My new telescope

[hyena429]

Got me a semi cheap telescope..Has auto star and such...Not the best..but i got it for a steal on craigs list...100 bucks down the street...His old recipt was in the box..saying 325$ with tax....back in 1998...lol..they dont make this model anymore..But i found the same on on ebay and it just sold for 250 used and looked worse shape than mine...So i think i did decent...Its just a starter scope thou..and something i can run out with easy out my back door...good thing about living in the country...lol....Im getting a nice 16inch dob soon

 

[perfdavid]

Is that a 3"? I have a 10" Dob from Orion. I spent a little over 1k for it. If I had to do it all over again, I would have spent a little more and gotten an 8" with a motorized mount/tracker. Bigger the mirror the better, but the mounts are the key to not being frustrated. That is the major issue with el cheapo scopes. People buy those wal mart etc... Kind for their kids but you can't keep it on anything because the mounts are horrible, so they get frustrated and quit.

So, when you consider upgrading make sure it is an awesome motorized tracking mount. My 2 cents.

 

[hyena429]

Is that a 3"? I have a 10" Dob from Orion. I spent a little over 1k for it. If I had to do it all over again, I would have spent a little more and gotten an 8" with a motorized mount/tracker. Bigger the mirror the better, but the mounts are the key to not being frustrated. That is the major issue with el cheapo scopes. People buy those wal mart etc... Kind for their kids but you can't keep it on anything because the mounts are horrible, so they get frustrated and quit.

So, when you consider upgrading make sure it is an awesome motorized tracking mount. My 2 cents.

She is a 5inch...It looks alot smaller than it really is in the picture..Its a meade...So atleast it isnt quite walmart special."even know they do make some cheap ones for them"...Ohhh ya i been reading about dobs for years...The right mounts and all that...i was going to get a discovery dobsonian...But they a little spendy..I have looked at orion and meade dobs too..This one was a steal at 100 bucks..with starfinder and heavy mount...now i got to figure out the star finder...lol

Is that a 3"? I have a 10" Dob from Orion. I spent a little over 1k for it. If I had to do it all over again, I would have spent a little more and gotten an 8" with a motorized mount/tracker. Bigger the mirror the better, but the mounts are the key to not being frustrated. That is the major issue with el cheapo scopes. People buy those wal mart etc... Kind for their kids but you can't keep it on anything because the mounts are horrible, so they get frustrated and quit.

So, when you consider upgrading make sure it is an awesome motorized tracking mount. My 2 cents.

Btw...What do you use to clean your mirror? Mine seems clean..but i know they can collect dirt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MEADE-DS-114EC-TELESCOPE-WITH-AUTOSTAR-DC-ADAPTER-/261042370955?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc756798b When i seen this one sell for 250$ on ebay i didnt feal so bad about paying only 100 for the one i got....then this morning..Same scope with a regular mount..Not even a starfinder..he tring to get 500 out of it...{rolls eyes} http://kpr.craigslist.org/for/3078792152.html some people are crazy...hehe

 

[perfdavid]

Is that a 3"? I have a 10" Dob from Orion. I spent a little over 1k for it. If I had to do it all over again, I would have spent a little more and gotten an 8" with a motorized mount/tracker. Bigger the mirror the better, but the mounts are the key to not being frustrated. That is the major issue with el cheapo scopes. People buy those wal mart etc... Kind for their kids but you can't keep it on anything because the mounts are horrible, so they get frustrated and quit.

So, when you consider upgrading make sure it is an awesome motorized tracking mount. My 2 cents.

She is a 5inch...It looks alot smaller than it really is in the picture..Its a meade...So atleast it isnt quite walmart special."even know they do make some cheap ones for them"...Ohhh ya i been reading about dobs for years...The right mounts and all that...i was going to get a discovery dobsonian...But they a little spendy..I have looked at orion and meade dobs too..This one was a steal at 100 bucks..with starfinder and heavy mount...now i got to figure out the star finder...lol

Is that a 3"? I have a 10" Dob from Orion. I spent a little over 1k for it. If I had to do it all over again, I would have spent a little more and gotten an 8" with a motorized mount/tracker. Bigger the mirror the better, but the mounts are the key to not being frustrated. That is the major issue with el cheapo scopes. People buy those wal mart etc... Kind for their kids but you can't keep it on anything because the mounts are horrible, so they get frustrated and quit.

