Anyone attached to any Astronomical Societies/Clubs here?

Seanie M

Out of curiosity, who is a member of an astronomy club or society here?

I am in Tullamore Astronomical Society myself (www.tullamoreastronomy.com)

Seanie.

albertw

I'm in the Irish Astronomyical Society (www.IrishAstroSoc.org), the South Dublin Astronomical Society (temporarily: www.southdublinastronomy.org), and also the BAA (www.britastro.org).

Seanie M

thats alot of subscription rates Al!

anyone else?

albertw

well SDAS is free :-)

But then theres the magazine subscriptions... (no A&S is not one of them!)

Cheers,
~Al

Seanie M

doesn't look like there are many more nerds in any astronomy clubs....

I think we're a rare breed (thank gawd some would say!)

Still, astronomy can be a great hobby.... I have 3 telescopes... how many do you have? :ninja: Thats cool, isn't it?

S.

albertw

Originally posted by Seanie M
astronomy can be a great hobby.... I have 3 telescopes...

It can be an _expensive_ hobby thats for sure :-)

Cheers,
~Al

Seanie M

yeah, but for anyone reading this who feels the same, wait for the special offers in Aldi and Lidl for their binoculars and SkyLux telescopes... almost perfect, very cheap, and so easy to use...

Use them for getting started, and both together for just under €100 actually!

Fionn101

Sean,

Can you vouch for the lidl telescopes, or are they just crap ???

I currently use a planesphere and a decent set of mounted binocs , but was thinking of investing in a decent telescope (and not break the bank)

would the lidl ones do the trick or should i look for a 2nd hand telescope around the same price ??

Also does anyone knwo which society you have to join to get to use Dunsink Observatory ?

tanks in advance

Fionn

albertw

Originally posted by Fionn101

Can you vouch for the lidl telescopes, or are they just crap ???

The ones they had a while ago for EUR65 or so were fine. The eyepieces I thought were the weakest point, but overall very good value for money. Whether the next telescope they offer will have the same quality is another matter.

I currently use a planesphere and a decent set of mounted binocs , but was thinking of investing in a decent telescope (and not break the bank)

I can pm you the details of telescope suppliers in Ireland that will be able to offer decent prices if you want to get something new. There are some places to avoid...

would the lidl ones do the trick or should i look for a 2nd hand telescope around the same price ??

Depends on what you are looking for. I doubt there is much in the second hand market for < EUR100 though. You might be better off saving up a while longer though, I imagine if you are used to binocular observing you will grow out of the lidl type scope fairly quickly, whereas a decent sized dobsonian will serve you well for years.

Also does anyone knwo which society you have to join to get to use Dunsink Observatory ?

Only the Irish Astronomical Society have a members night at Dunsink www.irishastrosoc.org . However you can get tickets from Dunsink to go visit on their public nights for free without needing to be a member of any society www.dunsink.dias.ie


Cheers,
~Al
--
www.irishastronomy.org

Seanie M

Thanks Al! :mad:

His words are sound Fionn.

Though I will add that I get the maximum use out of the SkyLux (Lidl) refractor with my set of Celestron Plossls eyepeices. The ones that do come with the scope are far more inferior. I have a friend who gets the eyepeices at first hand quality for second hand prices.

Seanie.

michaeloconnell

I have a friend who gets the eyepeices at first hand quality for second hand prices.

Useful friend to have!! Is it just Celestron stuff he can get his hands on or can he cover Televue stuff also??

Michael

Fionn101

nice one lads (cheers al)

right i reckon i'm gonna put about 200 twoards a 2nd hand telescope , i'd imagine the buy and sell to be the place to look ??

or are there better sites ?

Think I may join the IAS but apparently they are off the air until sep (is this true)

are there any regular meets in dublin ?? south or northside as i have a car

take it easy

fionn

Seanie M

Fionn,

the buy and sell CAN be a great place to start for a second hand scope. The only sound advice any amateur astronomer can offer you on that is to VIEW the scope at the sellers location first, test it on any object for focus/chromatic abberation (coloured feathering of images when seen through an eyepiece), and that it is strucurally sound. I wouln't worry about scratches... unless they are on the mirror!

Albert will tell you when the IAS are meeting again. Most clubs worldwide suspend their public lectures for the summer months, but are no means off the air. Check their website (www.irishastrosoc.org) for details.

Cheers,

Seanie.

Seanie M

Originally posted by michaeloconnell
Useful friend to have!! Is it just Celestron stuff he can get his hands on or can he cover Televue stuff also??

Michael

Mike, I'd say he can get (almost) what you want. He buys and sells new and second hand stuff for scopes and accessories, so he's always searching around for the bargains to pass on.

Remind me at the meeting on Sunday, and I can give you his name and number if you want.

albertw

Originally posted by Seanie M

Albert will tell you when the IAS are meeting again. Most clubs worldwide suspend their public lectures for the summer months, but are no means off the air. Check their website (www.irishastrosoc.org) for details.

Yea, the IAS like most clubs doesnt hold meetings over the summer. Though it does have two talks a month to make up for it the rest of the year. Also if you are in dublin check out the South Dublin Astronomical Society (www.southdublinastronomy.org).

Flukey

I am in South Dublin and am a member of Astronomy Ireland. Their telescopes and other materials are expensive but they have their good points, like the magazine and their events. It is worth looking for telescope websites in the UK. They are better priced than the equivalents in Astronomy Ireland and not too far away to make a major addition to the price for shipping.

