That's only the 8" version

With the price of the scope, plus extra lenses, gadgets etc that I've bought for it, I've probably spent around 4-5k so far.

Now eyeing up a astro ccd camera (which will guide the telescope whilst taking the long exposure images), but that bit of kit is likely to cost getting on for 3k

It can be a cheap hobby if you just want to view the moon and bright planets, and aren't worried about stuff like having computerised scopes and gps control, but once you start getting serious, the prices can be astronomical.... (forgive the bad pun)

 

Best I can do is below:

Handheld Canon 10D + Canon 100-400 L IS + Canon 2 x convertor. Image is a 50% crop of original.

Cheers

Ian

 

That would be cool

Unfortunately, I think Hubble is probably not going to be around much longer (looks NASA have just cancelled the final servicing mission because the US government wouldn't give them the money)...

 

Looks great Ian. Still trying to persuade myself to buy that 100-400IS lense. Got as far as adding it to my shopping basket this morning before I chickened out....

Can only be a matter of time

 

Yeah but it looks a little bit like it eh? God, I'm rubbish

I've got a Celestron 4.5" Newtonian Reflector and yes it's all tospy turvey. I really want one of these:

 

cool pics

 

I thought about getting the Meade, but the Celestron was a lot cheaper (when I bought it a couple or so years ago), and had roughly the same features, (they're roughly about the same price now).

Go on, get one. You know you want to

 

Iain, just get the 100-400L IS and be done with it. Everyone needs a long lens and the 100-400L will last you forever. Why keep taking fuzzy pictures?

 

i managed to zoom in even further.....



http://www.displayit-info.com/food/i...heese/4592.JPG

p.s- great pics

 

scoobychick wrote..

 

Iain, my mum phoned me a while ago and asked if I'd seen the fantastic pictures of the moon on Scoobynet

 

Fame at last

Glad she enjoyed them

 

Check this baby out!!

http://www.meade.com/catalog/lx/16_lx200gps.html

 

Yep, that's a good scope, but it's also £17,000 and probably weighs about a ton, so I think I'll stick with the one I've got

 

Do you think they could have got a geekier looking chap so stand beside it ??

 

Well i cope ok with it!

 

Possibly...

http://www.telescopehouse.co.uk/page...tC1&action=lnk

 

?????

You've got one?

 

Thought that would get you in a lather no only messing mate
i have to make do with a 120mm refractor and thats a pain in the **** to carry around and with all the light pollution in Oldham sometimes its unbearable.

 

Lol

The light pollution round here isn't any better. And the house behind has just fitted (what looks like) a 3 million watt security light so the chances of seeing any deep sky stuff from home are pretty much nil at the moment.

Bought a portable battery unit now (car jump start battery with ciggy socket in the side), so I can drive out into the countryside and still use the scope...

 

@scoobychick

I have a meade lxd 55 8" schmit cass for sale, inc the a load of meade super plossl eyepieces. i also have a 10" dobsonian for sale. if you are interested PM me.

cheers

big sinky

 

@ Ian

light pollution is the same in belfast. i am not using my scope as i should. i bought a BCF battery pack with the 12v sockets so i can get away to some dark sites in the country. fookin cold though.

 

F**king tell me about it there are some old folks flats at he back which overlook my house and i swear their security light is constantly on, its a pain.
One of these days i'm going to get a air rifle and shoot the bloody things through.

Inconsiderate towards us astronomers i say!!

 

I took mine out a few weeks ago, and decided I'd had enough after a couple of hours or so. There was actually a reasonable coating of ice forming on the tube of the scope

 

I think I'll join you

 

Just amazing, best piccies I've ever seen, a big thanks for sharing them with us ..........

 

Very nice pics.... one of these days I'll attach a camera to my 6 inch Newtonian and try taking some. Bit mifffed at the moment as the only clear skies seem to be occurring when I'm not free I'm also trying to persuade the neighbour that his 'security' lights are a complete waste of time - four of them (two at his front door, and two at his rear door) which drown my previously dark garden with light.

 

My new garden is surrounded by no less than 3 sodium street lights. Major PITA.

 

Thanks for the kind comments folks. If I get another lear night and manage to take some more, I'll post them up

Same here

Grrrrr . Some people have no consideration for others do they...

I'm thinking of buying a portable 240v generator (the sort you can buy in caravan / boat shops), so I can take the scope, laptop, camera etc all out into the countryside, so I can actually see something. Look into the sky from my house on a clear night any you can only see about a dozen stars in total because of the light pollution....

 

You should all move to North Yorks, we have some great skies here

How about a scoobynet group trip to here? http://www.coaa.co.uk/index.html