So, when you consider upgrading make sure it is an awesome motorized tracking mount. My 2 cents.

Btw...What do you use to clean your mirror? Mine seems clean..but i know they can collect dirt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MEADE-DS-114EC-TELESCOPE-WITH-AUTOSTAR-DC-ADAPTER-/261042370955?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc756798b When i seen this one sell for 250$ on ebay i didnt feal so bad about paying only 100 for the one i got....then this morning..Same scope with a regular mount..Not even a starfinder..he tring to get 500 out of it...{rolls eyes} http://kpr.craigslist.org/for/3078792152.html some people are crazy...hehe

Good to hear! As far as my mirror, I have not had to clean it ever.

I have a case the scope goes in after I use it. I would call Orion and see what they suggest.

 

[OLE PONY]

You guys are giving me the urge to get a telescope. I had a cheap one back many years ago and always enjoyed using it. I'll put one on my want list, which is getting pretty long!

 

[goodnigh]

Mirrors don't usually need cleaning. They do need frequent collimation checks and the cheap little plastic

disk with the pin hole in the center works very well. I have owned several telescopes over the years and

my favorite, in cuurent use, is a 10 inch Dob sans any electronics. Even with motor driven scopes and

finder capability you still need to know where to start looking. Scopes that have a "start" button meaning

you set the scope on the ground and push a button are still Very expensive. They are GPS guided and do auto

polar alignment. Star hopping is becoming a lost art due to the advent of "auto" telescopes. The first time you

nail M31 or the globular cluster in Hercules is very gratifying. One piece of advice, buy decent eyepieces.

Spend a little money and get a high-end eyepiece such as Explorer Scientific. Spending $60 vs $200 on the

eyepiece makes a huge difference. Your choice of scope depends on if you want to view the solar system or

DSO's. Learn how to star-hop and get a decent eyepiece or two.

mike

 

[hyena429]

Mirrors don't usually need cleaning. They do need frequent collimation checks and the cheap little plastic

disk with the pin hole in the center works very well. I have owned several telescopes over the years and

my favorite, in cuurent use, is a 10 inch Dob sans any electronics. Even with motor driven scopes and

finder capability you still need to know where to start looking. Scopes that have a "start" button meaning

you set the scope on the ground and push a button are still Very expensive. They are GPS guided and do auto

polar alignment. Star hopping is becoming a lost art due to the advent of "auto" telescopes. The first time you

nail M31 or the globular cluster in Hercules is very gratifying. One piece of advice, buy decent eyepieces.

Spend a little money and get a high-end eyepiece such as Explorer Scientific. Spending $60 vs $200 on the

eyepiece makes a huge difference. Your choice of scope depends on if you want to view the solar system or

DSO's. Learn how to star-hop and get a decent eyepiece or two.

mike

Yup..Im already looking into eye peices....The ones the guy gave me with the scope are junk...The barlow he gave me has to be one of the cheapest i ever seen...lol...what eye peice do you recomend for starter?.

btw First day i got it...I wanted to focus in on the moon at first of cource and see how well it does...But happens to be the night i got the scope its the new moon!! So no moon for me too look at..lol Ya..the autostar mine has..You need to teach it on a few stars and it gets better...i guess it works well if your lost up there..i know i have been already..lol..But i havent depended on it yet.

You guys are giving me the urge to get a telescope. I had a cheap one back many years ago and always enjoyed using it. I'll put one on my want list, which is getting pretty long!

Same here..I always even enjoyed the cheap ones i looked threw...I figured it was about time i sparked off a old passion for lookin at the stars.

 

[goodnigh]

Yup..Im already looking into eye peices....The ones the guy gave me with the scope are junk...The barlow he gave me has to be one of the cheapest i ever seen...lol...what eye peice do you recomend for starter?.

btw First day i got it...I wanted to focus in on the moon at first of cource and see how well it does...But happens to be the night i got the scope its the new moon!! So no moon for me too look at..lol

First off I would get a wide field eyepeice at least 82 degree.

