Ok so I am such a noob, but glad to find this site.

[BaByDaDdY2010]

Hello, First off I want to thank you all for having this site and for helping everyone who wants to have some success and enjoyment at star gazing. I was given a basic Telescope for Fathers day (CELESTRON 60 LCM). I for the first time last night was able to view the moon and actually saw Saturn and its rings, It was very small as I am using the stock eyepiece (9mm). I have to say though, once I saw that I kinda got hooked. There a a few quick questions off the bat I want to ask and I am sure I will be back for more haha.

1) With this Telescope (being all stock) , I know by adding a different eyepiece, maybe more quality and or stronger power, Saturn will be bigger and vivid ( at least I am hoping) I guess I am curious as to what things I will actually be able to make out clearly?

2) what type of eyepieces do you recommend for the best viewing for this telescope?

3) the software “The Sky” X that comes with it, is it able to allow me to plug my computer in the telescope with it and use it to find things, if not what software would I need?

4) The red dot finder scope, Ok am I supposed to put my eye right up on this thing or stand back or what, I mean The red dot seems like it moves all over the place when I move my head at different angles. I am going to try align it again this afternoon so maybe that will help, But it just seems like you would want to be looking through it the same way each time

5) any helpful advice on this telescope would be of great help. I read the manual, but it really isn't clear on exactly what to do to really get the best enjoyment out of the scope.

I just want to feel comfortable with this Telescope and I want to be able to show my young daughter these wonderful things. Thank you in advance for any and all advice you are able to give me. I know any of it will be a huge help to someone that knows nothing about this at the moment.

Andy

[umadog]

Welcome!

To briefly answer your questions:

1. Most people find the planets look smaller than they had hoped for. The degree to which you can magnify is limited by the aperture of your scope and by atmospheric turbulence. Do not expect to get more than about 50x per inch of aperture (at most). 35x per inch is more realistic. So expect 80 to 90x. Saturn will look small.

2. What are the stock eyepieces? Are they 1.25" barrel eyepieces?

3. The Sky X does have telescope control but I don't know if the basic package will do that. You can download Stellarium for free. That will do scope control.

5. The best thing you can do is to learn the sky and have fun with it! Buy a copy of Turn Left at Orion: it will show you what to see and how to find it and see it. Also the Sky and Telescope pocket atlas. Take the scope to darker skies. That will make LOADS of difference.

Good luck!

[shellfish]

Lo and welcome to the lounge.

Mostly a noobie my self so don't have alot of good advice except keep looking and trying as the wonders are to numerous to count.

Good luck and happy viewing

[jeremy1]

Hi. Welcome to SGL. First of dont expect Hubble type images but you should still get great views with your set up. Maybe some more optics may improve things like a Barlow lens to increase the magnification.

[rwilkey]

The red-dot finder (RDF) is not the best finder in the world, but it will do for starters. Once you have it aligned it will make more sense. Hold off on buying any further eyepieces, have a good play around with what you have already, also, as Umadog asks, what is the size of the barrel of the ep you already have?

[farunj]

I would also suggest you get a copy of turn left at orion. It's a very good book for beginners!!

[Groucho Ben]

Hi dude, welcome to the site! I am a fellow noobling, but my advice (other than to take all the advice given to you by umadog! ), would be to steer clear of trying to hook up your computer to your mount so as to find objects. It's gonna cost you quite a bit, be a fiddle, I'd guess, and more importantly, finding your way abut the night sky is a lot of the fun in stargazing.

"Fun" is a pretty imprecise word though, so let me say this: you'll start to get a feel for that old sky up there, you'll always know where north is, you'll start to see how the constellations change over the seasons, you'll be able to look up and, just from where the big constellations are, be able to point out where some of your favourite messier objects are too... in short, it feels like something to be proud of, as opposed to the easy point-and-click of a goto mount. Developing the beginnings of a connection with the night sky is the best part of my short experience in stargazing, and i recommend trying, as umadog says, to read Turn Left at Orion, because it's changed the way i look up!

Good clear skies to you...

[Spec-Chum]

I would also suggest you get a copy of turn left at orion. It's a very good book for beginners!!

Received mine on Friday, only used once but it seems like it'll be invaluable for a noob like me!

