Telescope -- worth to get it in Singapore?

[kiwi2]

I saw some good moon shots by Wai, Roygoh and recently Digiamge that prompted me to start a new thread. Well, I'm definitely a newbie at it so I got some basic questions to ask:

1. I read the threads here that it is not easy to star gaze in Singapore due to the frequent cloudy skies and bright city lights. So is it worth to get a decent telescope in the first place? If I buy, I hope to see more than just the moon -- saturn perhaps? -- maybe even take an interest in basic astronomy! Because I know after the initial hype of taking moon shots, the telescope got to have its worth in other areas too.

2. Are there any reasonable telescopes to recommend that costs below S$1000? Ok here's another basic question. If those high quality lenses like Canon's giants 400mm f/2.8, 500mm f/4, etc cost so much >$5000, how come a telescope that can magnify so much more can cost less? Is there a difference in optics quality?

3. Ok granted that 1 above is true, ie it's hard to see the celestrial bodies in Singapore, do youthink it's more budget worthy if I take images of the moon using say a D30 + some tele lens and then do heavy cropping?

Thanks so much!!!

 

[blurblock]

Try to read this thread .....

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37056&highlight=telescope

maybe it would help

 

[Wai]

/me rub hands...

a new scope arriving my house this week

this one is more specialise for astrophotography in EQUATORIAL region cos this scope has an equatorial mount, so i can use longer exposure with least error due to rotation of the earth (the scope can track the sky automatically. But in singapore, it is difficult to track along two axis, whereas pple in other country do not have this problem)

 

[roygoh]

Originally posted by Wai
/me rub hands...

a new scope arriving my house this week

this one is more specialise for astrophotography in EQUATORIAL region cos this scope has an equatorial mount, so i can use longer exposure with least error due to rotation of the earth (the scope can track the sky automatically. But in singapore, it is difficult to track along two axis, whereas pple in other country do not have this problem)

For long exposures the equatorial mount is better anywhere in the world because the field of view does not rotate as the scope tracks an object across the sky. The 2-axis mount (Alt-Az) should track as well as the equatorial (if the tracking mechanism and computer are comparable), but because in general none of the 2 axis is aligned to the earth's axis, the field of view will rotate making it not suitable for long exposures.

Meade's ETX series with Autostar can operate in either equatorial or Alt-Az mode. For general observation, the Alt-Az mode is easier to setup. To use it in equatorial mode, the axis perpendicular to the base of the telescope is aligned to the earth's axis by pointing it to the North Star (Polaris).

I am not sure if the equatorial mount is easy to use in Singapore because it is my understanding that you would still need to align it's axis to the North Star which is usually close to the horizon as seen in Singapore.

The Alt-Az mount, at least with Meade's implementation, should be easier to set up as it can calibrate with other stars instead of the Polaris.

- Roy

 

[sulhan]

Hiee...

I kinda agree about the alignment problems with an equitorial mount...scope to the north star which may be low down in the horizon.....here in singapore

To my understanding to effectively use the autostar auto tracking setup.....we really need to align the setup properly.

This was one of the reasons....that i halt my purchase one of the meade .......upon advice from guys at the Oceanside Photo and telescope shop in Oceanside San Diego.


Oceanside ...Telescope shop

Regards,
me

 

[roygoh]

Originally posted by sulhan
Hiee...

I kinda agree about the alignment problems with an equitorial mount...scope to the north star which may be low down in the horizon.....here in singapore

To my understanding to effectively use the autostar auto tracking setup.....we really need to align the setup properly.

This was one of the reasons....that i halt my purchase one of the meade .......upon advice from guys at the Oceanside Photo and telescope shop in Oceanside San Diego.


Oceanside ...Telescope shop

Regards,
me

Get a Meade ETX. Can work in both equatorial and Alt-Az modes.

For observation the Alt-Az mode should be good enough. If you need to do long exposure astrophotography, then you can switch it to equatorial mode. Does not solve the alignment difficulties for equatorial mode, but at least easier to use for observation or photographing the moon.

 

[Kenji]

Wai, just want to know how much you spend on that gadget?

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by es0teric
Wai, just want to know how much you spend on that gadget?

should be 5 digits amount already

anyway, the scope belong to my friend, but the scope is at my place cos his house no space to put and my place punggol here also more suitable for viewing.

 

[Kenji]

5 digit started with 1, or this 5 digit can buy a first hand car? Example Nissan Sunny.