The basics

[maniakmedic]

I've always wanted a telescope and recently I was inspired to finally buy one so now I'm trying to put together a list of stuff I should get to start out with. The telescope I went with is the Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT and should be here by the end of the week. I was looking at getting the eyepiece and filter kit, but now I'm wondering if I'd be better served using the money to buy better lenses and filters over time so that when I do eventually upgrade to a larger scope, I'll already have decent eyepieces to go along with it. That being the case, are there any specific ones that any of you would recommend picking up first? (I've been looking at the X-Cel LX series if anybody has input about them.)

Also, since this will be my first time going out and observing - and I'll be in a park because I don't have a yard (I hate apartments) - what kinds of things do you take with you when you head out? I have a knack for forgetting important things and not realizing it until I need what I forgot and I'd rather not start out by setting up and then realizing I left something I need (or even something I want to make it that much more enjoyable) and having to take it apart to run home. I figure snacks are a must, and the telescope itself is a no-brainer. I've got a chair and I'll be picking up a notebook for my observations in the next couple of days. And then any extra accessories I manage to get before I go out, of course. I'm sure I'm missing something. Thoughts? I'm really not trying to over think it, I'm just a stickler for having the correct equipment when I do things. Makes the whole experience more enjoyable, I think.

[nightfisher]

hi,

you might want a small red torch, and yes it would be better to get a decent eyepiece here and there rather than a set, to start with some thing around 15mm then maybe one around 8 or 9mm

[baggywrinkle]

Agree with the above. Try those EP's and see how they feel for your eyes.

If you are not powering up off a power tank then lots of spare batteries. When the battery levels drop on Celestron goto scopes they have a habit of not being goto but goanywhere.

Also spare batteries for the RDF, I have often forgotten to turn mine off and when I next go out.....fellow observers can here lots of muttered Anglo-Saxon words.

Pocket star chart or one of the planispheres is always useful. I know you can get stuff for iPhones and androids but the planisphere and start charts never run out....

Compass is always useful.

Actually there is a good free app for iPhones called scope tools and it will give you your exact location and time to feed into the handset for setting up.

Enjoy!

[Mattscar]

I can recommend AppBox for the iPhone as it has quite a handy tool for leveling your scope.

I have the X-Cel LX 5mm eyepiece and can thoroughly recommend it. I use it mainly for getting extremly upclose and personal with the moon and cannot sing its praises enough. The images are crystal clear and even though I don't wear glasses the extendable eye relief helps out a lot.

Im sure other people will mention these, but another very nice very affordable eyepiece to look at would be anything from the BST Explorer/Starguider range. Over here in blightly we all seem to get them off the same bloke on ebay, so I'm not sure where you would look for them across the pond but if you do see any they are certainly worth a look aswell.

[Stargazer_00]

Just have to get a car jump starter hting. Basically it's a power tank for half the price or less!

Then a red torch (or a green one if you can make/find one) so you can see without losing your dark adapted vision. be aware that opening car doors to get things out, or even boot lids can trigger internal lights which strip your night vision.

A decent star atlas. Sky & Telescopes Pocket Sky Atlas is perfect. I believe your scope has GOTO so you may not necessarily need this if you rely on GOTO. I think it's good to have a back up though.

A Thermos and some Jaffa Cakes (I bet they don't have Jaffa Cakes in the US?)

I'd say you won't need new eyepieces until the ones that come with it run their course. I didn't buy any eyepieces when I got my new scope for a few months I think. It came with a 10mm, 25mm and a 2x Barlow and those 4 options gave me everything I needed at the start. I would definitely buy better quality individual purchases as you go. As you live in the US you get great prices on eyepieces compared to us over here. I'd recommend someting from Explore Scientific personally. The ES 82 degree eyepieces are onl $99 each over there and most sites do free shipping. These are amazing eyepieces and will get the most out of your scope.

If you lived in Virgina I'd suggest you took a gun as well.

[baggywrinkle]

'If you lived in Virgina I'd suggest you took a gun as well.'

[m37]

mosquito repellent and some coffee!

welcome to SGL

[AndyWB]

Also, since this will be my first time going out and observing - and I'll be in a park because I don't have a yard (I hate apartments) - what kinds of things do you take with you when you head out? I have a knack for forgetting important things and not realizing it until I need what I forgot and I'd rather not start out by setting up and then realizing I left something I need...

I have the same - apartment living too, so you can't just wander in from the back garden. Therefore, I'd recommend a bag or sack. I have an 'Astro Bag', which is a waterproof North Face one (dew makes things wet!). I keep my astro stuff for the field in it all the time - it's my grab and go bag. It contains - red torch, spare batteries, air blower bulb thing, Sky and Telescope pocket atlas, Turn Left at Orion guide, notebook, pencil case and drawing stuff, head torch, hat, gloves, a ring binder with bits from the last few month's of astronomy magazines "What's up" sections, and occasionally Jaffa cakes. Oreos would do at a push.

