This one is recommended as a very good deal at its $200 price point. AWB 'OneSky' Telescope [PN 31100] - $199.99 : Astronomers Without Borders Online Store, One People + One Sky
rvb,
Here is a pic of my current scope and mount/tripod. TEC 140 and G-11. I recently bought a DM-6 altaz mount for nights when I want nonguided viewing.
Got a zhumell 8" dobsonian. Maybe not the most portable, but I think I can make it work. Should be a good scope though. After posting on some astronomy forums I kept getting steered that way. I figured, well, I hate it when folks come on gun boards and ignore the voices of experience, so I listened. Looking forward to the clouds parting.... Eventually....
That's awful nice looking. I'm interested in hearing what you think of it, when you get to use it.
I think there is supposed to be a comet this month visible by the moon. You should be able to see it with bino's but I'm guessing a telescope would be very cool.
I just thought I'd revisit this thread now that I've had a few months to use my telescope. I don't get to use it as often as I'd like since it's been such a rainy year.
In less than 6 months, I have gotten to see some really cool things. I've seen:
Jupiter:
I've seen the Great Red Spot.
I watched while one of Jupiter's moons, Io, "set" behind the planet.
Can easily see many of the cloud bands around the planet.
I hope to catch one of the moons transiting in front of the planet this summer...
Saturn:
Can easily see the cassini division.
Saw several of its moons.
Uranus:
insert joke here.
but seriously, first time I had seen that planet.
Mars:
it was in a bad position this winter/spring.... too far. Never got good air to see it in. thought I might have seen a hint of polar cap, but could have been me wanting to see a hint of polar cap.
Venus:
Nothing exciting about this planet, other than observing it going through phases like the moon.
Whirlpool galaxy:
Could also see the smaller galaxy it is colliding with. Had to get out of town to see this one. Very cool.
I've developed an appreciation for doubles and star clusters. These never interested me as a kid. But the owl cluster, butterfly cluster, the double cluster, Pleiades, Ptolemy, etc have a big wow factor for me now. It also helps that my skies are too light-polluted to see deep-space objects like many of the galaxies/nebula, but the clusters can often be found, even in parts of the sky where you can't see stars w/ your eyes.
One of my favorite "discoveries" has been sigma orionis... a multi-star group just under the left star in orion's belt. There are 6 stars in that group, 5 of which can be seen. Of course there is the orion nebula, which I have new appreciation for after seeing the "trapezium" cluster of stars in its center.
I made a solar filter, so I've also looked at the sun, and seen a sun spot. Hoping for good weather during the solar eclipse this summer.
I even saw ISS through the scope. It was quick glimpses... that thing moves FAST. (I'm hoping to talk to ISS on the ham radio this summer, too...)
Anyone considering getting into the hobby, do it. There is a lot of cool stuff to see. And you don't have to spend a fortune. My scope (8" reflector) was under $400 shipped. Deciding what scope to get was a chore, but I'd buy the same one again. Hoping to take it on our camping trip to WV this summer, where we'll be in one of the darkest spots east of the Mississippi...
-rvb