Astro Imp

^^^ Couldn't agree more, I have followed this thread from the outset and have felt the pain and given a little cheer when there has been good news to share. Good luck Damien we're all rooting for you.

Exactly right.

Good luck with your project. I have nothing but admiration for you guys that take on builds like this. I just watch in awe.

Hi Janie, loved your first light report, have only just seen it. Please be aware that what you see through the scope will bear no relation to the colour images in magazines and posted in the imaging section here. A more realistic representation is that provided by astro sketches. Here are all the Messier objects(M numbers) produced by one of our members:- http://www.pbase.com/mike73/messier_sketches BTW you can find Jupiter in the east from about 10pm, use Stellarium to see exactly where. Good luck and keep having fun.

^^^^ Great!!! and it looks like clear skies to-night , wrap up warm and enjoy yourself. Good luck.

Hi Janie and welcome. I feel your excitement together with a certain amount of trepidation on what we have let ourselves in for. We all had this feeling to start with but with the help of the good people here at SGL there is really nothing too difficult to enjoying this wonderful hobby. If you are completely new to the night sky Stellarium is a great free planetarium program which maps out the sky above you:- http://www.stellarium.org/ Good luck, have fun and remember any problems just ask.

Your mount doesn't move once you polar align, it's the telescope that moves. I know it does your head in to start with but once the penny drops all becomes clear. I would suggest that you set your mount up in daylight and do a "dummy polar align" (point north using a compass and set your declination to that of Glasgow. Now move your telescope using the RA and Dec controls. Watch what happens to the mount. it doesn't move. HTH