holsdad

Any of you peeps already down under own a telescope and take advantage of the lower light pollution which is readily available?

I.

parkhigh

Hello
Funnily enough just a few nights ago rich and i were talking about stargazing and was wondering whether we would see the same things as here? he said no and i have no idea?
Can you tell me as you sound knowledgeable on the topic and it would resolve an argument.
thanks
irene

holsdad

You can see some of the same stuff, but on the whole the night sky in Aus is very different to the UK - nicer I think as there is more to see with the naked eye. With the aid of a star map it is quite easy to show the differencies, have a look for one on google or the local library and you'll see what I mean.

Cheers,
Ian.

parkhigh

Thanks Ian I will do that and shall enjoy the stars with the children.
Irene

waustralish

This is something that we have talked about since we have been here.

In the shops there are so many different types of telescopes to choose from.

could you or anybody be able to recommend a tidy one to buy as we would love to start looking at the stars as they are so much clearer to see.

holsdad

The most sensible approach would be to talk with a specialist dealer, either a proper shop or online. They will talk you through the different types available and help you find the best model to suit your needs and budget - as like you say say, there are just so many to choose from! Going to bed now, but some time over the weekend I'll try and post some links to useful dealer sites which explain some of the stuff.

I.

scutterUK

No yet but it's on my todo list. i wouldn't mind a go when i get somewhere to put one... and a back yard to view from... or a car to carry one... not very high on the list at the moment though.

Wol

Try astronomyonline (I think). There is a shop in Brookvale, just north of Manly, with quite a large selection of telescopes, refractors, cats, dobsonians etc. Also a lot of accessories such as "Goto" computers, sunfilters, eyepieces, books etc - and the owner is very willing to talk and give advice. He is also giving discussion forums starting next month I believe.

I think choosing a telescope is one purchase that requires expert advice - you can spend a lot of money on something which won't do what you think it should. We've all got too used to Hubble snaps!

Tass

Telescope shipped out and still onboard ship .We are awaiting delivery .(hopefully this week.)
Tass.

ProofReader

Here's a few relevant links for you:

Sydney Observatory
Skywatch
Astronomical Society of South Australia
Aboriginal Astronomy
Sky Maps (note: this link has no 'www' in it.)
Bintel Night Sky newsletter - loads of extra links at the bottom of the page.
Australian Geographic - telescopes, etc.

JayDeee

We gained one with the business, it has been parked up at the rear balcony so pople coulod see the sea lions on the rocks out the back clearly, it wasn't untill last week that I thought might as well try and see the moon or something, It was bloody amazing, All the craters could be seen really clearly, haven't tried to look at the stars yet and I dont think it is the best telescope in the world but it completely amazed me.

back to the stars down here, They are so much clearer than in the UK, One of the 1st things my hubby did when he 1st broughts me to Australia was take me to a really remote spot on the Grenough flats (if anyone knows it) it was after dark, he pulled over and we got out of the car, The stars were amazing and I had never felt so iscolated, literally not a manufactured light or a sound anywhere. I dont know a lot about stars but can you actually see the milky way from Europe? I had never seen it until I got down here.

Kala

kirsty&al

As someone else said, you can see a lot of the same stuff. At the moment Orion is clearly visible (although he is upside down), you can even see his sword.

Here's a good site I found. You can get northern and southern maps.
http://www.skymaps.com/

If you are near a large city there is still a lot of light pollution but not quite as bad as London (although that was improving about the time I left as the councils were installing down lighters on the street lamps).

Last year we took a trip to Mallacoota on the Vic/NSW border. The night sky was spectacular. The Milky Way was truly milky. It took me a couple of seconds to realise that it was not a cloud.

Cheers
Alistair

holsdad

We did the same thing whilst visiting Aus. Driving in the ass-end-of-nowhere in Vic we had plenty of opportunity to gaze upwards and it is just amazing. The only Milky Way you get to see in Europe comes in a blue wrapper!!

Quinkana

Nothing as good as a pair of military binoculars mounted on a tripod for many purposes. The steadiness improves clarity dramatically. You do not need large appartures to see lots of interesting stuff - such as the shifting moons of Jupiter. Try binding your existing binoculars to a tripod first.

As an example (these are very expensive and an overkill):



Oberwerk 45° 25x100mm Astronomy Binoculars, Tripod, Case with FREE UPS

For interesting detailed images, the internet is best:

TheCrone

[QUOTE=Quinkana]
For interesting detailed images, the internet is best

Agreed! And the best site I've found is www.davidmalin.com
The images captured in David Miller's photgraphs are particularly stunning.