your eyes have been watering from the wind/ cold.

When moving a telescope inside from minus 17 C, put a blanket over it so it warms slowly or it will get condensation on the optics and the mirror will crack.

[alanjh595]

Note to anyone using optics of any kind...


Never touch your eye on the eye piece at minus 17 C if your eyes have been watering from the wind/ cold.

When moving a telescope inside from minus 17 C, put a blanket over it so it warms slowly or it will get condensation on the optics and the mirror will crack.

Great advice.

[Jlabute]

This looks interesting. It reminded me of Queen K... lol. Thoughts?

https://williamoptics.com/redcat-51

s__10502158.jpg

[oldtrucker]

For $700 it's not bad for value. The astronomy pics in the website are probably really, really long exposure as its light gathering power would be rather limited due to its size. It would have way better optics than what I'm working with though-thanks for posting.

[Jlabute]

Yeah, I wonder too, 51mm, not very large, but photographically fast at f/4.9.

If I had two scopes, one was 51mm f/4.9 and the other was 70mm f/6.7 or something like that, given the same ISO setting, both could take an image in about the same amount of time. I'm thinking about making a purchase when it comes out. It can also be used visually. Not sure if this scope is a bad idea or not.

[oldtrucker]

In the website there is a pic of Eta Carinae. The nebula to the naked eye would be about the same size as Andromeda-comparing on google sky( can't see it from our latitude).
It looks like it can gather light very well 'within' its magnification capabilities.
There is another pic that looks just beauty...The Pleiades, but again,- low magnification. I'm curious to see if it could get the stripes in Jupiters atmosphere and 4 moons, or for a clear view of Saturns rings and 3 of its moons at least.
As the old saying goes..."There is no substitute for cubic inches" In my case with a reflector- the bigger the mirror,the better.
But, ya... if you have the cash, it would be a neat toy.
Waiting for a clear and warmer night so I can check out that comet dude in Japan discovered with his binos.
When it warms up a bit, maybe I'll host 'Nerd Nite' at oldtruckers place.

[Jlabute]

I’d be interested in a nerd nite, lol.
Yeah, not much magnification. Probably not great for planet viewing, etc.
Is it not too late to see the comet?

[Queen K]

This looks interesting. It reminded me of Queen K... lol. Thoughts?

https://williamoptics.com/redcat-51

s__10502158.jpg

Ya, glue enough 'nip on a lens and I'm in.

May have to look into this one this March.

[oldtrucker]

I’d be interested in a nerd nite, lol.
Yeah, not much magnification. Probably not great for planet viewing, etc.
Is it not too late to see the comet?

You might be right, maybe it is too late to see it. It wouldn't be spectacular anyway in this scope.

[oldtrucker]

Jupiter in the south after sunset. Tried to take a pic for ya all...but my cellphone cam wont do the trick.
On lowest magnification...clearly see the stripes of its atmosphere and all 4 big moons...little specks. Those little specks is what the earths moon would almost look like if viewed from Jupiter. Highest magnification is a bit blurry, but the planet fills the eyepiece, and the planet will stay in view for like 2 seconds due to the earths rotation. Can't even breathe on the telescope using high mag...too shaky.
Skeeters make it borderline painful.

Maybe someone good with photography could mount a camera on the scope...

[oldtrucker]

Saturn and Jupiter only 4 fists at arms length away from each other. Rare viewing opportunity. Just look south.
Even with a small scope - it's worth the time and skeeter bites.
Saturn comes up only half as big as Jupiter- it's twice as far and a bit smaller, but even this scope can pick out Titan and 2 other moons.

The reaction people have when they look through the telescope and see Saturn's rings for the first time with their own eyes...is usually "Holy bleep! Wow!"

And as a viewing bonus while looking at Saturn and Jupiter, you will almost surely see some Perseid meteors while looking skywards if you give it enough time. The later you are out looking the better. In the wee hours just before it gets light is when we are looking strait in the direction the earth is heading through space, and looking directly into the Perseid's debris path.

[JagXKR]

Next year at this time they will be about 1 fist apart. They continue to get closer during the fall.
Unfortunately when they do get to be at their closest in the sky they will be on the other side of the sun. Around Christmas 2020.

You can use Heaven's Above website to play around with the dates.

https://www.heavens-above.com/PlanetSum ... 342&tz=PST

[Queen K]

This looks interesting. It reminded me of Queen K... lol. Thoughts?

https://williamoptics.com/redcat-51

s__10502158.jpg

OHH yes! Sign me up for that bad boy. I'd love to get into astro photography as what I'm seeing from others is astounding.

[oldtrucker]

Next year at this time they will be about 1 fist apart. They continue to get closer during the fall.
Unfortunately when they do get to be at their closest in the sky they will be on the other side of the sun. Around Christmas 2020.

You can use Heaven's Above website to play around with the dates.

https://www.heavens-above.com/PlanetSum ... 342&tz=PST

If I'm reading the website right that Jag posted , Neptune should be in between Jupiter and Saturn, I should be able to make out a bluish disk if I get lucky with a wide field sky sweep. Or am I reading something wrong ?

[oldtrucker]

QK...if you can hook your camera up to the scope somehow, you could get some nice pics to post.
Maybe tonight if the smoke clears, it would be good for nerd nite at oldtruckers place.