Stars / Astronomy / Astrophotography / Telescopes / Astro

Right... I'm sure there was a thread about looking up at the stars/sky somewhere but fucked if I can find it... I love the night sky, discuss hit here or please merge hippy/VB...
I've always wanted a telescope, I used to use my dad's binoculars but he'd given them to his brother the last time I tried to borrow them... So I need some optics...
So... Decent binoculars or a telescope? Lori's chucking in £100 as a late birthday present towards something and I'm happy to match that if I'm gonna be able to get something awesome... I want to be able to see Saturn's rings/star clusters/nebula clearly... Advice please... This baby's ready to roll... Also, if you work at an establishment that sells quality optics, I'd be very happy to hear from you and get a discount!!! ;]
Many thanks...[/geek]

Saturn's rings using bins?? Dream on!! lolz

Try using this site to view the stars and planets.

http://skychart.skytonight.com/observing/skychart/skychart.asp

As you will see, you should be able to spot Saturn tonight, it'll be slightly up and to the right of the moon. Bit cloudy though.

Also, you can see the ISS on a regular basis, plus also the Shuttle when it's up there. Not for much longer though!

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

I amazed westies with this one night last last summer, it's a wicked sight.

bit shit for looking at the sky in london due to light/atmospheric pollution.

Who's hacked Joe's account?

Who's hacked Joe's account?

ye :)

Who's hacked Joe's account?

Secret Joe... Shhhh...

teenslain in serious business shocker.....

I think we have a wiener... Just over £130... Bang! :o

I hear what you're saying MrsMyth but I'll still be able to see some good stuff... Any reasons I shouldn't buy this, Sam?

Link to geek-device above, teens?

Here yer go... Quite into this one too, I could plug my laptop straight in and do some imaging... Woah! :o The Seben Comet Maksutov-Cassegrain 1200-90... Just over 200 notes...

Also, you can see the ISS on a regular basis, plus also the Shuttle when it's up there. Not for much longer though!

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

I amazed westies with this one night last last summer, it's a wicked sight.

That was awesome! You almost missed it too, Sam.

TS - Too much light pollution in London no?

If I get something portable (like that second thing) that won't be a problem... Laptop, tripod, mini generator and scope in the bag, ride a few miles out of town, job done... ;]

fncking astronomy, tw@t!

i'm a scorpio
what about yous ?

I rest my case... ;]

^ Look, no clogs...

that's a poor excuse for peeping toming, in a wank box/booth

i'm aquarius, does that count?

I rest my case... ;]

^ Look, no clogs...

What would TS have in common with a old musician who plays music 20 years out of date and with an equally out of date hair cut?

Oh....

wait....

nevermind....

i would recomment the sky at night with patrick moore
what a programme
i'm sure he'd help you see your-anus

Don't buy! Build your own!
As a pup, I built, with my dad, a telescope out of a large diameter drain pipe and the bottom of a swivel chair. The the mirrors etc were all ordered in and it was incredible. If memory serves we say the rings of saturn. I get it out of the loft when i visit the folks and it still works. Dont know how this route would compare financially to buying OTP.

+1

Build it. Not sure where you get a kit from in london though. I did build one about 15 years ago. The kit had a concave mirror, the eyepiece and the prism thing and the bits to connect to the tube. I used a cardboard tube from an old fabric roll. Was cheap and effective. You should easy be able to get a kit that allows you to see Saturn, Jupiter and it's moons ect.

I never bothered with maps and stuff. Just pointed at interesting points in the sky.

fncking astronomy, tw@t!

is joe drinking too much, or not enough?

:D

Fuck off, Josh (and Mumblez... And Rob)... I've been doing a bit more research and I'm more flummoxed than ever... Want something quite powerful, portable (so I can take it to darker spots) that I can at some point plug into my laptop for imaging, but those kinda rigs are quite pricey... Hmmm... Rethink... Anyone got something sexy and motorised they wanna sell cheap*?

• No vibrator pix please...
  

That skychart is ace. While we are at it can anyone explain the difference between reflector and refractor telescopes?

I can see bugger all living in central London but my girlfriend's folks have a place in France that would be ideal. What would be relatively cheap option that would let me see something really exciting (like someone's rings or something)?

Reflector telescopes use a mirror. Refractor telescopes use no mirrors, just lenses.