Star Gazing locations around Dublin?

cp1980

I'm new to star gazing and have just completed an 8 week beginners course in Astronomy. I have just bought a pair of Celestron 15x70 binoculars and am ready to take on the universe! Except I live in Ranelagh, Dublin so light polution is quiet bad. I've gone out the Phoenix park once but had a freaky experience with a nutter who tried to sneak up on me out of nowhere, luckily it was dusk and I managed to spot this person (with my bino's ) and drove away as quick as I could. Lesson learned: Don't go star gazing on your own in the middle of the darkest area in Phoenix Park :mad:!
So needless to say I wont be going back there, so Im stuck for a new safer place, I've been told the Dublin mountains are good but that seems a bit far away, I dont mind driving 20/25 mins down the N11 or elsewhere but any longer than that and the fun will get zapped out of it.

Please let me know if there is any good spots close to me, even a good elevated spot will do for now until I learn the ropes!

Thanks.

murphyme2010

I'm in a group that goes observing regularly either at the Sugarloaf or further south around Laragh in Wicklow.

Weather permitting there should be a session this weekend so keep an eye on postings here.

Michael.

cp1980

Thanks Michael, i'll keep a look out for the posts.

sharkbite1983

CP1980, Did you find anywhere without any sneaky nutters?

Im going out to Astronomy Ireland this weekend to buy a telescope. Im living in Blessington, so theres plenty of lovely clear places with no light pollution to use it.

Do either of you have a link to any postings that have regular meets? Id like to go out a few times with people who know a little more so I can annoy them with questions!!

Thanks.

tricky D

sharkbite1983 wrote: »

Im going out to Astronomy Ireland this weekend to buy a telescope.

Do yourself a big favour and shop around.

sharkbite1983

tricky D wrote: »

Do yourself a big favour and shop around.

Really? Right so, any shops/sites you'd recommend that might be a bit cheaper?
I'll prob go out anyway & get some advice.

Popoutman

A lot of internet sites in the UK are pretty good, and better pricewise than AI.
FLO (www.firstlightoptics.co.uk) comes generally recommended, as does Green Witch scopes. The Widescreen Centre is quite good as well - I've been in that shop and I've been happy with the service.

Keeping it on the Island would be North Down Telescopes

Plug

First light optics in the uk. First class service and very helpful. I won't shop anywhere else now.

RedRaven

Why are AI so expensive anyway?

I like the thoughts of buying here in Ireland but the UK sites are so much cheaper than AI in regards to equipment.

tricky D

This thread sheds light: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055536925

RedRaven

Wow...........Thats an eye opener.

First page of that says it all really.

The roundwood affair is a total disgrace.

Ardent

I'm new to astronomy and have dealt with AI a few times this year (I bought a telescope off them early in the summer) and have found them to be very approachable and of immense help. They're a great bunch of guys IMO and never too busy to offer advice or help.

As for the shop and prices: I find they will always discount the list price on the website. I bought a Celestron Omni XLT 127 off them for 600 euros and I see the same thing on firstlightoptics.co.uk will cost you around 575 euros (after shipping). Not really a rip-off is it?

I think some people on here are very uncharitable towards Astronomy Ireland and, while I don't claim to know the whole history of the organisation, I see some very obvious chips on shoulders around here.

Pat Dunne

I would be also interested in finding a safe dark sky venue in or around the North Dublin area.

As this topic has gone off on a of a tangent, I'll recount some of my direct experiences with The Astronomy Ireland Shop. Bought a Celestron CPC 925 from them in April of this year, not only did they match the price quotes I got from the UK & Northern Ireland dealers, but they bettered all of them. Bought a Celestron Ultima 22mm eye piece in Sept just gone and again they matched the UK dealers. I find the guys in the AI shop very decent to deal with and are always up for a good haggle unlike the UK dealers.

Over the last twelve months I have become very aware of a lot of old and bitter politics amongst a certain section of the Irish Astronomy community, which as a relative newcomer I have absolutely no interest in and couldn't care less about what happened in the past.

