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Hi from Wethersfield/Finchingfield

JonnyN

By JonnyN
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JonnyN

JonnyN

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

The names Jonny and I'm living in Wethersfield (nr Finchingfield if anyone knows either) in the very north of the county.

Recently purchased my first proper scope, a Skywatcher 200p dob. Chuffed to bits with some of the views I'm getting from the back garden and also from the disused runway I have access to on site.

Looking to do and buy a few things in the near future, specifically buy a collimator and actually do the process (which I'm dreading) and buying some new EP's (I'm looking at the BST Explorer 5 or 8mm and 18mm). Maybe a barlow as well who knows.

Would be great to meet a few of you at the next gathering if there is one or if anyone is up my way.

Happy gazing!

Jonny

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jonstarrysky

jonstarrysky

Posted
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Welcome Jonny. I'm glad youre having fun with your new hobby. I am a die hard dobsonian user (6", 10" and 18") and have plenty of collimation kit: the Howie Glatter 2" laser collimator, barlowed laser target screens (TuBlug and Blug) and various sight tubes and other devices: catseye autocollimator, cheshires etc. If you need a hand or advice I'm glad to help. Funnily enough I was interested in exploring your neck of the woods for places to observe, as it is close to Bishops Stortford where I live, and seems to have some darkish skies on UK light pollution maps, eg Lindsell, around Haverill. If you know of any suitable dark sites up that way (eg you mentioned a runway) I'd be keen to check it out if you want to meet up and dodge the clouds....

Collimation isnt that bad once you get the hang of it and have good kit, but I appreciate your initial dread !

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knobby

knobby

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Hi Jonny

looks like we'll all be popping up to try your runway out !

hope to get out again soon, but with this naff weather its looking a long way off.

+1 for the BSTs, the 8 mm will probably see more use than the 5 to be honest, although Saturn is up soon and that does look pretty impressive through a well cooled Dob at 5mm :grin:

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jonstarrysky

jonstarrysky

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Good to hear from you jonny, my brother lives just outside Finchingfield and he's always telling me how fantastic the skies are there.

this is good to know, and gives a ray of hope for some decent skies. So maybe we'll be seeing some astronomers in the Finchingfield area. The run-way is intriguing. I was aware of an abandoned run-way somewhere that way, probably not the same, it was previous WW2 site, but now used for police training and off-limits. Will be interesting to see how all this pans out.......

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JonnyN

JonnyN

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Thanks for all the warm welcomes all.

Jon thanks for the offer of assistance on the collimination, I can see myself taking you up on that!

I am very lucky to work and live on site on the MoD Police base which still has the intact and mostly unused runway and is nicely away from most LP - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MDPGA_Wethersfield for those interested.

I may be able to get a few of you on site depending on clearances etc, but it shouldn't be a problem. Leave it with me :)

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knobby

knobby

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Jonny, that's cool, dark sites can be hit and miss with getting disturbed, Jo public turning up to poke jibes about aliens etc, your MoD runway may be free of that issue lol

Unless the aliens land on it of course :D

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  • 2 weeks later...
Dave Dubya

Dave Dubya

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Thanks for all the warm welcomes all.

Jon thanks for the offer of assistance on the collimination, I can see myself taking you up on that!

I am very lucky to work and live on site on the MoD Police base which still has the intact and mostly unused runway and is nicely away from most LP - http://en.wikipedia....GA_Wethersfield for those interested.

I may be able to get a few of you on site depending on clearances etc, but it shouldn't be a problem. Leave it with me :)

That would be surprising. Wethersfield is notoriously difficult to get on to.

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