SingAstro

Hi klutz,

If you could see a million stars in Kota Tinggi, there is nothing wrong with your eyes! Don't expect to see the same back here in Singapore due to poor weather and light pollution.

Do not be anxious to get a scope or bino. Go for more observing sessions and get to try all sorts of equipment before deciding.

Hi Klutz, I agree with KayHeem, if you could see a million stars in KT, there should be minimal prob with your eyes even if there really was (speaking from an astronomy POV) :

I also agree that you shouldn't be too anxious to get a scope or 2nd bino. At least not the 20x80 first. Maybe get a smaller 7x50/10x50 (I do prefer 8x42 to 7x50 for the smaller exit pupil for Spore skies) first ifyou really want and learn the sky, learn what to expect by looking at brighter stuff like M45 or M6, M7 (brighter open clusters of stars) and the other stuff around Sagitarius and Scorpius when they come back around mid-year. (Even now there are quite alot of fun stuff to find around Orion.
Then try pointing at dimmer clusters and objects (e.g. M41, near Sirius or Omega Centauri near mid-year) see what you find and how they appear.

That way, when you really get a scope or the big binos, you would fully appreciate the beauty of the sights a bigger instrument allows.

Just my 2 cents. I think the more experienced guys would be able to give better advice - they're the ones who've guided me and taught me stuff....

7x50 works jz fine with me.. and as long as u know where to look u cant miss something.. eg: first time i tried to look for m7 in scorpius it took me like 3 days!! finally on the 3rd night i managed to find it! and from then on its easy! jz be patient!

Yup! 7x50 is just fine ... it's just a matter of preference.

Same thing for me ... it's always after you find something, you'll almost always find it really easily the next time ...

Hey, Orange! The "Scopetronics" website found on McGill is really good!! I've just fnish reading about all the lenses. Thanks again!

klutz, nice avatar you have there. you can use any photo tripod with the bino, make sure you get the L-bracket with the bino to attach to the tripod head.

I've downloaded many many photos from LiveScience & Skymaps. There's no way I could take such beautiful pics, but I love collecting them for my own viewing pleasure. I'll bear in mind on the L-Bracket. Thanks!

Perhaps u can join obbing with singastro people in the east. You will learn more and will probably get to know what is the best buy for your case. There are hundreds of different scopes and binos out there. It is important to know what to buy and that really depends on what is your interest. Some people are visual only, some people are imaging and some people are half half. Others specialized in double stars, some deep sky, some planets. All these requires years of astronomy before one decides on 'what path to take' or in which area of astronomy that one is most interested in.

Yah, I'll be joining Weixing on Sat. I have 1001 questions for him. As for the scope, I really can't wait to lay my hands on one

Hmm.. is this just a remark or you do have night blindness?? Anyway, I think the problem for most people is that they don't know where to look and what to look for.

I've been "diagnose" by an Optician, not doctor. I can't see as well in the dark, as compared to my friends. Not even in disco & theatres. I have a Maglite with me all the time, becos I keep stumbling in dimly lit places. Either it's "night blindness" or it's my shortsightedness, or my astigmia got prob. If night blindness does not affect the star gazing, then it must be my direction problem....

I've read most of the post in the Forums, I've downloaded and studied a few maps, read up some informations provided by you ppl and tried searching for the stars with my 10x25 bird-watching bino. Especially last night, when someone mentioned the sky was clear. I nearly broke my neck but all I can see is just ONE twinkling star which jumps here and there when I aim with my Bino. The rest are just simply dark patches and some clouds. I nearly dump the Bino into the bin... I admit I'm not the patient type.

agree with KayHeem, if you could see a million stars in KT, there should be minimal prob with your eyes even if there really was (speaking from an astronomy POV) :

Though it was pitch dark in KT, but the stars are really BRIGHT and plentiful... they're hard to miss, unless I'm totally blind. I wish to get "lost" there once more. Perhaps when I get "license" to get out of my house again, we should make a trip to KT...

I think Weixing can verify my "problem" on Sat.. be it my sight, blindness or direction problem.

By the way, Jermng, why isn't 20x80 not suitable? I can really see with a 7x50?

Thanks a lot, folks!

Hi Klutz,

Thanks for mentioning the 10x50 bino on offer from McGill. At only $99, it's very good value for money. Why don't you go to our showroom at Choa Chu Kang to try it out? No obligation. We can also show you some interesting telescopes. Please contact Mr Robin at 9456-6785 to fix appointment.

For S'pore sky, our view is 10x50 is much better due to the light pollution since more things can be seen.

You can also get the very useful Night Sky Planisphere form us which would be very good material for you to start admiring the major visible objects in Singapore!

Cheers,
Jim, McGill
jim@mcgill.com.sg

Hi Jill, thanks for the contact! Actually, CCK is a bit FAAAAR. Since your location is in Bedok, can I try the Bino in Bedok instead? I lived in Tampines. If it's not possible, then I would have to arrange for an appt at a later time, perhaps end Feb.

Folks, I'll like to clarify something first. A 10x50 Bino work better in light polluted area than other Bino, eg 7x50 or 20x80? Why is that so?

This is a stupid question, but what does the first(two) digit stands for, and what does the last(two) digit stands for? The last stands for the "magnification"? I didn't get to read these informations on the Telecscope website...

Hi,
Answer your second question first.

This is a stupid question, but what does the first(two) digit stands for, and what does the last(two) digit stands for? The last stands for the "magnification"? I didn't get to read these informations on the Telecscope website...

The first set of number before the 'x' stand for magnification and the second set of number after 'x' stand for aperture of the bino in mm.
Eg. 7x50 -> 7x magnification and 50mm aperture bino.

Folks, I'll like to clarify something first. A 10x50 Bino work better in light polluted area than other Bino, eg 7x50 or 20x80? Why is that so?

In light polluted area, the higher magnification bino eg. 10x50 or 20x80 usually work slightly better than 7x50 bino because 1) the sky will appear darker at higher magnification, so the contrast will be better and 2) your exit pupil will not open that "big" to take advantage of the large exit pupil that lower mangification bino give... A 7x50 will give you 50/7=7mm exit pupil which is the maximum size our eye's pupil can open at very dark surrounding. When you are in light polluted area, your eye's pupil won't open that big, so you won't be able to take full advantage of the 7x50 bino.

Have a nice day.

So, actually a 20x80 would be better than 10x50... especially for blind mice like me? But according to them, 10x50 is already more than enough?

Thanks, Weixing...!! 1001 questions minus 2 = 999 questions... haha

with 20x80 you'll see more, with 10x50 you'll observe more