The smugness of posting the pictures here would surely justify the price.DRT wrote:The scope I am thinking of buying costs £529. The same scope with auto-tracking costs £959. I think it is probably essential to have auto-tracking if you want to get into photography but manual tracking is fine for me.
A reason to get up early
Re: A reason to get up early
Re: A reason to get up early
Perhaps, but I would also have to buy a camera and lots of bits and bobs so the actual price difference would be north of £1k.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
A friend of mine had a Celestron 6SE which he was very happy with; though he upgraded within 6 months, which he warns as a common problem with the hobby, and would recommend going for the 8SE if you can afford it! Good set of features including auto-setup, go-to and tracking, as well as excellent image quality. Not cheap though. He is now heavily into highly composited image creation, generated from multiple frame overlays from tracked images over several minutes, quite impressive stuff.
He also recommends checking with any local astronomy group, since once you get bitten by the bug people often upgrade several times in the first couple of years, so well worth checking their classifieds for good deals for their old scopes.
He also recommends checking with any local astronomy group, since once you get bitten by the bug people often upgrade several times in the first couple of years, so well worth checking their classifieds for good deals for their old scopes.
Re: A reason to get up early
My stocks of N31 are critically low (i.e., below half a pipe).DRT wrote:The pattern is very similar to First Bottle of LBV >> First Bottle of VP >> First Case of VP >> Case of F70 >> Where Did My Money Go? >> I Need A Case of Nacional 1963.
Re: A reason to get up early
That does seem to be a familiar story from what I have seen on the bulletin boards, but I think I am safe because I have no personality traits or history that suggest I would become excessively obsessed with an expensive hobby and choose to spend lots of time surrounded by geeks with similar interests.PhilW wrote:A friend of mine had a Celestron 6SE which he was very happy with; though he upgraded within 6 months, which he warns as a common problem with the hobby, and would recommend going for the 8SE if you can afford it! Good set of features including auto-setup, go-to and tracking, as well as excellent image quality. Not cheap though. He is now heavily into highly composited image creation, generated from multiple frame overlays from tracked images over several minutes, quite impressive stuff.
He also recommends checking with any local astronomy group, since once you get bitten by the bug people often upgrade several times in the first couple of years, so well worth checking their classifieds for good deals for their old scopes.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
"My name is Derek and I'm an addict."
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Re: A reason to get up early
I've just been out to look at Jupiter and I would be prepared to swear under oath that I seen the Great Red Spot. It was either that or a random reflection from my neighbours security light.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
Gentlemen, should this go in the obvious place?DRT wrote:my neighbours security light.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Re: A reason to get up early
Yes, it was a gift.djewesbury wrote:Gentlemen, should this go in the obvious place?DRT wrote:my neighbours security light.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
*bows in grateful acceptance*DRT wrote:Yes, it was a gift.djewesbury wrote:Gentlemen, should this go in the obvious place?DRT wrote:my neighbours security light.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Re: A reason to get up early
I keep getting adverts through email offering me the opportunity to get a bigger tube. Would you like me to forward these on to you?LGTrotter wrote:So should you buy a bigger tube in the first place?DRT wrote:I am about to spend all of that again on a bigger tube:
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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Re: A reason to get up early
Alex! I never had you down as a double-entendreist. If I had known I would have given you one.AHB wrote:I keep getting adverts through email offering me the opportunity to get a bigger tube. Would you like me to forward these on to you?LGTrotter wrote:So should you buy a bigger tube in the first place?DRT wrote:I am about to spend all of that again on a bigger tube:
Re: A reason to get up early
I don't have the equipment required to do good quality astro-photography, but my small telescope and a digital camera yielded this a few minutes ago...
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
That's rather wonderful. I have listened to Jupiter on a radio telescope. It's filthy.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Re: A reason to get up early
"All these worlds are yours, except Europa, attempt no landings there". Arthur C Clarke, fictionally telling us to stay off. Seen any signs of a new civilisation developing there?
Re: A reason to get up early
No signs of civilisation, but the large black obelisk is still parked off to the left. I'll let you know if anything stirs.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
Good stars tonight, bit of haze on the horizon though. Got anything for your loyal subjects tonight Derek?
Re: A reason to get up early
Very clear viewing tonight but camera skills let me down
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
Re: A reason to get up early
One for Owen!
Not great but you can see a few craters around the edge of the shadow.
My Astro webcam arrives next week
Not great but you can see a few craters around the edge of the shadow.
My Astro webcam arrives next week
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
Thanks Derek, I though you had gone a bit quiet on the astronomical front, mind you; the weather an' all! Does the webcam mean we will be able to have a live stream of whatever you're looking at? Or are you doing one of those things where every telescope in the world looks at something for research purposes?DRT wrote:My Astro webcam arrives next week
Re: A reason to get up early
It's a bit of an experiment. I read lots of things about people spending thousands on astro-photography equipment so that they can take pictures of planets and nebula that look like they have been drawn by a 5 year old with a crayon. If you want a photo that looks like it was taken by Hubble you need to own Hubble. I just want to find out what kind of pics I can get with a cheap option. If nothing else I should get some really good shots of the moon.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
I happened to notice a low moon this evening, 'frail and faint as a sickle of straw'. It might be a bit thin for your purposes, but I understand that can be an attraction.
Re: A reason to get up early
Did you notice the name of the file I uploaded, which is the date and time stamp of when it was takenLGTrotter wrote:I happened to notice a low moon this evening, 'frail and faint as a sickle of straw'. It might be a bit thin for your purposes, but I understand that can be an attraction.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Re: A reason to get up early
My moon was more on it's back. Anyway they can't possibly have the same moon covering the whole country.DRT wrote:Did you notice the name of the file I uploaded, which is the date and time stamp of when it was takenLGTrotter wrote:I happened to notice a low moon this evening, 'frail and faint as a sickle of straw'. It might be a bit thin for your purposes, but I understand that can be an attraction.
Re: A reason to get up early
Are you sure it was the moon that was on its back?LGTrotter wrote:My moon was more on it's back.
PS: Camera + telescope optics = things do not quite appear as they do to the eye.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn