Beginner with a skywatcher 130..

[Slashdog2003]

Hi everyone. After many years of hints I'm finally going to be unwrapping a telescope for my birthday. After research I chose a skywatcher 130 for £199. Reviews I read all seemed to be positive....my expectations of what I will be able to see are ,I feel, realistic,but I would like to know what is good to observe in the summer and are there any recommendations for dark sky's in the Chirk/wrexham area.....

[glowjet]

Hi Slashdog2003 and welcome to SGL, you have acquired a very capable scope in the 130, those who have adapted it to Astro Photography, have produced some excellent results. As I am not a reflector man I will leave others to help on the observational aspects, and to those dark skies in your area, as I am far from your neck of the woods. Enjoy your Astronomy and the forum  

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL . Try the book " Turn Left at Orion " it will give lots of realistic targets to aim for

[NGC 1502]

Hi and welcome to SGL, and happy birthday too......

A 130mm reflector will show a large amount of all types of object, from Solar System to deep sky. It would take a long while to exhaust the possiblilties, but best to make a start with some easy targets like Jupiter, way past its best for the year but still worth a look, Saturn is at opposition this month, low in the south from the UK, but everyone wants to see it, and of course the Moon.

I echo the recommendation for " Turn Left at Orion " a classic and very good buy.

How about checking out a local astronomy club ? Most are (hopefully) welcoming to new folk.

Regards, Ed.

[ronin]

Summer constellations:

Lyra, main star is Vega, Lyra has M57 in it and that is easy to locate, above Vega is the double double.

Cygnus, main star Deneb, other end of Cygnus is Albireo (coloured double). Around Deneb and along one wing are a few nebula, tend to be faint so you will need somewhere dark.

Hercules with M13 in it.

That is the simplest.

If you get a book of constellations then look up those and find out what else is in each and a gide will give an idea of where they are in each.

One problem is the summer nights are short and may never really get dark.

Go search out the circumpolar constellations as well. They are visible all year and you can always find whatever is in those.

[belfieldi]

Hi Slashdog2003 and welcome to SGL,

I'm just round the corner from you, but haven't ventured out to any dark sites yet, so can't advise you there. As for summer targets, I can give another recommendation for "Turn Left at Orion", it's my bible for planning a nights observing.

Ian

[-Aldebaran-]

Hi Slashdog2003! Another from Wrexham here, I believe there is a known dark site south of Shrewsbury where they have some meets, personally I'm trying to get round to going to snowdonia, my usual dark site is Ok (south of Llanarmon-yn-ial) but it's not truly dark. Welcome to SGL