Hello from North Carolina

[Buzzard75]

Hello, everyone! I just joined the forum and figured I’d introduce myself. I’m located in Eastern North Carolina and am still somewhat new to the hobby. I’ve always had an interest in astronomy, but telescopes are new(ish) to me. When I was growing up, I was always curious about the stars, planets, and the moon. My parents bought me an old school Galileo refractor telescope when I was about 9 or 10. It wasn’t a great scope by any means, but it was all they could afford at the time and I appreciated it for what it was. Unfortunately, it was actually a really terrible scope and soured my experience with astronomy. I couldn’t resolve any details on anything smaller than the moon. Jupiter and Saturn were just tiny, blurry specs. The eye relief and exit pupil were absolutely awful. It was extremely frustrating and somewhat turned me off from the hobby for a long time. Being a kid, I never knew at the time how good amateur scopes could actually be. All I could do was just be amazed by pictures in books (before internet existed) and plead with my parents to take me to a planetarium. It’s just not the same as being able to see it with your own eye(s) though. I had pretty much given it up after a few years. Fast forward about 20 years. I purchased a really nice spotting scope to take to the rifle range and do some target shooting. It is an 80mm scope and came with a couple eyepieces, one of which zooms to 60x. One night I got curious and wondered how well it would perform for astronomy so I took it outside. I was instantly amazed. I could actually make out the bands on Jupiter and I could see the four Galilean moons! I could actually tell that Saturn was a ringed planet and not just an oblong blob! My wife and I were just starting our little family and I had just purchased this scope. I just couldn’t afford a high dollar telescope on top of it. So, the spotting scope would have to suffice for the time being. Fast forward another 6 years to the present. Our daughter is now starting to take an interest in the object in the night sky. She thinks it’s pretty cool that there are people flying overhead in the ISS and someday soon others will walk on another planet. I’m also in a much better financial situation than I was just a few years ago. With all of that, I’ve decided that it’s time I buy myself a really nice telescope that will allow me to reach out further than I’ve ever been able to see before. I purchased an Orion xx12g last week and am just waiting for it to arrive now. I can’t wait to share it with my family and nurture something in my daughter that was lost in me so many years ago. As I said, I’m somewhat new to the hobby and I know I have a lot to learn. But, I look forward to all of it, especially being able to teach it to my daughter and share it with her.

[Nyctimene]

Congrats to your decent "starter" scope (many on here would be happy to arrive there after 20 years of observing), and welcome to this friendly forum. It will give you and your family great views and years of pleasure. Clear Skies for your First Light!

Stephan

[carastro]

Welcome to the Forum, that looks a great scope.  Hope you have some great views with it.  Buy yourself a planisphere of the Northern hemisphere to help you find your way around until you're familiar with what is where.

Carole 

[Floater]

Great stuff, Buzzard, and welcome to the forum

I hope you have lots of fun and manage to nurture your daughter's interest. 

Glad to have you on board.

[RichLD]

A very warm welcome to SGL! 

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL.

[Dave In Vermont]

Hello to you, Buzzard, and welcome to you & family to SGL from Yours' Truly in Vermont!

Great story of your 'humble' beginnings to a 12" Orion! Wow! We love finding answers to questions here - so always feel free to ask yours in these many forums.

Starry Skes -

Dave

[Lenny147]

Welcome to the forum

[Mr Spock]

Hi, welcome to SGL

[Buzzard75]

Thanks for the warm welcome! Now I have to resist the urge to buy a whole bunch of eyepieces and accessories! I bought the truss tube type so I can break it down and fit it in my car. They were running a package deal on it and it included a solar filter, a bunch of solar viewing screens that you hold up to your face, and a light shroud since it's a truss type. We're planning on heading a few hours south in August to catch the total solar eclipse. Not that it will be difficult to see, but I think seeing the solar prominences during an eclipse through a scope like this will be amazing. The last good eclipse I saw was the annular eclipse in 1994 when I was living in Ohio. We made pinhole projectors for one of our science classes. Pretty cool, but I think this will be on a whole other level.

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi and welcome. 

[hippie]

Welcome to SGL. 

[Pondus]

Hello and welcome from me too located in Norway.

Some starter Scope. I settled With the Orion 8xti as my second Scope.

Good Luck With Your Scope .

 

Rune

[JamesM]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Clear skies

[Charon]

Welcome aboard.

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire :-) 

[PXR-5]

Welcome local, well I'm on the other side of the state, close enough

I just joined minutes ago, great site!

Jeff

[Randalloverby]

Welcome to the forum from Wagram NC.

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

Peter

[Randalloverby]

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 19:45, Buzzard75 said:

Thanks for the warm welcome! Now I have to resist the urge to buy a whole bunch of eyepieces and accessories! I bought the truss tube type so I can break it down and fit it in my car. They were running a package deal on it and it included a solar filter, a bunch of solar viewing screens that you hold up to your face, and a light shroud since it's a truss type. We're planning on heading a few hours south in August to catch the total solar eclipse. Not that it will be difficult to see, but I think seeing the solar prominences during an eclipse through a scope like this will be amazing. The last good eclipse I saw was the annular eclipse in 1994 when I was living in Ohio. We made pinhole projectors for one of our science classes. Pretty cool, but I think this will be on a whole other level.

We will be headed to Gaston South Carolina for the eclipse as well, hopefully the weather will be good.

[knightware2]

Hi Buzzard - I'm also from NC (near Raleigh).

Welcome to SGL - it's a very friendly bunch. I'm glad you've got a new scope to kindle your interest. Better yet that your daughter is interested too. Please show her Jupiter now, and Saturn as it reaches evening apparition in late summer. I still needle my kids to have a peek (they are grown).

Feel free to visit the Raleigh Astronomy Club if you wish - raleighastro.org. Let us know who you are and I'll be sure to say hello if I'm present.

- Phyllis

[Buzzard75]

12 hours ago, knightware2 said:

Hi Buzzard - I'm also from NC (near Raleigh).

Welcome to SGL - it's a very friendly bunch. I'm glad you've got a new scope to kindle your interest. Better yet that your daughter is interested too. Please show her Jupiter now, and Saturn as it reaches evening apparition in late summer. I still needle my kids to have a peek (they are grown).

Feel free to visit the Raleigh Astronomy Club if you wish - raleighastro.org. Let us know who you are and I'll be sure to say hello if I'm present.

- Phyllis

Thanks! I might just do that. I'm actually supposed to get the last piece today. In all, everything came in seven boxes! The scope itself was only in three, the others were just extra stuff I ordered or things they threw in as a bonus. I have everything except the base now so I'm hoping to be able to put it together tonight. Not that it's going to be a great night for observing with all the rain and cloud cover. Probably won't get a decent night until Sunday.