Getting back in the saddle!

[dannyboy]

Hi all

After a very busy year during which we had a baby and moved house (both in the same month!) my scope ended up back in its box for about 8 months.

This week though, I finally got round to unboxing it and trying to remember how to reassemble it, as we had a few clear nights and Jupiter was shining very bright.

It was great to start using it again, but I have a couple of rather nooby questions I wonder if anyone could guide me on please? My scope is a Skywatcher Explorer 130PM (reflector) with EQ2 mount.

1) My view of Jupiter is pretty small, even with a 10mm EP and 3x barlow. I can just about make out basic detail (the 2 cloud belts) but it's hard to get the focus just right at that magnification - presume this is normal when working at/near the limits of my scope?

2) Also it (jupiter) appears a bit fuzzy/misty (that's the best way I can describe it, sorry). I plan to clean my eyepieces and barlows, but just wondered if there's anything else I can do to improve my view as much as possible - e.g. Is it necessary/possible to clean the scope's mirrors periodically, and is it worth me trying to collimate it? If there any recommended idiots guides for these processes I'd be really grateful.

3) I'd also like to try and get into some basic imaging with a webcam - again is there a good beginner's guide anywhere, and is there a particular model of webcam that's good for starting out in this field?

Anyway soz for the long post, and thanks in advance for any guidance

Dan

[E621Keith]

You may need to collimate your scope. The mirrors could be knocked out of alignment when you moved house.

The fuzzy mist might just be high altitude clouds. Collimate your scope first and then observe another night to see whether the problems are still there. Don't clean you optics unless it is absolutely necessary, because every clean increases the chances of scratching it.

[dannyboy]

Thanks for the reply Keith, I'll have a read up on collimating later. Presume there's a guide on here somewhere.

Hope I didn't scare everyone else off with too many questions, but I was just also curious if there's a particular webcam that's reasonably priced and popular for novice imaging.

cheers

[E621Keith]

The Philips ToUcam SPC900NC is quite popular.

Telescope House Webcam Astro-imaging Kit including Philips SPC

[dannyboy]

Nice one, thanks again Keith

[Rich MedRev]

Hi Dan,

As well as the scope probably being out of collimation, how long did you allow the scope to acclimatise before using it, the standard rule I adopt is 5 mins per inch if stored in Garage or shed, or 15mins per inch of aperture if kept in the house.

heat escaping the tube create wonderfully blurred images.

Also a 10mm EP with a 3x barlow will create a 3.33mm FL EP and that's way too small an exit point and too high a mag for anything but dim and blurred views.

Small and exquisite is better than large and blurred.

Next time just try the 10mm without the barlow and make sure that the scope has acclimatised and is well collimated.

[dannyboy]

Hi Rich

Thank you - little nuggets of info like that are gold dust to numpties like me. Even though I try to learn by reading Sky at Night most months, I've never picked up the little things like that.

Is there a rough sensible limit in terms of FL EP? Reason I ask is that I also have a 2x barlow - should this be ok to use with the 10mm EP? This would presumably give a 5mm FL EP, and 130x mag, if my sums are correct - (650mm/10mm) x2 .

As for acclimatisation, I usually give it about half an hour but, from what you said above, it probably needs closer to 75 mins for a 5" mirror coming out of a warm house. Again, silly question but is it best to remove the tube cover during this time, even if some dew forms on the mirror? (googling this seems to give some conflicting answers)

thanks

Dan