ive not even seen the moon for a few weeks to try out taking a few snaps using the 70-300 lens yet :(
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ive not even seen the moon for a few weeks to try out taking a few snaps using the 70-300 lens yet :(
Have you got bino's Mick?
Will keep an eye out for the lilds deals for you then £9 buys you a pair of 10x50s that you can use to see the moon, nebulae, double stars, star clusters and the andromeda galaxy- alsoI have seen comets trough them
Some sights are better seen through binos than a scope - double cluster in perseus is a gorgeous sight - not bad for £9
Ok, is it really that couldy in the UK? I really don't know. Chris you mentioned a lot of light pollution too. That is terrible. We don't have the darkest of skies right here on the coast but it sounds like you guys have it rougher.
Oh Chris do you have anything comparable to North American site in the UK and Europe?
http://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/
The are portable and IMHO the best way to learn the night sky - don't get me wrong I love my scope and imaging but one of the most satisfying night s I had was just with the bino's - I often set the camera up n the scope set it going and lie back in the deckchair with the bins
There are a few dark sites in the UK but generally the conditions are not brilliant - went to an imaging lecture last week and the chap there showed some shots from LaPalma and they were just jaw dropping - a static camera shot of Orion showed millions of stars with justa few seconds exposure - it even showed barnards loop which I have never been able to seeor image even on 3 minute exposures. - the last 2 years we have had awful summers and very very wet conditions with almost total cloud cover - last winter we had about 5 clear nights in 3 months - coupled to that I have 5 sodium lights shining into my back garden directly - such are the frustrations of the hobby