Bangkok Skies

ariefm71 · Post by **ariefm71** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:57 pm

Hi All,

I've just arrived from a four day holiday in Bangkok. Managed to meet Anat yesterday, what a nice guy! We went to his friend's place to pickup my GPD mount + SS2K. While there, the friend showed me his observation place at the rooftop, got a glimpse of Bangkok skies, pretty similar to Singapore skies with slightly less light pollution.

Anat told me that the most popular mount and scope combination in Bangkok for imaging is Tak FSQ106 on EM200 :o

cheers,
Arief

geraldine · Post by **geraldine** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 10:36 pm

whao!! Tak FSQ106 + EM200... that's really a "popular" combination... the Thai astronomers are really rich!! can i say that?

do update us more bout your observations if possible ! thankews!

tanguan2001 · Post by **tanguan2001** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 10:37 pm

Arief,

What was the price of the GPD and SS2K in Bangkok - new or used?

TG

ariefm71 · Post by **ariefm71** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 11:00 pm

hi tg, it was used but in really great condition (the ss2k looks brand new), and at a really GREAT price (i'll leave you a pm on the actual price), the owner just bought an em200 to replace the gpd.

geraldine, we didn't actually observe, just checked out the rooftop observation site and have a look at the bright stars with naked eye. Other than Japanese stuffs, Meade is also quite popular in Thailand, they have a distributor that sell at about 20% higher than US prices (to cover the shipping, taxes, and a bit profit I guess). Celestron is not popular at all (no distributor, can get only from US).

cheers,
Arief

ps: the url for the local astro forum is http://www.darasart.com/ , you might want to check out.

geraldine · Post by **geraldine** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 11:11 pm

thanks arief! but ers, i don't understand thai, but the website looks pretty good as i browse around !

since takahashi is pretty popular over there, do they actually get to purchase this brand of equipment cheaper? as in, the cost is lower over in thailand?

Grievous · Post by **Grievous** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 11:53 pm

Arief,

Do tell me the GREAT price of the ss2k too!

Charlie

anat · Post by **anat** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 8:54 am

Hi:

It was nice to welcome Arief

Meade scopes are the most popular here for observations. But for imaging, serious asrophotographers resort to a good mount like EM200 and a good APO. Of course, I belongs to the Meade group

Takahashi or Vixen stuffs are usually bought directly from Japan. Kyoei or StarBase in Akihabara are good dealers.

Another thai website oriented to astrophoto is http://www.skyobservers.com/

After talking with Arief, I just know that when we are enjoying clear skies in the winter, you are sleeping over there. But now, skies here are not cooperative

Anat

ariefm71 · Post by **ariefm71** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 10:51 am

Arief,

Do tell me the GREAT price of the ss2k too!

Charlie

Hi Charlie, it was a special lobang, thanks to Anat :-) There's no Vixen or Tak dealers in Thailand, the previous owner brought the mount directly from Japan.

The GPD+SS2K cost me about 50% of a brand new one from OPT. Not sure if it's because of the Great Thailand Sale currently going on there

cheers,
Arief

Grievous · Post by **Grievous** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 1:17 pm

I'm going Bangkok man!

Charlie