First Night and First SIght

[Scoobygazer]

I used my SW Heritage for the first time last night and wow, the moon was ace. The detail by the terminator was so impressive. I finally got used to the opposite scope moving as it is a Newtonia Dob and although I don't have a complete sky view, I can see most things in the south and some of the other points due to other buildings.  

I need to tweak my kit - get a better outside red light. Any advice would be gratefully recieved. Also I have a 10mm and 25mm EP. Any suggestions for other sizes as I feel that my Christmas list this year will feature astronomy stuff. How did anyone else do last night and as a newbie is this the best area for this topic?

[Scoobygazer]

Oh, and which do you find the best websites for the Astronomers Weather Forcast?

[Daniel-K]

try www.sat24.com and the weatheroutlook has an astronomy section with gives you cloud cover %. cracking scopes for the money you should have some fun

[Bart]

Nice one scooby. I'd say wait a bit and play around for a while before writing to Santa. A good sky atlas is invaluable when you're starting. A finder like a Rigel quikfinder would help you find targets too.

I always say, never underestimate the importance of warm attire for autumn/winter observing! A snood is great to keep those cold breezes away while you're out a red light head torch is a necessity I find

Good luck

Barry

[Scoobygazer]

Thanks Barry, I think I will get a 'observing wardrobe' together and keep it ready!

[Scoobygazer]

Like all of us, I'm on a budget, but the range of EP's you can get is staggering, any things to look out for when surfing the stores?

[Bart]

If and when you decide to upgrade your eyepiece collection, on a budget it's hard to beat the BST Starguider range from Sky's the Limit. Alan there is a good man and will help you.

Barry

[cotterless45]

http://www.roslistonastronomy.org.uk/ is friendly and if nearby a super place to learn and try out things as is the

http://www.peakstarparty.co.uk/

Where you'll be able to look through loads of gear and get advice, it's really friendly, in the meantime keep an eye out on Fleabay for Meade 4000 and GSO eyepieces,

Nick..

[Schorhr]

Hello fellow Heritage user! :-)

The included eyepieces are not that bad, but lack a little of contrast.

Also a wide angle view eyepiece will blow you away, I don't use the old eyepieces at all anymore.

IF you want to get a bit more out of your kit before Christmas, and your budget is tight, go buy a 17€ achromatic barlow from Seben/Orbinar, I have one, it's not as bad as their telescope reviews would suggest... Also their cheap Plössl eyepieces are decent.

For 17€ you will get 130x and 50x magnification out of your existing eyepieces, making it much more fun to view planets and little deep sky objects such as the ring nebula, star clusters, or double stars...

My "must-have" eyepiece list for the h130p would include a 32mm Plössl (30€) or 30mm Plössl (16€) if you are on a budget, as these will show you about the maximum field on a 1,25" focuser. IF you can afford it, there are neat 24mm 70 degree wide angle eyepieces... But these cost 70€ and up.

At higher magnification, the Plössl are not good due to their short eye relief. I have a 4mm Plössl, and even without glasses, it's most difficult to view through it. A 8mm eyepiece and barlow would still work I suppose, but the barlow always decreases contrast a little and adds chromatic errors.

Another "must have" would be a high magnification eyepiece.

The heritage 130p has a relativley short focal length, and mirror quality varies. IF it's decent though, and you have collimated it well, the right eyepieces will give you stunning 200x magnifications of moon, planets, and brighter deep sky objects under dark skies.

A 6mm UWA 66degree eyepiece will cost you 32€ shipped at eBay, better a HR/TMB for 45€ as they are a tad sharper, have a little more aparent field of view though, and with 2x barlow you have a great budget high magnification set.

IF you can afford it, scratch the barlow idea and get two HR/TMB eyepieces.

But keep in mind that even though a 2.5mm HR Planetary can work under good conditions with the heritage 130p, the image will be very dark, and during the summer I was unable to use mine most of the time due to seeing/air turbulances and the not-so-dark skies up north. So 6 and 3 or 4mm would be a more versatile combination.

If you have an eyepiece for high and for low magnification, get one or two inbetween. The HR eyepieces seem to be not so good over 15mm, I currently use a 2.5, 3.2, 8mm HR Planetary, a 20mm UWA/66deg and 30mm Plössl, and a 2x barlow.

Most of the time the 20, 8 and 3.2...

There are also zoom eyepieces such as the 7-21 and the 8-24 variant, usualy the 50€ ones are all the same just re-branded, it seems like the 8-24 are a bit better, BUT don't get one. Rather get two UWA eyepieces!

I have the ts7-21 and as all cheap zoom eyepieces the apparent field of view get's so narrow at the Lowe magnification (7mm about 40 degree) that eveb a Plössl or the included 25mm super eyepiece is more fun to use.

[AndyWB]

An atlas is good, as is a red torch. I recently got a Petzl Tikka Plus head torch that's good, though I had to use a little nail polish to dim the red lamp on it (it has both red and white lights). If you've not got one, a Cheshire collimation tool is probably a useful idea.

The point about warm clothes is a very good one. My down jacket is my most important bit of kit. And I've been very pleased with the BST Starguiders.

EDIT: And I'm unconvinced about the Rigel Quikfinder. I had a look at these, but couldn't see a good way of mounting one on the Heritage 130p.

[ronl]

Try this link http://www.swindonstargazers.com/beginners/eyepieces.htm

this will give you an idea of eyepieces and price ranges that will suit your

budget, I have a range of BSTs and I am pleased with them, also they are

good value, but stay with your stock eyepieces for a while, the 25mm is quite

reasonable and will give you good views until you get the urge to upgrade.

[happy-kat]

I have the 32mm GSO on my list hopefully later this year.

A planishpere is a great visual guide to what you might see for armchair astronomy, there is a fab use it guide on youtube by 'scope and skies'.

[hippie]

Download Stellarium it's free and gives you live sky views once you have put your location in,  I have just started using BST eyepieces with my dob and find them good for the money .