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Re: etx 80

 

Hi Darcy,

?I've never used a Meade 80 ETX but it sure seems pretty light, if you want to do shots of the moon I would dispense using a phone camera altogether, they are too frustrating to use! If you have a laptop consider getting one of these planetary cams


They are super easy to use and all the capture software is freeware as is the stacking software (firecapture and autostakkert 2)



If you enjoy using this setup then maybe down the road you could get a larger scope (SCT) that tracks.

cheers

Mike


On Mon, May 24, 2021 at 12:50 PM Darcy Whyte <darcy@...> wrote:

So I'm a total newbie and I got a Back Pack?Observatory Meade etx 80.

I'm not all that thrilled with it (perhaps I just don't know how to use it).

I'd like to learn more about using it but also explore another telescope perhaps.

I haven't gotten any joy out of the fact that it's supposed to find stuff for you. The alignment?seems to be tricky to set up. There must be some tricks I don't know about. Anyway I managed to find the moon manually of course.?

When I use a mount with my cell phone I get a lot of chromatic aberration. My plan was to stack a whole bunch of moon picks but I find the cell phone mount really fumbly to set up.On certain settings on my cell phone camera I don't get too much aberration so that's cool. I wonder if there's a different type of telescope that doesn't have so much aberration?in the first place.

I think I'm more interested in taking pictures than just looking through it so I think I need something easier to use on that front.

It has a controller, I think it'd be way cooler if it just did a bluetooth to your cell phone so you don't have to be so delicate with the cord to stop it from bouncing around...

Also by the time I get the thing set up the eyepiece is often in a bad spot. I then need to change the height which means to mess up any alignment and if I ever got the alignment right for it's navigation?system I'd have to mess it up...

My purpose is to take pictures of the moon for an art project. Also for just hacking around and general recreating looking through it... Should I try another scope?

--
Art+??| Makerspace | Aviation??| Contact:?darcy@...?| 613-563-3634 by appointment
etx 80

 


So I'm a total newbie and I got a Back Pack?Observatory Meade etx 80.

I'm not all that thrilled with it (perhaps I just don't know how to use it).

I'd like to learn more about using it but also explore another telescope perhaps.

I haven't gotten any joy out of the fact that it's supposed to find stuff for you. The alignment?seems to be tricky to set up. There must be some tricks I don't know about. Anyway I managed to find the moon manually of course.?

When I use a mount with my cell phone I get a lot of chromatic aberration. My plan was to stack a whole bunch of moon picks but I find the cell phone mount really fumbly to set up.On certain settings on my cell phone camera I don't get too much aberration so that's cool. I wonder if there's a different type of telescope that doesn't have so much aberration?in the first place.

I think I'm more interested in taking pictures than just looking through it so I think I need something easier to use on that front.

It has a controller, I think it'd be way cooler if it just did a bluetooth to your cell phone so you don't have to be so delicate with the cord to stop it from bouncing around...

Also by the time I get the thing set up the eyepiece is often in a bad spot. I then need to change the height which means to mess up any alignment and if I ever got the alignment right for it's navigation?system I'd have to mess it up...

My purpose is to take pictures of the moon for an art project. Also for just hacking around and general recreating looking through it... Should I try another scope?

--
Art+??| Makerspace | Aviation??| Contact:?darcy@...?| 613-563-3634 by appointment
Re: Moon

 

I was out in the yard as well with my 120mm refractor a couple of nights ago checking out the moon!? The shadows cast by craters - nice to see!!

Him

On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, 11:10:18 p.m. EDT, Attilla Danko <danko@...> wrote:


I too was observing the moon. nice night for it now that its cool enough to dissuade the mosquitos.

attilla danko, danko@...,

On Tue, May 18, 2021, 23:00 R WAGNER <rick.wagner@...> wrote:

I was heading out to open the observatory and get everything running and saw that the Moon was in an ideal spot to observe so I spent an hour imaging it with the Boltwood 0.4m.? By then it was just dark enough to start my normal variable star imaging - perfect!

I should have images for the next RASCOC meeting.

