calling any astronomical swingers.....

8 Aug 2005

Hi guys,
I'm buying a 200mm telescope (i could have said 8" but I know I wouldn't have had a serious reply!!)
anyhow, my question is.....which is the best to purchase: a reflector or a refractor????
I want it mainly to observe the planets, planetary nebulae, star clusters, galaxies etc.
So, I'm hoping that there are a few star gazers amongst you who can offer me some *serious* advice.....
yeah, I'm expecting the usual bollox too! (not mentioning any names though!)
cheers guys!
K I N K Y L I Z A R D

8 Aug 2005

when you talk about "star gazing" does me reading hello magazine count??????
:twisted:

8 Aug 2005

Hornyred`s just shouted over from the sofa,,
and she recomends,,,
you should get a big fat shiny one rolleyes

:roll:

8 Aug 2005

2 replies............ 2 lots of bollox!!
i should have known! wink

:wink:
K I N K Y L I Z A R D

8 Aug 2005

If i knew anthing at all about telescopes id give you all the advice i could, but as it is, i know feck all about em so i took your second option and sent bollox.
Sorry mate wink

8 Aug 2005

Get one of these!! confused

:? :? :?

8 Aug 2005

Quote by Dino.
If i knew anthing at all about telescopes id give you all the advice i could, but as it is, i know feck all about em so i took your second option and sent bollox.
Sorry mate

some people are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ungrateful!
rolleyes

wont be giving any more of MY advice for free mate! evil

8 Aug 2005

Quote by Kinky Lizard
Hi guys,
I'm buying a 200mm telescope (i could have said 8" but I know I wouldn't have had a serious reply!!)
anyhow, my question is.....which is the best to purchase: a reflector or a refractor????
I want it mainly to observe the planets, planetary nebulae, star clusters, galaxies etc.
So, I'm hoping that there are a few star gazers amongst you who can offer me some *serious* advice.....
yeah, I'm expecting the usual bollox too! (not mentioning any names though!)

All depends on how much you have to spend of course. Do you want computer controlled go to scope? Do you require it for astro-photographic work? Is it a new hobby? Where do you live? (town or country) How much room have you got to store it?

8 Aug 2005

ok, serious head on now,
can you not just get a large magnifying glass????

8 Aug 2005

What????
HUH???
who????
WTF????
sheesh!
was hoping there might be a patrick moore as a member on here...............more chance of bobby moore! wink

K I N K Y L I Z A R D

8 Aug 2005

when you said "astronomical" i thought you meant gastronamical and went and bought you a burger!

8 Aug 2005

See 2 posts up, gimme the facts and will advise accordingly.
BTW reflectors give more bang for your buck.

8 Aug 2005

Quote by well_busty_babe
when you said "astronomical" i thought you meant gastronamical and went and bought you a burger!

But was it a reflector or a refractor Burger??? confused

:? :? :? :?

8 Aug 2005

Quote by steve_j
Hi guys,
I'm buying a 200mm telescope (i could have said 8" but I know I wouldn't have had a serious reply!!)
anyhow, my question is.....which is the best to purchase: a reflector or a refractor????
I want it mainly to observe the planets, planetary nebulae, star clusters, galaxies etc.
So, I'm hoping that there are a few star gazers amongst you who can offer me some *serious* advice.....
yeah, I'm expecting the usual bollox too! (not mentioning any names though!)

All depends on how much you have to spend of course. Do you want computer controlled go to scope? Do you require it for astro-photographic work? Is it a new hobby? Where do you live? (town or country) How much room have you got to store it?
Ah my man! biggrin

I have seen reflectors/refractors at around Â£450.
astro-photographic work......NO!
Is it a new hobby? NO!
town, but hopefully will be able to be mobile with it. got some friends who are ideally situated in the country side....(you've seen the film Deliverance!)
How much room have you got to store it? If I can get rid of the Mrs.....quite a bit.
also, there is a right fit bird who lives over the road........I'd like to be able to ogle her a bit too.....yah know, when she's hanging out the washing in her smalls! (.)(.)
K I N K Y L I Z A R D

8 Aug 2005

Quote by Kinky Lizard
If I can get rid of the Mrs.....quite a bit.
also, there is a right fit bird who lives over the road........I'd like to be able to ogle her a bit too.....yah know, when she's hanging out the washing in her smalls! (.)(.)
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â KÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â IÂ Â Â Â Â Â NÂ Â Â Â Â Â KÂ Â Â Â Â Â YÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â LÂ Â Â Â Â Â IÂ Â Â Â Â Â ZÂ Â Â Â Â Â AÂ Â Â Â Â Â RÂ Â Â Â Â Â D

Â£450 for a chance to see your neighbour's puppies while she is out hanging her laundry????? That is steep, for a porn mag and you're sorted with a whole litter of puppies lol

:lol:
Sorry, know nothing about (?) telescopes, good luck though.

