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plumber dan

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plumber dan

plumber dan

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i'm a total novice looking for a few tips and ideas, i can see me spending the next few months trawling through all the archives of this forum, after a little dabble with a 127mm power seeker i decided to take the plunge and upgrade a bit, just picked up a meade lx90 8" and a few bits and bobs and now fancy having a go at some photography, once again i know sod all about that either so really this is a hello and a sorry for being a pest type of introduction, i can offer plumbing advice in return if it helps, :grin:

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JamesM

JamesM

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Hi Dan and welcome to the forum. On the astrophotgraphy front, I would strongly recommend getting hold of a copy of Steve Richards' "Making Every Photon Count" (FLO £19.95) which you can view the details here. It's a great book that will tell you what kit to get and why you need it to take good consistent images. THis book will also provide a good overview of the different types of imaging and so will help you decide how deep you want to go and therefore the likely budget you will need. Discussions such as this naturally lean towards the equipment side of things but that is only half the equation, processing being the other. There is a lot of free software programs out there but as you would expect, there are inevitably one or two others that will need to be paid for so remember to factor this additional cost in too.

On the observing side, there are plenty of books out there to help you get started, of which "Turn Left At Orion" is probably the most popular and although not the cheapest book out there, it is the in my view the most comprehensive for those starting out. This book lays out a list of targets that are arranged per season and as well as providing you with great information about each one, it also supplies you with step by step maps on how to find them. The objects themselves can be found with binoculars as well as larger scopes such as the one you have acquired and the book provides you with the excuse to explore the night sky whilst also learning about the constellations. Apart fro this book, you might want to think about downloading "Stellarium" which is a free piece of planetarium software which has a lot of great features that will also help you become acquainted with the layout of the night sky. If you want to find out more, you can read more information here. It can be configured from your precise viewing location and amongst its many features, the advance date/time facility (which allows you to advance the clock in real time to view the sky as it will appear later on) is really useful when planning you targets, especially if your view of the night sky is obstructed in some way.

Well the suggestions above should help you get started but please keep the questions coming (within the appropriate sections :smiley:) as there is plenty of knowledge and experience here to help you.

Clear skies and enjoy the forum!

James

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