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Hi from Burnley

DougM43

By DougM43
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DougM43

DougM43

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

I have for as long as I remember had an interest in astronomy starting from when I looked through a school friends telescope that he was given for Christmas and I was truly amazed, I still have that image of Jupiter imprinted in my mind from that night. The following Christmas I begged and pleaded with my folks to by me a telescope and on Christmas morning I unwrapped my very own first scope, I have no recollection of what make it was only that it was a refractor scope with a fork mount on a very shaky tripod, once I managed to focus on an object I didn't dare hardly breath for fear of it shooting out of view but I did get quite good at tracking sat on my little stool just gently touching the telescope with my thumbnail. I spent many nights in my younger days sat on my little stool in the garden looking at mostly Saturn, Jupiter and the moon, I remember trying to broaden my horizons with what I could find and see and eventually finding mars, and being quite disappointed, although bright it was barley visible as a disk and really tiny, not what I had expected at all. I think that was pretty much the end of that telescope although occasionally over the next few years I would set it up when the night was particularly starry or Jupiter or Saturn were high up.

My next telescope came by accident and wasn't really mine, it arrived about 15 years ago via my at the time 8 year old sons grandma who just turned up with it one day after buying it at a car boot sale, it was a Helious 114 reflector on an equatorial  mount and looked like new, it had a couple of eyepieces and even included the instruction book.

So that was me again, out every clear night I could scanning the skies with my son who was as eager to be out in the cold as I was, Jupiter and Saturn were still the main targets, mars was definitely better than I remembered but still I could see no detail on the tiny disk and I started to want to see more of the nights treasures so I went out and bought a Helious 200mm reflector on an equatorial mount, and a set of plossi eyepieces, (I was hooked again) on nights of good seeing The usual, Jupiter and Saturn were truly fantastic, I could even see polar ice caps on mars, and even slightly darker patches if I looked long enough, The orion nebula (which I had never seen before) blew me away, But even that scope although in my eyes was a fantastic scope came with its problems, mostly it was big and heavy and some nights I wouldn't use it just because it was a bit of a chore to take it out and set up so I would end up not using it. Time for another scope,, the etx 105, after some research on the internet I decided this was the scope for me, small, easy to set up and great reviews, so off to my not so local telescope shop I went. 

That little scope didn't disappoint one bit, I loved the go-to and the tracking, when I got cold I could come inside, have a cup of tea, go back out and the object I was viewing would still be there in the eyepiece,, I loved that scope but unfortunately after a couple of years and a very bad month I was forced into selling it with the view of replacing in the near future. Not long after that Meade brought out the PE version and although I'm sure is as good, I didn't like the picture printed on the scope tube so I never replaced it, I did however but a second hand TAL 100R with a wooden tripod,  Despite all the good reviews I have never been able to use this scope to its full potential, the travel on the focuser is so short I've never been able to use anything other than my 26mm eyepiece in it.

Well the time has come, (again) Now the kids have grown up and flew the nest, and I have a little more time  for me to re-kindle my love for this hobby, I have brought my two scopes down from the loft, so I hope you all wont mind the barrage of  questions that will be coming this way. 

Cheers Doug.

      

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swag72

swag72

Posted
Posted

Welcome Doug - Sounds like you have really been through the mill - SGL is a great place to be and I'm sure that the good folks will be able to help. Have you considered going along to a local astro group? I bet they'd be able to help as well.

Look forward to seeing you around :)

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JamesM

JamesM

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Hi Doug and welcome to the forum. Don't hesitate to ask those questions of yours when the need arises. Just pop them in to the appropriate section and the answers and suggestions will be coming along shortly thereafter

Clear skies and hope you enjoy your stay here.

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BlabyStarGazer

BlabyStarGazer

Posted
Posted

Hi Doug,

Welcome to SGL and welcome back to the hobby!  I didn't buy my first 'scope until I was in my 50's despite having had an interest since I was very small.  Time and money were just not available. Now it's different and I've been able to assemble a fine collection of instruments (what she who thinks she must be obeyed calls 'toys') in good time for retirement, though I'm already getting good use out of them well ahead of the "appointed day"!

Enjoy this new phase of your astronomical adventures - you're in the right place to find any help/advice required.

Happy New Year too!

Paul - The BSG

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