8 Aug 2005

Quote by Maia
If I can get rid of the Mrs.....quite a bit.
also, there is a right fit bird who lives over the road........I'd like to be able to ogle her a bit too.....yah know, when she's hanging out the washing in her smalls! (.)(.)
K I N K Y L I Z A R D

Â£450 for a chance to see your neighbour's puppies while she is out hanging her laundry????? That is steep, for a porn mag and you're sorted with a whole litter of puppies lol

:lol:
Sorry, know nothing about (?) telescopes, good luck though.
Â£20 for a pair of binoculars and you can get the same result without the very obvious, large telescope pointing straight at her

8 Aug 2005

Quote by bigDewi69
Â£20 for a pair of binoculars and you can get the same result without the very obvious, large telescope pointing straight at her

:giggle: :giggle: :giggle: @ very obvious, large telescope pointing straight at her. I am SO reading too much into that statement. Time for bed, I think.

8 Aug 2005

Quote by Kinky Lizard
So, I'm hoping that there are a few star gazers amongst you who can offer me some *serious* advice.....

Do your very best to make a smooth transition from last night's Moon-Venus schmooze-fest to a rather discordant Sun-Neptune polarity from Leo to Aquarius (9:12AM PDT). What will make this all the more troublesome is that the lunar orb in Virgo begins a void cycle at 3:11AM PDT and this uncertainty period lasts until 7:10PM PDT when the Moon slips into Libran airwaves.

8 Aug 2005

Quote by Maia
Â£20 for a pair of binoculars and you can get the same result without the very obvious, large telescope pointing straight at her

:giggle: :giggle: :giggle: @ very obvious, large telescope pointing straight at her. I am SO reading too much into that statement. Time for bed, I think.
smackbottom

naughty girl. You've started me off :giggle: now, and I have to keep quiet to avoid waking my g/f redface

8 Aug 2005

Quote by Kinky Lizard
Ah my man!
I have seen reflectors/refractors at around Â£450.
astro-photographic work......NO!
Is it a new hobby? NO!
town, but hopefully will be able to be mobile with it. got some friends who are ideally situated in the country side....(you've seen the film Deliverance!)
How much room have you got to store it? If I can get rid of the Mrs.....quite a bit.
also, there is a right fit bird who lives over the road........I'd like to be able to ogle her a bit too.....yah know, when she's hanging out the washing in her smalls! (.)(.)

You only wanted a serious proper answer so you could answer in bollocks didnt you!! smackbottom

I say go with WBBs idea and just get a big magnifying glass :D They're so much more versatile!...
1) Don't take up so much space, so you can keep the Mrs
2) You can make a camp fire.... providing it's daytime..... and sunny :undecided:
3) Providing weather conditions are as number 2, you can play War of the World with ants.
3) You can transport it to yer mates more easily.
4) you can walk around doing comical big eye at everyone :D
5) "right fit bird" might find your big eye amusing and might let you help hang out her smalls for her cool

8 Aug 2005

ha ha when I saw the title of the thread "astronomical swingers" I thought is was going to be about the amount of different partners you'd shagged. rolleyes

8 Aug 2005

Quote by roger743
So, I'm hoping that there are a few star gazers amongst you who can offer me some *serious* advice.....

Do your very best to make a smooth transition from last night's Moon-Venus schmooze-fest to a rather discordant Sun-Neptune polarity from Leo to Aquarius (9:12AM PDT). What will make this all the more troublesome is that the lunar orb in Virgo begins a void cycle at 3:11AM PDT and this uncertainty period lasts until 7:10PM PDT when the Moon slips into Libran airwaves.
NO! NO! NO! I'm not falling for that!!! You copied that right from the Royal Astronomical Societies weekly news briefing thingy......you flaming twat! I know you Mr 743!!!!!! wink

