First time user help and advice.

[Johnny Thunder]

Hi everyone.

You may remember a few weeks ago, I bought my daughter a toy scope from ToysrUs.

Well, that has gone back, and we have put more money to it and bought her something more suitable

for her birthday, which is this Sunday.

We have bought her the Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX Dobsonian. There is also a moon filter ordered for

the scope.

Is there anything I need to be aware of, or need to do when setting up for the first time?

Any advice on how to get the finder scope set up accurately?

Any advice on care of our product etc?

Could you please recommend what we should be aiming to view in our first sessions?

We will spend plenty of time viewing the Moon, but it would be nice to know exactly what on the moon

we are looking at, so could you point me to a beginners guide to the Moon's features please?

What Planets and Nebula are suitable for us at the moment, and which should we avoid?

Thank you for any advice you can give us.

John.

[Ant]

Hi Jonny,

From a toy scope from "toy R us" to a 250PX - I so wanna see your face when you see this thing in the flesh.

It's goign to be huge. How old is your daughter...?

Advice..

1. Set up in daylight.

2. Roughly align the finder in daylight as well (using a chimney or something as far away as possible)

Give her the scope a day early...

First session... It'll be clear saturday (or is forecast to be), so the moon will be GREAT, you also have Saturn in the East - yell if you need a map to guide you. Mars will be bright over head.

Ant

[peeceeTal2M]

Hi John, welcome to SGL, for an excellent moon guide go to Virtual moon atlas

www.astrosurf.com/avl/UK_index.html

its a BIG download but well worth it, also try downloading Stellarium it will show you whats available to view

www.stellarium.org

I'm sure you're all going to have lots of fun with your new scope, just don't panic when you see how big it is

Phill

[Johnny Thunder]

Thank you for the reply Ant.

I have Stellarium loaded and running on my laptop.

The last couple of nights I have been in and out of the house working out where a few

things were. Finding them in a scope may be a little more difficult I think.

Saturn is high on our list though.

[Lee]

Depending on how tall she is a step ladder may be a good idea, so she can see objects near the zenith comfortably

One of my favourite winter DSOs has to be the great Orion nebular, M42 easy to find and will look great in the Dob.

[Johnny Thunder]

Cheers Phill.

Am I right in thinking the scope is about 5' tall?

I can't wait to see her face. I am a little excited too.

[Johnny Thunder]

Thanks Lee, I will add it to the list.

[jgs001]

John, Turn Left at Orion is a good book for finding objects, it gives sketches of what you might see and star hopping guidance to get there.

[Whippy]

If you haven't got one already, get yourself a Moon filter. Looking at the Moon without one through a 10" scope will cause your eyes to hurt! The Orion Nebula (M42) will look pretty darn good though it, as will the Pleades (M45). First light on a new scope can be really hit and miss so it might be best not to expect too much, just get used to moving the scope about and focusing and if you manage to observe anything through it, consider it a bonus .

From a toy scope from "toy R us" to a 250PX - I so wanna see your face when you see this thing in the flesh.

:D

Tony..

[peeceeTal2M]

5ft seems to be about right

[Johnny Thunder]

Thanks Tony. Added to the list.

[John]

You might want to think about replacing the optical 9x50 finder that comes with the scope with a red dot type finder. When my kids are using my scopes they find the red dot finder much more intuative to use - just get the red dot on the part of the sky that you want to look at and away you go. My son likes it because it's a bit like the sight on a rifle

John

[Johnny Thunder]

Thanks for the tip John.

[Johnny Thunder]

Well, I've taken the day off work and am sat waiting for the new scope to arrive.

I now have a moon filter, just need the scope to fix it too.

I feel like a little kid.

[DanDare]

Good luck with that John,

Don't forget to post a report when you've had your first peek with it!

Roy

[John]

Well, I've taken the day off work and am sat waiting for the new scope to arrive.

I now have a moon filter, just need the scope to fix it too.

I feel like a little kid.

If you have not seen one of these "in the flesh" before be prepared to be shocked at how big it is :shock:

John

[SteveL]

Its about 5 foot tall when its put on the ground, let alone when its on a mount! Its going to be a bit of a shock when it does turn up...

[Johnny Thunder]

I had worked out that it is about 5'long, but imagining a 5' scope, and having one in front of you are two entirely

different things I am sure.

I am still waiting to be shocked by the way. Not here yet.

[SteveL]

Is there anyone else around you who has a camera? We really need to see your face when it turns up.... you think the OTA is big, the box it comes in is going to be the size of a Mercedes van

[Johnny Thunder]

[barkis]

Not to worry Johnny, both you and you daughter will be floating off the ground when you see what comes through the eyepiece.

Save Saturn for the last view of the night though, coz nothing will WOW you more than that creamy marshmallow with the white icing around it.

I hope the weather doesn't let you down. Or the delivery van for that matter.

Enjoy.

Ron.

[Johnny Thunder]

Cheers Ron.

[Johnny Thunder]

It never turned up.

[barkis]

Not to worry Johnny, you have still got that wonderful feeling of anticipation I am sure. If it had arrived today, all that would have gone now, and you would probably be cursing the poor skies.

Now your little girl and you, will have another sleepless night because of the excitement of it coming tomorrow.

Am I right, or are you still feeling sad?.

Ron.

[Johnny Thunder]

Ron, I'm a little concerned because I cannot be off again tomorrow, so will miss delivery.

I do not know if the courier will try another delivery on a Saturday. I do not think this is normal practice.

It is my daughters birthday on Sunday.