Telescope?

rossage

rossage

iMTB Hooligan
I am taking a group of self-described, Chinese adventure tourists to Moab in the middle of May. I would like to see if I could borrow a telescope for use while we are there. Several travelers have mentioned they want to try to photograph the Milky Way and stars. I currently only have a wildlife spotting scope and I would like to have a proper tool for viewing the night skies. Doesn't have to be a 10" with auto-location and following, just something to see a little farther than the Moon.
What you got?
 
rossage said:
I am taking a group of self-described, Chinese adventure tourists to Moab in the middle of May. I would like to see if I could borrow a telescope for use while we are there. Several travelers have mentioned they want to try to photograph the Milky Way and stars. I currently only have a wildlife spotting scope and I would like to have a proper tool for viewing the night skies. Doesn't have to be a 10" with auto-location and following, just something to see a little farther than the Moon.
What you got?
Click to expand...

No telescope... But I have driven out to the back of the touristy area at Bryce so my son could photograph the Milky Way and do shots with star trails in complete darkness. Wide angle lens, decent tripod, shutter remote, long exposure, and high ISO. He got some really good shots without too much effort.
 
Many moons ago, we were on a Mojave trip for a Geology class. One of the other students had us get "the coffin" out of her car.
The coffin was a sturdy wooden shipping crate. It contained a vintage 8" telescope, and a beautiful wooden tripod. Nobody got any sleep that cloudless night.
Nebulae and galaxies, random stars, and planets...a wonderful night in the desert.
 
Find a campground like Observatory on Palomar. That one has telescope pads at the campsites and the astronomy geeks are there all the time and want you to look through their units.

If you've got tourists coming and you are the guide, charge them more for your telescope guiding experience (unless of course, these tourists are family and you are being voluntold)
 
My telescope is enormous. Not something you can haul around. It weighs a solid 50lbs due tonthe base it rests on. The tube is at least 48” long. That and hauling around telescopes can be hazardous to their health. The lens come out of adjustment all too easy if it gets knocked around.

I would suggest using a pair of quality glasses (binoculars) and looking at the moon while its up. You can see it with glasses even when its a New Moon.
 
Last edited:
The question is, does some on have a telescope I can borrow for a certain trip? I mentioned that I don't want a 10". I also mentioned I want to be able to look at something other than the Moon.


If I ever want something I don't want, I'll be sure to ask this forum....ha!
 
I have this.....and I haven't opened the box in years. Tripod and all, I don't know how much use it will be trying to photograph stuff through it.

But you're welcome to it since the astronomy bug didn't bite my kid and I will probably not use it again either. Let me know if you're interested.

20180412_183652.jpg
 
rossage said:
The question is, does some on have a telescope I can borrow for a certain trip? I mentioned that I don't want a 10". I also mentioned I want to be able to look at something other than the Moon.


If I ever want something I don't want, I'll be sure to ask this forum....ha!
Click to expand...
Although I no longer condone hallucinogenic drugs, magic mushrooms can help you see a hole in the sky in 3D.
 
Runs with Scissors said:
I have this.....and I haven't opened the box in years. Tripod and all, I don't know how much use it will be trying to photograph stuff through it.

But you're welcome to it since the astronomy bug didn't bite my kid and I will probably not use it again either. Let me know if you're interested.

View attachment 38265
Click to expand...
I have the same, it is not easy to point-focus, by then the heavenly body is gone. So I put on the lower res optics and use it to look far at things that move at the same speed as earth, always looking for earthly heavenly bodies but all I ever see is people on Space Mtn and Robi East.
Happy full moon views
 
da big hills said:
I have the same, it is not easy to point-focus, by then the heavenly body is gone. So I put on the lower res optics and use it to look far at things that move at the same speed as earth, always looking for earthly heavenly bodies but all I ever see is people on Space Mtn and Robi East.
Happy full moon views
Click to expand...

My astronomy teacher in high school said the subject was the study of heavenly bodies.

Every time his phone rang we said Farrah Fawcett was calling. :rolleyes:;):thumbsup:

Yeah, I'm that old. :cool:
 
rossage said:
I am taking a group of self-described, Chinese adventure tourists to Moab in the middle of May. I would like to see if I could borrow a telescope for use while we are there. Several travelers have mentioned they want to try to photograph the Milky Way and stars. I currently only have a wildlife spotting scope and I would like to have a proper tool for viewing the night skies. Doesn't have to be a 10" with auto-location and following, just something to see a little farther than the Moon.
What you got?
Click to expand...
Make sure they check out Uranus as well.:eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top