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#11
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
On Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:15:32 -0000, Max Demian wrote:
reckon that 'goto' computer stuff is cheating. Entering the id of the object on a keypad and the telescope whirs to the right direction. Maybe, but it makes it a lot more accesible to beginners. You still have to do a bit of work lining it up. I'm going to get one. I had a cheap Aldi refractor, the mount was terrible, impossible to line up on anything smaller than the moon. In the extended TSAN there's an example a a crap telescope that Paul Abel brought to the garden. It's all about the mount. Moore had 18 seconds at the start and 11 seconds at the end, when he said the 'next programme' would be about the Sun and auroras. Pretty much the norm for the last few years if there was no house guest I wonder what will happen to that? It will be shown as normal with the regulars on hand, Chris Lintott, Paul Abel, Pete Lawrence & Chris North? |
#12
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
"CD" wrote in message
... On Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:15:32 -0000, Max Demian wrote: Moore had 18 seconds at the start and 11 seconds at the end, when he said the 'next programme' would be about the Sun and auroras. Pretty much the norm for the last few years if there was no house guest I wonder what will happen to that? It will be shown as normal with the regulars on hand, Chris Lintott, Paul Abel, Pete Lawrence & Chris North? Maybe they'll stitch together shots of Moore ad infinitum introducing the 'guests' who will carry on with the show. He must have said everything about everything astronomical in his time, though the lip sync might get a bit dodgy. -- Max Demian |
#13
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
On 12/01/2013 11:22, CD wrote:
On Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:15:32 -0000, Max Demian wrote: I wonder what will happen to that? It will be shown as normal with the regulars on hand, Chris Lintott, Paul Abel, Pete Lawrence & Chris North? Replaced by an avatar? It could be done with the computational power now available for animated 3D although it would be very expensive. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
#14
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
On Sat, 12 Jan 2013 11:22:35 +0000, CD wrote:
reckon that 'goto' computer stuff is cheating. Entering the id of the object on a keypad and the telescope whirs to the right direction. Maybe, but it makes it a lot more accesible to beginners. Maybe, you don't *have* to use it, as was demonstrated in the programme. You still have to do a bit of work lining it up. I'm going to get one. I suspect it makes setting up quicker as well. Don't they also track the object as the earth rotates so you are not having to constantly adjust something? -- Cheers Dave. |
#15
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
On 12/01/2013 15:00, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 12 Jan 2013 11:22:35 +0000, CD wrote: reckon that 'goto' computer stuff is cheating. Entering the id of the object on a keypad and the telescope whirs to the right direction. Maybe, but it makes it a lot more accesible to beginners. Maybe, you don't *have* to use it, as was demonstrated in the programme. I reckon that for a beginner scope you are still better off with a bit more aperture and a star atlas (or one of the free charting programs). Like Cart du Ciel http://freeware.intrastar.net/planetarium.htm or simulators like Stellarium http://www.stellarium.org/ You still have to do a bit of work lining it up. I'm going to get one. I suspect it makes setting up quicker as well. Don't they also track the object as the earth rotates so you are not having to constantly adjust something? Not really - to set up a basic Dobsonian altazimuth scope you plonk it down approximately level and you are away. If you have one with an equatorial mount you need to work out where the north star is and point the polar axis approximately at that. To set up a goto scope you have roughly level the scope and then find two named bright stars in the sky which define the coordinate system. Any motor driven scope should be able to track a target. Goto is a luxury. You are better off learning to find the brighter objects and planets with a slightly larger non-goto scope first but in these days of instant gratification then maybe goto is helpful. The snag is that many of the objects don't look like much in a very small scope and so there is a tradeoff. My money would be on more aperture and no goto as a first scope. You do need a good tripod and mount that isn't made out of jelly and sticky tape. Some of the cheapest toy scopes have really awful mounts making them impossible for beginners to use and very frustrating to point at an object. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
#16
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
On Sat, 12 Jan 2013 15:53:10 +0000, Martin Brown wrote:
You do need a good tripod and mount that isn't made out of jelly and sticky tape. Some of the cheapest toy scopes have really awful mounts making them impossible for beginners to use and very frustrating to point at an object. As I found out with the Astrolon thing I got from Aldi. Managed to offload it on a car boot for £12.50. I'm leaning towards a Dob. if it's good enough for Brian May... |
#17
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
On 12/01/2013 17:03, CD wrote:
On Sat, 12 Jan 2013 15:53:10 +0000, Martin Brown wrote: You do need a good tripod and mount that isn't made out of jelly and sticky tape. Some of the cheapest toy scopes have really awful mounts making them impossible for beginners to use and very frustrating to point at an object. As I found out with the Astrolon thing I got from Aldi. Managed to offload They do from time to time offer a half decent spotting scope with 80mm objective. Not perfect for astronomy but it isn't too shabby at lower magnifications either for the incredibly low price. Tripod is ~OK. Precision optics are one thing where you get what you pay for! it on a car boot for £12.50. I'm leaning towards a Dob. if it's good enough for Brian May... Astrofest in London is *the* place to go to see what is on offer. Everybody who is anybody is there (including most years Brian May). 8 & 9th Feb at Kensington EVents Centre according to their website: http://europeanastrofest.com/conference/ Almost all the kit suppliers and dealers have a stand too so you can see some really big (ie unaffordable) kit and get 10% off. http://europeanastrofest.com/exhibition/ I have no connection with Astrofest other than going along most years. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
#18
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
On 12/01/13 14:38, Martin Brown wrote:
Replaced by an avatar? It could be done with the computational power now available for animated 3D although it would be very expensive. Next you'll suggest he appear as a "Gamesmaster" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa2u6wYPYOQ |
#19
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Patrick Moore keeps his promise
"Max Demian" wrote in message
... "CD" wrote in message ... On Mon, 7 Jan 2013 15:32:25 -0000, Alastair McDonald wrote: But it is available on BBC IPlayer here :-) http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...for_the_Stars/ Cheers, Alastair. Hate to say "I Told you so" but he was only on screen about 30 seconds. But they did turn it into a good tribute show with some old clips. I also noticed Chris Lintott did an interview from his house that was done after his passing I suspect. Don't forget the extended edition on Thursday, the telescope stuff was great. I reckon that 'goto' computer stuff is cheating. Entering the id of the object on a keypad and the telescope whirs to the right direction. Moore had 18 seconds at the start and 11 seconds at the end, when he said the 'next programme' would be about the Sun and auroras. DGP will be watching that - he thinks auroras are the dark bits around a nipple. -- Gordon Davie Edinburgh, Scotland "Slipped the surly bonds of Earth...to touch the face of God." |
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