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I finally got a telescope, so here I am!

LordFox

By LordFox
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LordFox

LordFox

Posted
Posted

Hello fellow astronuts!

After years (and years (and years)) of wanting one, I finally picked up a bargain. I've been interested for at lesat 20 years but never got around to it before.

I got hold of an old Celestron C8+. No goto (so I've got to learn to do it for real), a few eyepieces and a wobly field tripod, but at least I've got one. I've had a couple of failed attempts at buying a 'scope before. I even saved up enough for a Vixen VC200L once (took a while), then I crashed my car and had to use the money for that instead :shocked:

Anyway, having only paid £240 for the 'scope, I managed to persuade my wife to let me buy a Denkmeier Big Easy Binoviewer and a few cheapish eyepieces. I also sneaked in a 2" dielectric diagonal (the one with the 'scope was a bit messy) and a crayford-style focuser. Got them from the States at a discount. I always hated microsope work if I couldn't get a binocular, so I knew that it would be a must-have for me.

Last winter I managed to find Saturn in my big binoculars; first time I had tried them at night. It was a truly moving occasion. It was also way past freezing, but I barely noticed as I stood there gazing for over an hour.

A few nights ago, with the first clear(ish) sky since I picked up the 'scope, I saw Jupiter and it's bigger moons. Even my misses was impressed with the clearly visible banding. Can't wait for the winter again for some darker skies. The Moon was impressive too; I managed to find a pair of eyepieces that perfectly filled my field of vision with the Moon. Wow!

I'm not exactly in the best place for viewing, but it's not bad. In fact I'm not far from "The Astronomy Centre" observatory near Todmorden. I'm thinking of strengthening the shed roof at the bottom of the garden so I can set up on top of it to get over the trees.

Oh, and I've discovered why I need a dew heater, so I'm making one when the heating tape arrives.

I would love to get into astrophotography, but that will have to wait a while I think, while my bank balance recovers.

Anyway, here's to clear skies!

Rick.

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scotastro

scotastro

Posted
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Welcome to the forum. The Celestron sounds like a bargain. Jupiter will look even better when it's a bit higher.

The newer field tripods are sturdier and come up for sale quite often - someone on SGL will know if they will take your older scope.

Good move on getting the other half involved too. Happy viewing.

The Astronomy Centre is worth a visit - people meet up there most Saturday nights whether clear or cloudy (or did).

Mike

GAC

Galloway Astronomy Centre

www.gallowayastro.com

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barkis

barkis

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Hi. Nick, and a warm welcome to you. You have a nice scope there, and we are heading towards dark skies again hopefully, although the weather has been pretty Naff for astronomy lately.

Enjoy the forum, and shout up if you need any help.

Ron. :shocked:

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Periscope

Periscope

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Hi Nick, from another fellow newbie, and a Lancastrian too, although I now live twenty miles north of Brum. I was thinging of a C8 but have opted for A Skywatcher 200P instead, as you get a few extra lenses and a barlow thrown in.

Sending off for it tomorrow, so I could be out there star gazing by the weekend, depending how quick the delivery is.

It's a long long time since I did any serious star watching, back in the 70s in fact, with a 4" Newtonian, which at that time was state of the art as far as begginners go. So I am really looking forward to the larger 8" with better quality coatings than the old 4" probably had.

Geoff

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phillc

phillc

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Hello Nick and welcome back, I've also returned to astronomy after many years away, there seems to be a lot of us returnees around around at the moment. You will find SGL a great place to be. :shocked:

May you have clear night skies.

phillc :wave:

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DanDare

DanDare

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Welcome Rick,

Both Saturn and Jupiter are worthy targets and you never get tired of looking at them, its just that they are not very well placed at the moment.

I'd keep off the shed roof if I was you as it sounds like it could be a H&S nightmare :shocked:

Roy

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Periscope

Periscope

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Just recapping on what phillc had to say. I think once you get older, especially when you seem to have more time to devote to a hobby, you get the urge to take it a bit more seriously, than you did when you were younger. We have all been there, plastic model aircraft, collecting stamps, fishing, model railways, and even owning that very first telescope, which although by today's standards, was pretty Rubbish really, but you got your first glimpse of what really was visible beyond the naked eye. Then all of a sudden, you discover the opposite sex and most all of your hobbies and interests seem to get put on the back burner.

It's not until the kids are grown up and you only occasionally have to put up with the grandchildren, cos you can hand them back when the tantrums start, that you decide to go back to something that has always fascinated you. That for me was the great beyond. It is nice to get back to astronomy again, after so many many years and although I have got a bit rusty, with everything that shines, I am slowly beginning to discover that there is a hell of a lot out there that I haven't yet seen through a telescope.

Geoff

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