I want to get my Dad some kind of telescope tracker type thing that he can use with a digital camera (he has all manner of digital cameras). I can only seem to find expensive ones ($500 and up), but seeing as I don't really know what they're called I may be just searching for the wrong kind of thing. Anyone know anything about these? Is it possible to get one for closer to $300?
― ljubljana, Sunday, 9 November 2008 16:50 (fifteen years ago) link
"tracking mount"
http://photos.bahneman.com/tricks/article.php/2006092712472663
― StanM, Sunday, 9 November 2008 17:41 (fifteen years ago) link
Thanks StanM! The review of this one was very helpful. I'll follow some of the links to get some comparisons with other products... Anyone got first-hand recommendations? Caek?
― ljubljana, Sunday, 9 November 2008 17:55 (fifteen years ago) link
I don't have/use one - as with most photographic accessories, I'd guess more expensive = better, but also: well known brand = too expensive...
― StanM, Sunday, 9 November 2008 18:16 (fifteen years ago) link
apparently obama is just givin out $3m astronomy bullshit u could ask him
― Uncle Shavedlongcock (max), Sunday, 9 November 2008 18:17 (fifteen years ago) link
Hey ljubljana - you aren't in Washington yet - what's wrong with pounds, shillings and pence?
― fat penne (Ned Trifle II), Sunday, 9 November 2008 18:22 (fifteen years ago) link
Ned, for some reason the US prices seem cheaper than the same stuff in the UK, so it's just optimism...xpost...
― ljubljana, Sunday, 9 November 2008 19:39 (fifteen years ago) link
Uncle, I will be doing that professionally in Washington :-) (kind of - coming over to build relationships between UK and US research funders - including astronomy bullshit)
― ljubljana, Sunday, 9 November 2008 19:40 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.woolgarstoys.co.uk/385-019_night_sky_stickers.gif
― Sugar hiccup, Makes a pig soar and swoon (Pillbox), Sunday, 9 November 2008 19:45 (fifteen years ago) link
Maybe you'd better move to Hollywood if you want to see the stars up close :-)
― StanM, Sunday, 9 November 2008 19:49 (fifteen years ago) link
Moon In My Room
― ljubljana, Sunday, 9 November 2008 20:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Er, that could be misinterpreted, but luckily I believe not even Ned has pictures of my own actual room for photoshopping purposes
― ljubljana, Sunday, 9 November 2008 20:24 (fifteen years ago) link
http://cinemonkey.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/the_who_keith_moon.jpg
― snoball, Sunday, 9 November 2008 20:32 (fifteen years ago) link
In this day and age, surely I should be able to buy a telescope which plugs into a USB port, so I can see its output on my monitor instead of peering through a little eyehole? Surely it should be giving me images at about 8MP? And surely I should be able to just type in "SATURN" and (because the telescope has GPS and an internal clock and a built in compass and eveything) it should just be able to point at and focus on saturn for me? Surely I should be able to buy something that does all this for about £450?
― JimD, Saturday, 1 August 2009 08:21 (fourteen years ago) link
I agree!
― StanM, Saturday, 1 August 2009 08:28 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/201689287/Sky_watcher_Telescope.html
― Great Scott! It's Molecular Man. (Ste), Saturday, 1 August 2009 09:29 (fourteen years ago) link
okay, not cheap. but the they're out there.
http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/astronomical_telescopes/sky-watcher/sysncan_az_go-to_computerised_telescopes
― Great Scott! It's Molecular Man. (Ste), Saturday, 1 August 2009 09:34 (fourteen years ago) link
Ooh, ok, I'm excited.
― JimD, Saturday, 1 August 2009 17:42 (fourteen years ago) link
I never really pay attention to this stuff, but Jupiter and Venus were so bright in the sky tonight, Mars too. Could see a couple of the moons orbiting Jupiter with just my birding binoculars, nice to be able to show my kids ~the wonders of the solar system~. Cue fruit orbiting the fruit bowl on the kitchen table trying to explain it all to them.
― Feebs K-Tel (NickB), Wednesday, 14 March 2012 21:46 (twelve years ago) link
Also that star chart app on my iPad, so worth it.
― Feebs K-Tel (NickB), Wednesday, 14 March 2012 21:47 (twelve years ago) link
Jupiter and Venus were just nuts tonight! And so close to each other.
― Michael Jones, Wednesday, 14 March 2012 23:24 (twelve years ago) link
you should be able to see mercury a little bit after sundown if you can see that close to the horizon too. it'll be in the path between jupiter/venus and where the sun went down. and saturn comes up later in the evening down below mars!
― wmlynch, Wednesday, 14 March 2012 23:41 (twelve years ago) link
http://media.skyandtelescope.com/images/WebVic12_Mar12ev.jpg
― wmlynch, Wednesday, 14 March 2012 23:42 (twelve years ago) link
Yah Jupiter and Venus were last night closest to the earth since some long time, and if you're into astrology apparently it also forms something called a "Grand Trine" with Pluto, which is v auspicious so Ive read. All happened on my b'day too, which felt confidence-boosting!
I really noticd that venus/jupiter lineup the last 2 nights though, really amazing!
― Medical Dance Crab With Lesson (Trayce), Thursday, 15 March 2012 02:19 (twelve years ago) link
Happy birthday!
― StanM, Thursday, 15 March 2012 07:59 (twelve years ago) link