ScriptUO

General => Off Topic => Topic started by: Cerveza on March 02, 2011, 07:14:27 AM

Title: Bought this for my son
Post by: Cerveza on March 02, 2011, 07:14:27 AM
(http://www.celestron.com/c3/images/files/product/31145_nexstar130slt_mid.gif)

Celestron NexStar 130 SLT

It's a GoTo scope, will be here this afternoon.

Just put in some local information, like date/time, city... then target any three bright objects in the sky. The scope doesn't have to have what they are. It will calculate their relative positions to each other with the known date of your location and date/time and it will align itself. After that you just tell it goto "Saturn" and the motors align it with Saturn.

I got a rechargeable power pack
(http://images1.opticsplanet.com/180-180-ffffff/opplanet-celestron-telescope-power-tank.png)

And a lens/filter kit
(http://images.hayneedle.com/media/video/skus/1/ZHUL007.jpg)

We're planning on some serious star gazing while camping this year.
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Outlaw Josey Wales on March 02, 2011, 08:51:25 AM
Nice man good to see dads getting away from uo and spending time with the kidies
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: _C2_ on March 02, 2011, 08:57:15 AM
That is going to be really nice!
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Cerveza on March 02, 2011, 09:30:27 AM
Like most things, I knew nothing about telescopes.

After doing my research I knew I wanted a dob... but had to pick between Normal - Push To - and GoTo.

Normal - You move it where you want it. You have to be familiar with the night sky to target objects.
- Advantage: More scope for the $$$$. The cost is totally in the scope so you get a larger scope for the money.
- Disadvantage: You need to be familiar with objects in the sky to be able to find them.
-- Scope will not track objects, you must move it.

Push To - You move it, but there's a display that tells you which way to move it to find the object your looking for.
- Advantage: Easier to find objects, most have 4000+ object databases. Simple setup and it'll find stuff for you.
- Disadvantage: Less scope for the $$$$ because of the "computer".
-- Scope will not track objects, you must move it.

GoTo - Simply set it up and pick what you want to see. Scope moves to target automatically.
- Advantage: Anyone can find objects in the sky.
-- Scope will track objects, keeping them in view even with the earth's rotation.
- Disadvantage: Less scope for the $$$$ because of the motorized tri-pod and computer.

I went with a GoTo because I figured that having to target stuff manually would just suck and my son would quickly lose interest. With the GoTo we just set it up and the hand held display will give us a list of interesting objects. We just chose one to look at and the scope goes to it. More time viewing and less time searching.

If anyone is interested I can explain a little more about magnifications and such. It's all stuff I've learned over the past few months of researching. If there are questions, I'll do my best to answer them.
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Paulonius on March 02, 2011, 11:53:37 AM
That is really freaking cool. 
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Endless Night on March 02, 2011, 12:30:28 PM
sure beats my manual telescope...
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: UOMaddog on March 02, 2011, 07:24:08 PM
Nice man good to see dads getting away from uo and spending time with the kidies

I star-gazed with a sextant with my girlfriend in UO last night! No need to getaway from UO!
 ;D
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Outlaw Josey Wales on March 02, 2011, 08:39:14 PM
Nice man good to see dads getting away from uo and spending time with the kidies

I star-gazed with a sextant with my girlfriend in UO last night! No need to getaway from UO!
 ;D


Lol did u still kiss and pull the ole arm over the shoulder routine
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Khameleon on March 02, 2011, 08:53:38 PM
you can really zoom into the neighbors bedroom with that bad boy eh?
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: FishQueen on March 03, 2011, 03:32:37 AM
Now, if only my husband would have included me in UO things might have been different. He gave that your a girl what the hell do you know about UO speech some many freaking times he was giving it to me when we signed our divorce papers. I think it's funny I'm actually finding comfort in playing UO. Star gazing sounds really cool I wish I had a guy to camping with and stargaze with. Can you actually star gaze on UO? Sounds interesting...
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Khameleon on March 03, 2011, 01:21:29 PM
I dunno maybe.. check out moonglow, there is an observation deck, also with a spyglass you can see if the moon is waning or waxing.
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Masscre on March 08, 2011, 11:21:00 AM
Our scope looks just like that, just about 10 years older and the battery pack is a little frail. Did yours come with a plastic or leather battery pack?
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Cerveza on March 08, 2011, 11:34:08 AM
Plastic.

It's pretty cool, only had a couple clear nights to test and it's been pretty cold.

We could see a single star and when we sighted it in and looked through the scope and saw like a dozen stars surrounding that one.
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Khameleon on March 08, 2011, 10:34:06 PM
not as impressive but when I was a kid my dad brought home military grade night vision goggles, I looked up into the sky and you could see 100x more stars than you could normally it was insane....
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Cerveza on March 11, 2011, 05:49:21 AM
Skies finally cleared up a bit and the sliver of a moon was out.

Awesome.

Started with a 32mm to get the moon centered and we were able to make out craters and structure as clear as a picture. Changed eyepieces to "zoom" in some and it was absolutely amazing. We could actually see shadows *inside* the craters.

Can't wait til next weekends "Supermoon"! Probably going to go cold camping, need to pick up a propane heater and a new air mattress.
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Masscre on March 12, 2011, 05:58:59 PM
Sounds awesome you might tempt me to dig mine out of the storage building :)
Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: Khameleon on March 13, 2011, 06:40:45 AM
that sounds awesome... hope you guys have fun :)

Title: Re: Bought this for my son
Post by: SolidSnake on March 13, 2011, 07:21:56 AM
As a young teenager, my uncle came back on leave from VietNam and brought a very nice telescope with him as a gift. We lived in the country without any light pollution. I can not describe the joys and the many thousands of hours we spent in discovery. It led to many "upgrades" through the years, an avid interest that spread from astronomy to many associated aspects and untold advantages that the ensuing educations brought.

I hope your son enjoys this as much as all my brothers and sister did and may he be gifted with all the dicoveries it can bring.