{"ancestors":[{"id":"111866354976739801","created_at":"2024-02-03T07:25:13.781Z","in_reply_to_id":null,"in_reply_to_account_id":null,"sensitive":false,"spoiler_text":"","visibility":"public","language":"en","uri":"https://discuss.systems/users/prashmohan/statuses/111866354976739801","url":"https://discuss.systems/@prashmohan/111866354976739801","replies_count":1,"reblogs_count":0,"favourites_count":0,"quotes_count":0,"edited_at":null,"content":"\u003cp\u003eCould someone offer me guidance on purchasing a \u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/tags/telescope\" class=\"mention hashtag\" rel=\"tag\"\u003e#\u003cspan\u003etelescope\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e? I have no previous experience at all, but I am not easily dissuaded by a learning curve. I would like to purchase a telescope that I won\u0026#39;t immediately feel the need to upgrade. I am probably not going to be carrying it around much and intend to primarily use it from the backyard - so size and portability is not a major concern. It does need to be available for purchase in Australia.\u003c/p\u003e","reblog":null,"application":{"name":"Phanpy","website":"https://phanpy.social"},"account":{"id":"109375494720349615","username":"prashmohan","acct":"prashmohan","display_name":"Prashanth Mohan","locked":false,"bot":false,"discoverable":true,"indexable":false,"group":false,"created_at":"2022-11-20T00:00:00.000Z","note":"\u003cp\u003eBased in \u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/tags/Sydney\" class=\"mention hashtag\" rel=\"tag\"\u003e#\u003cspan\u003eSydney\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/tags/Australia\" class=\"mention hashtag\" rel=\"tag\"\u003e#\u003cspan\u003eAustralia\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI work on capacity planning and systems optimisation for Google Cloud. I like and mostly write about \u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/tags/gardening\" class=\"mention hashtag\" rel=\"tag\"\u003e#\u003cspan\u003egardening\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e. Considering becoming a full time farmer.\u003c/p\u003e","url":"https://discuss.systems/@prashmohan","uri":"https://discuss.systems/users/prashmohan","avatar":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/avatars/109/375/494/720/349/615/original/336d888db8f8962f.jpg","avatar_static":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/avatars/109/375/494/720/349/615/original/336d888db8f8962f.jpg","header":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/headers/109/375/494/720/349/615/original/37e7f64acc46090e.png","header_static":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/headers/109/375/494/720/349/615/original/37e7f64acc46090e.png","followers_count":210,"following_count":317,"statuses_count":737,"last_status_at":"2025-07-04","hide_collections":false,"noindex":false,"emojis":[],"roles":[],"fields":[{"name":"Blog","value":"\u003ca href=\"https://thecloudytales.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener me\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003ehttps://\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003ethecloudytales.com\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","verified_at":"2022-12-17T11:41:02.756+00:00"},{"name":"LinkedIn","value":"\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/prmohan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener me\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003ehttps://www.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003elinkedin.com/in/prmohan\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","verified_at":null},{"name":"Github","value":"\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/prashmohan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener me\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003ehttps://\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003egithub.com/prashmohan\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","verified_at":"2023-03-09T09:45:30.073+00:00"}]},"media_attachments":[],"mentions":[],"tags":[{"name":"telescope","url":"https://discuss.systems/tags/telescope"}],"emojis":[],"quote":null,"card":null,"poll":null,"quote_approval":{"automatic":[],"manual":[],"current_user":"denied"}}],"descendants":[{"id":"111871542718965501","created_at":"2024-02-04T05:24:32.447Z","in_reply_to_id":"111866362011535593","in_reply_to_account_id":"109375494720349615","sensitive":false,"spoiler_text":"","visibility":"public","language":"en","uri":"https://discuss.systems/users/gparker/statuses/111871542718965501","url":"https://discuss.systems/@gparker/111871542718965501","replies_count":1,"reblogs_count":0,"favourites_count":1,"quotes_count":0,"edited_at":null,"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"h-card\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/@prashmohan\" class=\"u-url mention\"\u003e@\u003cspan\u003eprashmohan\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e Moderate size dobs like those are terrific in price/performance terms. I used an 8\u0026quot; for years before upgrading. One downside is their size. Be sure you can store it in an accessible location and move it comfortably. If it\u0026#39;s too heavy or buried too deeply then you won\u0026#39;t use it as much. