Guest Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 (edited) Getting back into astronomy after many years. Really tasted the thrill as a youngster: eg Jupiter Saturn conj of 1981 viewed through a 4" refractor Splitting the double on the 'tip of the sword' of Cygnus - which as I recall were red and green. Naked eye all night sessions in Spain and New Zealand. For the last couple of weeks I have been getting off to dark skies a few miles from where I live and using 8x32's and I have just bought some used Celestron (Echelon) 16x70's which came a couple of days ago - since which time, in accordance with the Laws of Physics, the skies have been cloudy! I am probably going to get an Orion parallelogram tripod, but there are long waiting times - in the meantime would love to know of any advice people may have on monopods / heads and a mount that will fix to the Echelons. Edited August 9, 2018 by Guest typos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Lloyd Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Hi and welcome. Now you've made your interest public the clouds will follow you around I'm afraid ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sloz1664 Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Hi and a very warm welcome to the Lounge Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterCPC Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Hello and welcome. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knighty2112 Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Hi and welcome. I had to do another rescan of the 4th line after quickly readin it slightly differently! BTW: used to have an Orion binocular Mount, but hardly ever used it, so was mostly gathering dust in a corner of the room. My binos are now mostly fixed onto my monopod with a trigger grip for when I do use them to scan around the skies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesF Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Welcome from deepest, darkest west Somerset. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laudropb Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbymain Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Welcome from another SW based returnee! Whereabouts are you based? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, Knighty2112 said: Hi and welcome. I had to do another rescan of the 4th line after quickly readin it slightly differently! BTW: used to have an Orion binocular Mount, but hardly ever used it, so was mostly gathering dust in a corner of the room. My binos are now mostly fixed onto my monopod with a trigger grip for when I do use them to scan around the skies. Totally missed that one ;)) Any recommendations on big monopod for lanky observer Edited August 9, 2018 by Guest bit I forgot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 4 hours ago, JamesF said: Welcome from deepest, darkest west Somerset. James Thanks, you look very well placed for Dark Skied Exmoor & The Quantocks - do you get out there much for observing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 1 hour ago, robbymain said: Welcome from another SW based returnee! Whereabouts are you based? Bridport or thereabouts... lots of fairly dark sky within easy reach but so far the places I've been there's always some pollution even if several miles away. I was on Exmoor last night for other reasons but cloudy anyway - still I reckon must be about as good as it gets in the SW?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesF Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 6 minutes ago, Earth Demon said: Thanks, you look very well placed for Dark Skied Exmoor & The Quantocks - do you get out there much for observing? I don't really need to, to be honest. We're a few miles outside Wiveliscombe, with no near neighbours nor street lights and fairly clear horizons, so I am fortunate enough to be able to do most of my observing from home. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kn4fty Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Howdy! Welcome to the lounge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesF Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 7 minutes ago, Earth Demon said: Bridport or thereabouts... lots of fairly dark sky within easy reach but so far the places I've been there's always some pollution even if several miles away. I was on Exmoor last night for other reasons but cloudy anyway - still I reckon must be about as good as it gets in the SW?? I think all the moors are pretty good as a general rule. Other than that I think it's quite dark in the area north of Holsworthy. On the south coast it's a little more tricky to find good observing spots I think, though not impossible, and obviously having sea to the south can be very helpful when chasing those low Messier objects. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 I met a farmer who lets me drive on his land for a small fee... nice for privacy and it's a pretty good spot with views right down to the sea horizon in the South. (nr Bridport) I have in mind to find some more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 14 minutes ago, JamesF said: I don't really need to, to be honest. We're a few miles outside Wiveliscombe, with no near neighbours nor street lights and fairly clear horizons, so I am fortunate enough to be able to do most of my observing from home. James Good for you. I also live in dark place but right down in a valley and north facing so pretty terrible for astronomy really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bovski Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Welcome aboard Earth Demon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Spock Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Hi, welcome to SGL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floater Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Welcome. Looks you’re having lots of fun already. Enjoy the forum and your return to the hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Presland Posted August 10, 2018 Share Posted August 10, 2018 Hi welcome to SGL form Pete in Bedfordshire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 10, 2018 Share Posted August 10, 2018 Thanks to all for the warmest of welcomes. Up and out there last night until Taurus o'clock. It was the most accomplished observing I have ever done - I had Sky Safari on the laptop to help me which sort of feels like cheating as my previous attempts at serious observation pre-date mobiles and laptops. But never mind that - saw Uranus for the first time ever - easily available to my 8x32's if you know where to look - and of course I did thanks to the software. Delighted to see Pisces really for the first time, and those bright stars in Aries but Pisces actually does have a shape to it. Used Steve Tonkin's broom tripod idea to get my first proper look through my new(ish) 16x70's as I am still waiting for monopod to arrive. They showed Mars as a large disc - which was exhilarating but it had a glaring quality rather than just being flat or matte... can anything be done to avoid that? Saturn was elliptical. Andromeda was clear and present... I looked for M110 but couldn't see any hint of it - probably just too much for my bins. Delighted to have those 16x70's but they have also made me appreciate how useful my 8x32's are too. Now I could just do with a nice pair of 7x50's.... I suppose this is how the kit collections begin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronl Posted August 10, 2018 Share Posted August 10, 2018 Hello and welcome to SGL, hope you enjoy the community, see you around the forums. Clear Sky's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonperformer Posted August 10, 2018 Share Posted August 10, 2018 Hi, ED, & welcome to SGL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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