Lidl watch

Thanks for the replies.

The Autostar suite seems to cost about €150 including the extra bits and pieces, if ordered over the web from England, if anyone else is interested.

Has anyone done any programming of the serial connection directly? Is there a standard set of commands over the serial cable for all telescopes, so if I had a simple command utility I could instruct the telescope to move to a certain location.

The command set is different for different scopes, but the Meade set can be found at www.meade.com/support/CommandSet.html .

The cable connections can be found on Mike Weasner's LXD75 website www.weasner.com/etx/autostar/as_cable.html .
Note that it plugs into the Autostar box, not into the telescope mount. Plugging it into the mount can do expensive damage.

I made up a lead from a spare telephone handset cord (for the Autostar connector) and a 9 pin D socket. I didn't need to file the plug, in spite of what it says on Weasner's page, I think that refers to the phone wall socket plug. I've tested it successfully with Hyperterminal (the terminal program that comes with Windows) and with the demo version of Skymap V11. I intend to use it with Cartes du Ciel, though I've not tested it yet.

This guy who is interested would be a raw beginner, would a go-to scope like this be a good starter scope in your opinions? IMO I would say No as the person may get very frustrated with mastering the set-up of the scope and the go-to and could get put off easily. I reckon they would be better off with good binos and learn the sky first.

I agree Neill - the LXD75 is not a beginner's 'scope. Binos and Skylux would be an excellent educational route - traditionally he'd get both for under £60 in Lidl around Xmas!

I agree. The LXD75 is my second GoTo, my first was a NexStar 4. With practice it can be set up quickly, particularly if you can put permanent marks or divots for the legs at your observing location, but you need to understand how a German equatorial mount works and to know the sky (for setup you need to identify the alignment stars). The Skylux and its mount are an inexpensive learning tool and binos are a must.

This guy who is interested would be a raw beginner, would a go-to scope like this be a good starter scope in your opinions? IMO I would say No as the person may get very frustrated with mastering the set-up of the scope and the go-to and could get put off easily. I reckon they would be better off with good binos and learn the sky first.

If you mean me.

I wouldn't say I am a raw beginner.

I am reasonably familiar with the sky, although I was much more interested in astronomy when I was younger. I am a programmer so I am interested in the technical aspects of a GoTo telescope, and the possibilities it might offer. I don't think setting up the telescope will be too problematic, from what I have read it uses the brighter objects in the sky for alignment. I have downloaded the manual from the Meade site.

I have used binoculars, but I would like something which can show up the planets as a visible disk, and view galaxies, nebulas and clusters. I could get a smaller simpler scope later, but I think the scope's power is about what I would like to be able to view.

Thanks for all your answers.

If you mean me.

I wouldn't say I am a raw beginner.

Hi redbeard ... I think Neill might have been referring to a work colleague he is looking to source a scope for (page 2 of this thread).

If you are in the Dublin area you are more than welcome along to the next SDAS meeting this Thursday in Ranelagh where you will find a number of people who own a wide variety of telescopes and can give you advice on set-up, etc. Click on www.southdublinastronomy.org for details of where to find us.

All the best,

John