Evening from Kent

[BoredPhil]

@DaveL59 7 and 9 and incredibly clumsy! There would be head wounds and broken glasses, but annoyingly they'd probably get used to pointing it more quickly than I am!!

With so many from Kent there must be some good tips for darker sites once lockdown is over

[DaveL59]

ahh a nice age to get them interested then  And yeah, just like we used to figure out the VCR controls that our parents couldn't get the hang of I expect

I played about with my gear in daylight a lot before going out in the dark, just so I got an idea of how things moved and the controls, same with the GoTo on the EQ5. Always easier when you can see what you're doing/looking for than frustrated fumbling in the darkness.

Dark sites, I'll be honest I've not looked. My back garden albeit with the limitation of the oak tree that obscures SSE-SSW completely while small is reasonably dark and the viewing has been pretty reasonable.  So I've been a bit lazy to trek around, plus I'd like to sort some form of case/box for the refractor rather than just strap it on the back seat and hope it stays put. For the moment, convenience wins, easy setup by taking them from the conservatory and a couple steps into the garden, or just point out the door, amenities like warm drinks are a few steps away etc, getting to be a lazy old g1t huh  

[Floater]

Welcome. Have fun on the curve ... 🙂

[Brunty12345]

Warm welcome to the warmest place on the internet

[Guest]

Welcome Phil. Very new here myself but a lovely, knowledgeable and friendly bunch

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi Phil, welcome. 

[BoredPhil]

@davel59 exactly!! I've got a new found understanding of how annoying I must have been for my parents!

I had a couple of hours of daylight practice before Venus appeared (aligned the red dot on a distant aerial) I'm just lacking things to aim at in the daytime, but I'll keep trying to get used to setting it up, balancing etc.

I'm limited to a south-facing garden, which will be fine for evening planetary later in the year, but it's a bit flat down here so I can't get any elevation neighbours houses/fences. There used to be a club down here that's now stopped, but I'm sure they used to meet somewhere nearby. I agree, transporting is a concern though... 

I'm used to flasks and thermal cups for my brews (had one in the garden last night) and there's nothing wrong with creature comforts! 

 

[steviebee]

Welcome to SGL from another Kent resident.

[RayD]

And another Kentish fellow, welcome.

[Richie092]

And another. Maidstone area.