My 60mm telescope

[Vik12]

Hello,

I am new to astronomy and have just joined this topic.  I have a 60/900 mm refractor scope with H8 and H20 eyepieces.  I also have a 2 times barlow lens and, of course a star diagonal.  I have been able to see Venus and Jupiter(with 4 moons) and the moon.  I would like to have a idea about what I might be able to see(remember I live in London - only like 30 stars on a clear night).

[carastro]

You'll also see Saturn, probably better with your aperture to use a barlow.  

Andromeda galaxy is doable, but you'll only see the bright core.  Globular clusters.  Orion Nebula, though you won't see a lot of nebulosity.  

I live in the suburbs of London, and not sure I can even see 30 stars!!!

Carole

[Vik12]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply.  I forgot to tell you but I also have an EQ1 mount.

[D4N]

You can see Saturn if you stay up late ( or get up early ).

Another thing you can do is get some Baader solar film and make a full aperture solar mask for your scope and do some solar viewing. Be sure to read up on the safety precautions first though as it can be dangerous if done incorrectly.

I'm guessing DSO's won't be possible unless you go somewhere dark.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[damnut]

Hi There,

Welcome to SGL, a lot of us started out with a 60mm refractor.. Try a couple of books to help you round the sky 'turn left at orion' and 'sky&telescope pocket star atlas'.. these will help you find objects in the sky even when you are restricted. Also download a planetarium program try stellarium, its great and free to be found here  :-- http://www.stellarium.org/ .

[carastro]

 I also have an EQ1 mount.

Hmmm, that will be difficult to navigate with, I used one of those when I first started and to add to my woes, the hand controllers used to slip, so even if I found an object, it would slip out of view and then I had a job to get it back again.

Good luck.

Carole 

[Vik12]

Also download a planetarium program try stellarium, its great and free to be found here  :-- http://www.stellarium.org/

I have stellarium and it has helped me alot.

[David Smith]

Get a solar filter (~£20 from FLO) and check out our star. It's bright enough to be seen from even the most polluted places

[Vik12]

Carole,

I live in fulham, london.  Have you heard of the Baker Street Irregular astronomers?  Do you go there?

[carastro]

I know of the Baker Street Irregular Astronomers and have met some of them at their Astrocamp in the Brecon Beacons.  However I am in SE London (Bromley), So my local group is Orpington.

Carole 

[Vik12]

Ok

[ronin]

Friend of mine has started to drop into the Baker St viewing in Regents Pk.

So get along, they seem a easy enough bunch, not sure how many women get to it as she didn't ever mention a number.

Half suggest you keep an eye out for a cheap plossl, I assume the scope takes 1.25" eyepieces.

[dephelis]

I'm a regular, or should that be irregular, at the BSIA meetings at the Regent's Park. They're a very friendly bunch with a pretty good spread across age groups and gender. The exact number of women at the event varies but I'd say it's usually 30% or more.

One of my friends from the group also lives down Fulham way, so I dare say that you would have company on the way back too.