Brand New Stargazer at 67 y.o.!

[CruzanGazer]

Just about to receive my first telescope at the age of 67!  My wife is getting it for a Christmas gift but after much research gave me the task of choosing which one.  I chose an Orion XT8 Plus, Dobsonian.

I have learned more in the last 2 weeks than I thought I would just doing research.  I'm a pilot, so Az/Alt is easy for me, Declination is also easy to comprehend, but I'm still a bit lost on how to identify Ra as a direction in the night sky.  Any suggestions are needed and welcome!

We live in the Virgin Islands so there is a lot of dark sky available.  I've learned that Polaris can be found at an elevation equal to our latitude....neve knew!

[Elp]

Never too late to pursue new things, welcome. 

Right ascension is like a clock rotating around Polaris. If you use an app like Stellarium you can view alt az coordinates or Ra Dec coordinates to get a feel for both. The older version of the app allowed you to view both coordinate grids though they've removed this option in the latest free version.

[banjaxed]

Hi and welcome to SGL.

[wookie1965]

A warm welcome to SGL

[Ouroboros]

Welcome to SGL. It’s a great hobby. Your dark skies sound good. 

[Ouroboros]

1 hour ago, CruzanGazer said:

My wife is getting it for a Christmas gift but after much research gave me the task of choosing which one.

I think this is absolutely the right way to go about getting a specialist gift like this. I wish others went about this as sensibly. We quite often get people on SGL who don’t know the first thing about telescopes wanting to buy their partner one as a surprise. Bad idea in general. But I have felt such a spoil sport expressing this view.

Your Orion looks like a good scope. I don’t know it personally, but I sometimes wonder whether to get a Dobsonian as a quick to set up instrument. It’ll be interesting to hear your impression of it. 

[Dark Vader]

Welcome to SGL. I don't understand RA either but with a manual Dob base you can manage without. I found this to be a useful accessory for a Dob.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/0-360°-Digital-Inclinometer-Protractor-Magnets/dp/B08GM3BHRB/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&keywords=Inclinometers&qid=1639246386&s=diy&sr=1-13&ts_id=1939096031

Edited December 11, 2021 by Dark Vader

[Sunshine]

A warm welcome to SGL!

[StarryEyed]

Congratulations on your first telescope a good choice though it might be a bit of a handful at times setting it up so feel free to cover it and leave it out weather permitting. Don't be precious about it. Hope it brings joy and some wonder into your life. 

[Floater]

Welcome. Hope you have lots of fun … and as you have found already even the research can be interesting and fun. 🙂

[barbulo]

Hi and welcome to SGL.

[Pitch Black Skies]

Welcome to SGL, great choice for first scope 👍

RA is for equatorial mounts, you won't need to worry about it.

It's worth picking up a Cheshire sightube or collimation cap to ensure you can collimate it.

Clear Skies

[CruzanGazer]

17 hours ago, Elp said:

Never too late to pursue new things, welcome. 

Right ascension is like a clock rotating around Polaris. If you use an app like Stellarium you can view alt az coordinates or Ra Dec coordinates to get a feel for both. The older version of the app allowed you to view both coordinate grids though they've removed this option in the latest free version.

I have Stellarium so I'll have to make some comparisons, and hopefully it will click.

[CruzanGazer]

15 hours ago, Ouroboros said:

I think this is absolutely the right way to go about getting a specialist gift like this. I wish others went about this as sensibly. We quite often get people on SGL who don’t know the first thing about telescopes wanting to buy their partner one as a surprise. Bad idea in general. But I have felt such a spoil sport expressing this view.

Your Orion looks like a good scope. I don’t know it personally, but I sometimes wonder whether to get a Dobsonian as a quick to set up instrument. It’ll be interesting to hear your impression of it. 

Thank you.  I'll start posting my experiences once I get my scope and start looking!

[Luke]

Welcome to the hobby! It's never too late to start.

Congratulations on your choice of scope! Needs and situations differ, of course, but if I started again, I would go for an 8" dob myself. Not too crazily expensive for a first scope, and a very powerful instrument! Even more so under your dark skies.

Have fun!

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @CruzanGazer and welcome to SGL. 

Guess where 99.9% of SGL'ers are going for clear skies once this pandemic is no longer an issue for travel restrictions, quarantine, etc?
Your place! 😜

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi there and welcome. 

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire 🙂

[GrumpiusMaximus]

8" Dob is a fantastic starting point.  Simple, easy to set up and will give you some great views.  You'll find yourself just getting lost scanning around the sky.  It's a marvellous feeling.

[CruzanGazer]

3 hours ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

8" Dob is a fantastic starting point.  Simple, easy to set up and will give you some great views.  You'll find yourself just getting lost scanning around the sky.  It's a marvellous feeling.

I’m anxious for it to arrive, but we are in the midst of our “Christmas Winds” season here in the Caribbean, so I probably will need to wait to really get some good use out of it

[PXR5]

Welcome to SGL! Thanks for joining.

 

Great scope!!

[barkis]

A warm welcome to the SGL Astronomy Forums.
Great people, great knowledge, and always ready to help newcomers.
You will fit in well, and look forward to your input from your local observations of our universe.
Best Wishes.
Ron.

 

[Nathan Ray]

Hi mate, welcome to SGL… 

Hope you get clear skies soon to enjoy your new scope,

Nathan

[Starwatcher2001]

Welcome aboard SGL. Good to have you with us.

Taking up new interests and learning new skills is good fun, and helps keep the brain ticking. Enjoy your nice new scope.