WalterMitty

The golf club on bull island at raheny end and the surrounding area are excellent locations for star gazing. It seems to be very dark there relative to rest of city as it is next to st annes park which is an area of little night lighting and also it is a kilometre or two out from coast actually in Dublin bay and escapes most of the light pollution, apart from the lower sky in direction of city. Probably bit dodgy going down there at night though unless there was a group of ya.

SionnachOghma

Hi guys, I'm doing a Certificate in Science course in Maynooth at the moment, and a recent trip we took to Dunsink observatory has woken kiddy-me's interest in stargazing. I've spotted what seems like a good starter telescope that won't break the bank (a Celestron FirstScope 76), but like others I'm wondering about good, nutter-free places to go.

I live in Lucan, and I don't drive. Someone in my class suggested Marley Park, which public transport should be able to get me to and from. It should be a bit safer than the Phoenix, too, as it's a more public-friendly place. I think.

Any thoughts? Any suggestions on places in or around Lucan/Maynooth that might work for someone stuck with busses or maybe a bike?

Del2005

SionnachOghma wrote: »

Hi guys, I'm doing a Certificate in Science course in Maynooth at the moment, and a recent trip we took to Dunsink observatory has woken kiddy-me's interest in stargazing. I've spotted what seems like a good starter telescope at an easy price, but like others I'm wondering about good, nutter-free places to go.

I live in Lucan, and I don't drive. Someone in my class suggested Marley Park, which public transport should be able to get me to and from. It should be a bit safer than the Phoenix, too, as it's a more public-friendly place. I think.

Any thoughts? Any suggestions on places in or around Lucan/Maynooth that might work for someone stuck with busses or maybe a bike?

Marlay Park is locked up from dusk to dawn and it'd be a trek from Lucan by public transport.

SionnachOghma

So much for that idea. Been out there for gigs etc., not a short trip but a doable one. Didn't know it would be inaccessible.

endacl

The light from this thread left the boards.ie constellation in 2011, taking 6 years to reach the observer. It's like watching history live!

emo72

SionnachOghma wrote: »

Hi guys, I'm doing a Certificate in Science course in Maynooth at the moment, and a recent trip we took to Dunsink observatory has woken kiddy-me's interest in stargazing. I've spotted what seems like a good starter telescope at an easy price, but like others I'm wondering about good, nutter-free places to go.

I live in Lucan, and I don't drive. Someone in my class suggested Marley Park, which public transport should be able to get me to and from. It should be a bit safer than the Phoenix, too, as it's a more public-friendly place. I think.

Any thoughts? Any suggestions on places in or around Lucan/Maynooth that might work for someone stuck with busses or maybe a bike?

Spent a few nights in Carton house. It's fierce dark in there and right beside you.

SionnachOghma

emo72 wrote: »

Spent a few nights in Carton house. It's fierce dark in there and right beside you.

Sounds good. Walk or quick cycle from campus Thanks

emo72

SionnachOghma wrote: »

Sounds good. Walk or quick cycle from campus Thanks

Nice cycle in fairness. Is there even a path down by carton house. Surely a bus is passing it.

SionnachOghma

emo72 wrote: »

Nice cycle in fairness. Is there even a path down by carton house. Surely a bus is passing it.

Not according to Google. Cycle seems to be about 15 minutes, and I always make sure I'm WELL lit up. Might head out once between classes to see what the road is like.

ThunderCat

Hey OP. Given the fact you will be cycling or getting the bus have you considered getting binoculars instead of a scope? Portability is important and binoculars are easy to bring around whereas the scope would be heavier and more awkward. You'd be surprised what you can see through binoculars too. Just a thought.

Pat Dunne

ThunderCat wrote: »

Hey OP. Given the fact you will be cycling or getting the bus have you considered getting binoculars instead of a scope? Portability is important and binoculars are easy to bring around whereas the scope would be heavier and more awkward. You'd be surprised what you can see through binoculars too. Just a thought.

