Christmas present advice (astromony/headtorch)

[Arch]

One for the astronomy and gadget buffs..

Trying to think what to get bro-in-law for Christmas, am toying with the idea of a head torch with red filter (apparently it disrupts your night vision less) . Have to check with sis that he doesn't have one already - I know he has a little red hand torch. The cheapest I've seen was on an angling website, for £15 which is about as much as I'd want to spend - anyone got any specific recommendations?

And if not that, any other suggestions, perhaps with an astronomy theme?

 

[Pete]

Hmmmmm.....

I suppose I'm expected to come up with all the right answers here...

I've never heard of an astro wearing a headtorch (most of the time he'll want all the lights out anyway), but I suppose it could be helpful when setting up, especially when wrestling a large scope into its mount (on the type I use, you have to hold the OTA - the main telescope tube about 1m long x 10" diameter - lined up with a sort of wedge-thingy, with two hands, hold the torch with a third, and tighten up a screw with the fourth... )

Whatever you do, don't buy one of those laser pointer gizmos, even if suggested. They are quite useful for pointing out constellations and suchlike in the sky to friends, but I've heard of seasoned astros - grown men, paunchy as often as not - coming to fisticuffs, if one of these wretched things is brought out at a star party. They disrupt other astronomers' work and can damage equipment, you see...

So. Books? In my humble experience you can never have too many books on the subject, even if 90% of them were written by the inestimable Sir Patrick... Need to sound out what he's already got, of course. Accessories to go directly with the telescope, like eyepieces, will be beyond your budget I'm afraid - well, decent ones will. Maybe a nice rigid sponge-foam lined case to hold his eyepieces, if he hasn't already got one? You might be able to find a reasonable Barlow lens within budget, if your b-i-l hasn't already got one (he'll know what it is and what it's for). Sorry, I'm a bit stuck for ideas.

There's a lot of places you can order stuff mailorder. I don't know of any decent astro supplier in your area though.

If you like, I might pass your question on to the Astro forum... After all, guys on there probably get bombarded with questions like this, at this time of year...

 

[starseven]

Here you go Arch , Petzl.

I seem to be the rep for petzl at the moment, I do like a good gadget though and would be pleased to recieve anything from this company.

 

[marinyork]

Buy them a book on cosmology, their always discovering new things and having to rewrite books so you can't go too wrong.

 

[Smeggers]

Jodrell Bank if you've got about 50 Million to spend?

 

[Pete]

Ah well, if anyone here has got some real spare dosh to hand, and is in the pressie-buying-all-round business ... I'd just like it to be known that I rather fancy one of these...

Of course, if there's a bit to spare, there's always this...

 

[marinyork]

Got your own desert island to escape the light pollution too? Heavy money, might as well buy an exoplanet instead.

 

[cisamcgu]

http://www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/acatalog/Gifts__10__25.html

Miniature Ring Dial - this looks fun, though I imagine it is more of an amusing toy than anything serious

Turn Left at Orion - Indispensible for a new comer to astronomy, but it is likely that he already has it

http://www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/acatalog/Gifts_Under__10.html

Lens Pen - looks OK, but I don't really know


Hope this helps
Andrew

 

[Pete]

Some answers, so far, from the astro forum:

The Teach yourself Astronomy book by Patrick moore at £3.99
A Planisphere, £5ish
And a warm hat

Dave.
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A planisphere. They're an essential.
A single malt.
mojo
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Quote from: spaismunky on November 02, 2007, 08:39:39 PM
A single malt.

I like your style Mo!

I echo what Dave and Mo have said. Also point them to this forum!

Eddie
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How about a handful of pens for all the cheques he will write?
Lots of package materials for all the scopes he'll sell/swap too?
Caroline
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And a washing line to help find his way around

Anon.
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turn left at orion is a decent book

The clothesline reference is an in-joke. Come to think of it, the joke spilled over onto this forum a while back, didn't it?

 

[Pete]

Got your own desert island to escape the light pollution too? Heavy money, might as well buy an exoplanet instead.

I think, if I really had my eye set on one of those beauties, I'd have made sure of snapping up the entire Atacama desert to go along with it...

 

[Arch]

Cheers guys.

I spoke to sis last night, and he hasn't got a head torch, and she thinks he'll love it, so I'm going for that. If I can find the link again to the cheap one...

Afterall, every home should have a head torch I reckon, so even if he doesn't use it for the astro stuff, it'll be useful.

Might get a miniature whisky as well....

 

[Arch]

Done. My first piece of Christmas shopping...