tbones147

My first real go with my Horizon 72ED - perched on a Synscan Az goto mount.  I believe this is M65 and M66 ( part of the Leo triplet).  Captured with a Zwo 224mc camera. Live stacked in Sharpcap using 6 second exposures, and 216 exposures. Just a quick go as the clouds were rolling in. I took the final image into GIMP and done some post processing in there.

My first go at doing all this and was pretty pleased with the outcome, considering it's not the mount for Astrophotography, and not really the Camera for it either. Need to learn so much with processing.

New toy has arrived. My first proper imaging scope. Mrs not happy :). Wait until I tell her I now need an HEQ5 pro mount to go with it.

Apologies for the clouds here in Essex - all my fault. Recently purchased this Skywatcher 200p Dobsonian ( 2nd hand) comes with 6 x BST starguider eyepieces also a  Telrad projection finder scope. Got it all for £315, I hope I've bought well.

Not got it out yet, always cloud and rain the last 2/3 weeks.

Just purchased some upgrades as well, Dolly trolley and a Wixey digital inclinometer, and am in the process of getting the setting circles sorted. And a Zwo 224mc camera - might use that more with my Mak 127.

Clear skies ( I hope)

Sorry for the cloudy skies, it's all on me. Just added a Skywatcher Skymax 127 Goto to my collection. 2nd hand £160, pretty happy with that price.

10 hours ago, Astro_Dad said:

You’ll love using it - It’s a super eyepiece - excellent value for money and great performance. Don’t worry about comparisons to more expensive eyepieces - they are not relevant  here. Just enjoy it. It’s probably my most used eyepiece for grab and go observing opportunities! 

Cheers, hopefully get out tonight as clear skies for a while predicted. Had a little test indoors at a lighted wall and the eyepiece seems clear from any blemishes, so that’s a good start.

Sorry for the cloudy skies going forward, the postman has kindly delivered a Svbony 7-21mm zoom lens. I'm just hoping its better than my stock 25mm & 10mm. Not got the funds for anything expensive so have gone this route. Still new at this lark, and learning the ropes.

Finally got round to making a foam shroud, £1 from Hobbycraft, as well as the plumbers tape on the focuser, should get clear skies tonight where I am, first time for a while.

Skywatcher Heritage 130p FlexTube, 25mm basic eyepiece, 2x Barlow, Moon filter, holding my Samsung S8 phone up to the eyepiece for the picture. Slightly cleaned up using phone software.

First time I’ve had a clear view of the Moon. Tried the 10mm eyepiece, but was way too zoomed in.

2 hours ago, Scoobyroo said:

Nice!...  had my first wow moment looking at Saturn last Friday with my Heritage (150P)...  I'm guessing you were using your x2 barlow and 10mm?  When you do free up some extra cash, I'd also recommend the BST StarGuider eye pieces.  Still pretty budget friendly, but a marked step up in quality over the packed EP's.  If you want a bit more diversity whilst keeping a pretty reasonable step up in optics (for only about £10 more), I've found the SVBony Zoom 21-7mm (sv135) pretty good (was recommended to me).

FLO don't seem to stock them, but you can pick them up from their official store on Amazon... or maybe a second hand one on Ebay.

Yes, 10mm with 2 x Barlow. Think I've made my first error in buying this phone adaptor.  The adaptor attaches to the eyepiece. But we have to turn the eyepiece to focus, only just thought about that, doh !, we shall see how it works out.

Thanks for the info, I most probably will have to upgrade stuff in the future, The Mrs was wowed at seeing Saturn in the scope. That bodes well for future upgrades

Saturn, picture does not do what I saw in the scope justice. Hard trying to hold my S8 phone to the eyepiece to get a picture. Was a bit of a wow moment I have to say.

9 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

Hello @tbones147 and welcome to SGL, you have made a great choice for your first scope.

Things you may need to do….

1. When you take it out give it chance to cool down or the views will be poor.

2. Don’t observe on a hot table, hot concrete or near or over heat sources, grass is best.

3. Learn how to collimate the scope.

4. Use the supplied eyepieces for now ( perhaps the 20mm is 0.96” fitting not the modern 1.25”) but be aware they are very basic so maybe consider BST Starguiders at some point.

