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Just ordered my 1st 'scope

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  • 12-03-2007 9:38am
    #1
    CiDeRmAn
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,590 CMod ✭✭✭✭


    I ordered my 1st telescope on Thursday, a Skywatcher 8" Dobsonian, from www.optical-systems.com, very reasonable, €316 including shipping.
    I can't wait to get it, my 1st telescope since the toy ones of my now distant youth.
    Any tips on how to get the most from it, as in how to locate planets, nebulae and other phenomena, I am a beginner after all and wonder about software, I had redshift years ago, and other print media, any help would be gratefully appreciated.


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    #2
    ednwireland
    Registered Users Posts: 14,373 ✭✭✭✭ednwireland


    try here http://www.irishastronomy.org/ See bulletin boards link
    i use starry night enthusiast 4.5 which was free with a magazine updates itself off the net as well.

    My weather

    https://www.ecowitt.net/home/share?authorize=96CT1F



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    #3
    CiDeRmAn
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,590 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    My wife brought home a Bresser refractor Lidl were doing for a while, her Mum picked it up but nobody used it.
    Its got a 70mm obj and 700mm f/l.
    Its not bad though for something costing €70 or so.
    I checked out the included software, located my target there, popped the telescope up in the driveway and before you knew it was looking at Saturn!
    Sweet!
    Not bad for a first time out!
    Can't wait til I get my serious piece of kit!


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    #4
    Flukey
    Registered Users Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    An 8" Dobsonian. That's a big starter. Good luck with it.


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    #5
    knm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭knm


    I have an 8" Skywatcher Skyliner Dob - probably the same as you ordered.
    I'm a beginner as well and I find this a great scope. Very quick to set up and take down.
    For software try http://www.stellarium.org/. Excellent and free.


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    #6
    CiDeRmAn
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,590 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    Yeah, I downloaded Redshift 5 but find it rather impenetrable, may use a simpler one.
    Actually thinking of buying a little Toshiba Libretto, a 10 year old pc about the size of a video cassette, just for running a sky mapping piece of software, handy for taking out and about.


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    #7
    ftodonoghue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭ftodonoghue


    CiDeRmAn wrote:
    I ordered my 1st telescope on Thursday, a Skywatcher 8" Dobsonian, from www.optical-systems.com, very reasonable, €316 including shipping.
    I can't wait to get it, my 1st telescope since the toy ones of my now distant youth.
    Any tips on how to get the most from it, as in how to locate planets, nebulae and other phenomena, I am a beginner after all and wonder about software, I had redshift years ago, and other print media, any help would be gratefully appreciated.
    Thats an excellent price including shipping. Let us know how you get on with it.

    As a previous poster mentioned. Check out www.irishastronomy.org and be sure to download the handbooks for the observing challenges, These contain lots of interesting targets and should keep you busy for a while. Even though you have a scope, be sure to get the binocular handbook. All the targets will be easy to pick up in your scope and will be stunning. Best of all the handbooks are free


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    #8
    CiDeRmAn
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,590 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    They are very slow with the delivery, although they say that their supplier is the cause of the delay, I've made a number of calls to the customer line in Germany and they have been quite pleasant and offered to cancel the order if I did not care to wait, they also haven't debited my credit card yet, which is nice.


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    #9
    ftodonoghue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭ftodonoghue


    If you are having no luck with them you might try
    www.telescope-service.com

    These are another german company and carry a range of dobs starting at around €300 fo 8". they are very quick to deliver and are very helpful


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    #10
    CiDeRmAn
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,590 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    Feck it, decided to cancel the order, theres a guy on another forum with an
    8" reflector for sale, If he ever gets back to me I'll get that, its a few bob more but ts worth it to get observing now.


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    #11
    CiDeRmAn
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,590 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    Well, I went with Telescope Service in the end, a little more pricey, €360, but that was for a 8" Dobson with shipping.
    Only problem is the instructions for putting the thing together are a tad sparse but a minor gripe, hoping the skies will be nice and clear tonight to give it its' first use.


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    #12
    knm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭knm


    How is that scope going for you? Have you got out with it many times? I told you the dobs are easy to setup/get down.
    Just bought Starry Night Pro in the last week. It's an excellent bit of software. I can be messing about with it, when I spot a satellite going across the sky in it - eyeball the co-ordinates, grab the binos, run outside and there it is. Really good. Can throughly recommend it.


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