Well hello there!

[nhussa22]

Hi all!

How I have only just discovered this forum, I do not know but thankfully I have.

I am a total newbie with only a pair of binoculars.

Any advice to get me started, it would be much appreciated. Also, if anyone is from Sheffield, UK that knows their stuff and wouldn't mind me picking their brains (in person), do let me know.

PS. My initial interest is trying to sight the new Moon of each lunar month. I have heard of CCD's being used to catch a glimpse of the new moon in broad daylight (way before moonset which generally always takes place close to sunset at the start of each lunar month it appears.) Anyone who has experience of this, please shout out!

Thanks

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL.

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

[Mr Spock]

Hi, welcome to SGL 

[banjaxed]

Hi and welcome to SGL.

[Floater]

Welcome. Hope you have lots of fun ... and success with your selenitic sojourn. 🙂

[PXR-5]

Welcome to SGL, thanks for joining us 🐱

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi there and welcome. 

[sloz1664]

Hi, and a very warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

[Starwatcher2001]

Welcome to SGL. Good to have you with us.

By "new moon", I presume you mean seeing the thin crescent of the moon when it's only a day or two old?  A "New Moon" is when the moon is in the same direction as the Sun and you wouldn't want to go looking through bins in that direction. Chasing the crescent is quite fun though and can be seen in daylight with the naked eye a few days after a New Moon. 

You can see a fair bit with a pair of bins and certainly learn a lot about astronomy and the night sky. Right now's not the best time as the coming summer means it doesn't get dark very early, and hardly dark at all for a month or two. But it's still worth getting a book on the constellations (although there's also newfangled apps now), and getting outside and learning who's who, and the names and positions of the brightest stars. With a bit of practice you'll find yourself being able to spot the brighter stars in twilight as they first appear and know instinctively who they are by their position. If you can do this each week or so, you'll quickly get a grasp of how the heavens move and how the constellations not only move position but orientation too. When I was first learning, I used to get up early in the morning to see how different the sky looked.

You don't have to learn the sky, but it puts you in a great position to find the jewels that are up there more easily, and I like to think it brings you just that bit closer to the Universe. I started learning around Christmas and it always brings a tingle of anticipation when that season comes back and I know my old friends will be visible again.

If you've not come across it, there's some terrific information on here about observing with bins, for example:  https://stargazerslounge.com/forum/133-discussions-binoculars/

My own number one tip would be to get or make a mount for your bins, rather than holding them by hand. Even steadying yourself by leaning on the washing post or similar will help you observe more.

There's no such thing as a daft question on here, so feel free to ask about anything. We were all there once!

 

[johnst]

Hi and welcome to this brilliant forum. As the previous message has said there are loads of knowledgeable astronomers here with lots of information to give out so just ask! 

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @nhussa22 and welcome to SGL. 

There is nothing wrong with using binoculars to start off. Though I would avoid zoom binoculars.

There are plenty of astronomy apps for computer, tablet, smarphone use out there too... some are free and some you have to pay for after a trial period expires. Like most things in life, it’s deciding which one!

 

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire  🙂

[Andrew INT]

Hello and welcome to the forum. They really are a helpful lot here - given me loads of good advice and help over the years!