Advice on a purchase already made

[georgewatts]

Hello,

I'm new to SGL (do newbs get the right to abbreviate? ) and I received a Celestron LCM 114 newtonian reflector for my 21st birthday last month, which after some quick browsing of threads here, I am now having doubts.

For some reason I didn't look at this forum when selecting a telescope, that's not to say I didn't do any research, I looked at reviews on different retail websites and they seemed to be pretty good for a beginner's telescope, so I selected that one and my parents got it for me . I've only been able to use it properly until recently because of the weather in the UK and I'm really enjoying it. I'm about to start going to remote fields in nearby villages where I can get away from light and begin recording in a journal, however, I'm starting to worry that I've chosen the wrong telescope.

In short, I need advice on how to get the most out of this telescope, since it's way beyond returning now, and I feel I need to use it properly not only to satisfy my hunger for stargazing, but I feel bad for my parents. I'm sure in a couple of years I can upgrade, but for now I need to focus on my current telescope.

Thanks

George

[Langy]

Hello George

I have the Astromaster 130EQ, which may not even have been the best choice by me, but like you can't afford to change it and trying to get the most out of it. I don't know what EP you get with your scope but on mine there is a 20mm and 10mm. The 20mm is great but the 10mm is pretty poor. I've since bought a better quality 8mm and that is so much better.

To get the most enjoyment out of the scope you really need to learn all about it first and decide on where you want to improve. With mine the RDF that comes with it was of no use to me so I bought a better finder scope. After that it became much easier to at least get the scope in the right place.

I would say first of all get out even in your back garden and look for the moon, Jupiter, Orion Nebula, Pleiades and for something to hunt for Andromeda. They are my starting point and you can then judge from there. Jupiter you may well find like me it's hard to see any detail, you need to look at it a long time to get hints of the atmosphere with my scope. Orion is a grey smudge, but Pleiades is amazing. Andromeda you may well find can take some time to find, again when you find it, it looks like a grey smudge. Find those first and then post how you see them to ask how to get better improvements.

[Joseki]

Hi! I wouldn't worry too much about whether it was a bad choice now, especially if you're having fun.  You said you can take it out to darker sites and are keeping a record of your observations - sounds like it's working to me.  Being computerized is a big bonus, so there should be plenty to see too, especially if you set yourself some targets before you start.

this might be a useful post perhaps:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/196278-what-can-i-expect-to-see/

Most likely the supplied eyepieces are pretty cheap (I believe they always are) - replacing them with better quality plossl type eyepieces might/should improve the views without costing a fortune.

[ronin]

To get the best out of the scope you are going to have to apply some thought.

The scope has a tube of about 450mm but a focal length of 1000mm, which when thought about makes little sense.

The scope will have a short focal length mirror, about 450mm - 500mm and then they stick a barlow in the focuser to incerease the apparent focal length. The design is called a Bird Jones, the problem is that to perform well the optics need to be good and that means money and the manufacturers simply are not going to input the quality of optics required.

The add insult to injusry the supplied eyepieces will not be great either.

Suggestions: Forget the idea of high magnifications, they just will not work. You should manage to get Jupiter and see a couple of bands, just view Jupiter when it is reasonably high and not skimming the horizon. Aim for about a 15mm eyepiece - it will not be big but should be OK

Saturn will be more of a problem, it is smaller and further away. You could try a 10mm eyepiece and give it a go - just not 100% sure.

Go look at clusters, globular and open. They are bigger so need less magnification. Pleiades, Hyades and assorted globular clusters.

Try double stars, there is a list on coloured double stars on the Delaware AS site. You are not looking then for difficult to seperate doubles but for a colour contrast in 2 - easier to do, if it looks good show parents. Albereio and Almaak (<that spelling is wrong!)

Eyepieces: You have to decide if it is worth spending much on these. Ones like the BST's are £50 each, so 3 of them get to be £150, and possibly more then you think sensible. Look round of inexpensive but reasonable plossl's. GSO and Revelation are fair. Check the used market, or if you join one a local club.

Oh yes, the moon, big, bright, easy, low magnification.

As said you need to think a bit.

Lists: Messier objects (Google search for !list of messier objects - first one will be Wiki, use that)

Caldwell Objects - similar idea to Messier List, created by Patrick Moore.

If you stick with astronomy then use the present one over the summer, evenings are light and short, and upgrade around September when the nights start getting longer.

Do not bother with (another) normal barlow before the eyepiece just too many bits for it to all work, use eyepieces only.

[NGC 1502]

Hi George, welcome to SGL.  

I wouldn't worry, with most telescopes great views can be had, but the biggest thing to learn to get the best from any scope, is patience.

Great link in post # 3, well worth reading thoroughly.

Hope you get lots of good use from your birthday present, and remember, very few of us, myself included, have exhausted the capabilities of a modest telescope.

Regards, Ed.

[fondofchips]

Hello George & welcome to SGL.

First of all I would seek out your local astronomy group, you will find them friendly & helpful, this hobby can be frustrating at the best of times.

It took me a good 6 months to really get the best out of my scope there is just so much to learn.

Stellarium is a free PC planetarium software program that shows you what is up there, I always use it to plan my nights viewing before I go out.  Download it here: - http://www.stellarium.org/en_GB/

Plenty of good advice above, just keep on stargazing it gets better as you go on.

Clear skies,

Fondofchips.

[georgewatts]

Thank you all for the detail responses, insightful advice, and warm welcomes.

I've been given details of someone from a local hobbyist group to contact, so that should be good!

I have managed to see Jupiter. It was fairly clear, and I'm moving on to more ambitious things now like trying to see the Orion Nebula etc. This is a hobby that I'm taking seriously and I've always been in love with space and looking to the stars, I was just worried that I hadn't got the right equipment after doing several hours of what I thought was decent "research" . I was enjoying my telescope before that .

Well. Onwards and upwards!

P.S Thanks for the very helpful link, Joseki. I will give that some studying tonight.

[RichM63]

Welcome to the forum George.

The main thing is that you learn to enjoy your star gazing, with a telescope that people could have hardly dreamed about a hundred years ago.

Remember that online, you will always find 10 negative responses for every positive comment, hence one of the reasons for forums such as this.

The enthusiasts around here will always try to help you along with getting the most out of your kit and also help you decide how best to upgrade when the time is right.

Hopefully the skies will start to clear and we can all go back outside and go WOW, using whatever kit we have.

Cheers,

Rich