A positive report!

[beans4]

I've posted before about some of my frustrations and failures starting out in observing with my "fast" scope and well... observing in general. Several people on this forum have been very helpful in providing tips and advice, so I thought I would at least give out some good news for a change.

I have a fast scope, an Orion Starblast 4.5 and I was using the stock expanse eyepieces that come with the kit. I had long felt that having an extra wide field of view was perhaps part of my problem in getting the views I really desired. On top of that though I had issues with just about everything else from a misaligned viewfinder to just not really being experienced enough with the equipment to get much out of it.

Tonight was much different and I am a much happier person. I bought an inexpensive lens set with a 6mm and 3.6mm eyepiece with a much narrower field of view (around 40 degrees). I could tell an immediate difference when using them on the moon and I was able to get much more detail and a close up perspective when compared to the wide view eyepieces of respective focal length. I spent a good chunk of my time just looking at the moon, it was amazing to say the least .... especially for a noob like me.

Next I decided to try my luck at Saturn, which had for the most part evaded me most of this spring. Well I nailed it! I was able to make out the rings with no problems. The view was small, but that was to be expected. Still, I can't be more excited right now. I only wish I had these extra eyepieces when trying my luck at Jupiter earlier this year.

Now, I know some people will balk at a cheap eyepiece set and tell me to buy the good ones. For a novice like me though, it provided immediate results and got me on my way. Regardless, tonight was a good night. I could not be happier!

[Avocette]

Great news - a posting with a real sense of breakthrough! It's difficult (from Europe) to know quite what went wrong in your earlier experiments but there must be some others on SGL who know about the Orion product range and Expanse eyepieces. Usually the EPs supplied with scopes by the top brands are fine for starters. Clear skies!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great to hear you got everything together! Saturn is an awesome sight, even through a small scope

[Ant]

Great to read that you managed to get things sorted, and had some fun at the same time.

Saturn is an amazing sight, don't worry about Jupiter in 6 months it'll be back at a half decent time.

Cheers ant

[Astro Imp]

Brilliant to hear you are enjoying your viewing, Saturn is always a great a sight.

[ronl]

Glad to hear you are happy with the views you are

getting with your new eyepieces, this hobby is all

about enjoyment, getting use to anything new takes

a while so keep viewing Saturn it will get better each time,

conditions can be bad at times so don't blame your scope

or eyepiece, you will never get a huge Saturn in your FOV

but size doesn't matter it's getting good detail, that's when

you get the WOW factor.

Good Luck and Clear Sky's

[Pyrodave]

Hi ,Great report .

At the end of the day It doesn't matter whether the kit you have is inexpensive,as long as you're enjoying the hobby.

The more you observe the easier it will get, and the more you'll enjoy a session (weather permitting of course)

Clear Skies

[AlexB67]

Nice report, glad you enjoyed it . Don't worry about the uber expensive eyepieces. I haven't got them either but as long as you enjoy the views they are clearly good enough. It is for those that never get enough of it and want to spend more and more and are still not satisfied, then you know you start to suffer from ocularitis, plenty of them here