Planetesimal Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hello to all at SGL, I'm glad to join the forum and looking forward to learning and contributing. I've had a life long interest in astronomy / cosmology, fed by a combined diet of Carl Sagan and Star Wars in my younger days! I was always staying up to catch lunar eclipses and meteor showers, and learned the constellations early on. But I never got around to a telescope or even binoculars, until now. Having decided to bite the bullet I went straight to the internet and found SGL, which pointed me in the direction of FLO, and I'm now the proud owner of a Skywatcher Explorer 150PL EQ3-2. Incidentally Martin from FLO was a great help during the process of buying the scope and gave me plenty of advice, and the delivery took 2 days, so very pleased with FLO, and I've now got a cheshire collimator and Baader's Wonder Fluid on order from them. I'd never even heard of a collimator 3 weeks ago!So, first light was last weekend, Friday and Saturday night were nice and clear but with a ridiculously bright full moon, so on Friday I saw nothing except a load of white dots, but got some practice with polar alignment and just getting a feel for the whole RA Dec thing. I'm lucky to live in a fairly rural, dark sky setting with no housing or street lights out back (north west facing) or any major built up areas for about 25/30 miles in that direction, so I'm looking forward to a combined new moon / cloudless night to really see what's up there (although I'm gutted I've missed the boat for Saturn for a while).On the Saturday I figured out how to use the finder scope and got Jupiter and the Gallilean moons in view, complete with banding... The effect of seeing it took me by surprise and I nearly had a heart attack with the excitement of it! I also managed to take a closer look at the Paiedes, but the moon had washed out almost everything. Last night I had another chance with some clear skies and found M31 with the wide field EP, woohoo (even if it is just a grey fuzzy blob)! It's all very exciting to be a beginner and seeing all these things for the first time with my own eyes... As I sit here typing while trying to keep my eyes open from staying up late taking advantage of the rare clear skies, I've got a bad feeling I might be hooked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telesto Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hi there, welcome to sgl and the forumsClive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddoss Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Welcome to SGL. The SW 150 PL is a goodscope to start with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 hi there and welcome to SGL from another newbie.Velvet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinker1947 Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Welcome to SGL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesF Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Welcome to SGLJames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charon Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Welcome aboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetesimal Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Thanks for the kind welcome everyone! I'm definitely happy with the 150PL as a starting scope, having read about it on here... You can see enough to establish an interest; there's lots you can learn such as RA Dec to find your way around the sky; EPs don't have to be top dollar because of the longer focal ratio, and collimation shouldn't be as crucial for the same reason (fingers crossed). I'm under no illusions though, I'm already dreaming about bigger apertures, better EPs, dual axis motors and sturdier mounts... Anyway, thanks again and see you on the boards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sologuitarist61 Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hello and welcome to SGL, sounds like you had a good time viewing Jupiter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RikM Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Welcome to SGL. Always good to see another 'local' join the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetesimal Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hello and welcome to SGL, sounds like you had a good time viewing Jupiter It's not like I don't know what Jupiter looks like - and this was a monochrome view, but yeah, it really got me seeing those photons with my own eyes. And it was just at a point when I was feeling a bit disheartened from looking at loads of white dots! Shame Saturn's gone on sabbatical to the antipodes, but the next target on my wish list is M42 - go fuzzy grey blobs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Spock Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hi, welcome to SGL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetesimal Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Welcome to SGL. Always good to see another 'local' join the forum Thanks Rik, Glos is definitely a good spot for stargazing. Maybe I'll see you out and about at one of the Cotswold AS events, if I can get a free pass from my better half!BTW, love what you've achieved with the 150P on an EQ3 mount - I don't think the PL would manage it with its "slow" focal length! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estwing Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 welcome along Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetesimal Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 hi there and welcome to SGL from another newbie.VelvetHi Velvet, thanks - it looks like we're not alone being newbs here, there must be thousands! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RikM Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Thanks Rik, Glos is definitely a good spot for stargazing. Maybe I'll see you out and about at one of the Cotswold AS events, if I can get a free pass from my better half!I look forward to it BTW, love what you've achieved with the 150P on an EQ3 mount - I don't think the PL would manage it with its "slow" focal length! the PL is great for webcamming planets though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetesimal Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 I look forward to it the PL is great for webcamming planets though.When I'm ready, I'll be straight on here asking how to get that to work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningMajor Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hi and welcome from me too - Saturn will return - be patient as that will give you a serious WOW moment!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tich Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hi & welcome to SGL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siriusmeg Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hello and welcome - how funny, I grew up in WUE! Good skies round there as long as you avoid the glow from Bristol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul schofield Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hello and welcome to SGL. Sounds like you are off to a flying start. If you nearly had a heart attack with Jupiter, just wait til you see Saturn. Clear skies.Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizibilder Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hello Planetesimal and welcome to SGL!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesM Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hi and welcome to the forumClear skiesJames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveA Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Helle and welcome to SGL... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn4me Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Hi and welcome to SGL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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