So I'm expecting a big delivery tomorrow...nervous!

[JohnJ]

Thanks to the guys at FLO I should be getting my telescope and mount tomorrow (or Tues).

It's my first and can't wait for clear sky! However, I must admit I am a little nervous about the setup process. Specially, unboxing and attaching my scope to the mount plus getting it all balanced correctly. It's a Skywatcher 150pds on a HEQ5 synscan; there seems to be so many knobs and twizzle's here and there

I've already downloaded the manual and had a flick through that to 'prepare myself' but still feel a little apprehensive - after all I've spent a ot of money on this stuff!

In the long run I intend to use it for DSO imaging, I have the camera and T-ring etc but maybe that is a long way off depending on how long it takes me to get to grips with it!

Do you have any advice, any common mistakes, pitfalls to avoid; I'm specifically thinking about the initial setup process here; or maybe I'm blowing it out of proportion and all will be fine (I hope!)

Thanks

[Astro Imp]

First, congratulations on your expected new arrival.

I'm sure you'll be fine setting it up, just take your time and read through the manual, again.

For any problems just post your queries here and you're sure to get a quick, informative response.

Good luck and let's hope for some clear skies.

[JonDoe]

just like when you learn to ride a bike you get a few bumps along the way but you`ll get there in the end, the rewards when you do will be spectacular, its the clouds i would worry about.

[SnakeyJ]

Hi John,

Just hope you get some clear skies to enjoy, but might be worth staying in the warm first evening to put it all together and practice - if the skies clear definitely brave the cold, but otherwise still time well spent and the familiarity with the kit will pay dividends when you're out for real. If you can it helps to get the finder roughly aligned in daylight - it's surprising how hard it is to find anything if this is way off..

Best of luck with the deliver and hopefully clear skies - Jake

[brantuk]

Congrats that's a very nice combination.

My advice would be to get to learn the sky - study the constellations and main objects within them so you know where everything is. A pair of cheap binocs is a useful aid. Follow the monthly center pages in SaN for a year doing one or two constellations per month and you'll get a good grounding. Also join a local astro soc or observing group - observing sessions are fun and your knowledge will increase rapidly.

Everything you learn will stand you in good stead for when you start imaging and will help you to recognise if your scope is set up right and your goto is working well. Hth

[rowan46]

If you are anything like me you will invent new ways to get it wrong so there's no point in posting general solutions to a problem you may never have. if you do have problems just ask. Plenty of people will answer specific questions. good luck I am very envious., I would sell my teenage daughter for a heq5 (thinking about it I would sell her for a box of smarties)

[JohnJ]

Thanks for the advice guys. I guess I will just take my time and study the skies before worrying about imaging for the moment.

[Lenny147]

Goodluck for when it arrives, my advice take your time setting up and learning the scope. And start praying for clear skies

A copy of Turn Left At Orion is also worth a buy, you will learn many things that will help you along.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[andy77]

Congratulations on the new toy, I also got the same scope for my daughter and myself for christmas mounted on an Eq5 pro goto.

Don't get nervous about the setup as its pretty straight forward, but as already mentioned read the manual . Weve had some amazing views of jupiter,pleiades & orion nebula.

Its a fantastic scope and well worth the money. If your looking to buy new eyepieces i would highly recommend the BST Explorers, i opted for an 8mm for planets as advised on here and

never looked back, definatley a step up from the standard eyepieces. Good luck with the setup and keep us informed of how your getting on with it

Also worth a buy is the book MAKING EVERY PHOTON COUNT if your looking into astrophotography

Clear Skies

Andy & Abigail

[russ.will]

Spend the first six months learning the scope, mount and refining polar alignment. When you've got that nailed, start looking at imaging and find out that you haven't!

Top tips:

Do NOT level the tripod - Completely pointless on an EQ mount. Keep the legs racked in and do up the bolts nice and tight to reduce flex.

Leave the dovetail and rings on the mount and attach the scope to the rings in the horizontal position. Use a piece of tape on the scope to mark exactly where the scope sits in the rings when it's balanced on the mount - Once you've found that point, that is. Likewise, mark the point on the counterweight bar with a felt tip where the weights balance the scope.

Place the mount on exactly the same points in the ground each time you use it. I sank a couple of 4x4" tiles in my lawn and marked the positions of the tripod feet. If it's lucky enough to be on a patio, even better. Do this and each time you take it out, all you have to do is dump the mount in position and do a good three star align with a high power EP. If tracking wanders, look through the polar scope and adjust the mount to bring it back into polar alignment. Each night, you will find the error reduces, until after about five or six sessions, it's spot on.

DO take the time to align the polar scope as per all the on line tutorials.

Do these and setting up an EQ mount can take less than five minutes.

Russell

[starman1969]

Sounds like a very nice first scope. It should give some excellent views. Clear skies.

[glowjet]

If you eventually want to venture into Astro Photography, then as has already been recommended a copy of Making Every Photon Count should be an invaluable asset, see FLO at top of the page, enjoy your Astronomy

John.

[Andymarrison]

Nice scope and mount! Good luck with the skies, and also with the snow!

[paul schofield]

Congrats on the new scope. Hope set up is a breeze and the clouds stay away, good luck.

Paul.