Rick

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Dave Anderson <canddstt@...>
Date: May 18, 2021 at 10:50 PM

Just by chance I set out to do a lunar observation and caught the lunar X for the first time :).dusted off my 90 mm mac .
Anyone else getting tired of observing alone ,miss sidewalk astronomy?


?
saturn

 

pretty fuzzy. only 9 degrees up. But my first look this year. even a fuzzy saturn is a treat.



attilla danko, danko@...,

Re: Moon

 

I too was observing the moon. nice night for it now that its cool enough to dissuade the mosquitos.

attilla danko, danko@...,

On Tue, May 18, 2021, 23:00 R WAGNER <rick.wagner@...> wrote:

I was heading out to open the observatory and get everything running and saw that the Moon was in an ideal spot to observe so I spent an hour imaging it with the Boltwood 0.4m.? By then it was just dark enough to start my normal variable star imaging - perfect!

I should have images for the next RASCOC meeting.

Rick

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Dave Anderson <canddstt@...>
Date: May 18, 2021 at 10:50 PM

Just by chance I set out to do a lunar observation and caught the lunar X for the first time :).dusted off my 90 mm mac .
Anyone else getting tired of observing alone ,miss sidewalk astronomy?


?
Re: Moon

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

I was heading out to open the observatory and get everything running and saw that the Moon was in an ideal spot to observe so I spent an hour imaging it with the Boltwood 0.4m.? By then it was just dark enough to start my normal variable star imaging - perfect!

I should have images for the next RASCOC meeting.

Rick

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Dave Anderson <canddstt@...>
Date: May 18, 2021 at 10:50 PM

Just by chance I set out to do a lunar observation and caught the lunar X for the first time :).dusted off my 90 mm mac .
Anyone else getting tired of observing alone ,miss sidewalk astronomy?


?
Moon

 

Just by chance I set out to do a lunar observation and caught the lunar X for the first time :).dusted off my 90 mm mac .
Anyone else getting tired of observing alone ,miss sidewalk astronomy?
Re: observing mercury

 

:)

On Mon, May 10, 2021, 5:02 PM Douglas B. George via <dgeorge=[email protected]> wrote:

On 21/05/10 2:52 PM, Attilla Danko wrote:
>? ?Anyone planning to observe the sodium tail?

Na.
Re: observing mercury

 

On 21/05/10 2:52 PM, Attilla Danko wrote:
Anyone planning to observe the sodium tail?
Na.
observing mercury

 

Anyone planning to observe the sodium tail?

<>
Re: first carp star party: 1998

 

Actually, Mike Wirths has a bigger one (30"), but he never brought it to Carp.

Looking forward to seeing you at sidewalk astronomy .... any year now...

attilla danko, , danko@...,
attilladanko@...

On Thu, Apr 22, 2021 at 9:01 PM bookmckay@...
<bookmckay@...> wrote:

Hi Attilla, I didn¡¯t realize your 25¡± scope was really a Schmidt -Cassegrain scope in disguise. One thing hasn¡¯t changed since 1998, you still have the largest scope.

Stay safe, Jimmy


Sent from Rogers Yahoo Mail for iPhone

On Thursday, April 22, 2021, 6:16 PM, Attilla Danko <danko@...> wrote:

There are fans of the Carp Star parties here. So you may enjoy the
attached newspaper article. (courtesy of Chris Teron).

I find the technical error amusings. But i think the journalist
captures the enthusiasm of the party.


attilla danko, , danko@...,
attilladanko@...
Re: first carp star party: 1998

 

Hi Attilla, I didn¡¯t realize your 25¡± scope was really a Schmidt -Cassegrain scope in disguise. One thing hasn¡¯t changed since 1998, you still have the largest scope.

Stay safe, ? ? Jimmy?




On Thursday, April 22, 2021, 6:16 PM, Attilla Danko <danko@...> wrote:

There are fans of the Carp Star parties here. So you may enjoy the
attached newspaper article. (courtesy of Chris Teron).

I find the technical error amusings. But i think the journalist
captures the enthusiasm of the party.


attilla danko, danko@...,
Re: first carp star party: 1998

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Thanks, Attilla! I look forward to the eventual resumption of Carp Star Parties and sidewalk astronomy.?