5. Download “Stellarium” - very good, free (but you can donate) sky simulation software.

6. Enjoy

Thanks, I've got loads of apps downloaded, finding the SkEye app very good. Getting accustomed to where stuff is in the sky. I have a south facing garden, with full views East/South East, and full views West. North wil be ok out the front garden, but South West very restricted by a big tree.

Cannot wait to play about with it.

1 hour ago, Orange Smartie said:

Nice one! As @cajen2 says above, might be worth getting yourself a better eyepiece or two. If you're new to the hobby, I'd strongly recommend a copy of Turn Left at Orion, which will help you learn the night sky, plus give you some nice targets to look for/at. It looks from your picture that you've also got a collimating cap there (the thingy in the plastic bag). It's probably got a shiny underside. If so, that's to help you collimate (align) the optics, which you'll need to do occasionally.

I'm afraid the thing in the little plastic bag is a moon filter.

Tomorrow night is looking good for me to have a proper test of the kit.

Got my new baby. Came with a few bits, Super 25mm, Super 10mm, 2 x Barlow, Moon filter, 2 x erecting lens, and  a 20mm thin one that is less than an inch wide, god knows what that is. Dunno what the erecting lens is for either ( just googled and found out what it does), you can look through it, looks like a mini telescope.

Quick update:

At 2pm today I am going to pick up a 2nd hand Skywatcher Heritage 130p FlexTube for £100 - It's in pristine condition. Cannot wait to get it.

Plan of attack is make a shroud for the open part, then if I enyoy it, then get a decent Barlow lens/Upgrade current lenses. Then in the future no doubt I'll upgrade to a 6 or 8 inch Dobsonian.

11 minutes ago, AstroMuni said:

Hopefully the link to telescope simulator is new 🙂

Fantastic site, thanks.

14 minutes ago, AstroMuni said:

Take a look at this before you take the plunge https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/. The views shown below are of Jupiter using the stock lenses supplied with the Heritage 130. Its a lot better than what this view shows as you should be able to view the bands. You will need to purchase a barlow to see more close-up views and set aside some funds to buy a better 25mm lens (perhaps a BST)

Also take a look at https://www.stelvision.com/astro/en/telescope-simulator/

Ha, got this tools site bookmarked already, I've been a nightmare, reasearching, researching, researching.

19 minutes ago, Philip R said:

If you can stretch your budget to £300.00GBP... I personally would choose this one... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html 

I'd love the biggest baddest one going, but I need to be sensible, never ever done it before, and not exactly flush with money. I've come along way from a £50 cheapo I was considering

10 minutes ago, Philip R said:

Hi @tbones147 and welcome to SGL. 

This is a good read... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html if you have not already done so.

Yes, thanks, been there, and that is where I got my final confirmation of what I'll go for, and will definitely buy from First Light Optics.

57 minutes ago, AstroMuni said:

You are still young 🙂 and welcome to SGL.

Answers to these usual questions will help us guide you : -

- budget,

- are you interested in planets or deep sky objects,

- visual or wish to take photographs,

- how far would you need to carry your scope to see a decent dark patch of sky,

- any restrictions on how much weight you can carry etc.

If you are interested in visual only then suggestion is go for a dobsonion with the largest aperture you can afford. The other option is go for a Maksutov.

Hi,

1- Think I'll stretch the budget to £200 max and am looking at the Sky Watcher Heritage 130p as I don't fancy one on a tripod.

2- I'd probably go for Planets to start off with.

3- Visual I would say.

4- I wouldn't have to carry it far, just open the back doors and out in the garden, pretty dark where I am.

5- No limitations with weight carrying.

I had every intention of going down the £50 route and getting a righ old cheapo, but the further I read on, the more I realised a big mistake it would be. I don't want anything fancy, but something easy to use and decent ish, and that's why I think I'll go for Sky Watcher Heritage 130p. Done so much reading and now I think I'm reading to pull the buying trigger.

Hi, Thanks for accepting me. At the ripe old age of 51 I've decided to get my first telescope. Researched no end, after reading so much online I've gone from wanting any old cheap thing just to get started, then reading how this can put you off.

So I've now gone to wanting something like a Celestron Powerseeker 70az - Then read some more and then wanted a Celestron Astromaster 70az - Then read some more and have now decided I would like a Skywatcher Heritage 130p.

I either need to stop reading or just take the plunge, otherwise I'll never pull the trigger. The Heritage seems to get really good reviews all over the place, and I am now desperate to get started.

I'm from Essex in the Uk.

Clear skies everyone.