Bishan Park sidewalk astronomy- Tonight (1/9/2014)

[Gary]

Halo Gary,

The 127mm Maksutov you stated earlier - was it the Celestron SLT series?

Hi stargazer. Mine is the Sky-Watcher Mak127.

[stargazer]

I see, thanks Gary.

Been contemplating between a refractor or SCT type. Die die must buy within this yr, and within budget!

[Gary]

I see, thanks Gary.

Been contemplating between a refractor or SCT type. Die die must buy within this yr, and within budget!

Perhaps add a Mak to your contemplation?

Do drop by the Bishan sidewalks and take a look at Dave's C6 XLT or 4" XLT refractor and Hazrie's Mak127 and do some side-by-side comparisons. Should be helpful to your final decision. If you are lucky, others may bring in their telescopes during those sessions. ahem *triplet127* ahem.

[cloud_cover]

Well, then there's always a quadruplet scope with a nonuplet eyepiece... *grin*
Seriously though, a refractor vs. an SCT will be 2 very different scopes. What are you requirements/intentions for the scope and importantly, how do you intend to mount it?

[Davegn]

Weather permitting, Some of us will be conducting a sidewalk astronomy session at Bishan Park.

Date: 3/1/2013
Time: From 7PM onwards
Venue: Bishan Park's McDonald's (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10766&)

Would bringing my telescope for the session.
weather permitting, Come See the ISS fly!
and jupiter!

Feel free to join me.
All are welcome to join in the fun with or without telescope.

[stargazer]

I see, thanks Gary.

Been contemplating between a refractor or SCT type. Die die must buy within this yr, and within budget!

Perhaps add a Mak to your contemplation?

Do drop by the Bishan sidewalks and take a look at Dave's C6 XLT or 4" XLT refractor and Hazrie's Mak127 and do some side-by-side comparisons. Should be helpful to your final decision. If you are lucky, others may bring in their telescopes during those sessions. ahem *triplet127* ahem.

Long term plan is to just own 2 scopes- refractor & SCT/Mak...of cos see which to buy first lor depending on budget

Dun have yr luck leh...where you bought your 8" SCT at good price...

[Gary]

Hi Stargazer. Since this is sidewalk thread, you can start a new thread in the Equipment forum and we can continue our conversation there and I can reveal the secrets of increasing your purchasing luck.

*****************
Brief report of last night's sidewalk:

Manage to catch the bright ISS flyby last night with Dave. Glad he saw the golden TIE Fighter visually and live through his scope! We stopped a bunch of people who were passing by McDonald's a minute before the flyby. They had a good experience learning visually how a satellite looks like to the naked eyes. Video'ed the second half of the flyby on my phone.

Also managed to catch Jupiter's GRS easily in Dave's 80mm scope at about 8:06pm. GRS is not visible through the FirstScope dob - perhaps need better collimation and even clearer skies or could just be the limitation of the scope's optics.

[Davegn]

Weather permitting, Some of us will be conducting a solar astronomy follow up by a sidewalk astronomy session at Bishan Park.

Date: 4/1/2013
Time: From 4.30PM onwards
Venue: Bishan Park's McDonald's (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10766&)

Would bringing my telescope for the session.
weather permitting, Come See the sun

Feel free to join me.
All are welcome to join in the fun with or without telescope.

[cloud_cover]

Weather looks pretty threatening.... the sort for washing mirrors...

[Davegn]

Yes. Weather is kinda bad now.
Currently fully overcasted here at bishan.
Can't even see the sun.