Would you recommend this telescope to a beginner? I have to decide whether I am going to buy it or not in 4 days. Kind of don't want to make a mistake there.
Okay, thank you for your honest words. Just trying to clear the image in my head about this telescope. Saturn for example, could be viewed looking something like this, right?: /watch?v=rwpnV233bkE
My scope is a Celestron 114 EQ Short (a confusingly similar name), with a 1000mm focal length.
The Celestron tube is sheet steel, and only half a metre long. There is a built-in barlow lens inside the focuser to make it possible to have a focal length of a metre in a half-metre tube. This is good for portability, but probably bad for sharpness.
If I look at M32 Andromeda, I can see the core as a faint smudge, but not the rest of it.
The M57 Ring Nebula is also very faint, but just visible. For a good look at either of those, you would be better off with a larger aperture scope, e.g an 8" or 12".
I'm getting a Celestron Astromaster for Xmas, and Saturn is one of the first things I want to see with the naked eye. Coincidentally, I'm a Fifer too. Yay for us!!!
I'm planning on doing my stargazing from Lochore Meadows for the sake of escaping light pollution. You have any other recommendations? I imagine the Bay would get a fair bit light pollution from the Rail bridge floodlights and Dunfermline, Rosyth & so on..
Yes. Saturn is easily visible with the naked eye from anywhere on Earth. Without magnification, it's just a point of light, like a star, but brighter than almost all the stars.
At this time of year, you can see it rising low in the Eastern sky, from about 4am onwards.
As we go on through the winter it will rise earlier, until by March it'll be coming up in the mid-evening.
To paraphrase Kryten: "A brilliant plan, with just two flaws. One - I haven't got any money; and two - I haven't got any money. I realize that technically that's just one flaw, but I thought it was important enough to be worth mentioning twice."
Pretty cool. Here's your three step plan to make this better: 1. Save some money 2. Save more money 3. get a better scope The optics look horrible on that piece.
Well I'll work on it. I'll still keep this vid up though, cos it shows what you can expect to get with a 114mm reflector. If you're thinking of buying one, it helps to know what it can, and just as importantly can't, do.
Saturn, as seen from Dalgety Bay, Scotland, 9th...
Saturn, as seen from Dalgety Bay, Scotland, 9th January 2007. Captured with a Logitech 3000 Pro webcam attached to a Celestron 114 EQ Short telescope.
What magnification is that, and what oculars did you use?
ParaglidingManiac 2 years ago
Magnification is hard to say.
There was no ocular (eyepiece) - I removed the lens from the webcam, added a 1.25" adapter, then put it into the telescope at prime focus.
astrodb 2 years ago
@astrodb,
Would you recommend this telescope to a beginner? I have to decide whether I am going to buy it or not in 4 days. Kind of don't want to make a mistake there.
ParaglidingManiac 2 years ago
For getting started, it's OK.
For the moon, it's very good.
For planets, the image is very small and a bit fuzzy, so not great.
I'm running into the limitations of it now, and saving up for something bigger.
I should also say that it is for astronomy only. It doesn't work well for birdwatching because (like all Newtonians) the image is the wrong way up.
astrodb 2 years ago
Okay, thank you for your honest words. Just trying to clear the image in my head about this telescope. Saturn for example, could be viewed looking something like this, right?: /watch?v=rwpnV233bkE
Better/Same/Worse?
ParaglidingManiac 2 years ago
About the same. You can see that it has at least one ring, but you can't tell how many.
On Jupiter, you can just see the two main cloud bands, but not the red spot.
astrodb 2 years ago
What are the materials 114/900EQ is made of? Especially the tube. thanks.
ParaglidingManiac 2 years ago
Not sure. Isn't the 114/900EQ a Skywatcher model?
My scope is a Celestron 114 EQ Short (a confusingly similar name), with a 1000mm focal length.
The Celestron tube is sheet steel, and only half a metre long. There is a built-in barlow lens inside the focuser to make it possible to have a focal length of a metre in a half-metre tube. This is good for portability, but probably bad for sharpness.
astrodb 2 years ago
you need to focus on nebulas its so hrd to get good view
sonzbroz 3 years ago
have you ever tried looking for galaxies or nebulas with your 114EQ? or can it even look that far?
dgk990 3 years ago
If I look at M32 Andromeda, I can see the core as a faint smudge, but not the rest of it.
The M57 Ring Nebula is also very faint, but just visible. For a good look at either of those, you would be better off with a larger aperture scope, e.g an 8" or 12".
astrodb 3 years ago
I'm getting a Celestron Astromaster for Xmas, and Saturn is one of the first things I want to see with the naked eye. Coincidentally, I'm a Fifer too. Yay for us!!!
I'm planning on doing my stargazing from Lochore Meadows for the sake of escaping light pollution. You have any other recommendations? I imagine the Bay would get a fair bit light pollution from the Rail bridge floodlights and Dunfermline, Rosyth & so on..
BetaFett 2 years ago
DB is pretty bad for light pollution.
We have a site near Braefoot - it's handy for us, but I'm sure Lochore will be better.
Did you know there's an astro club in DB?
Next meeting is Tue 8th Dec.
astrodb 2 years ago
Google "dalgety bay astronomy club" for website.
astrodb 2 years ago
Thanks, Saturn is more than 850x the Earth's volume.
R4538L 3 years ago
can you see Saturn with an naked eye in Britain
deptfordyellowman 3 years ago
Yes. Saturn is easily visible with the naked eye from anywhere on Earth. Without magnification, it's just a point of light, like a star, but brighter than almost all the stars.
At this time of year, you can see it rising low in the Eastern sky, from about 4am onwards.
As we go on through the winter it will rise earlier, until by March it'll be coming up in the mid-evening.
astrodb 3 years ago
With my 60mm telescope saturn appears better than that. You must have focus problems with the scope or the cam. Or maybe it is the Light pollution.
doctorcaligarissss 3 years ago
Rofl me too.
Strikerklm96 2 years ago
This is an Astromaster right? I have the same scope but its Alzamith or w.e lol. Its just the webcam thts makin urs blurry right? haha
taha65466 3 years ago
Get a better scope.
Maxsapd 3 years ago
To paraphrase Kryten: "A brilliant plan, with just two flaws. One - I haven't got any money; and two - I haven't got any money. I realize that technically that's just one flaw, but I thought it was important enough to be worth mentioning twice."
astrodb 3 years ago
Pretty cool. Here's your three step plan to make this better: 1. Save some money 2. Save more money 3. get a better scope The optics look horrible on that piece.
JeffreyJaguar 3 years ago
Well I'll work on it. I'll still keep this vid up though, cos it shows what you can expect to get with a 114mm reflector. If you're thinking of buying one, it helps to know what it can, and just as importantly can't, do.
astrodb 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Fuck off man.... That aint through a webcam.
Androina 4 years ago
It's a webcam attached to a telescope, as it says in the description
SketchFoxx 4 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Ok.. But it doesn't say in the description that its attached to a telescope.
Androina 4 years ago
yes it does o.o
About This Video
Saturn, as seen from Dalgety Bay, Scotland, 9th...
Saturn, as seen from Dalgety Bay, Scotland, 9th January 2007. Captured with a Logitech 3000 Pro webcam attached to a Celestron 114 EQ Short telescope.
SketchFoxx 4 years ago
Hey man Can u do this i Might buy the same telescope. So i wondering if u could put more videos of what it can see please
JJ2422 5 years ago