[Mogga]

I am too a noob and just had Turn Left At Orion delivered, haven't had a chance to put the learnings into practice yet due to clouds. It's a personal choice but I can't wait to find a galaxy or nebula on 'my own' as I am certain the satisfaction of finding them by yourself would beat a computer finding them for you by some distance.

[swamp thing]

If that red dot finder fitted to your scope is the same as the one on the 130 astromaster then it is useless. Take it off throw it as far away as possible from your scope , then buy another RDF or an optical one.

I've tried to use one of these ghastly finders they're less than useless it took me about ten minutes to find M57 (this usually takes about five seconds). As for finding any tough targets forget it.

This may seem harsh but trust me it could save you many fruitless frustrating nights.

What on Earth Celestron were thinking fitting this utter litter to their scope is beyond me.

You really don't wanna be bringing a computer outside to the scope or to be controlling it via one for visual observing as looking at the screen will ruin your dark adaption just before you get to the eyepiece. Not a good idea.

[Naemeth]

If that red dot finder fitted to your scope is the same as the one on the 130 astromaster then it is useless. Take it off throw it as far away as possible from your scope , then buy another RDF or an optical one.

I've tried to use one of these ghastly finders they're less than useless it took me about ten minutes to find M57 (this usually takes about five seconds). As for finding any tough targets forget it.

This may seem harsh but trust me it could save you many fruitless frustrating nights.

What on Earth Celestron were thinking fitting this utter litter to their scope is beyond me.

You really don't wanna be bringing a computer outside to the scope or to be controlling it via one for visual observing as looking at the screen will ruin your dark adaption just before you get to the eyepiece. Not a good idea.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but is that the same red-dot finder as on the Heritage 130P? It seems fine to me.

You'll need to know the size of the eyepiece barrel though. Perhaps a picture would help?

[farunj]

Received mine on Friday, only used once but it seems like it'll be invaluable for a noob like me!

It really is very invaluable!! I myself am a noob and it has helped me find some of the Wow factors of our universe!!!

[swamp thing]

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Sorry to hijack the thread, but is that the same red-dot finder as on the Heritage 130P? It seems fine to me.

No, that looks like a proper RDF this thing isn't.

[lucjam]

+1 for TLAO. After the scope it should be your next purchase.

Not been mentoned but a lower power (higher value) eyepiece might be usefull, maybe a 20mm for wider viewing.

Read all of the stickies or pinned items in this section and a lot of your questions will be answered.

[sologuitarist61]

Hello Andy and welcome to the Lounge. Red dot finders can be a pain can't they, especially if you eye isn't in the right position? I have one but it is now consigned to the equipment box.

[BaByDaDdY2010]

WOW!!!! Thank you all so much for your nice replies, I am going to love this site. I honestly was expecting one a** reply haha. Naw Honest I really appreciate all the adivice that I was given. I will def order that book you are all talking about.

As for discovering the sky own my on, I will def tell you this. I was amazed and excited when I saw Saturn and its rings. I felt like a little kid again learning for the first time. The other thing that amazed me was the speed at which everything is moving at. I noticed the moon at 9:30 so I got my Scope out for the first time and bythe time 10:45 came around where I live NC, it had went down behind some trees, makes you realize You are not just sitting still.

The barrel of My eye Piece is 1.25inces..

this is the one I have http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/681810-REG/Celestron_22050_60LCM_Computerized_Telescope.html

I just want to thank all of you again and look forward to learning more from all of you. Honestly I am so new at this I do not know some of the wording you are all using about different things in the sky, but I know all I have to do is search and will figure it out.

[BaByDaDdY2010]

Hey Richard,

Yeah the red dot is taking a little getting used to. I seemed to do better with my own eye. But to use the computer part of the scope, It says youhave to line it up hit enter, then line it up in the eypiece and hit align. I do all that, but it never seems to find other things I ask it to go to haha

[sologuitarist61]

Don't worry too much Andy, in a few weeks you will be wondering what all the fuss was about and you will be travelling about the sky with no trouble at all :smiley:

[rory]

i checked out the photo. yep agree with steve, the finder is simply awful. i never used mine on my astromaster ,and i mean never. once i put a telrad on there,WOW. getting to objects was amazingly simple,paired with a low powered eyepiece.