Was this a good purchase?

[Backglass]

Glad to see you are taking an interest in the Sciences Jay.

You should get a Microscope next.

As for the telescope...do you have to take a table with you everywhere you go?

[kagetora]

I just bought this:



at telescopes.com/Orion for around $250. Anyone know anything about telescopes that can tell me if it was a good purchase? (I'll have 30 days to return it)

Going off the pic alone, I'm pretty sure that

A) It's a powerful telescope (looks similar to ones that people use to photograph Nebulas)
and
B) It looks heavy, so better find a good spot to put it.

[Neoteny]

Glad to see you are taking an interest in the Sciences Jay.

You should get a Microscope next.

As for the telescope...do you have to take a table with you everywhere you go?

Everyone should have a microscope.

[tzor]

Perhaps he meant to say telescope.com --- (no ''s'' )

I do believe you're right. That's what happens when you get your s's in a url.

Here are the "features" I found for the device. Looks good for a simple easy to use scope

StarBlast 6 Astro Telescope

• Fun, user-friendly telescope design lets new astronomers navigate the night sky with ease.
• Big 150mm (5.9") parabolic mirror optics reveal the planets and deep-sky objects in rich detail.
• Compact and highly portable; weighs only 23.5 lbs. and has built-in carrying handles in the base.
• Sturdy swivel base comes pre-assembled in the box.
• Includes 25mm and 10mm Sirius Plossl eyepieces, EZ Finder II aiming device, and eyepiece rack.

We've done our popular StarBlast 4.5 Astro Telescope one better. The Orion-designed StarBlast 6 Astro Telescope takes the same compact, wide-field, user-friendly concept and expands on it, literally. The StarBlast 6 boasts fully 73% more light-gathering area than its smaller counterpart, which means you will see fainter objects and tons more detail. Yet the scope is still highly portable, weighing only 23.5 lbs., and comes with the base fully assembled in the box!

The StarBlast 6's 150mm (5.9") f/5.0 parabolic mirror provides ample aperture to reveal the planets and deep-sky gems in wonderful detail. The wide field of view makes finding and tracking objects easier than with longer focal-length telescopes, which makes this a superb beginner's instrument — for adults or kids. It also would make a terrific "grab-and-go" second telescope for more experienced stargazers.

Teflon bearings and adjustable altitude tension on the base ensure smooth maneuvering of the StarBlast 6. You just sight through the EZ Finder II aiming device to locate the object you want to view, then grip the navigation knob on the tube to point it. Pop the 25mm (30x) or 10mm (75x) Sirius Plossl eyepiece into the 1.25" rack-and-pinion focuser and you're good to go. Keep the other eyepiece(s) at the ready in the convenient three-hole eyepiece rack. Two handle cutouts in the base allow easy lifting and transporting of the telescope. Set it on the ground or even on a small table or the hood of your car, then enjoy the view!

The StarBlast 6 isn't just a masterfully engineered, uncomplicated, and affordable telescope for all ages. It's also a blast! One-year limited warranty.

So based on the specs it looks like the perfect scope for a beginner. (Note an interesing irony, sometimes a small scope is better than a big scope. The reason is that small mirrors can be better polished than larger ones. I was at my college reunion and we had two telescopes, one was a large one that was in the observatory and the other was a smaller portable one they moved to the roof. The smaller one was actually more detailed because its mirror was exceptional. The larger one, being bigger, could show fainter objects more brightly. (Of course the larger one had automatic tracking attached to a computer, and the smaller one required constant readjustments.)

[Juan_Bottom]

piece of crap. My dad bought me one of these:



It's got a USB connection and everything. It's awesome.

[The Weird One]

The telescope man, the telescope!

But, still, is the girl included?

[Deadpool809]

Good beginner scope for sure - not sure I'd spend $250 on it though. Probably want to upgrade the eyepieces - they most likely have the smaller lenses - which are fine for casual observing I suppose.

Hate the tabletop stand though. Who wants to lug a table outside?

Truthfully, browsing that site, I saw a few other telescopes that were cheaper that I would tend towards. But again, it depends on how, when, and where you plan to use it.

[tzor]

Hate the tabletop stand though. Who wants to lug a table outside?

According to the promo literature, you can also use the hood of your car.

[Deadpool809]

Hate the tabletop stand though. Who wants to lug a table outside?

According to the promo literature, you can also use the hood of your car.

Oh yeah, that is WAY better

[tzor]

Oh yeah, that is WAY better

Obviously not when the car is moving.

But seriously, for the type of scope, all you need is a flat surface. You are going to have to adjust the scope every so often for rotation anyway. You have to manually sight your target to begin with. More than likely if you want to get good sky you are going to have to drive away from your residence to a nice farm field.

[Backglass]

But seriously, for the type of scope, all you need is a flat surface.

But how is Jay going to actually USE the Telescope if it's balanced on his head?

<BADDA BOOM!>

Thank You! GOOD NIGHT!

[Neoteny]

But seriously, for the type of scope, all you need is a flat surface.

But how is Jay going to actually USE the Telescope if it's balanced on his head?

<BADDA BOOM!>

Thank You! GOOD NIGHT!

Nah, the whole world should work well enough.

[Juan_Bottom]

More than likely if you want to get good sky you are going to have to drive away from your residence to a nice farm field.

Must suck to live in the city sometimes.

[InkL0sed]

More than likely if you want to get good sky you are going to have to drive away from your residence to a nice farm field.

Must suck to live in the city sometimes.

