Here we go again....this time Ivan

[Jonathan]

that non-fet dot is way out there, yo G
Hmmm I'd hate to say ej to it

Anywhose, I'm not sure what I'll do; and
your right about the mount, it seems.

I got my bro's bday coming up, plus
the game I've been drooling over for like a year
(plus run a decently large fan site for) ~

Eh.... I need a job *sigh*

PS: James needs a Typhoon !!
Unfair FLA is getting all the fun!

[Jonathan]

the dot moved even more

Frank, any suggestions on set of binoculars?
I think I'll go with 'em first, less expensive.

Plus, I can still see some if not a good portion
of the Messier Catalog w/ decent binos, so I hear.

And it was told Binos are a good intro

[Frank Hagan]

I've read the same thing about binoculars, with the caveat that the problem is holding them in position for long periods of time. They make special high-mount tripods, tripods with mirrors (where your binos are on a tripod looking "down" into a mirror angled up at the sky), but some people simply lay down with the binos and look up that way.

You can get many of the messier objects at 8 - 10x magnification, but I'm not sure about planetary viewing. My favorite views of Saturn and Jupiter are at a minimum of 45x magnification (that's a 4.5" scope with f=900 with a 20mm eyepiece ... 900 / 20 = 45). The moon fills the entire eyepiece at that magnification, and Saturn appears to be about 1/8" across. Usually I do my viewing of planets at 90x, using a 10mm eyepiece. Handheld binos are usually at a max of 15x or so (the first number in the specs ... 15x63 is a 15x magnification with a 63mm diameter lens). The common binos you can buy nearly anywhere are usually 7x50. You might try borrowing some, getting "Turn Left at Orion" from the library, and seeing if you can resolve some of the messier objects it lists.

I suspect anything over 8x - 10x magnification have to be held in a tripod to be usable (at least from my experience with binos and daytime viewing). A big advantage of binos is that they are great for daytime viewing, so they do double duty.

[Jonathan]

Dot moved again; AL & MS people--- ruuUUNNNN for your lives!!

Don't no anybody with a pair ~ plus the fact my five neighbors
are waaay to busy with themselves to dare speak with one anotheR!

So you think a good pair of 8x50 or so will do good?
Oddly enough, alot of the 8-12 x 50 seemed more $ than the 15x70

@least on Amazon...

PS: Ended up getting an pair of 10x50 by Orion.