First time...

[mgc73]

So I ordered my telescope, it arrived 4 days later on the Monday and the rest of that week was thick and persistent cloud. Then I started a new job and was too shattered to take advantage of the clear nights. Two weeks later and a long weekend and I was out tonight ☺️

I seem to have made all my newbie errors in one night, so I think it will be a steep - and long - learning curve, but most importantly, while I didn't achieve much from a bystander's (or my wife's!) perspective, I had a very enjoyable 2h on my own in the dark in the middle of a field lol!

[baggywrinkle]

A slippery slope or a steep learning curve.....can be both. Welcome to SGL and enjoy the new 'tioy'.

[JimmyC]

As long as you enjoyed yourself bud, that's what this is all about. You have a passion for the night sky and are pursuing that passion with, by the looks of it, some great kit! Fair play matey 

[Sandraj]

Your gonna have lots of pleasure  wish I had taken a pic of my first night out as well.

[Floater]

Welcome to the madhouse, mgc73.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Don't worry, everyone makes mistakes at first. What seems complicated and daunting now will soon become easier as you learn your way around your new kit and the night sky.

[Moonshane]

it's a hobby to be enjoyed. most of the time you will but on the way there will always be frustration and then a sense of achievement and of course the usual 'why couldn't I see that last time out in the same spot and apparent conditions???!!!' or 'hmmm next time take the cap off' or 'take the filter off' or even 'why did I only bring two feet for my pier???!!!' etc. not that I have done any of these things you understand. honestly, never.......

[wookie1965]

And then when things go right and you get that wow moment or find the object you where looking for and your dancing round your scope (never done that).

[Dreamweaver]

This is an all absorbing hobby so make sure your pockets are deep! There are always things to improve on - equipment and personal observational skills - so as your interest deepens you will continue to learn and get so much more out of it than you initially thought possible. Hang in there! 

[Umbraldot]

Some nights nothing seems to go right and others are just magic.  Probably a lot to do with how tired and patient the observer is.  Observing can be a very frustrating exercise but when you get it right and it all comes together, its wonderful. 

Stick at it.  The rewards far outweigh the frustrations.

[Moonshane]

Some nights nothing seems to go right and others are just magic.  Probably a lot to do with how tired and patient the observer is.  Observing can be a very frustrating exercise but when you get it right and it all comes together, its wonderful. 

Stick at it.  The rewards far outweigh the frustrations.

In some ways, astronomy is like having children

[TrixieLoyalist]

Keep going and you'll see some great stuff I noticed you have a reflector make sure to collimate it for good views, I don't know how to collimate as I have a Maksutov so good luck!

[mgc73]

Thanks, everyone! I knew roughly the size of my stuff but I was a bit taken aback when it arrived. So I baulked at unpacking the tube until I went out last night [emoji15] [emoji37][emoji4]

I was quite proud of myself for confirming Polaris using my iPhone's AR app, and that it's at 89deg. But couldn't understand why my mount was struggling to get higher than 80deg... and then it hit me I was supposed to be setting *my* latitude hahaha - 51deg was easily achieved!

I have no proper red light torch and this was my first time setting up ever, so I didn't see much. The view of the sky even through the naked eye was amazing though. I had borrowed my father's old binoculars and they were in the back of the truck too, so I had a shot of them.

Tbh even just being out at night in darkish skies and looking around at what I could see was pretty amazing!

The questions about collimating, focus, alignment etc will all come in due course, I'm sure of it [emoji6]

[ekim]

im new to this aswell.I bought a second hand telescope off ebay for £20,first week I got it ,it was cloudy but then clear skies.caught some great images of the moon but not so good ones of the planets not sure why anyone help me out with some advise please

[Zuben Elgenubi]

im new to this aswell.I bought a second hand telescope off ebay for £20,first week I got it ,it was cloudy but then clear skies.caught some great images of the moon but not so good ones of the planets not sure why anyone help me out with some advise please

What scope have you got?

You would probably be better off starting a new topic, I expect you will get more replies.

[Mr TamiyaCowboy]

my first time 

" ehhh ????? why can i not see anything " 

checks eyepiece, focuser works, checks finderscope aligned

forgot to remove lens cover, Doh we all make mistakes. 

but i dont think none of us has yet left a scope at home, unless they wont tell lol 

welcome to SGL and the hobby

[Astro Imp]

The first time we take our scopes out I think most of us are lucky to achieve much but it gradually gets easier and so long as the enthusiasm doesn't flag the good nights more than make up for the frustrations.

it's a hobby to be enjoyed. most of the time you will but on the way there will always be frustration and then a sense of achievement and of course the usual 'why couldn't I see that last time out in the same spot and apparent conditions???!!!' or 'hmmm next time take the cap off' or 'take the filter off' or even 'why did I only bring two feet for my pier???!!!' etc. not that I have done any of these things you understand. honestly, never.......

I have read loads of your posts Shane and until now have always thought you a decent honest guy, not so sure now