Yes -- especially one with a few blocks that look like day in the blackest night...

[Juan_Bottom]

More than likely if you want to get good sky you are going to have to drive away from your residence to a nice farm field.

Must suck to live in the city sometimes.

Yes -- especially one with a few blocks that look like day in the blackest night...

I cannot imagine growing up without stars everywhere..... Can you see the moon?

[InkL0sed]

More than likely if you want to get good sky you are going to have to drive away from your residence to a nice farm field.

Must suck to live in the city sometimes.

Yes -- especially one with a few blocks that look like day in the blackest night...

I cannot imagine growing up without stars everywhere..... Can you see the moon?

Yeah, you can even see the moon in the day. I don't think it's possible to blot out the moon via light pollution...

[tzor]

Must suck to live in the city sometimes.

It sucks to live in the North East. I'm about 60 miles from the city, perhaps 5 miles from the nearest vineyard and the light polution here is horrid. You can barely make out the belt of Orion. (My astrphysics minor project was to map infrared protostars in one of the clusters on Orion's belt.) Fortunately, there are a number of projects to eliminate light polution in the various towns in my area so in a decade or so I might see real progress.

[Juan_Bottom]

Must suck to live in the city sometimes.

It sucks to live in the North East. I'm about 60 miles from the city, perhaps 5 miles from the nearest vineyard and the light polution here is horrid. You can barely make out the belt of Orion. (My astrphysics minor project was to map infrared protostars in one of the clusters on Orion's belt.) Fortunately, there are a number of projects to eliminate light polution in the various towns in my area so in a decade or so I might see real progress.

Geez people. Light Polution??? I get upset when people throw their McDonalds bag on the side of the road. I get upset when my distant neighbor burns tires. I get upset when my other neighbors dogs wont shut up. But I do appreciate my home now. I'd sooner put up with those things than be that cut off from nature. These things make me feel better, you know? How can you live without starlight? Wow-e

[Ditocoaf]

Must suck to live in the city sometimes.

It sucks to live in the North East. I'm about 60 miles from the city, perhaps 5 miles from the nearest vineyard and the light polution here is horrid. You can barely make out the belt of Orion. (My astrphysics minor project was to map infrared protostars in one of the clusters on Orion's belt.) Fortunately, there are a number of projects to eliminate light polution in the various towns in my area so in a decade or so I might see real progress.

Geez people. Light Polution??? I get upset when people throw their McDonalds bag on the side of the road. I get upset when my distant neighbor burns tires. I get upset when my other neighbors dogs wont shut up. But I do appreciate my home now. I'd sooner put up with those things than be that cut off from nature. These things make me feel better, you know? How can you live without starlight? Wow-e

Heh. Most people don't even realize it, but if you even live in a really small town, you're experiencing some minor light pollution. If you ever go out in the middle of nowhere (like I was backpacking in the Olympic National Park this week), tens of miles from the nearest town, you'll look up and notice that there are many more stars than you can usually see. Even then, you can't see as much of the night sky as you could, 300 years ago...

[Juan_Bottom]

but if you even live in a really small town, you're experiencing some minor light pollution.

None here!!!!

you can't see as much of the night sky as you could, 300 years ago...

[Backglass]

but if you even live in a really small town, you're experiencing some minor light pollution.

None here!!!!

you can't see as much of the night sky as you could, 300 years ago...

I have only had a true black night experience twice in my life. The first time I was living in Charleston, SC back in the 80's when Hurricane Hugo came through. All power was knocked out for hundreds of miles and hurricanes "wash" the atmosphere of dust, etc. The first night sky after the storm passed was breathtaking. You could easily see the incredible complexity of the milky way with the naked eye.

The best was the NE blackout of 2003...when they had that whole "cascade failure" of the grid.

During the Blackout




Normal. Juan I am guessing you live in one of the dark areas.

[Juan_Bottom]

Great pics!!!!

I live in Northern Illinois...About 10 minutes from Wisconsin, and 20 from Iowa.... The biggest town from here is Freeport, IL with 30,000 people...about 40 minutes away....Galena, IA has about 15,000 people and they are the same distance...

Sure seems much darker than your picture....

[tzor]

If you look at the map it's easy to spot New York City. Next to New York City is a bright almost horizontal line, that's Long Island and it's bright all the way to the end. Now check out Florida and go all the way to the little curve at the end. That's the Florida Keys and the end is Key West, a little city in the middle of nowhere and a massively bright spot of light.

Ironically there seem to be some dark spots north of New York City. RPI has an obvervatory at the campus and the night sky was not the best, but better than on Long Island. Unfortunately it was cloudy during the reunion, but we could still see the major bodies of interest.

[jay_a2j]

But seriously, for the type of scope, all you need is a flat surface.

But how is Jay going to actually USE the Telescope if it's balanced on his head?

And ruin my perfectly good tinfoil hat?!




Does Canada have electricity?




I can see stars where I live, right in my backyard. My sister (lives about 4 to 5 miles from me) has an awesome view of the night sky! And if her garage lights are off and you are outside, you can barely see your hand in front of your face, its so dark. There are no streetlights around and it is extremely dark. I'd probably want to set it up in her yard. No major cities within about a 50 mile radius.

[Ditocoaf]

Yeah, northern canada is pretty much uninhabited compared to the south... but the country border is somewhere in the middle of those lights.

So, as you can see, the entire continent is like one giant lightbulb... which is why even if you're miles from a "big" city, you're still not going to see as much of the sky as you could hundreds of years ago. Light pollution exists, and it's universal.