Stars / Astronomy / Astrophotography / Telescopes / Astro

Exactly this. I remember seeing it most nights in summer when up in my dad's village as we wandered out in the fields with friends and saw the milky way, satellites and plenty of shooting starts around the 10th of August... Hopefully this summer 🤞

My kid is getting really fascinated with the moon and planets. I'd like to buy something basic to look closer. I think binoculars were previously recommended to me here. What should I buy please?

I'm sure there'll be much more informed people to offer advice (also very much depends on the age of the kid of course!), I've got a pair of these which I'm happy with and seemed like a pretty decent first buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-71257-UpClose-Porro-Binocular/dp/B006ZN4TZS

My 3 and a half year old enjoys looking at the moon with those but they're pretty heavy for her (I mean, they were bought for me a few years back so wasn't a concern when I was buying them). I've got the 130mm version of this which always seemed like a pretty decent first telescope: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/skywatcher-heritage-100p-tabletop-dobsonian.html
Though obviously a bit more pricey than the binoculars (also, not as easy to just keep within reach for quick viewing sessions).

Probably won't get much detail of the planets with that but definitely seems like a better option for longer sessions. Though they do provide twice the light gathering of the binoculars linked.

Thanks for that. Noob question, do the binoculars need to be mounted on a tripod? If so what's your setup? Thanks

Nope, just regular handheld ones. Never used a tripod for the binoculars, figured that wouldn't be a whole lot more straightforward than just using the little telescope. They're around 750g according to that page (the 70mm ones are about twice that and would probably warrant getting a tripod or similar for support).

a monopod can help with extended viewing, also allows for larger which almost always better

@Backstop @mmccarthy thanks

Bit of a late reply but are you aware of dark sky parks?

https://www.darksky.org/dark-sky-places-in-the-uk-and-ireland/
https://www.darkskydiscovery.org.uk/dark-sky-discovery-sites/map.html

Oooo

That looks interesting!

Thank you

Cool, yes - looks good.

My where question was more a 'where is our galactic plane relative to me, standing in a field, outside Taunton, after a few ciders'? I'm sure it involves right-ascension and declination but fkd if I can remember how that works 😆

There are also complicated formulas relating to your consumption of cider and how much it affects your uprightness, which obviously influences your relation to the galactic plane.

But if you time it time your uprightness after said ciders can coincide with the galactic plane

The band of the mipky way rises and falls throughout the night, it passes through some obvious constellations though, I'll look into them up. Easiest to find them and then stare at the milky blackness

Moon looking good last night

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That's great! Another lovely photo

I'm wondering if there would be any interest in a 5 inch newtonian reflector. It's a good bit of kit, quite old, but has seen very little use. It's an old skywatcher with a hefty equatorial mount and has an additional motor drive which can be put on it for tracking.

I've relocated away from London and am getting some stuff shipped over in a few weeks. I just haven't used it enough to justify shipping it so would rather see it go to a good home.

I'm pretty sure it's the same as this one - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265124642940?epid=26034037703&hash=item3dbaa9007c:g:bFQAAOSwVnxgHarg

but I would be happy to take about £150 if anyone would be interested? It has all the bells and whistles of the one on the listing, just without the boxes. It also has an additional camera adapter for sticking a Fujifilm X-mounted body on it.

It would be for pick up in SE13.

I might be interested.

It would suit a beginner with some muscle to set it up and break it down...

Muscle, you say? 💪😂 Perfect for someone... Looks great!

Yeah the EQ mount on it isn't lightweight. This is a good thing though, keeps it properly stable.

I should be able to have some photos of it taken in the next couple of weeks (I'm currently about 300 miles away from it). One thing to note about it is that it was once left set up during the day with the dust cover off. The sun must have transited in front of it because the housing of the barlow lens got heated up a little bit and deformed. It's still completely functional and it hasn't affected the quality of the optics, it's just got a little weirdness on the barrel. But I'll take some photos once I can.

Muscle, you say? 💪😂 Perfect for someone... Looks great!

Im skinny as a hipster on a kale-Kombucha-lemon sausage and Quinoa diet these days

in the next couple of weeks

Not immediately? thats great! Its whats holding me back really. We're waiting finilisation on our move so stressing about the space issue.

I'm not in any hurry, so no worries. You can keep your sausages though.

You can keep your sausages though.

He gets that all the time... 😂

Off out to see the lunar eclipse in a minute, will try and get a pic... Nothing to worry @Ludd's work, obvs...

Anyone see the eclipse today?