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEyepieces are more important than you think. If you continue with the hobby you\u0026#39;ll later want to replace the basic ones that come with the kit. If budget is a concern then you may even want to downgrade the size of the telescope now in order to allow for accessory upgrades later.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAllow space in your budget for other accessories too. Again, don\u0026#39;t spend it all on the telescope tube. Consider: a red dot finder (which helps you aim the telescope); entry-level star charts; and an adjustable-height chair. Depending on your climate you may want dew shields or dew heaters.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI do recommend getting some hands-on experience before you purchase. You should be able to find an astronomy club or school near you that host public events. There\u0026#39;s no substitute for a few minutes at an eyepiece to learn what you will and won\u0026#39;t be able to see. You\u0026#39;ll also get a better feel for the size of the telescope and how you might store and transport it.\u003c/p\u003e","reblog":null,"application":{"name":"Web","website":null},"account":{"id":"109374813360099893","username":"gparker","acct":"gparker","display_name":"Greg Parker","locked":false,"bot":false,"discoverable":true,"indexable":false,"group":false,"created_at":"2022-11-20T00:00:00.000Z","note":"\u003cp\u003eSecurity sharpshooter at Apple\u003c/p\u003e","url":"https://discuss.systems/@gparker","uri":"https://discuss.systems/users/gparker","avatar":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/avatars/109/374/813/360/099/893/original/8e263d6675e46513.jpg","avatar_static":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/avatars/109/374/813/360/099/893/original/8e263d6675e46513.jpg","header":"https://discuss.systems/headers/original/missing.png","header_static":"https://discuss.systems/headers/original/missing.png","followers_count":1379,"following_count":91,"statuses_count":1556,"last_status_at":"2026-04-19","hide_collections":false,"noindex":false,"emojis":[],"roles":[],"fields":[]},"media_attachments":[],"mentions":[{"id":"109375494720349615","username":"prashmohan","url":"https://discuss.systems/@prashmohan","acct":"prashmohan"}],"tags":[],"emojis":[],"quote":null,"card":null,"poll":null,"quote_approval":{"automatic":[],"manual":[],"current_user":"denied"}},{"id":"111871573609207096","created_at":"2024-02-04T05:32:23.793Z","in_reply_to_id":"111871542718965501","in_reply_to_account_id":"109374813360099893","sensitive":false,"spoiler_text":"","visibility":"public","language":"en","uri":"https://discuss.systems/users/prashmohan/statuses/111871573609207096","url":"https://discuss.systems/@prashmohan/111871573609207096","replies_count":1,"reblogs_count":0,"favourites_count":0,"quotes_count":0,"edited_at":null,"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"h-card\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/@gparker\" class=\"u-url mention\"\u003e@\u003cspan\u003egparker\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e thank you so much for the advice. Is the red dot finder the same as the tool used for collimating the telescope? Also are smartphone apps like stellarium (what I currently use for star identification) the same as star charts?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThankfully budget isn\u0026#39;t really much of an issue at this point for me, but I also do want to get equipment that is generally good value for money.\u003c/p\u003e","reblog":null,"application":{"name":"Phanpy","website":"https://phanpy.social"},"account":{"id":"109375494720349615","username":"prashmohan","acct":"prashmohan","display_name":"Prashanth Mohan","locked":false,"bot":false,"discoverable":true,"indexable":false,"group":false,"created_at":"2022-11-20T00:00:00.000Z","note":"\u003cp\u003eBased in \u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/tags/Sydney\" class=\"mention hashtag\" rel=\"tag\"\u003e#\u003cspan\u003eSydney\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/tags/Australia\" class=\"mention hashtag\" rel=\"tag\"\u003e#\u003cspan\u003eAustralia\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI work on capacity planning and systems optimisation for Google Cloud. I like and mostly write about \u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/tags/gardening\" class=\"mention hashtag\" rel=\"tag\"\u003e#\u003cspan\u003egardening\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e. Considering becoming a full time farmer.