Telescopes and star gazing.....
Posted by: arf005 on 26 November 2006
Folks,
the problem with being stuck out here and bored shitless, seeing as we've down-manned over half our crew due to the lack of potable water - seriously, but that's another story, is that I always find ways to spend money.....although that's never really been a problem for me!!
I've always loved star gazing and space in general - ever since visiting the observatory up Blackford Hill when I was growing up in Edinburgh. And it was only recently that I managed to shoot my first star trails while on holiday in Wales....see below.....
I never really had the (lack of) light or camera to do the job before and I was quite chuffed with my first attempt......not sure where the light in the top left came from though, either leaking in through the viewfinder (I didn't fit the cover) or it was bouncing off my lens hood...
Anyway, my point, and question is - are there any owners of star gazing telescopes on here.....???
I've had a quick google but haven't got a clue where to start!!
Not sure on budget, seeing as we're saving for a stereo, although I guess like any glass you get what you pay for....but what's better - a refractor or a reflector.....
Any advice/help would be cool.
Cheers,
Ali
the problem with being stuck out here and bored shitless, seeing as we've down-manned over half our crew due to the lack of potable water - seriously, but that's another story, is that I always find ways to spend money.....although that's never really been a problem for me!!
I've always loved star gazing and space in general - ever since visiting the observatory up Blackford Hill when I was growing up in Edinburgh. And it was only recently that I managed to shoot my first star trails while on holiday in Wales....see below.....
I never really had the (lack of) light or camera to do the job before and I was quite chuffed with my first attempt......not sure where the light in the top left came from though, either leaking in through the viewfinder (I didn't fit the cover) or it was bouncing off my lens hood...
Anyway, my point, and question is - are there any owners of star gazing telescopes on here.....???
I've had a quick google but haven't got a clue where to start!!
Not sure on budget, seeing as we're saving for a stereo, although I guess like any glass you get what you pay for....but what's better - a refractor or a reflector.....
Any advice/help would be cool.
Cheers,
Ali
Hi Ali,
congratulations for viewing and taking an excellent picture of the Comet McNaught
, here in western Germany the sky was completly overcast 
. So I got no chance to take a view of it. Maybe the following days are better to see this gem.
Best wishes
Manfred
congratulations for viewing and taking an excellent picture of the Comet McNaught
, here in western Germany the sky was completly overcast . So I got no chance to take a view of it. Maybe the following days are better to see this gem.Best wishes
Manfred
Didn't get round to posting at the time of the eclipse.......
We met up with our local Astronomy Society and got a fantastic view through various scopes. Nice look at Saturn too, amoungst other objects!
There was a bit of could just at totality, bloomin typical, but it cleared eventually giving a lovely orange/deep red moon!
I didn't bother getting my camera out while wew were there as it wouldn't have been able to do it justice, plus the bino's and scopes provided enough distractions.....
But when I got home I had a go from our back patio......oh for a longer lens!!!
Nikon D70s with kit 18-70mm set a full zoom gave a tiny view, but I took a few at various exposures, cropped them and came up with this......
Nothing like Rackkit's effort, oh, and it was about 1.30am so the earth's shaddow was drifting off the lunar surface, but you get the idea....
Cheers,
Ali
We met up with our local Astronomy Society and got a fantastic view through various scopes. Nice look at Saturn too, amoungst other objects!
There was a bit of could just at totality, bloomin typical, but it cleared eventually giving a lovely orange/deep red moon!
I didn't bother getting my camera out while wew were there as it wouldn't have been able to do it justice, plus the bino's and scopes provided enough distractions.....
But when I got home I had a go from our back patio......oh for a longer lens!!!
Nikon D70s with kit 18-70mm set a full zoom gave a tiny view, but I took a few at various exposures, cropped them and came up with this......
Nothing like Rackkit's effort, oh, and it was about 1.30am so the earth's shaddow was drifting off the lunar surface, but you get the idea....
Cheers,
Ali