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Hi all

Am supposed to be coming to Kruger November/December 2011, love night sky , so question do I really need a telescope or will my birding binoculars do?



Regards

I suppose it depends on how seriously you take it and what you want to look at. For example, I'm still learning about basic constellations and astronomy, so even if I had a telescope I wouldn't how to use it or what to look at.

I imagine you can go quite far with just binoculars.

I may need or want a telescope but it weighs close on 10 kilos, if I were staying in one or two camps I would consider it, but it's staying home this time.

I think a long lens (400 mm or more) would be more usefull?
You can take photos with you then, to peruse later, and you will need that lens for birds and animals further away anyway.
A canon 100-400 only weighs 1.6 kilo, so that should not stop you.

Hi

have long and short lenses, plus zoom for Pentax camera, do not like digital cmaeras, this is the Celestron scope for star gazing tracking, that weighs so much, but as is not tool set up on the tripod its great, bur heavy (D... baggage allowances)


regards

Hi,
probably not a great idea to take a telescope to the KNP in summer. At that time of the year you will have 99% cloudy skies at night and you will get all frustrated. Of course because I have put this in writing the week that you go will have the most fantastic clear skies ever. Or maybe not.
Also, lugging a telescope around on bumpy roads will probably put the optical collimation out and you will need to fix that before you can observe. Rather leave it at home and use the binocs to do some star gazing if it is clear. And get yourself a copy of the Sky Guide Africa South for 2011 from the park or some good local book shop as it contains everything you need regarding whats in the sky for us this year.

Bino's it will be, cloudy or not it will be better than light pollution.


Thanx