Whatever you do, don't get a cheap model, without doing your research first. A good pair of binoculars goes a long way in any event. With a manually operated telescope it is sometimes harder to find specific things because it brings so much into view than the naked eye or binoculars. If you are new to astronomy, start with a decent pair of binoculars - a set of 10 x 50's are fine - and a good guide book. Once you know your way around the sky then consider moving up to a telesecope. It is better to stick with the binoculars a bit longer and save up and get a decent one, than getting a cheap one now.

Agar

Originally posted by Flukey
I am in South Dublin and am a member of Astronomy Ireland. Their telescopes and other materials are expensive but they have their good points, like the magazine and their events.

Like what?

They are the only astronomy club/society (oh hang on, they aren't either!) that I am familiar with that charges a membership fee, then charge on top of that for attendance at talks and observing sessions. I'm looking forward to the Whirlpool Star Party in Birr this september, which is 50 euro for three days of talks by top astronomers like Stephen James O'Meara, demonstrations, meetings and two or more observing sessions weather permitting as well as entry to the Birr science centre. How does any event run by Astronomy Ireland (or Astronomy & Space ltd) compare to that? 30 Euro for an observing session in Roundwood with food! 25 Euro for admittance to a glorified telescope showroom which shares tables with groups like the New Raelians! Come on ... But there's worse; the Venus Transit event in the Phoenix Park; charging, or rather asking, for a 2 Euro donation to look through a telescope. That's criminal. I had over 100 people look through my scope that day at Sandymount and morally I couldn't ask them for money. I used to be a member but when I noticed how horribly insular they were I didn't renew my membership/subscription (delete as applicable). Have you seen the club accounts? Have you voted at an AGM? You don't like what I'm saying? Then take a good long hard look at your society/club and your place in it. Valued member? Potential customer?

Remember, your average newsagent stocks a better selection of astronomy magazines than 'your' national astronomy shop.

NOTE: Any parts of the above statements which do not contain the word allegedly should have that word in place. Allegedly. Opinions expressed here are those of a disgruntled former member of an astronomy organisation who got annoyed when he discoverd that membership simply entitled him to ... nothing.

Flukey

Oh I know it is very insular and as someone described it to me, "an ego trip for David Moore." There is definitely a sense of that alright. My interest goes wider than that and I am looking towards the other groups too. I am looking at getting a better scope and while I might look in the AI shop to see some scopes close up, I won't be buying there because, as we all know, they are not cheap. I may buy one online from abroad, but it won't be in the short term in any event.

The other groups do need to increase their profile, as Astronomy Ireland is the one most people have heard of, much down to Mr. Moore's frequent appearances on TV and radio. I have never gone to any of their lectures. I did get a ticket from AI for Kip Thorne's lecture in the RDS last week, but of course that was not an AI event. I was only ever at one of their Star BQ's. I came away a little happier with my telescope - a Celeston EQ 70 - as the bigger ones there did not have a much better view than mine does. I never ring their phone lines, as I never ring any premium rate lines and I can get good info on the ISS for example, on Heavens Above. Their annual exhibition in DCU is very poor and hardly worth going to unless you are local. So I would not describe myself as an active member.

Astronomy and Space magazine is good and that is something the other groups need to be looking at. I have seen some of the other Irish publications and with all due respect, they are not as good. Maybe some of the other groups do need to increase their funding, whether through subscriptions or grants or whatever in order to build themselves and make themselves more visible. I don't doubt that they are doing good work, but maybe more needs to be done to push themselves into the public eye, otherwise AI will keep its lofty position and idea of itself.

Agar

A very sober and honest reply. Thank you. While you're in South Dublin, why not come along to some of the South Dublin Astronomical Society meetings. Free to join and attend, and a nice way of meeting a network of people.

Flukey

Thank you for your compliment. I may well do that, come September. I have been looking at the website and other associated ones.

albertw

Originally posted by Flukey
The other groups do need to increase their profile

Its been worked on for a while now, and its slowly getting better. irishastronomy.org was a major boost over the old mailing list, and we are getting our act together regarding press-releases etc. and building up ties with the media.

Astronomy and Space magazine is good and that is something the other groups need to be looking at. I have seen some of the other Irish publications and with all due respect, they are not as good.

Personally I think the content is better in any of the other magazines (Orbit, Stardust, Realta, and Arcturus), what they lack is a glossy cover, and distribution.

Money would help, we have nowhere near the money of A&S Ltd.. (Your local national light polluton group currently has MINUS EUR100 or so). Membership is one way, thats feedback, the more we put in the more members. Sponsorship works for the main starparties, but not really for clubs. Grants are worth looking at, however there is a lot of work involved in coming up with a proposal, getting the grant, following through on it, and imho there is not a lot that a grant can do to help promote astronomy in general, short of building a planetarium.

cloudy, off to pub.

Cheers,
~Al

albertw

Originally posted by Flukey
Thank you for your compliment. I may well do that, come September. I have been looking at the website and other associated ones.

The SDAS website is somethig that I put up for the Transit of Venus, there will be a proper website when a few people get the time to put it together. For info about the SDAS send a message to "skynotes" (aka John Flannery) on the irishastronomy.org board.

Cheers,
~Al

Flukey

I put together a little website after the transit of Venus for some online friends that have a bit of interest in Astronomy. I've added a few photos I took on the day, and some other astronomy photos I have taken.

http://homepage.eircom.net/~flukey/AstronomyPage.htm