70mm skywatcher refractor...whats to be seen?

[Bluenosebatty]

Hi everyone,

After selling my 8" DOB a good few month ago ive not had the chance to raise the funds to buy another 8-(

(due to a bigger house move and having little boy on the way in june)

I still come and have a nosey about on here every day and still keep a interest in the hobbie,

Anyways i wont go on il get to the point......

I bought a 70mm skywatcher refractor from a friend of a friend for all of 20 english £! Seems a good price to keep me going until i do get chance to buy a new DOB,

Just wanted to ask other than the planets and moon could anybody give me some realistic things i could see with this scope as tonight when i return home from football at 10 oclock il be out setting it up and giving it a wirl

Much appriciated guys

Many Thanks!

Mark.

[rory]

hi ya mark, i think the 70mm will be a challenge after owning a light bucket .

but still i bet theres alot to visit with it. globulars are very possible,but they show more like round smudges to us small apeture people. also theres open clusters . much will depend on the light pollution you have .

hey, you gotta give saturn a go though, always worth a look. east of the moon, best after about 22.30

[angusb1]

I've been surprised with what I've seen through my 70mm f7 refractor. I've had some great views of planets and the moon and can get enough magnification to show the equatorial bands on Jupiter with a 9.7mm plossl. In a dark place it has shown me M31 and some other fairly bright DSOs, but where it really excels is with a 32mm plossl on larger clusters like the double cluster and the Pleiades which is stunning and fits perfectly in the field of view.

Its also really quick to set up and I take it on holiday because its tiny and light and goes nicely on my camera tripod.

[RikM]

I do much the same as Angusb1. I use an ST80 on a camera tripod as a quick swish about the sky scope. I am impressed as anything with just how much can be seen with one of these little beauties. Open clusters are just the thing for these but if the sky is dark you can see loads. I've seen M51 and even M1 from a suburban garden with plenty of light pollution in an ST80 I normally use a 14mm for 28x magnification.

[Bluenosebatty]

Hi sorry for the late reply ive just got in from playin the weekly game of indoor football, I still have my 32mm and 15mm gso EPs so il be using them more than anythin so that will help a bit , the skys around here are pretty dark, i live 2 minutes from pex hill in widnes, cheshire where i believe the liverpool astronomy group of lads meet up, (i havnt been brave enough to venture to one of there meetings yet because im a bit worried that i dont know enough)..... 8-( Ha, maybe one day il have the confidence,

The scope also has the 25mm and 10mm standard eps that are supplied with it,

Naff i know but again they will do for now.

Il give Saturn ago shortly, ive already seen jupiter through it couple week back altho not as good as the Dob obviously it was still nice to see than not at all, I could make out a couple of the moons, any hows it will keep me out of trouble for a while,

Thanks again Everyone

Hope you all have a nice Bank holiday weekend and plenty of clear skies to go with it!

Mark.

[angusb1]

How did you get on last night Mark?

I would go out to the astro group meeting if I were you. If they're anything like most astronomers I've met they'll be a right friendly bunch. If they are funny with you because you don't have expensive equipment or know loads about astronomy then don't bother going again. Chances are they will be pleased to have another person to go observing with and don't forget, everyone was a beginner once.