From: TerryMoselaol.com
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2005 19:44:19 EST
Subject: Lidl Telescope offers, Correction

Hi all,
 
I've now checked out the details of the Lidl telescope offers, available  
from Monday 12 Dec.
 
1. 70mm Skylux F10 refractor 39.99 sterling or 59.99 euro.
The usual pre-Xmas offer - only this year it's even cheaper! Details:
 
70mm achromatic lens, aluminium tube, F.L. 700mm (F. 10) Two  eyepieces, 4mm 
(x175) & 20mm (x35). 3x Barlow (max mag = 525x, but this  is totally 
impractical. Be happy with x175!). Star diagonal. 6x30 finder.  Astronomy software on 
C.D. Equatorial mount with slow motions on both axes.  Adjustable aluminium 
tripod. 5 year guarantee.
   Assuming that it's the same as last year, this is incredible  value, with 
the price being substantially lower than last year!
   NB: The high power eyepiece is not of great quality (going by  previous 
year's models). But you can pick up a good HP eyepiece for around  бё30-40. That 
still makes it superb value.
 
2. 70mm ETX-70 GoTo telescope. 119 sterling or 169 euro.
This seems to be the actual Meade model of that name, at a much reduced  
price compared with usual outlets. Details:
70mm aperture, achromatic lens, F.L. 350mm (F. 5). Three eyepieces, on a  
rotating turret, giving mags from 14x to 262x, including the 3x  Barlow. Tripod, 
carry rucksack. The 'GoTo' details are not given, but if it's  the standard 
model it will have about 1200 astronomical objects in its  database. Once 
properly aligned, it should 'go to' and find any of those objects  by itself.
   BUT: it must be properly aligned first, and I have heard  of some people 
having problems with that. 
  Somebody asked if it would be suitable to bring on the Eclipse Trip  next 
March. I'm not sure, but I think that it would be very difficult to align  it 
during daytime. Normally one needs at least two astronomical objects to align  
it, as far as I know (I haven't got one), and during the day, there's only  
one!
   ALSO: although there may be 1200 objects in the database, bear  in mind 
that with only 70mm aperture, you'll only be able to see the brighter  ones. And 
in some cases, even if it finds the object for you, you won't be able  to 
recognise it as such in the low power eyepiece, and if you switch to a higher  
power (and therefore smaller field of view), it may no longer be in the field of 
 view. So, it would be OK for finding the planets (except Pluto), and 
brighter  deep sky objects, but don't expect too much.
 
CORRECTION: Re the EAAS lecture, I've now been informed that the speaker  was 
in fact provided with directions by email, and a map via their website, so  
I'm happy to make clear that correction.
    But it just shows that even so, people can get lost in  unfamiliar 
territory, at night, in the rain. More advice: If in  doubt, arrange to meet the 
speaker at some well-known unmistakeable location  nearby, and then bring him/her 
to the venue.
 
Clear skies,
 
Terry Moseley

Last Revised: 2005 December 6th WWW contact:webmaster@arm.ac.uk

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