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rushy

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Hi

My name is Steve (56), i am completely new to this hobby and was inspired by a trip to the Keilder observatory while on holiday last summer. After a little research i have bought myself a Meade ETX90 autostar as my first telescope, it arrived today. When i say i am new to this i really do mean new as in i know next to nothing, i think thr first thing i need to do is read so if any of you can point me in the direction of some good books for complete novices i would be really greatful. I am about to spend this evening reading the forum to see what i can learn but im not sure i will be able to resist getting out my new toy and having a little peek, im looking forward to getting started and exploring a new world hopefully some of you will help me along the way so hello to you all hope to speak soon.

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Hi Steve and welcome to SGL.

This is  a popular recommendation for beginners (and I still use mine so lasts a long time).

It is also worth downloading one of the free planetarium software packages (Stellarium is popular, although I prefer Cartes du Ciel - try both even).

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10 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

Hi Steve and welcome to SGL.

This is  a popular recommendation for beginners (and I still use mine so lasts a long time).

It is also worth downloading one of the free planetarium software packages (Stellarium is popular, although I prefer Cartes du Ciel - try both even).

Thanks that book looks like just the sort of thing i need and not too expensive my wife has ordered me a copy of astronomy for dummies im not sure if i should take that as an insult lol, i have already downloaded Stellarium but will definitely take a look atthe other that you recomend

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Welcome to the forum Steve, I’m sure you will find plenty of help and advice here.

If you have a search on YouTube there are quite a few videos on using the scope which might be handy to watch.

One key thing to sort is aligning the finderscope, best to do in daylight first, aiming at distant object preferably a mile or so away. Get the target in the scope eyepiece then align the finder to match.

Also, use the eyepiece with the highest number first as this gives the widest field of view and makes things easier to find.

Enjoy the forum!

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6 minutes ago, Stu said:

Welcome to the forum Steve, I’m sure you will find plenty of help and advice here.

If you have a search on YouTube there are quite a few videos on using the scope which might be handy to watch.

One key thing to sort is aligning the finderscope, best to do in daylight first, aiming at distant object preferably a mile or so away. Get the target in the scope eyepiece then align the finder to match.

Also, use the eyepiece with the highest number first as this gives the widest field of view and makes things easier to find.

Enjoy the forum!

sounds like good advice re the finder scope it will be my first job thank you

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Hi Steve, and welcome.

As you are completely new then the most importance piece of information that I can give you is this:

Manage your expectations.

1) Stars will only look like small points of light. Regardless of your telescope, stars are too small and far away to look like anything other than dots of differing colours - our star, excepted.

2) Nearly everything that you can see with your telescope, that cannot be seen with the naked eye, can only just about be seen at all. 

3) You wont see nice colourful deep space objects such as nebula etc as you see in photos. Expect, at best, a few hazy, grey areas of sky such as the Magellanic Clouds etc. You will need a camera setup for anything better that that.

The good news is this:

The key to results is knowledge. Marry that with, very often, low-cost equipment, and amazing results can be had. You will often see quite extraordinary pictures using just a camera. Even light polluted areas don't stop people from getting great results.

We're all amateurs on here though there is a huge about of knowledge and experience so don't shy away from asking for advice. There are no stupid questions, only stupid replies (I'm best at those :)

This is a great place to start learning: https://stargazerslounge.com/forum/183-beginners/

Oh, and I'm new, too! :)

Baz

 

 

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Hi Steve welcome, you are in the right pace to learn.

I too am 56 and also called Steve AND until about 2 months ago also very new to all this.

I have learned so much on this forum and although now have spent some of my hard earned cash it has, I think anyway, been well spent instead of wasting it on unwanted or the wrong items thanks mostly to advice and articles on this forum. Everyone seems so friendly and helpful, also I could just browse through the fantastic images posted everyday from members even if I did not own a scope myself.

The book recommended in earlier post "Turn Left at Orion" is a must.

