Newcomers Feedback

[Astrosurf]

Hi, this is my first post of any kind so help is needed. I want to buy my first telescope and interested in the William Optics Megrez 72 Doublet APO DDG Telescope. Opinions would be appreciated please. What type of tripod do I need I would like advise as I am interested in taking photos and tracking stars.

Welcome Ianyonjones. Try the Beginners Help and Advice section to start with, second site from the top.

Alexxx

[Kuff dam]

Not been on here long but i find SGL excellent. The place is very friendly and there's a lot of information on here.

I've not posted much yet as i tend to use the search facility for any threads that might have the answers to my questions. That will change when i eventually get my Scope though, no doubt i will need some help and advice!

Great site and keep up the good work!

[Barlivia]

Great website. Already blown away with the amount of information here!

[muttley]

I can only echo all the other feedback - these forums provide a wealth of information and friendly advice.

I guess the first two questions will always be - what should I buy, and what will I see with it? There is a plethora of advice on the former, which guided me towards a Skywatcher Dob. Without these forums I really wouldn't have had a clue.

As regards the latter, I have come to realise that it all depends on your expectations. Some people will be thrilled to have found a barely visible smudge, and others want something to take their breath away. I am sure there is a list on the forum somewhere containing 10 great DSOs to see in March if I look hard enough!

Simon

[scuffer]

I've spent a couple of months now using this site , firstly as a lurker then a member and I think it's excellent ,I've learnt so much and still read the beginners section daily to again info from others questions . Thanks to all the contributors who show great patience in answering the same questions time and time again , I'm sure they will slow down until the next stargazing live ,

As for making it easier to make decisions , I have never been so indecisive , the more I learn the more I want the more I spend the more .....etc etc

[Blurred Image]

The forum is really easy to navigate. I think you've got the layout stop-on. Sure this is a subjective view, but that's what you asked for right?

[marshy123]

Really friendly so far. The other forum I was on was a bit less than constructive so glad I came here. Not posted questions or anything much yet but got a really nice welcome. Will send more feedback soon.

[Probablynot]

I just want to say a big 'Thank You' to everyone here. I'm getting such great help, not only from the many experts who bother to look in at the 'beginners help and advice' section, but also from fellow-newbies whose newly-earned knowledge can be so useful!

I'm SO glad I found the Stargazers' Lounge!

Although most of the advice I get does seem to mean spending a whole lot more money!

[S1m0n]

I've been on here for several weeks now and everyone helped me choose the right scope for me .

Everyone is friendly and help when they can thank god for this forum.

[nckjsmitj]

What about a YouTube link to allow the more experienced members demonstrate thing such as collimation, using a planosphere or setting up a red dot finder scope.

In its current format the forum is very good, my suggestion is merely to utilise other mediums open to you.

[ubermick]

What about a YouTube link to allow the more experienced members demonstrate thing such as collimation, using a planosphere or setting up a red dot finder scope.

I think that's a cracking idea - although those vids already exist on youtube, be nice if there were some official SGL ones!

Also, forgive me if I've not seen it yet, but is there some sort of thread with suggestions for beginners scopes?

[Albenn]

Very impressed by this forum. All my posts have been intelligently replied to in a friendly, helpful and courteous manner and more importantly I have not been made to feel like a beginner in any way.

There is one other thing I would like to bring up. How do I flag/mark a post of mine as solved. I didn't know how to do this so I just replied to my own post and put solved in the title.

Could someone advise as to how this should be done correctly please?

[Psychobilly]

I am not sure if theres a way to close off one of your own threads...

Normally tge op will just post to say that the problem has been resolved and thank people for helping out...

If several solutions have been offered it's possibly saying which was used.

Glad your enjoying using the forum

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[Albenn]

Thanks Psychobilly. Do you think this function is something that would be added to the forum in the future?

[Psychobilly]

We have tended to leave threads open although ocassionaly we do get the strangest older threads bursting back into life...

We are going to be moving over to completely new forum software before too long so it might be something to consider ..

Peter

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[Albenn]

Thanks for the really quick reply Peter. This is exactly why I joined SGL.

[ggreene1]

i have to be honest i posted a similar question on another site and the advice was rude and quiet unhelpful, totally the oppisite to this site so far i have found the people here to be extremely polite and helpful. i hope to be a useful member here one day so i can pass down advice to people just starting out.

excellent site A+

I so agree. This site has been friendly and helpful. You are treated kindly by individuals who share the same passion and are more than willing to share their knowledge. I agree that it would be nice to be able to share the hobby with other beginning astronomers some day. All in all, a fantastic site. Thanks for all your hard work keeping it running smoothly.

[Gary70]

This has probably been the best sign up I have made,

I have already decided that what I thought would be my 1st "real" scope has changed twice, and that patience pays.

The site is well laid out with lots of essential and also forgive me sometimes a bewildering amount of info.

I don't know if it is my newness or just I need to dig deeper into the forum.

But One thing that I and probably most folks new to this look for is advice on scopes, and what to expect.

I have trawled the equipment forums and posted, thankfully opinions are easily acquired.

But a nice addition would be to have a titled forum for scopes/accessories a bit like the supplier forum, where anyone can post experiences and such,but keep 1 thread for each piece of kit that we can all add to over time that way you build up an extensive knowledge-base all in one place.

I know I am new just my new point of view thanks for the forum though, I think I'll be sticking around

[SmokeyJoe]

Superb is all I can say, lots of knowlege freely shared, a real sense of comunity. A huge thankyou to all those experienced members who take the time to help out the newbies, been said before I know but the results of your time and effort are so helpful.

[TREJ]

I have been a member now just under a month having been reading posts for a few weeks before that. This site/forum is such a useful source of advice and information. Just about any question that I have thought of – the answer is there somewhere. It’s just a question of following threads until you find it.

My only niggle is that the more posts I read, the MORE I SPEND but that’s life I guess.

Keep up the good work. I can’t think of many areas/interests in life where so much advice is readily available and free.

[Helen]

My only niggle is that the more posts I read, the MORE I SPEND but that’s life I guess.

I think perhaps we ought to include a health warning on the sign-up page, something like 'Warning: this site can seriously damage your bank balance'

But glad you're finding the site useful

Helen

[TREJ]

I think perhaps we ought to include a health warning on the sign-up page, something like 'Warning: this site can seriously damage your bank balance'

But glad you're finding the site useful

Helen

Its what tends to happen when a new hobby/interest takes over; but then education is never cheap.

[sologuitarist61]

I think it would be good if there was a 'New Thread' link on the command bar.

'New Posts' is OK but often I want to read what is new to the forum, not re-hashes of the old threads. The only way to find the new stuff is to wade through all the different SGL links.

Not a complaint, just a suggestion.

[BigBlueOne]

Thankyou for the hard work that you do that allows me to persue a fabulous hobby

with the greatest of backup from so many fabulous people on this forum.

Thankyou BigBlueOne.

[Dawson1]

Thanks to this forum I have so much info to hand now from so

Many friendly people.

I'm still thinking of which telescope to buy, and with this forum a lot of people so far have been helpful with what to do regarding getting involved with local clubs and so on to test drive a couple of them before I buy and waist my money on some kaleidoscope.

Thanks again. And great forum.