Guest dardano Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 (edited) Greetings everyone !My name is Frederic Abel and I live in Quebec City, Canada. I work as an IT consultant (network security and telecommunications). I'm 37 years old (38 soon on march 12th).I've always been passionate about the sky and its wonders since I was young. When I was 10, my father gave me for christmas a red Tasco refractor 60mm. That was my very first steps in learning the skies. I was very pleased with it but at 17 I sold it and wanted something bigger but that never happened and I drifted away from visual observations.Now I'm settled (house, wife and good job) and want to come back to astronomy in the field. I bought about a month ago a great SkyWatcher Dobsonian 8". That's a beast compared to my old Tasco. I did two observation since then in my backyard ( very light polluted (white)). I waiting for the temperature to warm up a little as winter in quebec can get very cold. -25 celcius is common without the wind factor. I will also need to take my car and go elsewhere to have a better sky.But when very cold skies here are very stable (less air turbulence) for viewing skies but it's less confortable for people and instruments.With my dobson came two eyepieces, 10mm and 25mm super plössl. I'm saving money to get a more serious thing. One or two televue Nagler eyepiece.I will put a azimutal circle in the dobson base and a magnetic digital inclinometer. This way I will be able to use Stellarium azimutal coordonates to find objects.I also change the OEM finderscope for an Orion 9x50 RACI and also bought a telrad which is very nice for quick positioning .I will do the Lazy Susan mod this weekend.Other thing I find interesting is a motorized equatorial table to be able to follow thing in the sky at high magnification and be able to share the telescope with friends and family without having to reposition the instrument everytime. This may be a project for by dobson telescope and if I do, this is what I'm going for : http://www.astrosurf.com/aheijkoop/Equipment/EqPlatfor2.htm or maybe a NEQ6 mount later, but for know I need to re-learn my sky manually and the dobson mount is good for it And in the future, if I decide not to do astro-imaging, I may go with the EQ table as it's less expensive than NEQ6 and you can track object for 45-60 minutes wihout repositioning. Other than stars I love music (classical, smooth jazz especially) and studied it at the conservatory and University (harpsichord and piano). That,s ws before I changed carrer for IT networking. I have my own harpsichord at home. here some pictures http://harpsichordphoto.org/abel/I also love movies (sci-fi and fantasy) and TV series. I'm on "The Big Bang Theory", "How I met your mother", "The walking dead" and "Sons of anarchy".I will be happy to share my experiences with you.Frederic Edited February 23, 2013 by dardano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi Frederic and welcome to EMS! That new dob will definitely outshine that old Tasco of yours, they're a popular scope here on EMS and for good reason. I used to have a friend in Quebec so I saw lots of photos. I must say I am very envious, I'd love to move out there. Enjoy the forums! P.S. I won't invite you to a meet at one of our dark sites, it's probably not economical! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 It's so nice to have members from outside the UK join us here at EMS, you are more then welcome. I hope you enjoy your stay and if you have any questions don't be shy in asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi Frederic and a warm welcome to EMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi Frederic, welcome to EMS. Your harpsichord is a lovely work of art. Compared to your temperatures we have a rather toasty 1 degree C here today. Hope you will post some observing reports using your dob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Welcome to EMS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T A WOW Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hello. Welcome to EMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi welcome to EMS. We have all ready had conversations regarding the lazy susan bearing. Hope you get it sorted, any questions, feel free to ask. Hope you enjoy the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi Frederic, welcome to EMS. Your harpsichord is a lovely work of art. Compared to your temperatures we have a rather toasty 1 degree C here today. Hope you will post some observing reports using your dob. Thanks ! My dad did the painting ont the harpsichord. It took 2 years to complete work. Today it's around -5 celcius and been snowing for 3 days and will snow all the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Thank you all. And yes if i'm invited to an EMS night it may a little for me Thanks Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi Frederic, a warm welcome to EMS. I think most of us started the same way, with a Tasco of one form or another. The 8" is a big step up from that and will keep you happy for a good while. You are correct that it can be improved by just some decent eyepieces, and even the mid range one's are better than the stock one's. I don't know if you have any club's or societies near you, simply so you can try different one's. Eyepieces all perform in different way's, and what might suit someone else might not feel comfortable for you. Enjoy the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Yes I have 4 astro clubs near me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 And I will try eyepieces from other people before buying. But as many told me, I can't go wrong with Televue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 There's no way you will go wrong with a Televue, they are the pinnacle eyepiece. But don't just go for them without trying cheaper ones. I say cheaper, but still expensive. The Meades, Explore Scientific, Panaviews, UWAN's,Vixens and so on are all good. I have just got a second hand Orion 17mm, but is made in Japan by Vixen, and it's very crisp. Iam very pleased with it, it's cracking on Jupiter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi fred, welcome to EMS, love Canada, spent many a week at Thunder Bay in Ontario! My brother lives there but is moving to Prince Edward Island in 2 weeks time. Plan to visit him 2015 and looking forward to it! Enjoy the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 I've been few times in Ontario, Ottawa and Toronto mainly. Loved Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Anyone tried this kind of dew shield for Telrad ? http://www.homebuiltastronomy.com/downbino/HomeBuiltAstronomy-TelradDewShield.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Most folks with a size'able dob use a Telrad - one of the most convenient star hopping devices around. And I've seen loads with that dew shield (or some diy equivalent) and sometimes a diy built in dew heater on it as well. Both great ideas if you're out on a moist night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Thanks for your comments guys ! It's very appreciated. I posted a new topic for my dob mods : http://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/4086-dardanos-dobson-mount-modified/ Also I got last friday my telrad 4" riser Now it's time to wonder where to put it,.... beside or behind the finderscope..... behind : beside (opposite to the focuser) : Any comments or suggestions ? ThanksFred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think beside is the most aesthetically pleasing and functional IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tweedledum Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Hi Frederick, Warm welcome to EMS. Love canada, nearly emigrated there a few years ago to Toronto. Coldest there for me was -52 in Jasper, but so clear and magnificent northern lights. Another IT Tech with us. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Hi Frederick, Warm welcome to EMS. Love canada, nearly emigrated there a few years ago to Toronto. Coldest there for me was -52 in Jasper, but so clear and magnificent northern lights. Another IT Tech with us. Cheers. I agree with that skies are way better when it's very cold and a minimum humidity outside. But you have to wear a polar bear suit to be confortable ! The coldest I've felt in Quebec is -36 celcius (without wind factor). -52 should like in the movie "The Day after tomorrow" when people go out and freeze instantly. @catman161 : I may put the telrad beside the finderscope. I'll do more tests to see what's more confortable for me. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 HI welcome to the EMS Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I have mine along side the finder as central as I can get it at the end of the tube. If it's difficult to use or fit you can get either a 2" or 4" riser for the Telrad. You may also find you need a counter weight fitting at the other - particularly when using larger eyepieces. Hth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I have mine along side the finder as central as I can get it at the end of the tube. If it's difficult to use or fit you can get either a 2" or 4" riser for the Telrad. You may also find you need a counter weight fitting at the other - particularly when using larger eyepieces. Hth He's got the 4 inch riser Kim, it's in the first post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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