Hello from Norfolk, UK!

[wibblefish]

Hello! 

I have been lurking on the forum for a little while and it was suggested to me when I posted earlier I should introduce myself here

Total beginner here though I hope I can learn a few things and maybe ask some questions / answer some questions though I am not sure my opinions will be worth much as yet!

Been looking for a while for a new hobby and recently had to do some investigating for a potential astronomy purchase for a family members birthday and got bitten by the bug myself

I have done a few nights by eye and one with binoculars (though they were old and out of collimation so I have another set coming!) but decided to get a small, portable telescope as well for my birthday / Christmas since the opportunity arose! 

I purchased a Skywatcher Evostar 90/660 from FLO a few weeks ago and I finally got my first nights viewing last weekend (weather here has been terrible!) and sat totally amazed for a good two hours looking at Castor & Pollux, Orion (and the nebula is amazing), Casseopia and Mars (though it was just a bright dot in the scope!) as well as the moon and took a terrible phone picture through the eyepeice. Been going back to the books and trying to get my head around what I was seeing as I totally didn't clue in about the left / right mirroring in the scope till I sat with my notes and figured out why things weren't quite where I was expecting. Looking forward to trying to get my brain in gear in learning the night sky and using star maps to hop about, though until then I am finding the iphone AR applications rather handy!

Edited December 8, 2020 by wibblefish

[Mr Spock]

Hi, welcome to SGL 

[banjaxed]

Hi and welcome to SGL.

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

[Moonshed]

Hi wibblefish and welcome to the best online astronomy club there is.

[Floater]

Welcome. I hope you have lots of fun. 🙂

[dextron]

Welcome to SGL

[Tiny Clanger]

A great start, and how fortunate that you managed to get some kit before the xmas stampede and didn't need to join the chorus of plaintive pleas about where to find an elusive telescope !

If you are as confused as I am about the orientation of 'scope view vs that of reality , you could give stellarium a go : it is another skymap prog, you can download to a computer, and has a neat plugin called 'ocular view' . You can set it to the focal length of your 'scope, and specify the left/right and /or up/down flip to match its view. You can also specify the parameters of your eyepiece(s) and other kit like barlows or cameras.

Then you can select an object , click 'ocular view' and be shown what it looks like in the eyepiece . Saves lots of mental gymnastics !

Heather

[MARS1960]

A warm welcome from another Norfolk.

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi and welcome. 

[wibblefish]

1 hour ago, Tiny Clanger said:

A great start, and how fortunate that you managed to get some kit before the xmas stampede and didn't need to join the chorus of plaintive pleas about where to find an elusive telescope !

If you are as confused as I am about the orientation of 'scope view vs that of reality , you could give stellarium a go : it is another skymap prog, you can download to a computer, and has a neat plugin called 'ocular view' . You can set it to the focal length of your 'scope, and specify the left/right and /or up/down flip to match its view. You can also specify the parameters of your eyepiece(s) and other kit like barlows or cameras.

Then you can select an object , click 'ocular view' and be shown what it looks like in the eyepiece . Saves lots of mental gymnastics !

Heather

Interesting I have the mobile version of it but I have so far found SkyView Pro is easier to use. Will definitely look into that! I think it will come with practice and I will need to work it out as I do want to try to use sky maps in books also😎

Yes what with the pandemic reducing stock I took a bit of a gamble on the scope as I cant find any review online though the 90/900 is well known. I am happy so far as its portable enough and seems fine optically though I dont have much experience or anything to compare it with so not sure what older more knowledge folks would make of it. I think Im glad I went for the refractor over the mak I was looking at as I think the wider view is better at the moment!

Edited December 8, 2020 by wibblefish

[wibblefish]

1 hour ago, MARS1960 said:

A warm welcome from another Norfolk.

Yup, I am hoping when I get more time / confidence I might head to more rural skies but at the moment my slightly light polluted back garden will suffice for the rare cloud breaks at present!

[SStanford]

Hi Wibblefish, welcome! 

[Mick H]

Hi Wibblefish, I'm also living in Norfolk.

Hope you enjoy it here.

[sloz1664]

Hi, and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

[SmokeyJoe]

Hi Wibblefish from another Norfolk resident. 

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL.

[Hawksmoor]

Hi Wibblefish. Welcome to SGL from Lowestoft.

Best regards from George next the sea.

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire 🙂