Hello from Lyons, KS USA

[Branden_Rapp]

Hello everyone,

I'm Branden. I stumbled across this forum by watching some how-to videos on the Orion website, telescope.com. I have been stargazing for awhile now, and interested in the science of amateur astronomy since about the age of 12, when my dad bought me my first telescope, a Tasco refractor. Now I use an Orion SkyQuest XX14i intelliscope and enjoy hours and hours of observation with plenty of stuff to look at. It has a 355.5mm primary mirror, 1650mm focal length, f-ratio of 4.6 so I get a lot of good wide field views of things with my 35mm 2" eyepiece, and a limiting magnitude of 15.3 which allows me to see a lot of stuff many many lightyears away! I use Starry Night Pro Plus 6.4.3 for planetarium software, and have a star atlas created by Michael Vlasov that I use as a field guide, so the possibilities are just about endless! I look forward to being an active member here, and getting some good tips and offering my own personal experience as well! Can't wait to get to know all of you. Keep your eyes to the skies!

[Mr Spock]

Hi Branden, welcome to SGL

[slim80]

Hi Branden.Welcome to SGL

[Branden_Rapp]

Thanks guys!!

[JamesM]

Hi Branden and welcome to the forum

Clear skies

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL

[damnut]

Hi Branden,

Warm welcome to SGL, hope you enjoy the forums. That's an awesome scope you have there too.

[Branden_Rapp]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes, and thank you damnut. It's been pretty good to me so far!

[-Aldebaran-]

Hello Branden, welcome to SGL!

[purdo]

Hi Branden & Welcome to SGL.  Hope you enjoy your time here.

[jamie56]

Hi Branden,

nice to hear from you and welcome to the forum, lots of info and help here, enjoy and happy gazin

jamie

[Dave Lloyd]

Hello Branden, welcome.

[MarkJ44]

Hi Branden and welcome to SGL

Cheers

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire

[michigander]

Welcome to SGL, Branden!

Cardinals or Royals>

Dana

[Charon]

Welcome aboard.

[glowjet]

Hi Branden and welcome to SGL, that is a nice light bucket you have there, enjoy your Astronomy and the forum

[sologuitarist61]

Hello Branden, welcome to SGL

[Branden_Rapp]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcomes!!

[Pondus]

Heya Branden and welcome from me, located in Norway.

Michael Vlasovs Deep-Sky Watch site is very very good indeed.

Rune

[Cylon]

Hello Branden and a warm welcome

Cylon

[xtreemchaos]

hi mate and welcome from south wales.

[Coco]

Welcome to SGL mate..

[Bizibilder]

Hello Branden and welcome to SGL!!

[PeterCPC]

Hi and welcome.

Peter