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Yet Another Newbie (West Sussex)


shuttle

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Newbie posts coming in thick and fast! Made my first SGL post earlier today so figured I ought to say "Hello" here as well.

I'm in West Sussex, to the west of Worthing and am new to stargazing. I know a few constellations but need to learn about all the NGC's and M numbers, etc. Have been interested in astronomy and space since I was a kid watching Horizon on BBC and have been into photography since I was about 12 years old. Used to do b&w and even colour photo developing (chemicals and all that) so know my way around a camera. Have a Nikon D7000 DSLR and plan on using that for AP in the first instance but suspect I will look to get a CCD one day when the time is right.

I got a reasonable ebay deal on a new C8/CG5 combo so that is my starting point. Went to AstroFest in Kensington last month but did not find it of much use - too crowded and busy to really be able to talk with vendors. But did get a cheap subscription to Astronomy Now! Also bought an ST80 and a Celestron NexGuide (which I may yet regret).

Have been researching here on SGL for a while and very useful it has been too. Have bought a few upgrades for the mount and C8 (ADM CG5 saddle adapter, Baader ClickLocks) plus other bits and pieces (dew shield, focal reducer, T-rings and extensions, Shoestring DSUSB, basic 1.25" eyepiece kit, powertank, 'Making Every Photon Count', radial guider (hedging my bets on the ST80), ADM Mini-Max Guider ). I also bought a CGE/Losmandy dovetail to upgrade the C8 for the ADM CG5 saddle but got caught out by not checking first that the original C8 CG5/Vixen dovetail would fit on the top of the C8. Will be crafting a couple of aluminium fittings to solve that one. Am now contemplating a 'proper' guide camera - the Brightstar Mammut has cought my eye - but will give the NexGuide a chance first. Will also one day probably splash out on a mid-range APO refractor but have plenty to learn yet so no rush. Have signed up for a one-day "How to use your telescope" course at Chichester Planetarium in May (has just been moved to FA Cup Final Day :-( ) so hope to pick up a few tips there.

Away from astronomy, I work in IT, am keen on flying and have a pilots license and am 6 years into building my own small 2-seater plane.

I've not yet engaged with my local astronomy clubs (of which there seem to be quite a few) but probably will do soon, so maybe will get to meet some of you face-to-face, which I look forward to.

Clear skies!

Steve Hutt

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Hi Steve Welcome to the Forum, I also live in Worthing so we are close,

I belong to a local Astronomy Group, and we have regular meets , and weather and skys permitting will be at Nepcote Green for next weeks Comet.

Hope to meet some time

Graham

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Hi Steve and welcome to the forum. Looks like you have been pretty busy with some of your purchases which is something we are all prone to do when the weather is a little cloudy (...or in some cases permanently so!)

Clear skies for now and enjoy the forum

James

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