So that's why they call em faint fuzzies!

[Del Boy]

So I've had my first 'proper' telescope for a couple weeks now. Bought the skywatcher 300p 12" dob with the baader hyperion zoom and I finally got to see the andromeda galaxy which was on the top of my things to see list. With the lack of a goto it took me an hour to find but that's the whole fun of it I think. The scope is amazing. Picking out even the faintest stars. I'm unsure about the zoom lens tho but not having anything to really compare it too it's hard to say. So what to find next? Any recommendations?

[Stu]

The Orion Nebula, M42 has to be top of the list of DSO's at the moment, and of course Jupiter if you haven't already.

Plenty of others around, M45and the Double cluster to name just two.

Btw, The Andromeda Galaxy needs lowest power and a dark sky to get the best out of it. OTA a huge object, 3 degrees by 1 degree so if you over do the mag then you will only be looking at the central core. Probably won't fit into the fov of a 12" dob anyway, regardless of the ep!

Cheers,

Stu

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

M42 (+M43, you always get 2 Messiers for the price of one) is indeed a must see. M81 + M82 are also very nice

[houston]

Zooms are handy but i find fixed eyepieces give better views. Considering its size, m31 can be a nightmare to find with light pollution. Low power 2" wide angle eyepiece is good to search for the faint stuff.

Sent from my GT-I8160 using Tapatalk 2

[Tinker1947]

With that scope just work your way through the Messier list, will keep you busy for a year or 2...

[Del Boy]

I'm mainly at the mercy of my tiny garden giving me only a small slice of sky to observe. Andromeda was directly above me last night meaning I spent most of my time laying on the floor trying to line up my telrad. Thank god I bought the 4" riser! As for the hyperion zoom I just thought it to be good value for a starter lens. I really want a 32mm lens tho for the DSO's but it seems there all pretty dear. That or I'm just looking at the wrong ones!

[Paul73]

+1 for all of the above - especially M42 Orion Nebula (just don't expect all nebula to look like this)!

Try some clusters. They will really fly in your scope. There are a few near Taurus. M35 & 36 - just follow out from the end of Taurus' horns by about 2-3 finder scope field widths (the two bright stars that the main "v" points to). Either horn will do, M35 on one and M36 on t'other.

Happy hunting.

Paul

[nicks90]

whislt youre there - M37 and M38 are within a finderscope width of M36 too.

[Qualia]

I'm unsure about the zoom lens tho but not having anything to really compare it too it's hard to say. So what to find next? Any recommendations?

My personal feeling on this is to hang on a bit and play around with the zoom lens. It'll give you an excellent idea of what kind of fixed eyepieces - if so desired - you may want in the future. Take your time, appraise and praise your gear and then you'll have a better idea of where you want to go and how exactly you want to get there. I don't think it is always a good idea to buy new gear in astronomy until one knows they are missing out on something that is essential to their observing sessions and just as importantly when one knows how it can be improved upon and bettered.

Other than that the following months will supply you a treasure chest of wonders to observe. I feel a pocket Star Atlas will be very handy and if not already done, to also download Stellarium. I'd also stress that next time you're out, buzz around the skies picking off objects but at some stage slow down a little - pick out features and textures from a given object. Spend some time with it (an hour perhaps) and ask yourself questions about what you're seeing. By practicing this kind of attentive sitting you come to notice more and more detail from the given object. Jupiter will be wonderful this month .

Good luck and let us know how you get along.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Good advice from Qualia. I replace kit or expand my kit only when I feel the limitations of the current kit. I used decent Plossls for a long time before upgrading to better ones (short end first due to lack of eye relief, longer end later to gain more field of view).

[Del Boy]

With my zoom I'm not sure if it's a problem or not but when I go to focus I have to wind the focuser out by only 3mm i'd say. With the stock lenses I have to wind out a good inch or two. Now my knowledge on focusing isn't to great but I'm wondering if this limits me somehow as I can't wind the lens in any further with it if that makes sense. But I don't know if I'd ever need to? Time will tell I guess.

[Stu]

Shouldn't be a problem, as long as you can go through the focus point, you will be able reach a good focus. All objects will focus at the same point, near enough.

Stu