Hello from Glasgow

[usernut]

Hi All,

Not bought a telescope yet, still doing some research on what to get. I like the skywatcher 200px 10" dobsonian, and was going to just buy one but still gauging the light pollution situation at my locale so going to leave it just now in case I'd be better with something smaller that I can transport to darker sites near me.

I got a telescope off a mate who's kid had it and didn't use it, thought i'd give it a go see what I could see from my garden.

Its a 114mm, focal length 1000mm, and had 2 plossl's with it, only tried it a couple of times, seen jupiter and it's moons as well as having a decent view of our moon, not much but it's helping me find out how telescopes work, how to track things and of course how my light pollution is.

I had an old action camera which I removed the lens from and added the bottom half of an old sr4mm lens to it,  and i,ve tried it on the scope tonight on the moon, dont know if it's allowed but I added it here.

I still have a couple of months before the darker nights come in to decide on what telescope to buy and still plenty of research to do.

tommy

first moon.wmv

[Dave In Vermont]

Hello Tommy - and welcome to SGL - it's nice of you to join us!

We love finding answers to questions here, so feel free to ask yours in these many forums.

Starry Skies!

Dave

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

Peter

[Guest]

welcome to SGL Tommy

[laudropb]

Hello Tommy and a warm welcome to the SGL. I live just up the road from you in Lenzie. As you say, you have time to make a choice on buying a scope. The light nights really do limit observing during the summer. As for LP, you just have to live with it and be realistic in your expectations of what you can see. I have an 8 inch Dob and a couple of refractors. If I can be of any help feel free to ask. Perhaps you would like a closer look at the Dob just to see how transportable it is. Getting out to darker skies really does make all the difference.

[Mr Spock]

Hi Tommy, welcome to SGL

[Floater]

Hi, Tommy. Welcome to the forum. Hope you have lots of fun with us and with the hobby.

Almost as an aside, I'm afraid you'll have a bit more to wait than 'a couple of months before the darker nights come in'! ??

... but you could buy/fashion a cheap filter for the 114 scope and enjoy observing the surface of the Sun during the long, sunny Glasgow summer ... ??

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi Tommy, welcome. 

[tony210]

Hi and welcome - great nights ahead- Tony

[JamesM]

Hi Tommy and welcome to the forum

Clear skies

[bluesith]

Hi Tommy, welcome. I'm new here myself having just got a  200p dobsobian . Friendly helpful forum I've found.

Cheers, Tommy

[BeerMe]

Hi Tommy welcome to SGL.  I'm just over in Coatbridge and it looks like we're in the market for the same scope!  Should be interesting ;-)

If you have a medium sized car, an 8 or 10" Dob should fit in it no problem for transport to a dark site.  For people in the north of the city, the best place within easy reach is probably Mugdock Country Park just north of Milngavie - the Astronomical Society of Glasgow use this for their star parties I believe.  To the south of the city, I'd guess anywhere south of EK/Strathaven would give you clear, unpolluted skies to the south.  If you are willing to get out with it, you will be well rewarded!  Not so much for the planets and Moon though, which are largely unaffected by light pollution.  Deep space objects (DSO's) are what excels at dark sites - you might even see some with the naked eye if it's sufficiently dark :-)

You've made 2 great decisions already - taking your time to pick the right scope, and joining this place.

Clear skies when the time comes :-)

[Charon]

Hello Tommy and welcome aboard.

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire :-) 

[Pondus]

Hello Tommy, and welcome from me too, located on the sunny (well in this very moment at least) west coast of Norway .

 

Rune

 

[usernut]

Thanks for the welcome. BeerMe, yes thats where I intended to try, mugdock, I worked with the stone mason on the castle there for a while and with the parks dept too, I know the park well and think it would be a great place for telescopes. going to look at joining the ASG once i have a scope and using it.

[BeerMe]

I'm guessing they have probably ceased all activities for the season but keep an eye on their website;

http://www.theasg.org.uk/index.php/homepage

Even the Campsies are good, I've been up there a couple of times with my old scope but I've yet to make that extra leap to Mugdock.  If you do get your hands on one soon you could still get a night or two in during this clear spell ;-)

[laudropb]

Hi Tommy. The ASG shuts down for the summer after the May meeting. Starts again in September. The nights at Mugdock are for members only, but they also have sessions open to the public at the botanic gardens. They also have sessions at the Glasgow University observatory on Acre road, just by Maryhill Park. You do not have to join to go to meetings which are held in Strathclyde University. Pop along to a meeting and it will give you better idea on whether it's for you.

[usernut]

Thats right, they had a Botanic garden session, not long ago, I was off and planning to go but completely forgot about it till I saw the report on their site. I've downloaded the membership app form and will take it to the next meeting and join it.

 

[laudropb]

The next meeting is the AGM, but there is also a lecture. It's on Thursday 19 May.

[Nathan UK]

Welcome aboard mate

[cletrac1922]

Hi Tommy and hello from land down under

I have a Skywatcher 10" collapsible dob, without goto, and very easy to use and transport

Mine just lays on back seat of my SUV

Also have an ED80 on a EQ5 mount

First thing to consider, what am I getting a scope for

Viewing deep space objects, or want to venture further with astrophotography

 

If the latter, then the ED80 is the way to go

 

Enjoy your new adventure

 

John

[BigRD]

Hello from Stirling

[triton1]

Hi there and welcome to SGL 

[hippie]

Welcome to SGL Tommy.