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I prefer the freedom and ease-of-use of alt-azmuth mount telescopes. One must have a moderate familiarity with the stellar layout when using an alt-azmuth setup; as apposed to the utter celestial ignorance one can retain whilst operating a go-to system.
The Orion Nebula, Arcturus, The Whirlpool Galaxy;
these can be found easily when armed with a telescope, a star chart and a clear night sky....
But what about some of the fainter nebulae or the farther planets such as Neptune, Uranus and Pluto*.
T'would be nice to have a little help. Not some computer programmed and operated mount doing *ALL* the work, mind you. But maybe having a Go-To mounted laser pointer set in a magnetized hydrostatic gimbal privy to it's GPS derived location pointing me in the general location** would be nice, (and still leave me with a marginal sense of accomplishment).
* currently downgraded from planet status
** within 30-40 arc minutes
Thor's Helmet
http://www.google.c...GBQ&ved=0CB8Q9QEwAA
[baconbrain], does a "green" laser consume less resources than a regular laser ;-) [normzone, Apr 09 2012]
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It sounds in general like a good idea but i'm not sure what the
laser pointer reflects off. How would you see it when looking
through the eyepiece? Is there a translucent plate you can flip
aside? Sorry, probably just being dim. I've bunned it. |
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I don't think you would be able to see it in the eye-piece, either. You could probably see it in the finder scope. Definitely with the naked eye: "Ah! just a bit lower than that dim star to the left of those three brighter ones!" |
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I think tonight I am going to hunt down Thor's Helmet, and not stop until I find it. All I know: it is in Canis Major. |
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Oops, sorry i meant finder scope. |
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What may be meant: A fairly powerful green laser pointer on a separate stand, completely independent of the telescope, that swivels and points out stars just like a wise friend would. |
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A green laser scatters so much that the beam can be seen in the air. Astronomers use a green laser as a sky pointer for group talks. |
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This could easily be built by strapping a green laser to the side of a "smart" telescope. |
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Or get the google sky app |
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You are exactly correct, [baconbrain]. I figured if the setup knew it's own position and orientation, then you wouldn't need to point it at the north star and all that other jazz that i have heard is required for go-to scopes. |
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... I don't do apps, [zeno]. And neither does my phone. |
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