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Start of the Adventure

Sherbert1971

By Sherbert1971
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Sherbert1971

Sherbert1971

Posted
Posted

Good morning everyone

Took the plunge and bought a telescope (Skywatcher 130EQ2) after taking some advice from these very pages.  I'm already a keen photographer and whilst not looking at first to combine the two hobbies I'm looking forward to what could be a great adventure in the night skys.  However I've no idea what I'm doing to be honest so I hope you're all prepared for some rather insane, daft and downright ridiculous questions.  My only fear is that I'll get fustrated easily at not been able to see anything of note so any starter tips would be greatly appreciated.

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Aenima

Aenima

Posted
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Hehe, i wouldn't worry about asking questions - we have all likely asked a few good ones during the learning stages. :) as for first targets, the best one - if its around at the time - is the moon, close up or full disc its always nice to see (and later on easy to photograph) and any of the larger planets will do as well.

Check out freeware stellarium for a good idea where to find things. :)

hth 

regards

Aenima 

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JamesM

JamesM

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Hi and welcome to the forum. Frustration is part of astronomy I'm afraid whether as an imager, (getting all your kit synchronized to be able to capture the required data to create an image) or as an observer (waiting for the weather to clear). If imaging is your long term objective, may I recommend getting a hold of a copy of Steve Richards' book, "Making Every Photon Count". It is very comprehensive and will provide you with all the necessary information to make an informed decision on how far you want to go in creating good consistent images. Getting hold of this book will also save you money in helping you to avoid buying the wrong kit as the equipment required to take good images will have different requirements to that which is good for observing. Imaging doesn't have to be expensive but if you take a look at the imaging sections and make a note of the kit that most people there are using, it will give you a good idea of what is required and what the required budget might be.

The forum is very much about sharing experiences, mistakes and we have all asked those seemingly 'daft' questions. To be honest there is no such thing as a silly question as we all have to learn and in the grand scheme of the cosmos (which is always challenging what we think we know about it) we are all beginners really. There are so many members here that are willing to help you advance your knowledge, so why not post some questions within the designated sections to help your journey move forward and to assist you in reducing future frustrations. 

Clear skies and hope you enjoy the forum. 

James

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ronl

ronl

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Posted

Hi and welcome to the lounge,

grab yourself a copy of Sky at Night magazine or any astro mag,

it will give you all the information you need for the coming month,

I find they are such a help when starting out in this wonderful hobby.

Good Luck and Clear Sky's

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CornishMusicMaid

CornishMusicMaid

Posted
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Hello everyone.

Just joined and looking forward to the world of Stargazers.  I live in the Tamar Valley - East Cornwall where there are no lights down here by the river, and the skies are just amazing.

I have loved astronomy since a very young age, which I thank Sir Patrick Moore for - he left us a wonderful legacy by teaching us to 'look up'.

Cornish Music Maid

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JamesM

JamesM

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Hi Cornish Music Maid and welcome to the forum. Given that I live in a light polluted city, I do envy anyone who is lucky enough to be able to embark on their astronomical journey with the aid of dark skies - it makes such a difference to what you can see.

Clear skies and enjoy the forum

James

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HIP3802

HIP3802

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Hi, Sherbert1971, and welcome to SGL! This is a forum where the "insane, daft and downright ridiculous questions" are not only welcome, but often lead to the most in-depth discussions - so ask away! If you haven't done already I can recommend you download the free planetarium 'Stellarium' (available here: http://stellarium.org/) This is used by many on here to not only help with locating things in the night sky, but also to plan viewing sessions. It is customisable for your own location - and even for your own scope to give you some idea of what you will see. It will also hep you find your way around the night sky.

Hope this helps, Martin.

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LeeWilky

LeeWilky

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Welcome mate :) 

Im new to Astronomy AND Photography but i cant wait to combine the two things and learn as i go along.  Its such a rewarding hobby.

As has already been mentioned the book 'Making every photon count' and just generally firing questions into this community will get you where you want to be in no time.

Good luck and dont forget to share your images on here if you go ahead and dabble in Astrophotography!

Clear Skies

Lee

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swag72

swag72

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Welcome to SGL - Glad that you found us! There's some good advice been given about imaging, certainly get hold of the book mentioned. Imaging is great, I love it, but boy can it take over your life!!!!

Look forward to seeing you around - No question is too daft or too silly! We ALL started off as you are now :smiley:

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Astralstroll

Astralstroll

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Good morning CornishMusicMaid, and welcome to SGL. I spent a rather good six years in Cornwall, but then only decided to get into astronomy when I moved to Bristol, a place not blessed with the darkest of skies. Still, there are some dark skies within driving range of here, so all is not lost. Happy viewing.

Dave.

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