New Mars Forums

Josh Cryer

Moderator

Registered: 2001-09-29

Posts: 3,830

Re: what's the best telescope

Hehehe!

No bids.

Oh well, good luck on the auction Ranger. I'd get it, but I'm looking at a much larger scope, perferrably after I move and can settle in somewhere.

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Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
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The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

Byron

Member

From: Florida, USA

Registered: 2002-05-16

Posts: 844

Re: what's the best telescope

Although I can't see much of Mars with my puny Astroscan, I went to a local observatory the other night where several people had telescopes set up for public Mars viewings.  I looked through an 18 incher...and it provided a marvelous view of Mars (the abnormally clear air helped, I'm sure.)  I could pick out the darker markings of Syrtis Major, as well as the distinctive white southern polar ice cap.

Anyone on here gotten a chance to look at Mars through a bigger telescope?  If so, what could you see?

B

Algol

Member

From: London

Registered: 2003-04-25

Posts: 196

Re: what's the best telescope

This article caught my eye....

Becoming a Telescope Nut - BBC

I wonder how hard it would be to construct my own telescope, i mean a big one like 20" or so....

How much do you reckon it would cost guys? What sort of problems might one hypothetically run into?

Cheers

Nick

Josh Cryer

Moderator

Registered: 2001-09-29

Posts: 3,830

Re: what's the best telescope

I don't think it'd be too hard to contruct your own scope, but I don't think it'd be more affordable than buying a mass-produced one. Like an Obsession.

Here's an interesting link to a book talking about how to build a large Dobsonian: http://www.globaldialog.com/~obsessiontscp/Book.html

Not having read the book, I think that most of the cost would lie in the mirror. Building the casing ought to be relatively easy. You're just not going to be able to grind your own mirror; your optics are going to have to be bought.

You might want to just check out an Obsession, unless you want to experience the fun and satisfaction involved in building your own from scratch. Note that setting up an Obsession, is much like building one; they come in pieces! The book I linked probably tells you what bits you need, how big they ought to be and so on.

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Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.