Just Realised exactly how important the finder scope is . . . .

[Neiman]

Just sorted my finder scope out - found Jupiter in the scope and then stuck the finder in it as well. I’m a ‘Proper’ newbie so forgive me for my elation lol. Can’t believe how easy it was to find Jupiter again now that the finder scope is set properly.

bloody hell lads - my viewing enjoyment has just gone through the roof ! ! !

awesome

Neil

[andrew s]

We all start at zero and go up from there. It is easy to forget how difficult the basics can be when they have become second nature. 

Regards Andrew 

[Captain Scarlet]

haha it wasn’t so long ago I recall wasting entire sessions not finding anything! It teaches you quickly

M

[Rob Sellent]

Good job, Neil

I swear there's an esoteric art to using many finders! I mean, it's tricky enough locating an object without factoring in back to front and inverted views too them . Not to mention that some must surely have been designed by playful contortionists for a laugh

[Neiman]

1 hour ago, Captain Magenta said:

haha it wasn’t so long ago I recall wasting entire sessions not finding anything! It teaches you quickly

M

Yes mate - has a few of those myself lol

[Neiman]

Also managed to star align the scope ( never managed it before ) and had the goto working a dream. Just off centre but it’s in view. Saw the andromeda galaxy, a few other things I can’t remember the names and also the Blue Snowball ! !

just awesome, Great Night ! ! !

Edited September 1, 2019 by Neiman
Missed an important fact out

[gilbodavid]

Nicely done! I haven’t got my goto going yet, but also just worked out the finder scope thing. Doesn’t half help, even with my red dot finder.

I’ve been contenting myself with a Saturn and Jupiter the last 2 sessions, but next time I’ll try and star align and see other stuff too. I’m in town so my sky isn’t that dark, but I’m still blown away by my views of Saturn and Jupiter.

 

cheers David

[des anderson]

Do a star align,NOW.....IT will open the universe UP. Des

[Neiman]

16 hours ago, gilbodavid said:

Nicely done! I haven’t got my goto going yet, but also just worked out the finder scope thing. Doesn’t half help, even with my red dot finder.

I’ve been contenting myself with a Saturn and Jupiter the last 2 sessions, but next time I’ll try and star align and see other stuff too. I’m in town so my sky isn’t that dark, but I’m still blown away by my views of Saturn and Jupiter.

 

cheers David

Ahh - it was such a good feeling to actually get it sorted. I’ve heard in this hobby that you have to take the small victories - and when you accomplish it you will literally be over the moon ! ! !

[Rob Sellent]

It's great to hear you're having some viewing pleasure with Saturn and Jupiter and allowing yourself some time with them With seeing's permission, I find they both reward the patient observer.

Neil, just out of interest what scope/mount have you got?

[Neiman]

6 minutes ago, Rob Sellent said:

It's great to hear you're having some viewing pleasure with Saturn and Jupiter and allowing yourself some time with them With seeing's permission, I find they both reward the patient observer.

Neil, just out of interest what scope/mount have you got?

Hiya Rob, I’ve got a Celestron VX 9.25.

Neil

[Rob Sellent]

Very nice set up. And thans for getting back so swiftly

[Neiman]

16 minutes ago, Rob Sellent said:

Very nice set up. And thans for getting back so swiftly

What’s your set-up Rob ?

[Rob Sellent]

2 minutes ago, Neiman said:

What’s your set-up Rob ?

Are they not in my signiature below? I have a Lunt 60mm for solar. A small TeleVue 76mm that is great just looking at 😋 and for travelling with. There's a Mak 127 collecting dust but that doesn't count. I don't think it deserves the name of telescope. Its optics are horrid and cannot compete on anything with the 76. I'm so embarrassed by it that I wouldn't even sell it on. There's also an Italian Mirrored (Ottiche Zen) 10" dob and until a few days ago, I also had a 12" but really couldn't discern a significant enough advantage over the 10", so I moved it on and have just purchased an old Vixen Fluorite 102 😊. The little 4" has blown me away. I've never seen Jupiter or Saturn look quite like that before and the star fields, clusters etc are gorgeous.

[LukeSkywatcher]

When observing, I'm never in a rush to find things. I must admit to not using a finder scope, RDF or even the Go-To function. I just like to casually stumble around the universe and see what I come across. Productive or not, it's how I like to observe.

[Older Padawan]

I was able to share the view of Saturn with my wife and daughter recently. It was fun to hear them gasp at the sight of those beautiful rings. 

[Gottzi]

On 03/09/2019 at 14:14, LukeSkywatcher said:

When observing, I'm never in a rush to find things. I must admit to not using a finder scope, RDF or even the Go-To function. I just like to casually stumble around the universe and see what I come across. Productive or not, it's how I like to observe.

I was wondering if others do that, sometimes I prefer stumbling on things whilst wandering through the constellations. In fact 90% of my viewing is done like that.

[Rob Sellent]

14 minutes ago, Gottzi said:

I was wondering if others do that

I rarely plan sessions, but I rarely just pan through constellations (unless it's through the summer milky way). Instead, if the Moon and planets aren't up, I choose a portion of the sky and open that page in one of the star atlases.

Edited November 22, 2019 by Rob Sellent

[John]

7 minutes ago, Rob Sellent said:

I rarely plan sessions, but I rarely just pan through constellations (unless it's through the summer milky way). Instead, if the Moon and planets aren't up, I choose a portion of the sky and open that page in one of the star atlases.

Thats a good description of how I generally go about things too

If there is something specific happening I'll try and get that and then go onto explore (with a star atlas) a nicely presented piece of the sky. Maybe some diversions to some old favourites as well, depending on the season.

Occasionally I come up with a little project and do that eg: one dark moonless night a while back I decided to try and see all the galaxies shown in the "Bowl" of the big dipper in the Sky & Telescope Star Atlas. That was a nice session with the 12 inch dob

Wherever possible I try and end a session with a couple of easy wins just to end on a positive note. I don't like the feeling of packing away having failed to find something for the last 30 mins or so of the session.

 

 

[joe aguiar]

I got a telrad pretty much as soon as I got my first scope. I cant remember how many weeks or months after the scope since that was like 25 years ago, but I'm pretty sure it was the less than 2 months.

Even the store told me they would garrenty I would like it and give full return if I didnt like it and that the only product they do it on.

And yep once j bought I loved it

Joejaguar 

[dannybgoode]

3 hours ago, joe aguiar said:

I got a telrad pretty much as soon as I got my first scope. I cant remember how many weeks or months after the scope since that was like 25 years ago, but I'm pretty sure it was the less than 2 months.

Even the store told me they would garrenty I would like it and give full return if I didnt like it and that the only product they do it on.

And yep once j bought I loved it

Joejaguar 

Agree. Have never got on with a finder scope and went straight to Telrad. The only scope that doesn’t have one is my TMB and that’s only because I’m not gluing, sticking, drilling etc anything on that .