Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b83b14cd4142fe10848741bb2a14c66b.jpg

Respite From Central London's Darkness Deprivation

helicalwave

By helicalwave
in Welcome

Recommended Posts

helicalwave

helicalwave

Posted
Posted

Hi, I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my first telescope, a Sky-Watcher Explorer 200p EQ5 f/5 which should be delivered on Monday.

I live in Central London, near South Bank, and my view of the night sky is not of Messier objects, but of more local ones: Parliament, London Eye, the gerkin, the walkie-talkie, the shard, always with a hazy orange canopy above my head. I did a bit of reading and asked a few questions of my friendly neighbourhood telescope provider (Wide Screen Centre in Baker Street) before deciding on my Explorer 200p. I intend it as a starter scope until I can learn the basics of operation, use of the equatorial mount etc. I have wanted a telescope since I was a kid, but have always lived in highly (light) polluted areas. Still do.

A South American trip last year made me realise I needed to get a telescope. I was on Machu Picchu a year ago for their winter solstice, and stayed in the sanctuary lodge over night at 2 500 metres. The lodge is the only light source, as the town of Aguas Calientes is 1000 metres below in the deep, Urubama valley, and the mountains around Machu Picchu for hundreds of kms are virtually uninhabited. Apart from my excitement at seeing the southern sky clearly for the first time, I was thrilled when the hotel kindly turned off the exterior lights (after a 20 soles tip) so I could take photos of the night sky with my new DSLR. I did not have a tripod, so I propped it up as best I could and used a 60s exposure. I ended up taking some great pics, and reclined on my terrace for hours just staring up. I used my starmap app to identify what I was looking at. When I got to Brazil, during the same holiday, I tried to repeat my experiment, but as I was in Buzios, a beach town, which is close enough to Rio de Janeiro that the city interferes with the night sky, I took some great night shots of the ocean, and boats, and beach, but no star pics worth noting. But it did not dampen my spirits.

I am interested in deep sky, (ever since Hubble Deep Field View). I know I won't see anything beyond Saturn from my vantage point in London, so I have decided that while in town, I will observe the moon and planets, but I am interested in knowing the best places to visit in the south of England (or even the north if necessary) for some good deep sky observation.

I have joined the BAA, though I haven't attended any meetings yet, and I hope to make it out to next month's Baker Street Irregular Astronomers meet in Regent's park to test drive my new scope with some more experienced hands .

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HIP3802

HIP3802

Posted
Posted

Hi, Mike, and welcome to SGL! You have a very capable scope ordered - the 200P is probably the best selling scope as it is both practical to handle and helps resolve some of the 'faint fuzzies' of DSO's. If you haven't done already I would recommend you download the free planetarium programme 'Stellarium' which is customisable for local conditions and can help plan a viewing session by showing what will be available and where to find night sky objects. Sorry, can't help on viewing sites - I'm in the North West - but I'm sure the BAA will help with that.

Martin

Link to comment
Share on other sites
glowjet

glowjet

Posted
Posted

Hi Mike and welcome to SGL, probably the best advise you will get is when you take your kit along to the Baker Street Irregulars next meet, any problems you may have should be sorted then, enjoy :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
damnut

damnut

Posted
Posted

Hi Mike,

Welcome to SGL, Firstly, great choice of scope. And the best idea is to go along to th next meet and see what other folk have and how to overcome the bright lights of the city!. If you have not already done so get copies of 'turn left at orion' and 'sky & telescope pocket star atlas' these will guide you round the sky, also download a planetarium program, stellarium is free and can be found here :-- http://www.stellarium.org/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
nytecam

nytecam

Posted
Posted

Welcome Mike to SGL - I'm 9 miles from you and those few miles must make a difference. However I till regard my LP as "severe" and don't eyeball any more and resort to brief 10s - 60s 'snaps' [M27 below in 60s] of DSO via my Lodestar cam and it goes really deep - more samples via link below.

Baker Street Casuals a good start and as you're on the South Bank next to Waterloo Station a 30min train ride will get you out of the 'smoke' to Epsom Downs or Tatenham Corner BR stations immediately on the public North Downs Derby Course at 500ft. I'm sure there are other options too. Good luck.;-)

post-21003-0-65633300-1371549810_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.