K I N K Y L I Z A R D

8 Aug 2005

Kinky Lizard,
Sorry to break the tradition in this thread but I'm going to try and help. I'm not an astronomer by any means but I do read some scientific mags very occasionally and did get quite interested in it at one point.
I seem to remember that reflectors are cheaper for the equivalent power but bigger and heavier to carry around cos mirros are heavier than the equivalent lenses. But can be supported better in the frame.
Refractors, conversely, are more expensive but smaller, lighter. As they get larger even the professionals are using reflectors 'cos there's only so big you can make a lens without it collapsing under it's own weight, and easier to build with better light transmission (I think? IIRC) with mirrors. Easier to reflect all the light than filter none of it.
If it's only a small one (oo-er.. couldn't help it!), the weight difference won't be so big or so important. Make sure you rate them by amount of light they pick up (measured in some silly unit I can't remember like luminance or er...) not by how much they enlarge things if it's for stargazing, and the quality of the optics. It's no good having it 500x life-size if it's too faint to see through the eye-piece or you can't get it in focus. Stars should always be a point of light by the way if you look through it no matter what enlargement (oo-er again..), any stars that look bigger are the telescope's inaccuracy cos they're just tooooo far away (almost about to quote an early part of HHgttG there). Or they're not stars and much closer. I had a book with some good advice in it somewhere, think it's back my folk's house though.
Also - do you wear glasses? If so you might want to get a corrective dioptre eyepiece for it, if it gets a bit more serious.
Handy links? usually does me proud, and I came across with a quick search - go to the guide section for buyers.
ER... that's about all I can say I'm afraid. Hope you boldly go...

8 Aug 2005

Quote by breezer
Kinky Lizard,
Sorry to break the tradition in this thread but I'm going to try and help. I'm not an astronomer by any means but I do read some scientific mags very occasionally and did get quite interested in it at one point.
I seem to remember that reflectors are cheaper for the equivalent power but bigger and heavier to carry around cos mirros are heavier than the equivalent lenses. But can be supported better in the frame.
Refractors, conversely, are more expensive but smaller, lighter. As they get larger even the professionals are using reflectors 'cos there's only so big you can make a lens without it collapsing under it's own weight, and easier to build with better light transmission (I think? IIRC) with mirrors. Easier to reflect all the light than filter none of it.
If it's only a small one (oo-er.. couldn't help it!), the weight difference won't be so big or so important. Make sure you rate them by amount of light they pick up (measured in some silly unit I can't remember like luminance or er...) not by how much they enlarge things if it's for stargazing, and the quality of the optics. It's no good having it 500x life-size if it's too faint to see through the eye-piece or you can't get it in focus. Stars should always be a point of light by the way if you look through it no matter what enlargement (oo-er again..), any stars that look bigger are the telescope's inaccuracy cos they're just tooooo far away (almost about to quote an early part of HHgttG there). Or they're not stars and much closer. I had a book with some good advice in it somewhere, think it's back my folk's house though.
Also - do you wear glasses? If so you might want to get a corrective dioptre eyepiece for it, if it gets a bit more serious.
Handy links? Wikipedia usually does me proud, and I came across this one with a quick search - go to the guide section for buyers.
ER... that's about all I can say I'm afraid. Hope you boldly go...

thanks breezer (you really are patrick moore, right?)
thanks for the advice, i was almost about to go with WBB's idea and buy a large magnifying glass..... wink

I have found a 200mm (8") f/1000 Parabolic Newtonian Reflector for Â£375
sounds good! biggrin

specs are:
Magnifications (with eyepieces supplied): x40 & x100
Highest Practical Power (Potential): x400
Diameter of Primary Mirror: 200mm
Telescope Focal Length: 1000mm (f/5)
Eyepiece Supplied ( "): 10mm & 25mm
Dual-Fit "/2" Focuser
Parabolic Primary Mirror
Ultra-Thin Secondary Mirror Supports
9x50 Finderscope
Direct SLR Camera Connection
EQ5 Deluxe Heavy-Duty Equatorial Mount
Built-in Polar Alignment Scope Holder
1.5" Stainless Steel Pipe Tripod with Accessory Tray
77% more Light Gathering than 150mm
what do you think?
**** will that be ok for the neighbour too??? **** :wink:
K I N K Y L I Z A R D

9 Aug 2005

Quote by Kinky Lizard
Hi guys,
I'm buying a 200mm telescope (i could have said 8" but I know I wouldn't have had a serious reply!!)
anyhow, my question is.....which is the best to purchase: a reflector or a refractor????

