HELP MUCH APPRECIATED FOR NEWBIE!!

[lalana]

Hello everybody,
I've been checking out this website for a couple of months now and thought it about time I joined!!

I'm a newbie to astronomy ,so apologise in advance for any naive questions I might ask!!!!

I'm an expat,living in Jomtien,Thailand, and am wondering Planispheres?? All I seem to be able to find are those
20-30N degrees,but with you guys at such low latitude and me at 12.5N how does it work.Someone told me
that the 20-30N would be O.K. as the parameters/accuracy extend 10 degrees downwards!!! I wouldn't have a clue??


As a newbie I'm going to ease into it with some binoculars before taking the "telescopic"leap!!!
I am prepared to spend in the $200-400 U.S. price range for good quality 15*70mm bino's ---something like

Orion Resolux
Oberwerk Ultras
Garret Opticals
Any thoughts?? I do also intend to buy the Orion Paragon-P mount/tripod.

By the way guys,I intend to take the bino's through as "hand-luggage" and mount/tripod in "suitcase".Has anyone
ever done this or have any views on my actions

Some of the prices here in Thailand are so high , but I have to go to Singapore in the next 6-8 weeks anyway,so may as
well get the cheaper stuff there!!!!

By the way,I am in love with the w.o.110E.D. refractor(P.k III) at about $1500 U.S. but I'm new to all this and will do a couple
months of binocular viewing/learning before going down that much more expensive route

I have been in contact with "Grand Eye Scientific Company" in Hong Kong and they're doing the 110E.D. P.k.III for
about $1600 U.S. now ,so I hope they still have it in a few months It's the same worry I have though of the customs/hand-luggage
at Bangkok!!I would greatly appreciate it,if anyone has any feedback on this??

Anyway,I'm rambling on now!!! Love this website,and am looking forward in the near future to
maybe going over to Singapore to one of your Starparty event,

THANKS A LOT,

DAVID........................

[Sam Lee]

Hello everybody,
I've been checking out this website for a couple of months
now and thought it about time I joined!!

I'm a newbie to astronomy ,so apologise in advance for
any naive questions I might ask!!!!

I'm an expat,living in Jomtien,Thailand, and am wondering
Planispheres?? All I seem to be able to find are those
20-30N degrees,but with you guys at such low latitude
and me at 12.5N how does it work.Someone told me
that the 20-30N would be O.K. as the parameters/accuracy
extend 10 degrees downwards!!! I wouldn't have a clue??

Hi, as far as i can remember, Planispheres are more of a hindrance than good even when they are designed for use in your location. If you are a newbie to this field, i suggest you give a try to a free software called Stellarium (www.stellarium.org). It will show you the current skies with reference to a predefined location at a certain time. Have a try at it !

Anyway,I'm rambling on now!!!
Love this website,and am looking forward in the near future to
maybe going over to Singapore to one of your Starparty event,

THANKS A LOT,

DAVID........................

Welcome to SingAstro !

[lalana]

Hey Sam,
thanks a lot for your reply.Actually,a few days ago I downloaded
Stellarium, also along with "T.U.B.A."
(Touring the Universe Through Binoculars Atlas")

I agree, the Stellarium is a very nice and free piece of
software.However it does mean me having to bring and keep
my laptop powered for a viewing session.

It would be nice to have the Planisphere option.
I'm just wondering what you guys do??.Also,sorry for my
silly question,but in what way would it be a hinderance.
As you can see I've got a lot to learn here!!!

THANKS FOR THE HELP,

DAVID..................

[Sam Lee]

Normally before i go down for observation, i would try to synchronise myself with the sky using the Stellarium software first. Try to remember the rough location of major constellations so that i dont need to waste time doing it in the dark.

I have a cambridge star atlas which i will bring outfield for navigation purposes. The star atlas will have north/south hemisphere star chart which shows all the constellation in the sky. I will first identify a major constellation first (example Orion) and then start moving to nearby constellation until i get a rough idea on where they are. After that i will use the more detailed star charts to start finding objects.

Hope that clears up your questions.

Sam

[lalana]

Thanks Sam, get you now.Actually,something else I have to do is
get a star Atlas like that(Cambridge/Norton I suppose).

Also,a lot of people have recommended "Crossen's-Binocular Astronomy"
so might give that a shot as well.A red flashlight and I suppose they're
the basics needed????

I'm just looking forward to getting some gear bought and started in
Astronomy!!!

Oh,by the way,does Astronomy in this part of the world suffer
because of heat/humidity.Certainly,here in Thailand it seems to be
cloudy a lot of the time??? I'm from Ireland and maybe the
colder/crisper climate there gives better "seeing"!!!
It's something I never really gave a lot of thought to,or noticed very
much!!!
But in the last couple of months I've found myself always checking out the night sky and thinking,my God,if I had a nice scope tonight ,I wouldn't see very much!!!

SPEAK SOON,

DAVID...........

[Sam Lee]

Haha, Thailand ? Wait till you come to Singapore !
Other than clouds , we still got to combat serious light pollutions .

One step at a time, i recommend going to observation with a few experience stargazers first before buy a telescope. That way, it will have lesser chance of getting it wrong.

[weixing]

Hi,
Welcome to SingAstro!!

May be you can find those Astronomy books (Eg. STARS AND PLANETS) that got star charts which can basically use on any latitude.

Or you can contact anat, who live in bangkok, via pm and seek his help and advice...

Have a nice day.

[lalana]

Yeah Sam,
as you would say,resistance is futile!!! Good advice,I'll
take my time before buying a scope and try to get it right
the first time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAVID.....................

[lalana]

Hi Weixing,
thanks for that.It's good to know that there's someone
who's a bit closer to me who could maybe help me out!!

I'm sure there's a lot of stuff I can get here in Thailand.
I've seen some of the Thai Astronomy Club
websites,but it's mostly in Thai Language so
that contact you gave me is much appreciated.
Many of the photos taken and posted on the website's
here seem to be with Tak. refractors and SBIG ccd's
so they mustn't be short of a few Dollars

Anyway, gotta go,am really tired after watching the
F.A. cup football last night!!!

REGARDS,

DAVID....................................

[Airconvent]

welcome to singastro! yes, as weixing has indicated, anat is friendly, very resouceful with his gear and likes to share his passion with whoever is interested in astronomy. we met him when he came to singapore to join one of our "Astronomy Nights". Do look him up.

As for your love of the 110ED, check out this post :
http://www.singastro.org/viewtopic.php?t=5852
CC is like McDonald's as far as the 110 is concerned "He's Lovin'It! "