Hi all :-)

[Barry-W-Fenner]

Morning all,

Just a quick hello and introduction! I have been viewing the forum from August last year before purchasing my Sky Watcher 200p. I purchased the scope in September and have enjoyed some amazing views of various objects so far. 

My current favorite target has to be Jupiter, Seeing it for the 1st time along with its 4 moons was a truly amazing experience.  I had to take a step back from the eye piece and take in what I had just seen for a moment. I have also had reasonable views of Saturn, Venus, Andromeda, M13, The Ring, Orion & Blue Snowball Nebula's along with various other open clusters.  Easier targets such as the moon, M45 and various stars have also been a joy to view.

 

I have made the usual amateur mistake and got carried away purchasing all BST Eye pieces from 5mm to 25mm - with exception of the 18mm which I am still to add to my collection, Hopefully at pay day 🙂  These have performed amazingly and suit my needs at this stage.

I have also flocked my 200p which improved contrast and added a right angle finder which has helped to locate targets. 

Again hello to everyone on the forum, And a retrospect thank you for all the info I have gained in the last few months viewing the forums.

Regards

 

Barry

[carastro]

Welcome to SGL.  You seem to be having a ball.

Carole 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Welcome to SGL, Barry! I have never looked through any of the BSTs, but buying the lot of them doesn't seem like a serious error, by the glowing reports they get. Great value for money, by all accounts

[PeterCPC]

Hello Barry and welcome.

Peter

[Jiggy 67]

Welcome to SGL, sounds like you’re off to a great start!

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi Barry, welcome. 

[Barry-W-Fenner]

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

I see in my profile I am a "vacuum" I have finally achieved something in life 🙂

Regards

[carastro]

Where are you in Kent Barry, I'm from NE Kent SE London.

Carole 

[Floater]

Welcome. Hope you continue to have lots of fun. 🙂

[ronl]

Hi Barry, and welcome to the community, looks like you are enjoying yourself, see you around the forums.

Clear Sky's.

[Barry-W-Fenner]

1 hour ago, carastro said:

Where are you in Kent Barry, I'm from NE Kent SE London.

Carole 

Hi Carole, I am in Rochester, I guess that means we are sharing the same piece of bortle 6ish sky! 🙂

 

Thank you for the welcome messages Floater & ronl

 

Baz 

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL.

[carastro]

Quote

 I guess that means we are sharing the same piece of bortle 6ish sky! 

Unfortunately where I am it is Bortle 8.  But we probably get the same clouds. 

Carole 

[willcastle]

Hi Barry. Welcome to SGL. Great choice on your first scope. It’s the one I started with too! I doubt I will ever part with it. The views are amazing. My most breathtaking views have come from Jupiter and Saturn too! But I also remember my first excitement at seeing andromeda 

[Barry-W-Fenner]

3 hours ago, carastro said:

Unfortunately where I am it is Bortle 8.  But we probably get the same clouds. 

Carole 

To be honest I am being optimistic, I most likely share the clouds and bortle 8 skies with you 🙂

[Barry-W-Fenner]

2 hours ago, willcastle said:

Hi Barry. Welcome to SGL. Great choice on your first scope. It’s the one I started with too! I doubt I will ever part with it. The views are amazing. My most breathtaking views have come from Jupiter and Saturn too! But I also remember my first excitement at seeing andromeda 

Hi willcastle

i have been very impressed with the 200p. it is a lot of scope for the money and a great entry point. My viewing of andromeda has not been ideal so far, I can make out the white core quite well but not much else. I will keep trying though!

[Barry-W-Fenner]

Again, Thank you all for the warm welcome, Its very much appreciated!

[Sunshine]

Hello Barry and welcome to SGL! we all love to hear about newcomers to the hobby, wow what an experience it was seeing Jupiter for the first time eh!. 

Thanks for joining and, we'd love to hear about your future adventures behind the eyepiece!.

[andy fearn]

Hi Barry and welcome. I see you have visited Gibraltar. When my wife and I did the tour up the rock she also had a visit to her person by an ape, but it sat on her head. She screamed at me to do something so I took a photo of her. glad to hear your enjoying your self in this frustrating hobby.

regards.

[cletrac1922]

Barry

Big welcome from Land Down Under

I have the 250mm Flex Dob, as my first weapon on choice, and right angle finderscope is a good purchase, as saves laying on the ground when aligning the scope

Normally have a Bortle 4 where I am, since late november been very poor viewing from bush fire smoke

Attached pic taken on weekend sun setting ranges behind us, through bush fire smoke

John

 

 

[Nigella Bryant]

Welcome Barry, looks like you're off to a great start. 

[Drakester]

Welcome to SGL. There are loads of super helpful people on here.  Enjoy that 200P !

[Barry-W-Fenner]

11 hours ago, andy fearn said:

Hi Barry and welcome. I see you have visited Gibraltar. When my wife and I did the tour up the rock she also had a visit to her person by an ape, but it sat on her head. She screamed at me to do something so I took a photo of her. glad to hear your enjoying your self in this frustrating hobby.

regards.

Thanks Andy,

 

If you look closely you should be able to tell which one in the pic is me 🙂 Them little fellas are a friendly bunch! They do like to get up close and personal!

You are not wrong about this being a frustrating hobby. I have found that out, However when you get a night where everything goes right and you see some amazing targets you remember what an amazing hobby this is.

 

Regards

[Barry-W-Fenner]

9 hours ago, cletrac1922 said:

Barry

Big welcome from Land Down Under

I have the 250mm Flex Dob, as my first weapon on choice, and right angle finderscope is a good purchase, as saves laying on the ground when aligning the scope

Normally have a Bortle 4 where I am, since late november been very poor viewing from bush fire smoke

Attached pic taken on weekend sun setting ranges behind us, through bush fire smoke

John

 

 

Hi John

 

Thank you for the welcome all the way from Down under!

 

I can only dream of bortle 4 skies, I bet they are amazing! One day I hope to get to a dark site and see the sky in all its wonder. However I wont want to return to my usual light polluted sky after that! 

I have seen a few of your pics from your astronomical Society, You look like you are a member of a great club. Its great to see the pics of people taking an interest in your scope, Hopefully it will inspire them to take up the hobby!

The bush fire smog is unbelievable. I hope things start to improve for you all real soon!

 

Regards

[Barry-W-Fenner]

11 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Hello Barry and welcome to SGL! we all love to hear about newcomers to the hobby, wow what an experience it was seeing Jupiter for the first time eh!. 

Thanks for joining and, we'd love to hear about your future adventures behind the eyepiece!.

Another long distance welcome!

Thank you Sunshine, I am sure i will be able to fill you all in on my misadventures at the eye piece soon 🙂

 

Regards