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My first time... WOW!


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So tonight was the first clear skies I have had since I got my very first scope (Skywatcher Explorer 150P) and wow!!  :eek:

Jupiter was breathtaking! I've seen it through binoculars, but tonight through the scope was something really quite spectacular. At first, I had the 25mm lens on and I was so happy to have found it, and I could see the moons, so I centered it and swapped the eyepiece for the 10mm, re-focused and the colours became clear with the two large bands... then I added the 2X Barlow and was taken away! It moved across my eyepiece with so much detail, and my polar alignment must have been pretty good as I was chasing it nicely with small adjustments to the RA!

I've read various posts from peoples first views and there are quite a range, so I'm not sure what I had set myself up for, but I couldn't be happier! I took some pictures afocally, but they really don't do the view any justice so this one will just have to remain a lovely little memory for myself! In fact, these words don't really do it justice! It was special, and I'm sure it will be something that sticks with me for a long time.

I've been filled with a burning desire for more and I'm chomping at the bit for some more nights like this!

Looking forward to getting to know my way around the sky!

:grin: Mark

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Excellent, a word of warning - it gets very addictive this hobby  ;)

I was working all evening, finished at 10:30 and it took me 20 minutes to get the ice off the car. By the time I got home it was too late to get the scope out as the moon is rising high now ... typical  lol

Enjoy the scope and good luck with the viewing - next month there are several transits from the Jovian moons Ganymede and Callisto worth looking out for.

Best wishes,

Steve

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This hobby is more addictive than smoking Mark. And those first sightings of Jupiter and Saturn are just so jaw dropping you get sucked right in straight away. Saturns rings are nicely tilted towards Earth now and it makes an absolutely stunning sight in the eyepiece - possibly the most beautiful thing you'll ever see in the night sky.

Glad you're enjoying your new scope (same as my first scope). Have fun :)

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As well as Saturn which is beautiful, the view of the orion nebula (M42) is always a sight to behold as is Albireo in Cygnus although Bins show this as well as any scope.

Another favourite is M57 (plenty of mag required) the ring nebula in Lyra, as the little doughnut is a real treat first time up.

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I too am new to astronomy and had my first view of Jupiter last week and like you wow! I was out last night and sawJupiter and its moons again and the Orion Nebula. Can't wait to see Saturn, I'm in South Yorkshire and last night was the first clear skies for ages!

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Same here.

My first view of Jupiter (with a 150P strangely enough) was last night and it fair blew my socks off.  I'm looking forward to seeing Saturn - does it ever come up at a sensible time? Or is it mornings only ?

Since last night I've been reading as much as I can about Jupiter (I think I'm developing and obsession lol)
I saw loads of other stuff  (no thanks to the crappy finderscope - telrad on its way) but Jupiter was my 'wow' moment, actually seeing with your own eyes something so far away - that you've previously only seen in books......well breathtaking doesn't do it credit.

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Brings back memories of about 8 weeks ago when I viewed Jupiter for the first time. It really is such a great sight when you see the cloud bands for the first time. Things will get better once you pick out the GRS.

Try the Orion Nebula sometime soon. Amazing viewing.

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Now till March is a good time to catch Saturn. The rings wobble gradually from completely face on to completely side on in a series of reverberations that span years. They're at 20 degs now and they'll close up again over the summer and come back out later in the year - this reverberation is currently making the rings get wider with each cycle (ie tilted more towards us). So next years cycle is going to be worth seeing too cos they'll be wider than 20 degs.

Unfortunately Saturn is not going to rise very high at all for at least another 5 years - however it will be high in the Australian sky every night right now if you fancy a trip to see it. Here it's rising earlier every day - so eventually it will be visible at night - but still low down near the horizon - so viewing is through murky atmosphere for some time to come.

Anyone can check out the future positions of Saturn and the amount of wobble on it's rings using Stellarium and advancing the time quickly (eg a week or a month at a time). My favourite tool for this is skyviewcafe (google all one word) which is a much simpler format but allows easier advancement of time and a nice little graphic showing how open or closed the rings are. Hth :)

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what times best for looking for Saturn ??

At the moment Saturn is up at about 4am. But i will not be getting up that early! :) I saw it at 6am, but upto 7am is fine. Its to the South at this time. While your there, Mars is also an easy target.

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So tonight was the first clear skies I have had since I got my very first scope (Skywatcher Explorer 150P) and wow!!  :eek:

Jupiter was breathtaking! I've seen it through binoculars, but tonight through the scope was something really quite spectacular. At first, I had the 25mm lens on and I was so happy to have found it, and I could see the moons, so I centered it and swapped the eyepiece for the 10mm, re-focused and the colours became clear with the two large bands... then I added the 2X Barlow and was taken away! It moved across my eyepiece with so much detail, and my polar alignment must have been pretty good as I was chasing it nicely with small adjustments to the RA!

I've read various posts from peoples first views and there are quite a range, so I'm not sure what I had set myself up for, but I couldn't be happier! I took some pictures afocally, but they really don't do the view any justice so this one will just have to remain a lovely little memory for myself! In fact, these words don't really do it justice! It was special, and I'm sure it will be something that sticks with me for a long time.

I've been filled with a burning desire for more and I'm chomping at the bit for some more nights like this!

Looking forward to getting to know my way around the sky!

:grin: Mark

Nice report, I know how you felt!

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So tonight was the first clear skies I have had since I got my very first scope (Skywatcher Explorer 150P) and wow!!  :eek:

Jupiter was breathtaking! I've seen it through binoculars, but tonight through the scope was something really quite spectacular. At first, I had the 25mm lens on and I was so happy to have found it, and I could see the moons, so I centered it and swapped the eyepiece for the 10mm, re-focused and the colours became clear with the two large bands... then I added the 2X Barlow and was taken away! It moved across my eyepiece with so much detail, and my polar alignment must have been pretty good as I was chasing it nicely with small adjustments to the RA!

I've read various posts from peoples first views and there are quite a range, so I'm not sure what I had set myself up for, but I couldn't be happier! I took some pictures afocally, but they really don't do the view any justice so this one will just have to remain a lovely little memory for myself! In fact, these words don't really do it justice! It was special, and I'm sure it will be something that sticks with me for a long time.

I've been filled with a burning desire for more and I'm chomping at the bit for some more nights like this!

Looking forward to getting to know my way around the sky!

:grin: Mark

I've just had the same feeling 2 weeks ago with my 130M 

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