You got it...... well done.
But coming back to the question about what you can see. When I say galaxies- I don't mean a bright spot that looks like a star. As far as that goes- that's what planets look like to the naked eye. I want to know, can you see the galaxy's spiral shape? Can you see the way the stars clump in the middle and then others are flung out on their rotational axis. How much detail of a galaxy could you see?
Depends on the size/distance of the galaxy... as you already know Andromeda is visible with the naked eye, and is about the size of a full moon. In a scope, you can see the bright central core and some spiral structure. What you won't see is individual stars; that requires a really big scope. So, even with a modest amateur scope, you can see galactic structure in nearby galaxies...
If I look at a galaxy with a ten incher- does it look like a galaxy?
Andromeda, or some other nearby spiral galaxy, yes.
If I photoed Andromeda through a 10 inch telescope would I have a picture that looked like a galaxy or a big fuzzy star?
Assuming you did everything right (which isn't easy), the picture would show fainter detail than you would see looking thru the scope with your eye, but no finer. (IOW, the photgraphic emulsion, or a solid state CCD detector, is more sensitive to light than your eye if you take a time exposure and integrate all the photons hitting the scope during the exposure. The eye is snap-shot; it doesn't integrate over time)
On the planets again- would a ten inch telescope allow you to see one of Jupiter's moons as it moved across the planet?
Overkill. First, people with really good eyes can just barely see the Galilean moons with the naked eye. Any scope, even a cheap 2" refrator, heck, binoculars, will allow you to see them when they're next to the Jupiter. Something a little bigger might be needed to see them (actually, you'll see their SHADOW) crossing in front of the planet, but 10" is MORE than enough; I know an 8" will do it, and I'd bet something much smaller would work.)
Don't get too technical. I don't care that much about the mechanics of the scope- I just want to know what I can see in the cross hairs ;-)
10-4. No quiz. Hope this helps.
BTW, if your thinking of buying a scope, you haven't asked the MOST important question: How hard is it to set up/take down?
The bigger the scope, the more work and hassle it is to lug it to your viewing site, set it up, etc.
The most important rule of amateur astronomy is that is doesn't matter how BIG your scope is if it just sits in the garage collecting dust, because it's too damned much work to drag it out.
It is for this reason that the best first instrument is a pair of good 7x50 binoculars.... or a compact, lightweight modest telescope. If you get hooked using that, then move up to a bigger scope.
Better to spend a few hundred $ and find out your interest is short-lived than to spend ten times that....
Is this difficult to set up if you have the right scope (one that moves automatically to adjust for the earth's rotation)? How much does it cost (ballpark) to do it right?
The bigger the scope, the more work and hassle it is to lug it to your viewing site, set it up, etc.
The most important rule of amateur astronomy is that is doesn't matter how BIG your scope is if it just sits in the garage collecting dust, because it's too damned much work to drag it out.
It is for this reason that the best first instrument is a pair of good 7x50 binoculars.... or a compact, lightweight modest telescope. If you get hooked using that, then move up to a bigger scope.
Yeah, I had pretty much already sussed that for myself. I keep running across TAL reflector telescopes on Ebay. 4 inchers. Russian apparantly. They'd be about as much as I'd want to spend until I was sure I wanted to spend that much time doing it.
I like photography. I like SCUBA diving. But when I started both hobbies, I kept it low key until I realized "I like doing this". Once I realized I could take my Olympus Camedia underwater with me and make some pretty good shots (see my Freeper page for a couple- and keep in mind, these aren't the upper range of what I've done underwater photography-wise) I combined the two hobbies. It made me a better diver right away and I really enjoy the diving more. I find myself looking at smaller things- the details, you know? I don't need to fin all over the place any more trying to see everything. If I can study one species' behaviour for half the dive, that's fine with me.
Anyway, I've seen some of the big scopes people have made by hand and they look like you'd have to haul it around with a pickup truck. That's too much for me at this point. I want to see the rings of Saturn with my own eyes (scope aided of course), I want to look at Jupiter and see some detail. I want to look out there and know I'm looking at a galaxy and be able to show it to my son. What I don't want to do is exactly what you said- buy a big ass tube that I don't feel like lugging anywhere. I want a piece of equipment that's going to get me off without breaking my bank or my back.
What do you think of the TAL-1 and TAL-2(?).
At any rate, thanks for your time and your responses ;-)
But, I'm thinking of either making, or picking up an 8 inch Newtonian, however I'm not knowledgeable enough to know if I should spend cash on an equatorial mount, or if a Dobsonian mount is sufficient.
Any thoughts?