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Hello from a newbie in Derby

beanz

By beanz
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beanz

beanz

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Finally signed up today after some time browsing before Christmas and thought I'd say hello.

I've been interested in astronomy since I was at junior school way back in the 60's when I used to make my own telescopes from various found / begged lenses and have gone through phases of being sometimes more and sometimes less involved in observing since. Work and the need to be up very early in the morning has meant I haven't had as much time as I'd like in the evenings to develop the hobby but I'm intending this will change this year.

A pair of 10x50 binoculars and an inherited Tasco 60mm telescope witha whopping wooden tripod have kept me happy for years... very quick to set up at least. Then this Christmas, my family bought me a smashing pair of (very nicely collimated as it turns out) Celestron 80x20 binoculars for Christmas. Tonight is the first night I've had 30 mins of clear sky to actually get out in the garden, settle into a chair with a planisphere and little red bike light, attach the bins firmly to my heavy duty photography tripod and try them out. I got in a good look at Jupiter with three of its moons and did a quick look around my favourite constellation Orion (I've never seen Betelgeuse show so much colour as with these binoculars - fabulous).

Then the bloomin' clouds rolled in from the west again!

Still, it has whetted my appetite. Looking forward to the skies clearing soon.

And the 'saving up for a decent telescope at last' fund has begun!

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beanz

beanz

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Hi Beanz and welcome to SGL - hopefully we must be due a run of clear nights soon - mustn't we???

Thank you - I hope so. It's amazing how snowy weather turns the night sky more orange than usual in a city - even worse than rainclouds for impenetrability. Seeing conditons aren't generally that bad here when the skies do clear as we're on the outskirts, but a few crisp, starry evenings would be marvellous right now.

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floppygoose

floppygoose

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Hi and welcome to SGL from me too - like you I was lucky enought to have a brief glimpse through the clouds, managed to view Jupiter and M42 before the rain started and the cloud cover returned to 100%. Still, first time for weeks, so could be a sign that we may be in for some clear skies soon!

Here's hoping

Phil

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JamesM

JamesM

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HI and welcome to the forum. You might want to contact FLO for some anti-cloud spray but whenever I have rung them they are always out of stock! :grin: :grin: :grin: Shame about the clouds but the weather can only get better - can't it?

Clear skies soon and hope you enjoy the forum

James

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beanz

beanz

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Hi Beanz,

Welcome to SGL. There is a local group in the east midlands to be found here :- http://www.eastmidla...rgazers.org.uk/

We have two dark sites and an active friendly group/

Cheers

Hi - thanks for this link. Have just been over and registered. I'll be posting on both forums and look forward to finding out what's going on in the local area from the East Midlands one - hopefully so I can come along and visit a few events too.

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