Are you sure 200mm is going to be enough? The reason I ask is my longest lens for my camera is a 75-300mm (works out about 480mm as my sensor is not true 35mm) and even so thats not a huge zoom... the moon only fills about 1/16-32 of the frame (we dont have a full moon so I cant check)
If I remember correctly reflectors are generally better... the reason is the mirror does the work and the lenses in the "viewer" dont actually have to magnify as the mirrors do that... also the mirror surface being better than ground glass "magnification" and also being larger have a better light collecting ability... if you have any understanding of f-stops in a camera (something about quadroupling the light for each stop... I work on a guestimate then let the camera tell me if i'm wrong, lol) then its the same thing... from a lense POV if a refractor were f4 then a reflector would be f2 so would in effect let in more light and allow you to view darker objects... or thats what I can remember from about 25 years ago :-S
The problem is... you need to pay a lot for it to be worth paying for. Reflectors are for the same focal length (mm) physically bigger and heavier; I dont know about the price differences.
As I say... was years ago now... but I recall he who does sky at night saying something along thoes lines. You also need something very very very sturdy (weight helps, as does the tripod mount) as just breathing on the damn thing makes it shift where its looking, never mind when you put your eye to it... and reflectors have weight and suffer far less from wobble.
My lad got a cheap telescope (tipical science brand type, refractor) and its nigh on impossible to keep it steady enough to actually lock and then focus on any blody star... and the moon is hard enough and its big in relationship to the stars.
I did read an article by an amateure gazer who had a 1000mm lens with a camera mount and got some blody amazing shots of the moon... however he did pay a fair few grand for the set up not including the camera.
If you have newsgroup access you might want to post/read some of the astronomy groups or google which is best etc.

9 Aug 2005

Quote by Kinky Lizard
Diameter of Primary Mirror: 200mm
Telescope Focal Length: 1000mm (f/5)

DOH just read that... 1000mm is the focal length, 200 is the physical dimentions, f5 is the amount of light let in using the square root function of distance over light source (or somesuch)
I think this guy had the same, but with something like f2 hence the price hike. Camera lenses are the same... the better the f-number for a given lens lenght the more it costs (excluding bells and wistles like USM and stabalisation) as it means physically bigger glass reducing the light to the same focus plane of the film and the potential distortions and minor imperfections create worse problems.

9 Aug 2005

An 8 inch for Â£375 sounds vey good. and An 8 inch with stand will take up a considerable amount of room when erected, make sure its one you can de-construct quickly.
BTW all images in a Newtonian reflectors are reversed and upside down. So no good for terrestial work i.e the titties across the street....
I do astro photography work so have 2 computers controlling the scope, one for the long exposure camera and the other for tracking setup cost me a little over 3K and that is bo no means expensive in astro terms (the heavens are the limit so to speak)
The effective magnification is given by several factors light pollution and air-disturbance another is the focal diameter,
max. magnification = focal length of the primary mirror divided by the focal length of the eyepiece.
The best eyepiece (all rounder) to go for is a 26mm. gives a nice field of view. aswell as decent mag.
Beware of getting eyepieces. the image will be too dim and you will see very little.
stars will be just points as per normal, there will be no colours in gas clouds, you will not see galaxies and planets will be fuzzy dark blobs.
bigger eyepiece = more FOV = more light.

9 Aug 2005

Whassa matter - you lost the Planet Kinky then??
As you might guess Patrick Moore I'm not but I wouldn't mind getting in a conjunction with Venus and Mars :twisted: What? ...........Oh astronomy - I see!
Sorry , didn't think there was enough bollox so I thought I'd even it up a bit.

9 Aug 2005

Get a monacle :shock:
It's small, compact, light, and mobile ...... and might even impress the girls if you wear it with a cravat and a monogrammed shirt and speak in a silly upper class English accent whilst standing next to someone else's Roller.
What I really wanna know though is why is the Miss Universe contest ALWAYS won by women from the Planet Earth??

9 Aug 2005

Quote by Kinky Lizard
I'm buying a 200mm telescope (i could have said 8" but I know I wouldn't have had a serious reply!!)
anyhow, my question is.....which is the best to purchase: a reflector or a refractor????
I want it mainly to observe the planets, planetary nebulae, star clusters, galaxies etc.
So, I'm hoping that there are a few star gazers amongst you who can offer me some *serious* advice.....

I've got a Skywatcher Explorer 150, a 6" Newtonian Reflector which gives great views of the planets albeit smaller that you would like. You can just make out the stripes on Jupiter and definitely see the wonderful rings of Saturn... The moon is just fantastic...

Refracters tend to be smaller and consequently more portable but my understanding is that reflectors are better... The best advice I can give you is to join your local astronomy club and get their considered opinion and try out their scopes...
Don't buy on a whim with little knowledge... unless you have pots of money... ;-)
HTH
Wendy
xx