Space Science and Astronomy thread



Been thinking of getting a telescope for years. Don’t want to spend loads and not use it and would like something portable to take away on hols. Is there anything worth buying around a hundred quid?
 
Scorer said:
Been thinking of getting a telescope for years. Don’t want to spend loads and not use it and would like something portable to take away on hols. Is there anything worth buying around a hundred quid?
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Look for a second hand Skywatcher 130p Heritage. I paid £139 for mine but seem to have gone up in price lately.
Decent aperture, dobsonian mount, and very portable.
Snaggletooth said:
Look for a second hand Skywatcher 130p Heritage. I paid £139 for mine but seem to have gone up in price lately.
Decent aperture, dobsonian mount, and very portable.
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You can get the 76mm version for around £50.
 
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Snaggletooth said:
Look for a second hand Skywatcher 130p Heritage. I paid £139 for mine but seem to have gone up in price lately.
Decent aperture, dobsonian mount, and very portable.

You can get the 76mm version for around £50.
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Thanks, saw a skywatcher sky hawk 114 for 125 new. Any good? What about celestron power seeker 21049?
 
If you can get something with a motorised computerised mount, otherwise unless you really are interested in it you will find it frustrating as fuck finding things in the beginning. Just remember looking through the scope you are going to see hundreds/thousands more little points of light than you can with the naked eye.
 
Scorer said:
Thanks, saw a skywatcher sky hawk 114 for 125 new. Any good? What about celestron power seeker 21049?
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The celestron is motorised, but all that means is that it will track what you are viewing, so as to counteract the movement of the earth i.e. keep it in the viewfinder. It would need polar alignment to work properly, but any equatorial mount should be polar aligned before each use anyway.
Tbh, I would go for a dobsonian mount....much easier to use, especially for a beginner.
The other option, is what @spitfire says and look at a "go-to" type scope, though the cost would go up.
I have a Skywatcher Explorer 130pm, which I leave at the caravan in Scotland, and the Skywatcher 130p Heritage, which I use at home and put and about.
They are essentially the same scope, same mirror. The Heritage is a flex tube design on a small dob mount, the explorer is on an eq mount. I would take the Heritage every time over the explorer. I can literally be viewing in two minutes.
 
Neb_Safc said:
SN8 test flight shortly, live on space x channel or EE, currently watching nasaspaceflight coverage atm.
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me to, well it's on in a small window in the corner of my laptop until I see some venting then I'll make it bigger. Still looks to be a few hours away. Fully expecting this one to go RUD, but SN9 is pretty much ready to replace it on the stand.
Expecting a 10.30 attempt

 
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hairynaker said:
Was that tonight's that exploded/crashed on landing?
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Yes about 20mins ago.

It went up with 3 engines. Lost one mid flight but kept going. Reached the height, cut engines, flipped onto its belly to glide back down, flipped and fired the 2 remaining engines to slow it down to land. It looked like it lost a second engine about 300m from landing, green flame was the chemical used to light the engines so it was probably trying to relight. The single engine slowed it down to nearly zero but a touch too fast so the rapid unscheduled disassembly (RUD).

Elon Musk has tweeted that they think the engine out was to do with tank fuel pressure. They will haven’t learnt a lot and have SN9 ready to go out to the pad in the next week or so for another attempt.

For a very early prototype this was a massive success.
 
was fantastic, watched it live. Silver rocket with sun glinting off it.

all 3 raptors fired, stayed stable, did the belly flop and lined up perfect, it was a header tank pressure issue that caused the heavy landing, which looked stunning, green flame out just before touch down and boom


Really enjoyed it.
 
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That should have been HAVE learnt a lot from that, don’t know why autocorrect changed it.

I’ve since read the engine cut off on the way ho was planned, it was so it didn’t build up so much speed that it flew past the target height. It also doesn’t use ttip like the falcon9 does to relight, so the green was more likely incomplete burn due to the tank pressure issue mixed with the raptor engine eating itself.

I still can’t get over how well that went.
 
anth said:
That should have been HAVE learnt a lot from that, don’t know why autocorrect changed it.