My favorite is Explore Scientific 82 degree 24mm. This particular eyepiece needs a 2" focuser, Orion 8" and up Dobs have these,

and is the size of a small grapefruit plus weighs over two pounds.

http://www.explorescientific.com/eyepieces/82_degree_series.html

When looking at the moon don't forget a moon filter otherwise

the image will be too bright. In my 10" Dob, Jupiter is too bright

Since my eyesight is not as good as it once was, I am headed in the

direction of astrophotography. Have been assembling the parts and

all I lack is a decent imager or CCD camera. Rather than looking at

images through an eyepiece I will be looking at a computer screen.

These systems are becoming surprisingly affordable.

mike

 

[rpmcarter]

watching the commericals on tv while the Nascar race is on.... I was a little afraid to click the link.

 

[hyena429]

Yup..Im already looking into eye peices....The ones the guy gave me with the scope are junk...The barlow he gave me has to be one of the cheapest i ever seen...lol...what eye peice do you recomend for starter?.

btw First day i got it...I wanted to focus in on the moon at first of cource and see how well it does...But happens to be the night i got the scope its the new moon!! So no moon for me too look at..lol

First off I would get a wide field eyepeice at least 82 degree.

My favorite is Explore Scientific 82 degree 24mm. This particular eyepiece needs a 2" focuser, Orion 8" and up Dobs have these,

and is the size of a small grapefruit plus weighs over two pounds.

http://www.explorescientific.com/eyepieces/82_degree_series.html

When looking at the moon don't forget a moon filter otherwise

the image will be too bright. In my 10" Dob, Jupiter is too bright

Since my eyesight is not as good as it once was, I am headed in the

direction of astrophotography. Have been assembling the parts and

all I lack is a decent imager or CCD camera. Rather than looking at

images through an eyepiece I will be looking at a computer screen.

These systems are becoming surprisingly affordable.

mike

Those look real nice...I sure got alot too learn...But i dont mind...I been reading alot about the cheap eye peices that come with my scope...And that the 5 inch dob mirror and opitics are decent...its the eye peices that realy let you down..Something most people getting into telescopes dont think about..lol...The barlow thing they gave me with it..doesnt even look like the same one in the instructions...lol

Ohh They cost a bit dont they? the ccd cam...If i think i seen right was like 700 bucks for a cheap one..lol

 

[goodnigh]

Those look real nice...I sure got alot too learn...But i dont mind...I been reading alot about the cheap eye peices that come with my scope...And that the 5 inch dob mirror and opitics are decent...its the eye peices that realy let you down..Something most people getting into telescopes dont think about..lol...The barlow thing they gave me with it..doesnt even look like the same one in the instructions...lol

Ohh They cost a bit dont they? the ccd cam...If i think i seen right was like 700 bucks for a cheap one..lol

Just like a camera, it is all about the lens.

The telescope is just a couple of mirrors.

The ccd cams are expensive, from $95 to

$4000, just like the eyepiece.

They include the inexpensive eyepieces to

keep the price down. I posted a couple of

pictures of the recent Venus transit and the

annular eclipse taken using an 8" Dob with

"cheap" eyepieces and a cheap digital camera

aimed at the eyepiece. The results were quite good.

So you don't need an expensive setup to view

wonderful things.

mike

 

[Machman]

Got me a semi cheap telescope..Has auto star and such...Not the best..but i got it for a steal on craigs list...100 bucks down the street...His old recipt was in the box..saying 325$ with tax....back in 1998...lol..they dont make this model anymore..But i found the same on on ebay and it just sold for 250 used and looked worse shape than mine...So i think i did decent...Its just a starter scope thou..and something i can run out with easy out my back door...good thing about living in the country...lol....Im getting a nice 16inch dob soon

Very Cool Scope, I did the same thing as I wanted to get a scope again as I had not had one since I was a kid, Lucked out and found this refractor scope complete in the orig wood box for $60 on craigslist

Its from 1967 0r 1968 cost appx $200 in the 60s and is probably the same type I had back then appx 3 1/2 feet long and has the fancy tripod (all manual controls)

 

[goodnigh]

Very Cool Scope, I did the same thing as I wanted to get a scope again as I had not had one since I was a kid, Lucked out and found this refractor scope complete in the orig wood box for $60 on craigslist

Its from 1967 0r 1968 cost appx $200 in the 60s and is probably the same type I had back then appx 3 1/2 feet long and has the fancy tripod (all manual controls)

That is a great planetary scope.

