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What I've learnt on my first night out with

martinh40

By martinh40
in Observing - Reports

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martinh40

martinh40

Posted
Posted

Well I got my scope just over a week ago and tonight was the first real night to try it out after problem with StarSense (still has problems but manageable).

 

So what did I learn...

1. I really REALLY new a dew shield / heater.

2. Observing during a full moon even in a quite dark area is hard work.

3. Even in late summer - I need to wear more clothes.

4. I should have put the scope outside much sooner tonight to get it (An SCT) sorted with the temperature.

5. It's going to take a few nights out to get back in to the swing of things after an adsense of about 10 years!

 

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Yamez

Yamez

Posted
Posted

First time i got my scope out around christmas day was to look at the full moon. Although i was very stupid ad didn't know i had to align my finder-scope and i couldn't even locate the moon! Had my scope 9 months now and i know most of my way around the sky, the scope and the whole routine. It'll come back to you. :) 

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Uplooker

Uplooker

Posted
Posted

Ah Ok.

Yes you definitely need a dew shield / heater. Best option is to get an all in one like this https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/astrozap-flexi-heat-dew-shields.html

You really do need heat with an SCT the dew shield does not cut it on its own. Ignore at your peril.

Buy the best and biggest power source that you can. I would most certainly recommend a Leisure battery of 75Ah as a min. I know it seems extreme but you will want to run more stuff from it than you do now. Buy best you can.

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Uplooker

Uplooker

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Posted

Hi Martin,

Please accept my apologies, in my original and subsequent post, I should have welcomed you back to a fabulous, involving, frustrating and depending what path you take, expensive yet great hobby.

You have very capable scope. The 9.25s are regarded by some as the greatest of the SCTs. Not sure on what you primary interests are, visual - DOSO planetary, lunar, doubles etc or if you want to get into AP. If the latter, you are going to struggle, best sticking to planetary / lunar.

Hope you stick with it and do not have such a long hiatus.

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martinh40

martinh40

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6 hours ago, Uplooker said:

Hi Martin,

Please accept my apologies, in my original and subsequent post, I should have welcomed you back to a fabulous, involving, frustrating and depending what path you take, expensive yet great hobby.

You have very capable scope. The 9.25s are regarded by some as the greatest of the SCTs. Not sure on what you primary interests are, visual - DOSO planetary, lunar, doubles etc or if you want to get into AP. If the latter, you are going to struggle, best sticking to planetary / lunar.

Hope you stick with it and do not have such a long hiatus.

I'll certainly be sticking with it. The only reason I had such a break was where I lived in the middle of a well lit town. We've moved further into the country now and the skies are better (although still not as good as I'd like obviously) with no street lamps in our village so it does make things a little better. I could have never left my scope in the garden at my old place either - it would have walked in minutes.

AP is something for the near future (I'm a pro photographer by trade so I've got to give it a go). I'll be using OAG for it of course. I know the SCT isn't the best for DSO but I'm wanting a jack of 'most' trades and with the focal reducer in place I've seen some people get good results (of course more £ = better results). I'm expecting to need to expand my set up of course. My main problem is really something that is portable and my wife will put up with living in the house.  

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martinh40

martinh40

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6 minutes ago, FenlandPaul said:

Welcome back!!  I had 15 years away from my scope but soon picked everything up again when I restarted.  The only real change was how much colder I seemed to get now compared to when I was in my youth!!

Enjoy your new scope.

Paul

You've got that right. Never bothered me before but I can freeze during a heatwave!

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