I’ve since read the engine cut off on the way ho was planned, it was so it didn’t build up so much speed that it flew past the target height. It also doesn’t use ttip like the falcon9 does to relight, so the green was more likely incomplete burn due to the tank pressure issue mixed with the raptor engine eating itself.

I still can’t get over how well that went.
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I know right, stunned at the video and stills from it, SN9 is ready to go and talking about static burns next week since the pad isn't that damaged ( just saying that and now the tent is on fire hehe )

Guys on my video feed saying could be another test flight within a month!
 
anth said:
Yes about 20mins ago.

It went up with 3 engines. Lost one mid flight but kept going. Reached the height, cut engines, flipped onto its belly to glide back down, flipped and fired the 2 remaining engines to slow it down to land. It looked like it lost a second engine about 300m from landing, green flame was the chemical used to light the engines so it was probably trying to relight. The single engine slowed it down to nearly zero but a touch too fast so the rapid unscheduled disassembly (RUD).

Elon Musk has tweeted that they think the engine out was to do with tank fuel pressure. They will haven’t learnt a lot and have SN9 ready to go out to the pad in the next week or so for another attempt.

For a very early prototype this was a massive success.
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im almost certain they shut down on purpose, to see how they would perform with 2, then 1.

if you watch, sn42 doesn’t relight but the first two do.

was class anyways.. sn9 come on down.
 
anth said:
This year should have 2 commercial suppliers take people upto the ISS from USA soil for the first time since the shuttle was retired.

We should also see some rapid unscheduled disassembly of the test starships.
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Just happened with space x SN8 was amazing
 
skullmeister said:
Hi mate, i've been reading advice and just wanted to also jump in if that's ok. I currently use binoculars which I have a stand for, these are Helios Fieldmaster 10 x 50 to be honest I haven't used them too much and when I look at the planets I can see the moons but now want to see more detail.

I would like to have decent views of Andromeda as I think my 5 year old would be amazed at seeing things like this. My budget would be up to £200 but I can see me getting into this in a bigger way and would push the boat out and spend more, maybe up to £300-£400 if that makes a big difference in terms of what I will be able to see.

Any advice would be well appreciated mate.
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Tagging @Shusssh too. Sorry for being a long time in answering.

This months Sky At Night magazine reviewed two which are a reasonable starter scope.
Sky-Watcher StarQuest 130P Newtonian reflector review at £199.
It looks like as you progress you can upgrade this to a motorised mount

Another option for just over £100 is the National Geographic 114/500 Compact Telescope. If you literally want to nip out and have a look at the moon, planets and a few star clusters then these look quick and easy to set up, just plonk them on a sturdy table top. If you have kids you want to get interested or go on holidays to dark country cottages or campsites then look ideal for 20 minutes of star gazing. The downside is no motorisation, no auto-guide 'show me cool stuff' functions. If you want to then move into anything more advanced it is a case of starting again. The moon should look good through it though:
www.telescopehouse.com

Telescope House - Telescope Specialist since 1785 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 114/500 Compact Telescope | Call 01342 837 098 for Sales and Advice

Shop NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 114/500 Compact Telescope online from your expert for ✓telescopes! Brand: National Geographic ★Price: 162.99€ Category: Telescopes►Beginners
www.telescopehouse.com www.telescopehouse.com

I've only ever talked to Rother Valley by mail, but they seem good, quick to respond and very helpful. They have a range of beginner stuff at:

Beginners Telescopes - Rother Valley Optics Ltd

The best place for a wide range of Astronomical Telescopes, Binoculars, Spotting Scopes & Accessories all at internet prices. Celestron, Skywatcher, Baader
www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk
I'd have a browse through and give them a ring.

Another option is to find a local astronomy club (you might have to wait until after covid). Tell them you are new and interested and does anyone have any low price scopes they could have a look through to get an idea. You can get mixed feelings. Seeing Saturn and Jupiter through a small scope has a 'wow' sense of feeling. On Jupiter you can just make out the bands, but can clearly see the 4 brightest moons. On Saturn you can see the rings, but size wise both appear a bit smaller than the bit punched out by a hole punch. Some people expect Hubble images. The moon is always good through a small scope and in some ways can be better as you can fit more of it into view.
 

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