First steps with new telescope

[Socram 5]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post in SGL and I must say I'm really excited about joining this wonderful community and I must thank you all for all the help and advice provided here.

I recently bought a Skywatcher Heritage 130 as my first scope. I have a couple of (weird) questions and I would really appreciate if you could answer them:

• First of all, is there a correct way of handling this telescope (rotating and tilting) while looking at the sky? I'm asking this because sometimes I find myself grabbing it from the back of the tube where the screws are to tilt it, and I'm afraid this can move the adjusting screws and make me collimate the mirrors more frequently. Also is it OK to rotate it by grabbing the extension frame or can this also misalign the secondary mirror? Sorry for this questions but since the design of this scope is so "open" it got me thinking;
• The scope came with the locking screws really loose. When I say loose I mean that whenever I touch them accidentally they move a lot and when I move the scope from one place to another I can feel them shaking. Is this OK?
• I've been observing Venus quite a lot, but I find it really difficult to clearly see it's phases and disc without fuzziness. I'm observing from my balcony with clear skies but I live in a very light polluted area. Also I've been mainly observing it between 28º and 20º altitude (used Stellarium to get these values), except for one time when I tried to observe it before being completely dark and I was able to see it at ~38º altitude. This was actually the time where I could see the disc with more detail and very little fuzziness. Under these conditions is this normal or am I doing something wrong?
• During my observation sessions, I can occasionally see some objects moving fast on my field of view but I can follow them when using my 25mm eyepiece. They are like faint stars (some brighter than others) moving in a straight line trajectory. What could they be? Satellites? Is there any good source of satellite information so I can confirm these sightings when I have them?

I will leave here my first photos of the moon taken a couple of weeks ago with the telescope using the 25mm and 10mm pieces that came with it, a lunar filter and my Nokia 7 plus (handheld). I know they suck but it was an achievement for me that made me really happy

Sorry for the long boring questions.

Thanks!

[MarkAR 2,308]

36 minutes ago, Socram said:

I can occasionally see some objects moving fast on my field of view but I can follow them when using my 25mm eyepiece.

Yup, satellites.

With taking snaps of the moon with a phone, dial back the brightness, it'll reveal more detail. Might be worth getting a decent phone holder for through the eyepiece shots.

[Socram 5]

15 hours ago, MarkAR said:

Yup, satellites.

With taking snaps of the moon with a phone, dial back the brightness, it'll reveal more detail. Might be worth getting a decent phone holder for through the eyepiece shots.

Thank you very much for the tips. I will try tweak the brightness a little bit next time. Do you recommend any phone holder?

[MarkAR 2,308]

By all accounts this one is excellent.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/celestron-nexyz-3-axis-universal-smartphone-adapter.html

[banjaxed 885]

You tube has some very good videos on how to use your telescope.

[BLUEThumb 30]

adoo socram

Just seen your post, i to am new to this hobby ,and got the same scope as you (SkyWatcher  Heritage 130P), it seems like a good scope of what i have read and seen on youtube,and will have to go with that,cus i dont have the knowledge on scopes.I thought i would start at the begining rather that go mad with a expensive scope, to start and learn a bit about the sky at night,but am waiting to go to a club by me WHEN it gets going again,due to this corono thing goin about.

Regarding the scope a couple of the screws on the back of the scope were loose so i just tightened them up,i ave aligned the red dot finder with a target,using the 25 super wide lens and changing to the 10mm it sees to be just slightly off centre but will live with that till i can get out to a club for a more profesional look.   I look at venus a lot as my back garden face's West, i doe get no fuzziness looking at it although it does seem a bit better with my 10mm lens

Regarding moving the scope around ,i (just use it like you) put my hand on the back of the scope,doe know if its right or wrong, but everything seems to be ok at the moment with it,and nothing appears to be shaking when moving it back in the house after i have finished

I have bought a couple of extras for it though , A 2X Barlow Lens along with a Variable Moon Filtrer,and a Cell Phone Holder of EBay for around  £8 (i aint tried it yet) but i dont think at this moment in time i don't want to shell out £30-40 on a phone holder,untill i am ok with some of the basics of this hobby, even though a more expensive holder would probably be better and easier to use.  And yes i reakon they are satellites moving fast in your FOV ,think i am right in saying you can see them using stellarium if you fast forward the time.  I am sure someone else will come along with better advice about your post (hope so cus i want to know aswell)

Hope This helps ,and you aye alone mate being new to this hobby.

regards  tony 

Edited April 16, 2020 by BLUEThumb
spelling mistke and wrong name

[Socram 5]

Hi Tony, nice to get some feedback from someone with the same scope

I will have to keep experimenting with Venus. Maybe it really as something to do with it being so low in the sky when I try to observe it. I may be running into a lot of atmospheric distortion because as I said, when I tried right after sunset, despite not being completely dark, I could see it more clearly.

I'm also looking to buy a 2x Barlow but I'm still making some research. Any suggestion would be appreciated

Thanks

[BLUEThumb 30]

hi socram

i have just bought one of First Light Optics,thats where i bought my Barlow Lens and a Variable Moon Filter,they seem quite good and i am happy with them,i reakon you can buy better but as just starting out they are ok.

if you go to the top of the page you will see FLO just click on it and you will be taken there. Hope this helps.

Be glad when we can get out mate  i only got so much to see from the back garden, starting to get a bit frustrated now.there is a club down the road from me so can't wait to get along there.

regards  tony