First scope

[malkster]

Hi everyone,

Just received my first scope today.

I went for a startravel ST-80 so I can also use it as a travel scope. Has anyany one any suggestions for viewing tonight as the skies look as though they will be clear. I am in the west coast of Scotland with very limited knowledge of the night sky. Probably not the best scope for planets but would like to start with these before moving on to other objects. Malky

[ronin]

Early on Jupiter, will need the shorter of the 2 eyepieces to see any detail. It may remain too bright even then.

Do not be too surprised if the short eyepiece and the barlow make a poor combination.

Mars later on, this will remain a small disk. Sometime after 9:00 or 10:00 Eastern sky. The bright red thing.

Find The Plough and aim at the middle star in the handle, it is a double called Mizar and Alcor, should be easy and you may as well get it.

What constellations do you know?

[proflight2000]

Another beauty is the pleiades, around 8pm tonight she will be roughly in the west, if you know the constellation of Orion, go to the top right hand star and imagine a line so that the top right hand star is roughly 8 oclock and the line goes along through 2 oclock, it is a mass of stars and is also known as the seven sisters. Also with orion, look at the star to the top left, this is Beteguese, she is red in colour as it basically is a dying star, 600 times larger than our sun. If you are not so sure on Orion, google it, you will soon recognise it. Also from Orion go to the star at the bottom left and like above define a line so that the star is at 2 oclock, then follow the line along towards 8 oclock, you will see the flickering star that is Sirius (the dog star), she is low in the sky and the twinkling of varied colours is great in any scope. Sadly Orion is on her way south for the summer, but she has a wealth of goodies to view. All the best.

[Astro Imp]

Good advice from Ronin above.

Get yourself a copy of Stellarium downloaded, a free planetarium program that will help you find your away around. Stellarium;- http://www.stellarium.org/