Hi from brightest London

[Ventolin]

Wow, wow, wow, wow wow!!!

What an absolutely sizzling warm welcome!

Thank you so much everyone!

I will certainly try and attend some stargazing meets, I think it would be a great way of learning more and seeing more, very much looking forward to them.

Thank you to the fellow Londoners and others who couldn't see Pan-starrs so easily. Makes me feel a lot better knowing I'm not alone and it is difficult to see. However, in a way I really did see it from all the spectacular images people have uploaded in the imaging thread, so thanks to all!

I have now bought myself a pair of binoculars, my very first piece of astro-gazing equipment. I can't wait to try them out! I'll write a post in the binocular thread about them and my experience I think.

Best Regards to all, and thank you very much for making me feel so welcome here... really!

Vent

[Pete Presland]

hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire

[NotSoSuperNova]

Hi Vent. I would recommend a mounting setup for your bins all day. I've only just got a scope so I've got lots of experience with some 10x50's. Unfortunately mine were un-mountable as I didn't have much choice (I stole them off a family member) But unless I was hunkered down in my viewing chair, the image was shakey. An example, you can make out the moons of Jupiter with 10x50's when stable, I couldn't get that stable while free handing it. As well, I still use my bins so a tripod will stick with you for a while. Clear Skies

[ben_e71]

hi welcome, I am still struggling to see PanStarrs myself too - ether cloudy or rainy

[ronin]

Before you go for binoculars drop into the Baker Street Irregular Astronomers in Regents Park.

At least you would see others and get an idea whether a small scope or binoculars are the best way to go.

Just thinking that something like a 70mm refractor on a alz/az mount would be easy to transport and the ability to increase magnification is valuable. At 70x Jupiter becomes a disk with bands and moons, toriugh binoculars it is a small disk with no detail and moons.

[todd8137]

Ni from me

pat

[sloz1664]

Welcome & a very warm welcome to the Lounge.

cheers

Steve

[rob1]

hi and welcome, this is a great forum. if you're looking for a great set of sensibly priced bins i would suggest the celestron 15x70 you can get them for around £60 and i have seen loads of great stuff in them plus there portable so if you ever get out of the city you can take them with you and you can get some great views of nebulas and planets under dark skies

good luck with what you choose

rob.

[Hugechris]

Hi Welcome to SGL from a fellow Londoner. The sky can be challenging most nights, but you can get a lot of great views of the planets and even the bright nebulae.