Start small??

Post by **VinSnr** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:19 am

Airconvent wrote:so sad...I can't understand what is happening here nowadays. previously, such a good deal would have attracted alot of interest...looks like everybody has either lost interest in the hobby or they are aiming much higher (like > 12.5 ")!

I think a lot of people is going for bigger scope thesedays.

Post by **VinSnr** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:20 am

jermng wrote:Honestly I don't see the issue of scopes "going overseas" ... we're bringing in lots of good, better and great scopes from Overseas too right?

Yes, but if they keep going back to overseas, then what value does it add to the young people here or the new amateurs ?

Tachyon · Post by **Tachyon** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:49 am

Even new and young amateurs start at 8" nowadays!

jermng · Post by **jermng** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:12 am

HAHA ... anyway, look at it this way, if it goes overseas, especially to Europe where scopes might be more expensive, a young/new amateur will also get a chance get a new scope and add value to the hobby.

And of course, if we're continually bringing in better scopes, then the more experienced guys will have better scopes to sell to the younger guys. Like when Canopus sold his 8" dob before he got his 12.5" or ACC sold a couple of C8s when he got new scope(s). (I'm not saying that bigger means better here)

When I got my Megrez, the previous owner got a fluorite doublet ... and I benefited from his upgrade ... hee hee ...

Just my thoughts.

Post by **VinSnr** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:28 am

Tachyon wrote:Even new and young amateurs start at 8" nowadays!

Yeah..quite unbelievable.

I always believe that new amateurs should start with a small scope. It is far easier to carry around and doesn't kill off the interest that easily. Use a small scope to gauge the level of interest before committing a bigger one.

Where are those days when people start off with a bino? Till today, even after using many scopes, my best memories of the sky still comes from my binos. If I have started with a scope 20 years ago, I doubt my interest would have lasted till now.

kingkong · Post by **kingkong** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:52 am

perhaps kiasu-ism can play a role in amateur astronomy too....?

kingkong running for cover.... m31 should be big enough....

ariefm71 · Post by **ariefm71** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:18 am

Yeah..quite unbelievable.

I always believe that new amateurs should start with a small scope. It is far easier to carry around and doesn't kill off the interest that easily. Use a small scope to gauge the level of interest before committing a bigger one.

If I have to do it again, I'll skip the etx and go straight to 8" sct on altaz mount. The view of M42 from a small etx i used to have almost killed off my interest in astronomy. It's great for moon and planets though.

Btw, i just came back from Beijing trip. Couldn't find the big observatory near the great wall that liuming mentioned, but found another one (smaller) in the city.

Arief

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:28 am

A small scope like C5 would probably help and it is portable enough. If too big, those who don't have much interest would give up and just leave it at home as a white elephant; even a C5 can be a chore for those uninterested. A good binoculars on the other hand would be better as it is far more portable than the smallest scope and enough to see bright objects like open clusters.

For those who are really interested and 'obsessed'... think it would be better to go for 8inch or larger where weight and setup is no more an obstacle. haa.

chrisyeo · Post by **chrisyeo** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:29 pm

What I think is that maybe we are reaching out to too few new people.

I am sure there are many people out there who are interested in astronomy and looking for scopes such as this; they simply do not know where or how to look. Our scope (no pun intended), reach and publicity seems to be very small.

Vinsnr, did you try advertising in yahoo, ebay, clubsnap, etc. ? Maybe that is one way to attract newcomers..

-pining for some starlight-

Post by **acc** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 1:15 pm

I don't see why newbies have to necessarily start off with a small scope. I started off with an ETX90 but that was because there was a lack of larger and affordable scopes like there is now on Singastro and directly from overseas. If a beginner is able to afford an 8" or larger scope and find it portable enough, then good for him. No need to bring in terms like "kiasu-ism" or suggest that every beginner has to start small...