Low cost astronomy

[JagXKR]

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 ?

Neptune is not between, nor is Uranus. Best way to look at the web page is to use the meridian transit time. That's when it should be at it's highest above the horizon and basically due south. But the time is based on standard time so add 1 hour for DST. I know it's a bit complicated.

I really enjoyed the first time I saw Uranus through the binoculars. It's not as tough as Neptune though. Both are good objects to try and spot in late fall or early winter. A dark sky both can be seen in binoculars. Some (not me) can spot Uranus with the naked eye. I never had eyes like that and they are less effective at low light than my younger years.

2 good sites for you are a Jupiter's moon position site and the "seeing" prediction site. Seeing is a term for the how much twinkle a star will have due to turbulence in the atmosphere.

Seeing

https://weather.gc.ca/astro/seeing_e.html

Dark blue is the color you want to see.

Jupiter's Moons (also the Great Red Spot)

http://shallowsky.com/jupiter/

[oldtrucker]

Jupiter's Moons (also the Great Red Spot)

I can't get it focused enough on high mag to really see it clearly. The stripes in its atmosphere and 4 moons yes...but not the spot. Kind of a fuzzy blob.
I didn't think I would get that lucky to have Neptune in between Jupiter and Saturn. I misread the chart I guess.
I've never seen Neptune through a telescope. Okay not light blue- dark. I would be happy with any blue through this thing. Will a 4.5 reflector bring up Neptune's disk? It's only 2.8 billion miles away.

[Jlabute]

Have you had a camera hooked up to your telescope? Do you have any camera adapters?

What do you guys recommend for a good pair of binoculars? I wouldn't mind a pair not too heavy with nice aperture and a good diopter adjustment range that can be tripod mounted.

[oldtrucker]

Have you had a camera hooked up to your telescope? Do you have any camera adapters?

What do you guys recommend for a good pair of binoculars? I wouldn't mind a pair not too heavy with nice aperture and a good diopter adjustment range that can be tripod mounted.

No. No camera or adapters. I've tried with my phone, but no success. I'm thinking QK might have the tech to make it work(?)

As for binos, I use Nikon Prostaff 3 S. Not good for astronomy at all. Nowhere near powerful enough.

[Jlabute]

So you're trying to do eyepiece projection to a camera. My guess is that could be tough without the proper adapters. What does 'Q' have?

As for binos, without paying more than $1000, I think these might be nice:

They have individually focusing eyepieces. They have another pair for the same price that is 15x70. These are 10.5x70.

https://www.telescope.com/Orion-Resolux-105x70-Waterproof-Astronomy-Binoculars/p/9545.uts

[oldtrucker]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ce ... ORM=VRDGAR

Looks like someone else had the same idea. Same scope I have. Objects are actually a bit clearer than in the video, but they did a pretty good job of taking pics.

[Jlabute]

I see a number of accessories are available for the a$$master 114eq (hehe)

There is a cellphone adapter.

https://www.celestron.com/products/nexyz-3-axis-universal-smartphone-adapter

A digital camera adapter.

https://www.celestron.com/products/digital-camera-adapter-universal

There is a t-ring, and various cameras. What camera are you trying to use? You’ll need something to align it and hold it in place?

[oldtrucker]

Good thing I didn't pay a bunch of money for the scope...I wrecked it today.
Set it up to observe the sun, so I went inside to get a white piece of paper to project the suns image. When I came out with the piece of paper-no more than 40 seconds, my scope had smoke billowing out of it- eyepiece melted, mirrors all mucked up...
DOH!

And that would just about conclude the thread 'low cost astronomy'. For now anyway, until I find another telescope.

[Jlabute]

NO!!! Damn. Good thing you weren’t lookin’ through it.

Well good things never die. Maybe we can have binocular parties or something until you get you 4 and a half inches back up :-) They have these phone camera adapters thingies for binoculars too.

[JagXKR]

And that would just about conclude the thread 'low cost astronomy'. For now anyway, until I find another telescope.

I hope you find another scope.
When you do consider making your own solar filter. Thousand Oaks Optical has 12"x12" sheets that can be cut to make multiple filters for cameras, binoculars and telescopes.
They have 2 options Silver-Black Polymer and SolarLite. SolarLite is about 2x the cost. I've seen a homemade filter that slipped (tightly) on the front of a 8" Celestron that was really awesome to view sunspots. Fairly sure it was the Silver-Black Polymer.
Baader has sheets as well that gives more "white" image. It can be a bit bright on high magnification and more cost than the Silver-Black. Not sure about SolarLite vs Baader for image quality but they are both more money than the Silver-Black.
Btw I suggest the 12x12 just in case you make a mistake while cutting. You will still have lots left over to try again.

[oldtrucker]

Here is a pic of the Pleiades taken about 20 minutes ago.
I own the star system 21 stars up and 32 stars to the right.

[Jlabute]

Did you get a new telescope or something?

[oldtrucker]

Did you get a new telescope or something?

No I didn't. I called a buddy in Sask to have a look at Betelgeuse (from the other thread), and he took this pic just cuz he had the equipment out anyway. He said it was a 20 second exposure or close to that.

[oldtrucker]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#319928

This is what Jupiter and Saturn looked like through my telescope before I it lit on fire while observing the sun.

[oldtrucker]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#345893
Fake news!
Sad state when a old washed up guy like me with no astrophysics degree and the IQ of a mouse has to ask....In what universe is the Andromeda galaxy 22 million light years from Earth? Seriously?
Its 2.1 to 2.5 million light years away.
Castanet author might want to look at that....