¡ª³Ò

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Attilla Danko <danko@...>
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2021 6:16:50 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: [OAFs] first carp star party: 1998
?
There are fans of the Carp Star parties here. So you may enjoy the
attached newspaper article. (courtesy of Chris Teron).

I find the technical error amusings. But i think the journalist
captures the enthusiasm of the party.


attilla danko, ,? danko@...,
attilladanko@...
first carp star party: 1998

 

There are fans of the Carp Star parties here. So you may enjoy the
attached newspaper article. (courtesy of Chris Teron).

I find the technical error amusings. But i think the journalist
captures the enthusiasm of the party.


attilla danko, , danko@...,
attilladanko@...

1998-11-06 Carp star party.pdf
1998-11-06 Carp star party.pdf

Re: Good Observing Sites in Nepean

 


The north entrance to this site gives good horizons to the south.

FWIW.

Protect your Freedom


On Tue., Apr. 6, 2021, 5:46 p.m. David Listerman, <dovidlisterman@...> wrote:
Do you know if there are any good observing sites in Nepean.

Good Observing Sites in Nepean

[email protected]
 

Do you know if there are any good observing sites in Nepean.
Re: Starter Telescope

T Pal
 

Excellent point Randy , that's right you can " override " the goto . Thx


On Sat, 3 Apr 2021, 16:11 Richard McDonald, <richard@...> wrote:
With a dob with a go-to feature added, nothing stops you from finding objects by yourself - you don¡¯t *have* to use the go-to.? But that evening when you have your cousin¡¯s kids¡¯ attention for 10 minutes, the go-to can be a life saver.? They want to look *at* something, not watch you looking *for* something.

- Richard


On Apr 3, 2021, at 4:08 PM, T Pal <rutpal2020@...> wrote:

Hi Randy , thx for your remarks . I've actually been leaning toward a Dobson . I have been visiting Focus Scientific these last months . They have a 12" Dob with the " Goto " tracker . It's used, looks mint and a good price . But you raise a good point to find objects in space by myself rather then depending on a mechanical instrument .? I agree , best way to learn is to find it yourself.?

On Sat, 3 Apr 2021, 15:57 Randy Legault, <randy.legault@...> wrote:
For a starter you can't beat an 8-10 inch Dobsonian with a telrad finder.

I still miss my fast 8-inch Dob from La Maison de l'Astronomie in Mtl.? It was about 200 mm shorter than the standard f6 Dobs on the market and gave wonderful wide views and could pull in bright galaxies from my back yard in west Ottawa.? Under truly dark skies, it beheld wonders indeed.

Also, as a beginner the simple pointing mechanism helped me learn to star hop and learn my way around the night sky.

A good star atlas (or planetarium software -- I like the free and open source, Stellarium) are a must-have unless you are using a go-to scope.

If you want to try before you buy, you can rent a scope, fairly affordably from Focus Scientific (maybe they suspended this under Covid?) at:

1891 Merivale Rd. Unit 4, Bentley Entrance, Ottawa ON K2G 1E5, Canada

Phone: +1 613 723 1350


On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 2:21 PM T Pal <rutpal2020@...> wrote:
Hi OAF members , novice astronomer seeking advice for starter telescope . Any recommendations .... type / sellers ?




--
R.
Re: Starter Telescope

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

With a dob with a go-to feature added, nothing stops you from finding objects by yourself - you don¡¯t *have* to use the go-to. ?But that evening when you have your cousin¡¯s kids¡¯ attention for 10 minutes, the go-to can be a life saver. ?They want to look *at* something, not watch you looking *for* something.

- Richard


On Apr 3, 2021, at 4:08 PM, T Pal <rutpal2020@...> wrote:

Hi Randy , thx for your remarks . I've actually been leaning toward a Dobson . I have been visiting Focus Scientific these last months . They have a 12" Dob with the " Goto " tracker . It's used, looks mint and a good price . But you raise a good point to find objects in space by myself rather then depending on a mechanical instrument .? I agree , best way to learn is to find it yourself.?

