Star Gazers

[xNOVAx]

Hey Rip.. I just thought of something we might be able to help your decision along..

What are your expectations when looking through a telescope like the $1400 one you pointed out? What do you want to 'see'?

[trax1]

Maybe you might wanna think about getting this telescope, it's only priced around $170,000

https://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=1-637-1002-8037

[opposum]

i have an Orion 8 inch telescope, the website said it was called --> SkyQuest XT8 IntelliScope with Object Locator  it was 620$ and it has a dobsonian mount. its prity nifty, i saw the ice cap on mars with it 

and man oh man when you look at the edge of the full moon you can see the mountains and craters from the side like your looking at a mountain on earth,

oh and you can read the number on the side of airliners with it too, its prity awesome 

[opposum]

or  you could buy this when its built

for only 1,530,712,087.93  dollars 

its in europe

[DiabloTX]

Interesting timing...I am finishing up my yearly watching of Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" and everytime I watch it I regret selling my 10" reflector telescope.  Houston has too much light trash for it to be usefull but it was fun trying to look at something through all of that light and smog.

[trax1]

I just started star gazing recently, I've had a telescope for about 2 years now but hadn't used it much until now, it's a 90mm reflector telescope.  During the lunar eclipse last month I was able to see the rings of Saturn, as it was visible just to the side of the moon.  It was the first time I was able to see another planet with it, and it's just amazing when you can actually see something like that.

[Ripsnort]

Hey Rip.. I just thought of something we might be able to help your decision along..

What are your expectations when looking through a telescope like the $1400 one you pointed out? What do you want to 'see'?

Sorry so late getting back to you. I've been in a workshop for the last 3 days trying to get that 787 out the frickin door. Work has become life for the time being.

My expectations are to see Mars more clearly than just a 'reddish star' in the distance. I have two curious children (9 and 12) and I want to bring objects in our galaxy alittle closer to them. I also have the expectation that I won't have to buy another telescope the remaining years I have on earth. It won't become an obsession like photography has over the past 30 years.....I hope!

[xNOVAx]

Sorry so late getting back to you. I've been in a workshop for the last 3 days trying to get that 787 out the frickin door. Work has become life for the time being.

My expectations are to see Mars more clearly than just a 'reddish star' in the distance. I have two curious children (9 and 12) and I want to bring objects in our galaxy alittle closer to them. I also have the expectation that I won't have to buy another telescope the remaining years I have on earth. It won't become an obsession like photography has over the past 30 years.....I hope!

Well as you probably know since you're into photography, the images you will see through the telescope will be MUCH less dazzling than most of the pictures you might have seen.. All the brilliant colors etc come from long exposure time, so even the largest galaxies using the largest telescopes will look only like a blue fuzzy patch to your eye..

It really comes down to this.. Do you want your telescope to be able to zoom way in to see a lot of detail, or do you want to be able to see very distant and faint objects? If you want to zoom (planetary observation etc) I would suggest a 'refractor'.. The less times the light has to bounce around in the scope the clearer the picture will be, but you would have to sacrifice aperture so you might not get to see some of those distant fait objects you might see with a large mirrored 'reflector'.. The one you pointed out would do both, but it wouldnt do either quite as well as a refractor or reflector.. There's really no end all / do all scope, it just depends on what you want..

[Ripsnort]

Well as you probably know since you're into photography, the images you will see through the telescope will be MUCH less dazzling than most of the pictures you might have seen.. All the brilliant colors etc come from long exposure time, so even the largest galaxies using the largest telescopes will look only like a blue fuzzy patch to your eye..

It really comes down to this.. Do you want your telescope to be able to zoom way in to see a lot of detail, or do you want to be able to see very distant and faint objects? If you want to zoom (planetary observation etc) I would suggest a 'refractor'.. The less times the light has to bounce around in the scope the clearer the picture will be, but you would have to sacrifice aperture so you might not get to see some of those distant fait objects you might see with a large mirrored 'reflector'.. The one you pointed out would do both, but it wouldnt do either quite as well as a refractor or reflector.. There's really no end all / do all scope, it just depends on what you want..

Thanks for the info dude. The more I read, the harder the decisions. LOL!

[xNOVAx]

You might want to check around your area to see if there are any astromony clubs.. I've been to a few 'star parties' where people bring their scopes and it's a good way to check them out and see what you like.. I'm sure the people would love to show you some stuff and it could also be something fun to do with the kiddos.. 

[gunnss]

Well,
Whatever you get, if you can make it out to NM I will take you up to our local astronomers look out. It is a campground at 9,500ft in the Jemez mtns. almost no light pollution and thin air. on any given weekend you will set a telescope or two set up.
Regards,
Kevin

[LePaul]

I think the real guru is akWabbit (?) for scopes