Telescopes

[Happy Camper]

Wow. That's an impressive and scary setup for someone that knows nothing about this. And I'm Mr tech. But those pictures are awesome.

 

[Frood]

Any super cheap thoughts?

Check OfferUp or Craigslist in the area you are traveling...

Then check to see if the scope you are looking at is worth looking at to begin with.

 

[Happy Camper]

You run the risk of it being so crappy it's useless... but 70mm refractors seem to hold down the generic and cheap category. Note it's $68 after applying discounts.

https://www.amazon.com/Gskyer-Telescope-AZ-Astronomical-Refracting/dp/B081RJ8DW1?th=1

All joking aside. I sold quite a few of those exact telescopes in the past. I used to sell pallets and would keep a pallet or two to sell product from here and there. Gotta love it. It's been a couple years, but I almost gave them away at the time lol.

Never knew if they were decent. And didn't have the time or inclination back then.

 

[tx2sturgis]

That telescope looks like it can double as an MRI machine!

 

[rruff]

Now my nephew in Palo Alto...........Retired early from IT.........shoots this from his backyard as a HOBBY

Wow... not even a very big scope... but I guess he is looking at more IR wavelengths where the 77k temperature will help a lot... and 9 hr exposure! Must be a really awesome precise tracking mechanism! Still... no worries about all the light pollution?

Any idea what that rig costs?

Last project I worked on before I became a vagabond was the main satellite for the Star Wars project. That cooled the detectors to about the same temperature using a passive radiator and liquid nitrogen heatpipes.

 

[abnorm]

^ He's not gonna tell his Uncle the truth on what he spends on his hobby !.........I expect that's north of $50k right there.........Plus he's got the Post-Production Computer editing...............

That image is just the thumbnail.......the original image is Huge..........and lots more images

He grew up seeing me in the Darkroom........I made a career out of dragging-the-shutter......."time-exposures"

He got bit BAD by the thrill of capturing Light

 

[Happy Camper]

Twice

Twice bitten. Good on you for letting him observe your work, and find a passion for it.

 

[rruff]

Was just touring what was sold on Amazon and came across this $180 telescope that would be a decent starter I think.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XSM4R7...ace-us-9208314214765891000-20&geniuslink=true

 

[Happy Camper]

That's a very nice one. I like some of the pictures taken with it in the reviews.

It is over double the cost of the cheap decent one. But at the moment it's just a thought. Although it might end up on the Christmas list.

 

[INTJohn]

If any of you astronomer wannabeez ever get to St George’s Island St Prk; Fla there’s a place reserved for you……..



You’ll need to be registered in the campground tho as otherwise you gotta leave the park by sunset.

intjonny lost in space

 

[jacqueg]

I am not real likely to ever get to Florida. But I love this idea, are you aware of any similar campgrounds in the west?

 

[rruff]

I am not real likely to ever get to Florida. But I love this idea, are you aware of any similar campgrounds in the west?

I don't think that's a campground, rather just a day parking spot... which is a little weird since you need to look at stars at night. You can supposedly get a pass that lets you stay after dark for star gazing. Yes, I looked it up.

In the west just look for a place far from civilization and light polluters. Best viewing will be clear dry nights in the mountains, I think.

 

[bullfrog !]

Just Goggle search “night sky programs national parks” you should get some results as many parks in remote locations limit lighting for star gazing and have ranger programs.

 

[user 22017]

Just Goggle search “night sky programs national parks” you should get some results as many parks in remote locations limit lighting for star gazing and have ranger programs.

State Parks, too. A quick search shows that Wisconsin, Tennessee and Texas have dark sky/night sky state parks. May as well check city parks, too, since cities are designated as night sky cities.

I typed "night sky state parks" in DuckDuckGo

 

[rruff]

Light pollution map: https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/...wYWNpdHkiOjYwLCJmZWF0dXJlc29wYWNpdHkiOjg1fQ==

 

[Frood]

I am not real likely to ever get to Florida. But I love this idea, are you aware of any similar campgrounds in the west?

Not campgrounds but events...

https://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/night-sky-festival.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/death-valley-dark-sky-festival.htmhttps://www.easternsierraobservatory.com/california-dark-sky-festival

Below popped up in google but haven't been to them...
https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/stargazing-dark-sky-rv-parks/
There are some really good dark-sky private camping groups if you get involved in any astronomy websites. The Built to Go podcast talked about one, and Phil Platt (Bad Astronomer) attendes one annually too I think. He also hosts a science camping weekend (or he used to) which seems really interesting.

 

[jacqueg]

Thanks for the info. I am looking for a campground that bans car headlights after dark! My van is not 4-wheel drive, so anyplace I can get to will be subject to headlights.

 

[rruff]

Just camp on BLM land some place where it's dark.

 

[bullfrog !]

Lol!!! I travel HWY 276 from Bullfrog Utah to HWY 95 to Hite Utah in the winter usually on a Sunday. One winter a bolder fell onto the pavement just as I was passing and knocked the tire off my front right wheel. The spare was inaccessible due to a malfunctioning rear door latch. This happened at 8 AM, at 4 PM I flagged down the first truck that came by. There are plenty of paved roads and isolated campsites close to paved roads that traffic won’t be a problem in the southeastern parts of Utah! The nearest grid electricity system is 66 miles away from Bullfrog so no problem with lights of any kind once you are a few miles out.

 

[INTJohn]

Not exactly telescopes but still space related:

I was planning on heading to Titusville area 2maro but since there’s a Kennedy Space Center rocket launch today at 4 and I can b there in lil over an hour think I’ll mosey thata way and take in the show.

https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches-and-events/events-calendar
https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/category/fl/jonny boi star trekkin