On Sat, 3 Apr 2021, 15:57 Randy Legault, <randy.legault@...> wrote:
For a starter you can't beat an 8-10 inch Dobsonian with a telrad finder.

I still miss my fast 8-inch Dob from La Maison de l'Astronomie in Mtl.? It was about 200 mm shorter than the standard f6 Dobs on the market and gave wonderful wide views and could pull in bright galaxies from my back yard in west Ottawa.? Under truly dark skies, it beheld wonders indeed.

Also, as a beginner the simple pointing mechanism helped me learn to star hop and learn my way around the night sky.

A good star atlas (or planetarium software -- I like the free and open source, Stellarium) are a must-have unless you are using a go-to scope.

If you want to try before you buy, you can rent a scope, fairly affordably from Focus Scientific (maybe they suspended this under Covid?) at:

1891 Merivale Rd. Unit 4, Bentley Entrance, Ottawa ON K2G 1E5, Canada

Phone: +1 613 723 1350


On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 2:21 PM T Pal <rutpal2020@...> wrote:
Hi OAF members , novice astronomer seeking advice for starter telescope . Any recommendations .... type / sellers ?




--
R.
Re: Starter Telescope

T Pal
 

Hi Randy , thx for your remarks . I've actually been leaning toward a Dobson . I have been visiting Focus Scientific these last months . They have a 12" Dob with the " Goto " tracker . It's used, looks mint and a good price . But you raise a good point to find objects in space by myself rather then depending on a mechanical instrument .? I agree , best way to learn is to find it yourself.?


On Sat, 3 Apr 2021, 15:57 Randy Legault, <randy.legault@...> wrote:
For a starter you can't beat an 8-10 inch Dobsonian with a telrad finder.

I still miss my fast 8-inch Dob from La Maison de l'Astronomie in Mtl.? It was about 200 mm shorter than the standard f6 Dobs on the market and gave wonderful wide views and could pull in bright galaxies from my back yard in west Ottawa.? Under truly dark skies, it beheld wonders indeed.

Also, as a beginner the simple pointing mechanism helped me learn to star hop and learn my way around the night sky.

A good star atlas (or planetarium software -- I like the free and open source, Stellarium) are a must-have unless you are using a go-to scope.

If you want to try before you buy, you can rent a scope, fairly affordably from Focus Scientific (maybe they suspended this under Covid?) at:

1891 Merivale Rd. Unit 4, Bentley Entrance, Ottawa ON K2G 1E5, Canada

Phone: +1 613 723 1350


On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 2:21 PM T Pal <rutpal2020@...> wrote:
Hi OAF members , novice astronomer seeking advice for starter telescope . Any recommendations .... type / sellers ?



--
R.
Re: Starter Telescope

 

Oh and good multi-coated binoculars with at least 50mm objective lens are great too.? I get a lot of joy from my home-made binocular mirror mount that takes the shaking and neck strain out of the equation and the cost of some transmission loss from the mirror.


On Sat, Apr 3, 2021 at 3:56 PM Randy Legault <randy.legault@...> wrote:
For a starter you can't beat an 8-10 inch Dobsonian with a telrad finder.

I still miss my fast 8-inch Dob from La Maison de l'Astronomie in Mtl.? It was about 200 mm shorter than the standard f6 Dobs on the market and gave wonderful wide views and could pull in bright galaxies from my back yard in west Ottawa.? Under truly dark skies, it beheld wonders indeed.

Also, as a beginner the simple pointing mechanism helped me learn to star hop and learn my way around the night sky.

A good star atlas (or planetarium software -- I like the free and open source, Stellarium) are a must-have unless you are using a go-to scope.

If you want to try before you buy, you can rent a scope, fairly affordably from Focus Scientific (maybe they suspended this under Covid?) at:

1891 Merivale Rd. Unit 4, Bentley Entrance, Ottawa ON K2G 1E5, Canada

Phone: +1 613 723 1350


On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 2:21 PM T Pal <rutpal2020@...> wrote:
Hi OAF members , novice astronomer seeking advice for starter telescope . Any recommendations .... type / sellers ?



--
R.


--
R.
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