\u003c/p\u003e","url":"https://discuss.systems/@prashmohan","uri":"https://discuss.systems/users/prashmohan","avatar":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/avatars/109/375/494/720/349/615/original/336d888db8f8962f.jpg","avatar_static":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/avatars/109/375/494/720/349/615/original/336d888db8f8962f.jpg","header":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/headers/109/375/494/720/349/615/original/37e7f64acc46090e.png","header_static":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/headers/109/375/494/720/349/615/original/37e7f64acc46090e.png","followers_count":210,"following_count":317,"statuses_count":737,"last_status_at":"2025-07-04","hide_collections":false,"noindex":false,"emojis":[],"roles":[],"fields":[{"name":"Blog","value":"\u003ca href=\"https://thecloudytales.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener me\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003ehttps://\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003ethecloudytales.com\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","verified_at":"2022-12-17T11:41:02.756+00:00"},{"name":"LinkedIn","value":"\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/prmohan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener me\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003ehttps://www.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003elinkedin.com/in/prmohan\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","verified_at":null},{"name":"Github","value":"\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/prashmohan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener me\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003ehttps://\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003egithub.com/prashmohan\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"invisible\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e","verified_at":"2023-03-09T09:45:30.073+00:00"}]},"media_attachments":[],"mentions":[{"id":"109374813360099893","username":"gparker","url":"https://discuss.systems/@gparker","acct":"gparker"}],"tags":[],"emojis":[],"quote":null,"card":null,"poll":null,"quote_approval":{"automatic":[],"manual":[],"current_user":"denied"}},{"id":"111871649729584890","created_at":"2024-02-04T05:51:45.298Z","in_reply_to_id":"111871573609207096","in_reply_to_account_id":"109375494720349615","sensitive":false,"spoiler_text":"","visibility":"public","language":"en","uri":"https://discuss.systems/users/gparker/statuses/111871649729584890","url":"https://discuss.systems/@gparker/111871649729584890","replies_count":0,"reblogs_count":0,"favourites_count":1,"quotes_count":0,"edited_at":"2024-02-04T05:52:32.947Z","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"h-card\" translate=\"no\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://discuss.systems/@prashmohan\" class=\"u-url mention\"\u003e@\u003cspan\u003eprashmohan\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e A red dot finder works alongside your finder scope to help point the telescope. When you look through the red dot finder you see an unmagnified view of the sky with a red dot projected on it. That dot shows where the telescope is pointing. Then you use the low-power finder scope to aim more precisely, and finally move to the telescope view itself. It\u0026#39;s not necessary—you can get by with the finder scope alone—but many people find it convenient.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eComputer and phone apps like Stellarium are useful, but they can be hard to use at the telescope because the screen is too bright and affects your night vision. You may be able to dim your screen sufficiently by covering it with gray or red plastic filters, or you may prefer paper charts that you can read with a dimmed flashlight or headlamp.\u003c/p\u003e","reblog":null,"application":{"name":"Web","website":null},"account":{"id":"109374813360099893","username":"gparker","acct":"gparker","display_name":"Greg Parker","locked":false,"bot":false,"discoverable":true,"indexable":false,"group":false,"created_at":"2022-11-20T00:00:00.000Z","note":"\u003cp\u003eSecurity sharpshooter at Apple\u003c/p\u003e","url":"https://discuss.systems/@gparker","uri":"https://discuss.systems/users/gparker","avatar":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/avatars/109/374/813/360/099/893/original/8e263d6675e46513.jpg","avatar_static":"https://fd.discuss.systems/accounts/avatars/109/374/813/360/099/893/original/8e263d6675e46513.jpg","header":"https://discuss.systems/headers/original/missing.png","header_static":"https://discuss.systems/headers/original/missing.png","followers_count":1379,"following_count":91,"statuses_count":1556,"last_status_at":"2026-04-19","hide_collections":false,"noindex":false,"emojis":[],"roles":[],"fields":[]},"media_attachments":[],"mentions":[{"id":"109375494720349615","username":"prashmohan","url":"https://discuss.systems/@prashmohan","acct":"prashmohan"}],"tags":[],"emojis":[],"quote":null,"card":null,"poll":null,"quote_approval":{"automatic":[],"manual":[],"current_user":"denied"}}]}