Saturn and Mars are around this time of year.

Saturn's rings are oblique right now and clearly visible.

You will never forget the first time you see Saturn in a

telescope. Looks just like the cartoons

mike

 

[Machman]

Very Cool Scope, I did the same thing as I wanted to get a scope again as I had not had one since I was a kid, Lucked out and found this refractor scope complete in the orig wood box for $60 on craigslist

Its from 1967 0r 1968 cost appx $200 in the 60s and is probably the same type I had back then appx 3 1/2 feet long and has the fancy tripod (all manual controls)

That is a great planetary scope.

Saturn and Mars are around this time of year.

Saturn's rings are oblique right now and clearly visible.

You will never forget the first time you see Saturn in a

telescope. Looks just like the cartoons

mike

Hi Mike;

I'm looking forward to it, I'll check some astronomy sites to see the best times to set it up for various events and bring it to my brothers so the niece and nephew can enjoy it as well..

AJ

 

[hyena429]

Just like a camera, it is all about the lens.

The telescope is just a couple of mirrors.

The ccd cams are expensive, from $95 to

$4000, just like the eyepiece.

They include the inexpensive eyepieces to

keep the price down. I posted a couple of

pictures of the recent Venus transit and the

annular eclipse taken using an 8" Dob with

"cheap" eyepieces and a cheap digital camera

aimed at the eyepiece. The results were quite good.

So you don't need an expensive setup to view

wonderful things.

mike

Ya..I was worried my cheap eye peice would make viewing not so good...But its not too bad...But i could tell from other people using the same scope with better eye peices was like night and day...lol...I to would like to try and get some pictures of what im lookin at...But i will wait till i get more into it...And a better scope..this one was just a starter scope..Im planing on getting a much bigger dob...What do you think of zhumell dob's? I know sometimes cheaper is not better..but its hard to beat the price on there 12inch dob.

Very Cool Scope, I did the same thing as I wanted to get a scope again as I had not had one since I was a kid, Lucked out and found this refractor scope complete in the orig wood box for $60 on craigslist

Its from 1967 0r 1968 cost appx $200 in the 60s and is probably the same type I had back then appx 3 1/2 feet long and has the fancy tripod (all manual controls)

Thats a nice scope!! I would jump on that for 60 bucks too...I keeping my eye out all the time on craigs list for scopes now..lol

 

[hyena429]

Just like a camera, it is all about the lens.

The telescope is just a couple of mirrors.

The ccd cams are expensive, from $95 to

$4000, just like the eyepiece.

They include the inexpensive eyepieces to

keep the price down. I posted a couple of

pictures of the recent Venus transit and the

annular eclipse taken using an 8" Dob with

"cheap" eyepieces and a cheap digital camera

aimed at the eyepiece. The results were quite good.

So you don't need an expensive setup to view

wonderful things.

mike

Odd...I emtpy posted..lol...Btw...I got a adaptor for a 2 inch eyepeice...They worth it?..It gots the 1.25 right now i think....I was thinking about tring a digital aimed at the eye peice and see what i can get..lol

Thats a real nice scope machman..I would pop that for 60 bucks any time of the day..lol

 

[goodnigh]

Odd...I emtpy posted..lol...Btw...I got a adaptor for a 2 inch eyepeice...They worth it?..It gots the 1.25 right now i think....I was thinking about tring a digital aimed at the eye peice and see what i can get..lol

If I hear you correctly your scope accepts 2" eyepieces and you have

an adapter to accept 1.25" eyepieces. Most high-end eyepieces shift

around 18mm to 2" tubes, below that it is 1.25".

Repost the picture of your scope.

mike

 

[hyena429]

If I hear you correctly your scope accepts 2" eyepieces and you have

an adapter to accept 1.25" eyepieces. Most high-end eyepieces shift

around 18mm to 2" tubes, below that it is 1.25".

Repost the picture of your scope.

mike

picture of the focus...I found the ring and it fits on the end i figured too accept 2 " eyepeices...Its has the adaptor on it now it seems for the 1.25"