I've also a wee padded box for Eyepieces, though normally I just grab the flight case with them in it.

[stevetynant]

Personally - If this is your first time in the park the most important accesory I would take is a friend. Failing that I'd at least have checked it out in daylight and then perhaps just for the first time take your chair, a pair of bins, star map and red light and coffee. In short for the first time travel light - the Universe won't disappear overnight but travellng with a scope and lots of other equipment to somewhere isolated and dark for the first time might leave you vunerable if your not sure what to expect.

Hopefully you'll be fully aquainted with the area your visting but the first rule is definitely stay safe. Anyhows- good luck and make sure to give us a report .

[MattGoo]

I also live in apartments and therefore have to take all my gear in one trip to the local park - not ideal, but manageable. All good suggestions made above.

[Astro Imp]

I think it's all been pretty well covered but I would stress don't be in too much of a hurry to buy new kit. Give your new scope a good few outings first, see how you get on, then you will have a better idea of want you need/want.

Most of all have fun, and let us know how you get on.

[rwilkey]

Hi Maniakmedic, the BST Explorers are called Astro-Tech Paradigms over your side of the pond, highly recommended, but suggest you get used to your scope first and the ep's that come withit - get some experience in, then you will know what you want/need.

[rowan46]

I'm a portable city astronomer myself so I'm a plus 1 on a good recce of the area first you don't want to get down there loaded with baggage and find your nice daytime place is a hangout for drug crazed gangs at night. besides that a good daytime spot may not be a good nightime spot. My first city site had very poor views north, north west,east, south east. My present site gives me better views in all but the west to north west it takes night time to show up the lp hotspots.

[ron999]

Hi all,

after reading many articles on here I decided to join the club.

After many months following a sever stroke I felt well enough to dig my telescopes out, what a shock I got as we moved house a year ago and the movers did not respect how delicate telescopes are.

Managed to repair 3 of them making various bits but when it to collimating theres another story.

Took weeks to get collimating tools from the UK as orders where sent with wrong items, got there in the end, then spent hours trying various methods on the tinternet, a few words came to mind some days so after a nice cup of tea I put the milk on the tool box and ny screwdriver in the fridge, wife asked me if i was ok ( I think thats what she said ).

Now this colimation is not easy so I thought there must be an easier way so---1 plastic bottle top with a centre hole did the trick in a few minutes, made centering the doughnut so easy and the rest followed on.

All of my finders are broken so I ordered the Telrad to try this coming weekend.

Met with other astronomers at the weekend and a final tweek on a star test gave perfect results on the dob.

[rowan46]

Hi all,

after reading many articles on here I decided to join the club.

After many months following a sever stroke I felt well enough to dig my telescopes out, what a shock I got as we moved house a year ago and the movers did not respect how delicate telescopes are.

Managed to repair 3 of them making various bits but when it to collimating theres another story.

Took weeks to get collimating tools from the UK as orders where sent with wrong items, got there in the end, then spent hours trying various methods on the tinternet, a few words came to mind some days so after a nice cup of tea I put the milk on the tool box and ny screwdriver in the fridge, wife asked me if i was ok ( I think thats what she said ).

Now this colimation is not easy so I thought there must be an easier way so---1 plastic bottle top with a centre hole did the trick in a few minutes, made centering the doughnut so easy and the rest followed on.

All of my finders are broken so I ordered the Telrad to try this coming weekend.

Met with other astronomers at the weekend and a final tweek on a star test gave perfect results on the dob.

Welcome to sgl ron

[maniakmedic]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

The park I'm going to is quite close and in a very good neighborhood, so I'm not terribly worried about safety (I also carry everywhere I go so I'm probably the last amateur astronomer anybody wants to mess with. )

I do have an emergency car starter so I ordered a cord to plug it in. And I do need to get a better light. I have one headlamp I could use, but it cycles through a couple brightnesses of white light before it turns off when I push the button after turning on the red light.

As far as equipment goes, I'm thinking at the very least I need to order a 2x Barlow as the telescope I'm buying doesn't come with one (I didn't see it on the list). And a bag! I'll do some shopping around to see if I can find one I like.

[maniakmedic]

Well, the equipment is here (scope came a day early!) but, as per what I'm assuming is some sort of offshoot of Murphy's Law for astronomy, a sky that has spent the summer affording gorgeous, cloudless views of the stars is now horizon to horizon clouds. The only night I might have been able to start using my stuff was the night before last, but I'm already having a hard enough time staying awake during my language class during the mornings (and I can't just skip them). I actually watched the forecast change over the days after I ordered the scope, becoming progressively cloudier when it had started out clear for this weekend. My black cloud is no longer figurative at this point. Oh well. It has to clear up sometime.

[stevetynant]

The curse of the new scope lol we've all been there but the longer dark nights are getting closer, hopefully you won't have too much longer now to wait.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2