Great suggestion.
The starter scope from Celestron is nothing more than a glorified toy, aimed at kids of less than 12 years of age.

A decent set of Binoculars is the way to go, along with a tripod and adapter. Cost will be similar and viewing quality will be far superior to the Celestron starter scope. A set of 8x40 or 10x50 are ideal. Lidl and Aldi often have Binoculars for sale and are great value to start observing.

I'd also be more than surprised if there is not an Astronomy Society in Maynooth College.

emo72

The binoculars are definitely the way to go. I've had both and stopped using the telescope. I hate the hassle of setting it up. And the cheap ones are just toys as previous poster said. Granted with 20X binos you would need a tripod. But still that's quicker, smaller and lighter. Had a brilliant night viewing in carton house a few years ago.

SionnachOghma

I'll look into binoculars, and maybe consider a real telescope later if I want to get more serious. The Celestro had good reviews and seemed portable enough, but it does run serious risk of becoming an oversized paperweight. And funds being the way they are are it'll be at least January before I buy anything at all, so that gives me plenty of time to shop around.

I'll keep any eye on Lidl and Aldi too. If I'm looking elsewhere, would there be any particular type or brand of binos folks would recommend, or is there not a lot of variation in the lower ranges?

ThunderCat

The choice you have when it comes to binoculars comes down to what you want to see. In my mind you have three choices: 8x40, 10x50 and 15x70. Essentially the 8x40 will allow you a wide view of the night sky while not penetrating it too deeply. The stars will appear 8 times closer to you through those binoculars than with the naked eye. At the other end you have the 15x70's which will give you a deeper view of the sky (stars appear 15 times closer to you through those binoculars than with the naked eye) but the view will be narrower. To visualise this the 8x40 binoculars would be like looking at the sky through a wide pipe whearas the 15x70's would be like looking at the sky through a toilet roll. And then the 10x50 sit somewhere in the middle. It's also worth pointing out that the 8x40's and 10x50's can be used handheld whereas the 15x70's would have to be mounted on a tripod. The upside of that however is that the view would be rock steady whereas when handholding binoculars there will always be a bit of handshake factored into the view. So it all depends on what you want.


for the 8x40's i'd recommend these:


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-8-40-DPSI-Binocular/dp/B0001M3612/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511290524&sr=8-3&keywords=8x40+binoculars


for the 10x50's i'd recommend these:


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-Binocular-10x50-DPS-1/dp/B0000AKGX3/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511290601&sr=1-3&keywords=10x50+binoculars


and for the 15x70's id recommend these:


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-71426-CGL-Cavalry-Porro-Prism/dp/B00B7LQ16I/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511290661&sr=1-3&keywords=15x70+binoculars

SionnachOghma

ThunderCat wrote: »

The choice you have when it comes to binoculars comes down to what you want to see. In my mind you have three choices: 8x40, 10x50 and 15x70.

It's also worth pointing out that the 8x40's and 10x50's can be used handheld whereas the 15x70's would have to be mounted on a tripod. The upside of that however is that the view would be rock steady whereas when handholding binoculars there will always be a bit of handshake factored into the view. So it all depends on what you want.

Thanks for the advice, and the recommendations. I imagine I'll go with 15 x 70. I probably wouldn't have the steadiest of hands, so I was thinking tripod anyway

It'd be nice to take advantage of the Black Friday sales, but I don't see it happening. I need to become one of those people who starts the Christmas shopping in May :rolleyes:

ps200306

Don't forget to look out for 10 x 70 as well (i.e. 10x magnification, 70 mm objective lens). Bigger field of view, more light. A 15 x 70 will be higher magnification (smaller FOV) which is not what you want for stars.

At the cheap end, the regular Lidl binoculars produce a really sharp image (better than my €200 binocs). I bought four of them last time they were out and loaned/gave them away. Ready for another batch.