October 2003 telescope price review

p.s. I've just checked my reciepts for the LXD55 I bought last year in the UK. 48 hour courier from Cambridge cost £70.91 for the 117 lbs. scope.

Who was the UK supplier you got that from, out of curiosity? I'd like to do a Meade price review for Nov. If I recall correctly, aren't Andromeda Optics the Irish supplier for Meade?

The good news is, Andromeda have finally put prices on their site. The bad news is, I can't find any Meade stuff listed! :roll:

www.andromedaoptics.com/tele.html

John.

Thats from charging €2 a pop to look through someone elses telescope under AI's name in the middle of Phoenix Park where you see squat with all the streetlights, but your average Dubliner/astronomer wannabe doesn't know it.... sorry, didn't mean to sound sarcastic.
Seanie

AI only uses the Phoenix Park for bright objects such as eclipses or planetary viewing, not for DSOs. It's central and easy to access from a number of gates on its boundary. There wouldn't be much point in organising a public event in the middle of the Wicklow Mountains. Perhaps you are not aware that light pollution makes virtually no difference to Lunar viewing and little difference to the planets. Mars was only average at the August event due to poor seeing, not due to light pollution.

As a Dubliner, I take exception to your opinion of the intelligence of the inhabitants of this city. Thousands of those "average Dubliner/astronomer wannabes" did not see "squat" as you so ineloquently put it, but actually were very happy with their view of the SPC, Syrtis Major and other dark features which were visible on the night.

Gordon

jhonan wrote:

Here you go Gordon;

www.irishastronomy.com/images/sshot.gif

John.

Thanks John and Al. Interesting reading all right.

Gordon

As a Dubliner, I take exception to your opinion of the intelligence of the inhabitants of this city.

As a Dubliner I often question the intelligence of some of the inhabitants of this city

Public events for Planets and the Moon, work reasonably well in cities, the main problem being the steadiness of the air.

The IAS for example run `Dublin Sidewalk Astronomers` events at the Martello tower in Sandymount, which has plenty of bright lights nearby and all who walk by still manage to get good views of the planets and moon. However there is no charge for looking through the scopes!

Even if a normal club did ask for a donation for raising funds then it would show up in the accounts at the AGM. This does not happen with AI, worse, there is the strong possibility it goes directly to a for profit Ltd. company.

Cheers,
~Al

Whoa there lads, settle down. Lets not turn this into a "Culchies smell worse than Jackeens do" argument. As far as I can tell from reading over what has been posted here, no one has tried to cause offense to any other part of the country, and that's off topic anyway!
Gordon, I think Seanie's point was about seeking 2 euro donations from people attending these public events. Many people who post here have paid subscription fees to a society, or a club, as AI uses both terms very interchangeably, and do not see where this money is going. When people ask where this money is going they are told that it's not their business.
Whether or not Astronomy Ireland, or Astronomy and Space, charge large sums for their telescopes does not affect me, nor does it affect the majority of people who post here. I have my scope, and I'm not going to need one for a while. If people are upset about the prices, then stop moaning and write to the person who is responsible, and that's not David Moore. Write to Celestron. Let them know you're not happy. You can even tell them that I bought a Meade 'cos I couldn't afford a Celestron in Ireland.
The thing that most people are concerned about are the next generation.
Take it easy lads. Lets keep it friendly. Imagine! A BUFFALO sorting out a Jackeen and a BIFFO.

PS - As a stinky bogger who teaches Dubliners, I often wonder about the average intelligence of the inhabitants of said city, but that's what I get paid to do!

I feel like a confused child with AI as my parent. AI was my first port of call getting into astronomy and they have defiantly increased awareness for astronomy in Ireland, hey I still have a subscription to their magazine even if it does leave an bitter taste in my mouth. How does that saying go again... "what they give with their right hand they take with their left" or something like that.