Marvin Jenkins

As a comment on the original post, any time looking at the sky is time well spent, not time wasted. Now I have to say that I have B3 skies so don’t shout at me all at once, but I have only been doing astronomy for two years. My first attempt at a galaxy was of course Andromeda, found the pinwheel instead. Took another month to find Andromeda and then couldn’t find the pinwheel again for a whole year. This astronomy thing is difficult, if it was easy then I would get board real quick and give up. This ‘thing’ I have grown to love is a life’s labour and I hope it will be yours as well. I am 46 and I hope at 86 I will be looking at the stars and still staying “that’s new” it might not be new to science but it is all our own personal discovery. Marvin

Bad night sleep, no SGL!!! How long can this go on? Two hours on cloudy nights! Worked all day, cold sweats. Will SGL be there after dinner? Hit my icon and ‘not available’ heart sinks. Google SGL and all is restored. I can breath again. The effort I put in on the terminator challenge may not be lost after all. Given the amazing submissions I am just happy to take park. One question? Why does the judging process take so long? I accidentally got my wife involved in the whole caper (getting out of bed at 3am and standing in the garden) she wants to know when the mug is getting here..... I have tried to explain how it all works with equipment and astronomy but she thinks I am a winner. Lucky guy I know, might end up buying a mug from FLO and blagging it. Marvin

I will try tomorrow with your settings if possible, sorry work means I have to go to bed, and it’s solid cloud out now anyway. If I get any strange results I will get in touch. Looks like you are all correct in your month day year set up. I hope I can help. Marv

Just a quick thought. I have seen a post in the past on here about a similar problem. It might sound obvious but the the date setting on my V5 is American, ie month, day, year. Not European day, month year. swap the month for the day and a big difference. Doesn’t explain your first star alignment being close, but worth checking. Sorry if this already been addressed in past replies. Marv

I will have a play with my set up and see if I can replicate your problems. Perhaps if I can enter a setting in reverse of my current settings or change time date etc I can be of use. No such thing as a stupid question on SGL. I have only been at this for about two years and the knowledge base here is amazing. Give me your basic long lat so I know where about you are viewing from.

Just so you don’t despair. SGL is top heavy with knowledge and be assured that all anyone on this site wants is for you to solve your issues and get star gazing.

Interesting, I have the exact mount as yours but have a 130 newt and the V5 kit without a problem. in relation to your picture (I assume the first picture is in home or park) which part of your scope is hitting your mount or it’s legs?

I normally go to ‘B’ when I have spilt wine down the front of mine.

Good thing is it’s only a 130 mirror, but I don’t want to muck it up as it is my first scope and although I know it will not be my last, I will never let it go. I guess it’s that first moon and first Messier, stay with you forever.

I love the quote “ the famous LN 300” it’s a bit like being around kids as they talk about Cardi B and I have no idea.

Nice. Two years from purchase and for the first time looked into my newt at the main mirror, dirty!!! Yes, spots blobs and with a great big hair laying across it’s face. I’m going in.. always been scared until I read this. Thank you for the confidence boost. Marv.

The kind of kit us mortals dream of, or should I say are aiming at. Is that some form of pier mount at the bottom of the pic? I have only basic kit compared to you, but I am about a year away from building a small obsy, so tips would be much appreciated. I am lucky to have dark skies, a big garden in an elevated position, without trees or large buildings, (rural France, one farm house in a field) I have to say, dude, that wiring looks complicated.

Typical of how companies operate these days. Only thing to say is these people will never get my custom. Furthermore lots of people on this forum should say the same thing. Maybe they would change there business practice or go out of business.