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Wahoo! I'm A Stargazer!

SpaceDawg

By SpaceDawg
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SpaceDawg

SpaceDawg

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I've been browsing the forums for a while, trying to suss out which telescope to get (I eventually opted for a SkyWatcher 200P with an HEQ5 mount). The scope arrived today (finally, after a joint Wex Photographic/Parcelforce [removed word] up!) and I spent hours in the lounge putting it all together and feeling increasingly overwhelmed at all the stuff I was going to have to learn.

I only noticed at 9:30 tonight that the sky was actually clear (it hadn't been for most of the day) so I hauled all my gear out into the back garden and had a look. Now I've not managed to do any proper alignment (I'll be posting a plea for help about that when I have the time/can understand what I actually need to ask!) but I saw some stars and I even saw a shooting star. Now I don't imagine I would have discovered anything new, even if I knew what I was looking at but really, how many people discover new stars from their back garden on their first day? Maybe tomorrow, eh?

Anyway, two paragraphs of beating around the bush is long enough so it's about time I said hello. Hello! My name is Matt (I have no idea where I got SpaceDawg from but I like it and I found a picture that matched it) and I live in Sheffield with my wife and daughter. Regarding my new telescope, my wife's physical reaction spoke volumes more than if she'd launched into a two hour tirade entitled "Now where the hell is that going to live?" while my daughter merely wanted to play with the new black shiny thing but had to settle instead for the box (she's only one!) I hope to get into astrophotography eventually but for now I'll settle for being able to identify something in the sky and find it with the scope!

Well, that's about it from me. Hello again and if any star-gazery action ever crops up in or around Sheffield, be sure to let me know so I can come along and copy what everyone else is doing!

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wookie1965

wookie1965

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Welcome to SGL you will get all the help you need on here first thing is rough polar align i get the leg with the n on and point that towards the pole star sounds basic then i look through where i would fit a polar scope and get the pole star as best in the middle. read your instructions and get your inclination right its about 53 degrees last but not least join a local astronomical society they will give invaluable information.

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Marki

Marki

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Hi Matt and welcome to the Lounge!

You've a good scope and mount combo there with plenty of potential for the future...and even more amazing - you actually got to use it the day it arrived! Unheard of! Normally these things come with two weeks for solid cloud - presumably Wex/Parcel Force lost that box then ;).

Clear skies!

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JamesM

JamesM

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HI Matt and welcome to the forum. Now that's a very nice setup to be starting your astronomical journey! I suspect you have been doing plenty of reading around on this forum and others which of course is the right thing to do. I would recommend reading the mount instructions in full at least a couple of times, not because they are difficult but simply to familiarise yourself with all the different components. Skywatcher have come in for some criticism regarding these instructions but I have to confess that I found them adequate and straight forward and at least you can now reassure yourself that after joining Stargazers, you will be able to rely on everyone here to offer our experience and assistance should any problem arise. When you have a spare few minutes, you might want to download a free piece of planetarium software called "Stellarium" which you can find more details here. Lots of features to keep you occupied when the clouds come (....and stay in! :grin: ) and it will certainly help provide you with some ideas of where to point that Goto system.

Clear skies and enjoy the forum.

James

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jason.p

jason.p

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Hello Matt and welcome to the friendliest astro site around. I've not been here all that long but have learnt so much in a short time. Don't worry if your questions seem a bit basic, everyone had to start somewhere!

(Well done on getting a clear sky on the day your scope arrived, that's almost unheard of :shocked: Lets hope your luck continues)

Jason

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stevetynant

stevetynant

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Hi Matt - welcome on board - plenty of long dark (and hopefully cloudless) nights to look forward to over the next 6 months - you couldn't have joined at a better time (potentially some amazing comets on the horizon shortly aswel - one a possible once in a civilization event)

enjoy your scope you've got a great set up there and ask loads of questions

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SpaceDawg

SpaceDawg

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Not my part of the country but found this for you . . . http://stargazerslou...ire-stargazers/

Thanks Steve. I've had a look and I will definitely make my presence known in that group!

You've a good scope and mount combo there with plenty of potential for the future...and even more amazing - you actually got to use it the day it arrived! Unheard of! Normally these things come with two weeks for solid cloud - presumably Wex/Parcel Force lost that box then ;).

Hmm, come to think of it, I did only receive three of four parcels... :wink:

easy target for you to observe, look it the East at the brightist object, train the scope onto it and that`ll be Jupiter,

good choice of mount and scope, enjoy

I wondered if it was. I did see something big and bright in the east and tried to point at it but it was just behind the roof of my neighbour's house from the scope's point of view. I did see a good view of Jupiter when I went to an observatory in California a few years ago, that was when I first decided I REALLY wanted a scope!

Did you manage to see anything to capture your imagination in your first night out?

The fact that I saw stars at all was enough to keep me interested. I was feeling a little overwhelmed once I'd unpacked it all, thinking "Oh God, can I really do this?" but I think with some patience and a lot of help from the fine people on this forum I certainly can do it!

Thank you very much for the warm welcome (very appreciated, given the usual temperature experienced pursuing this hobby!) and thanks for all the wishes of clear skies, hopefully that will come true!

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