Good luck with your observing, hope you get some clear nights and become as hooked  as I have.

 

Steve

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2 hours ago, rushy said:

 I am about to spend this evening reading the forum to see what i can learn but im not sure i will be able to resist getting out my new toy and having a little peek ...

Get the scope out, Steve! We’ll still be here afterwards. ?

Welcome to the forum and the hobby. Have fun with both.

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2 hours ago, rushy said:

im not sure i will be able to resist getting out my new toy and having a little peek,

Why do you want to resist? If it's clear outside, there's a nice first quarter moon to look at. You'll find it even when the finderscope isn't lined up exactly, just release the  mount's clutches and point the scope roughly into the moon's direction; then with the lowest magnification (=widest field)  follow the light and you'll spot the moon. Enjoy the view; and this friendly forum - welcome!

Stephan

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13 minutes ago, Nyctimene said:

Why do you want to resist? If it's clear outside, there's a nice first quarter moon to look at. You'll find it even when the finderscope isn't lined up exactly, just release the  mount's clutches and point the scope roughly into the moon's direction; then with the lowest magnification (=widest field)  follow the light and you'll spot the moon. Enjoy the view; and this friendly forum - welcome!

Stephan

i don't really want to resist just trying to avoid the mistakes my wife always makes by trying to set up new stuff AFTER she has thrown the instructions in the bin lol im sure the scope will be out shortly

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Welcome to SGL Steve...

I think that practice is better than any book, but generally you'll end up reading a lot of different books, depending if you not to observe, image or both. The astronomy for dummie book is a good start. I also found "Amateur Astronomers Handbook" handy.

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9 hours ago, rushy said:

resist getting out my new toy and having a little peek

Why resist, if it's clear, get out there and look up... You'll find nout now that clear nights are rarer that you might have thought.

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Hello Steve, Welcome to SGL! if i may add my recommendation for a book, "Nightwatch" by an author here in my province of Ontario Canada has been a bible practically for newcomers to astronomy, i know of no amateur at least here in North America who hasn't at one point had Nightwatch. I took the liberty to find it on Amazon UK in case you are interested. Odd, i copied link from Amazon UK, but when i click the link here it goes to Amazon.ca, if so you can find it in Amazon UK store anyway.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/155407147X/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i1?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pd_rd_i=155407147X&pd_rd_r=466125ce-2fe8-11e8-ad28-014ae5dc2f42&pd_rd_w=irr4t&pd_rd_wg=1CgQ5&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=SJAKB5Q9HMMAAD09JXQ3&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=187bec3b-0822-4044-bbe9-441718232b3f&pf_rd_i=desktopScreen Shot 2018-03-25 at 12.49.43 AM.png

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5 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

Why resist, if it's clear, get out there and look up... You'll find nout now that clear nights are rarer that you might have thought.

i did go out in the end only to find i could see nothing but cloud doh! will try again tonight but at least i got some practice setting up my scope

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3 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Hello Steve, Welcome to SGL! if i may add my recommendation for a book, "Nightwatch" by an author here in my province of Ontario Canada has been a bible practically for newcomers to astronomy, i know of no amateur at least here in North America who hasn't at one point had Nightwatch. I took the liberty to find it on Amazon UK in case you are interested. Odd, i copied link from Amazon UK, but when i click the link here it goes to Amazon.ca, if so you can find it in Amazon UK store anyway.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/155407147X/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i1?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pd_rd_i=155407147X&pd_rd_r=466125ce-2fe8-11e8-ad28-014ae5dc2f42&pd_rd_w=irr4t&pd_rd_wg=1CgQ5&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=SJAKB5Q9HMMAAD09JXQ3&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=187bec3b-0822-4044-bbe9-441718232b3f&pf_rd_i=desktopScreen Shot 2018-03-25 at 12.49.43 AM.png

thanks for going to the trouble of looking for it for me i will definately take a look at that

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