Beginner loking for telescope advice.....

[delilahtwinkle]

Pleased to hear that Stars in your eyes, I am getting slightly apprehensive as I have never used a telescope before, and having looked at the net for help setting it up, it looks quite confusing. How did you find it? Was it your first scope? If anyone has help out there I would be so pleased. I have heard that there are no instructions with the scope. Dt

[Astro_Baby]

Theres loads of people here who can help you - just ask up. Do you have the scope yet ?

[DemonicOmelette]

I bought the same 130 a couple days ago (my first scope), and it was relatively simple to set up. If you run into difficulty (as the instructions are a bit rubbish...) check out http://www.themcdonalds.net/~themcdo/richard/index.php?title=Setting_Up_an_Equatorial_Mount , which is really useful, especially the section on balancing. One problem I noticed on mine, though. First off, the motor drive wouldn't engage properly, it would sorta "jump out" of the gear. Try yours out, and if it doesn't work let me know, I figured out an easy fix. Nobody else seems to have had the problem, though, so maybe I just have a weak spring or something...

But no, it is a fantastic scope. I haven't tried properly polar aligning it yet, but I don't think that'll be hard. First thing you will want to do is point it at the moon. Get yourself a moon filter (they cost like a tenner), and you will be absolutely blown away. I was almost in tears at how beautiful it is!

Enjoy your new obsession!

-eli

[delilahtwinkle]

Hi, AB I have not got the scope yet, was expecting it Tuesday (yesterday) but it did not arrive. Cannot wait to start using it - dissapointed it did not arrive. Will keep you posted.

So pleased to hear that I have made a good choice - I think it is quite daunting; buying you first scope. I have wanted one for years but never had the confidence - it is only because of this forum that I actually got one.....

Must go ..... here is the scope now as we speak ... isn't that uncanny, must go and sign for it........ yipeeeeee - speak soon. Dt

[mdstuart]

Good news high pressure is forecast for next week which MAY result in some clearer skies....The beehive cluster and M67 are right overhead at the moment so give them a go...

Mark

ww.bristolweather.org.uk

[red dwalf]

I have the same scope as you (skywatcher 130p auto trak) which is easier to set up and use than the Equatorial Mount, i have mine ready to go in 1 minute, this scope was my first buy at xmas, when i got it i had 2 weeks of cloudy skies ! must have cleaned it 6 or 7 times, good views of Moon, Saturn, Venus, Orion nebula and managed to locate andromeda galaxy once, keep looking in the for sale section and sooner or later someone will be selling a nice set of eyepieces for a good price as they can be expensive to buy seperatly then you`ll be set up very well.

have fun !

[delilahtwinkle]

What a disaster.... To start off with up to now this evening there has been no point in me looking to the skies because here in Cumbria we have a blanket of cloud across the sky, so I thought I should get used to the telescope by trying to focus on a large light that is in a haulage yard quite a good distance away. Eyepiece wise I have used the Super 10 that came with the telescope...all I could see was darkness....then I realised I could use the red dot finder, I have the light in the finder but still darkness. What am I doing wrong???? I know this is going to sound really dumb but please don't forget this is my first telescope....The end of the telescope that is nearest the eyepiece has a cover over it, I have two circles in the cover one I can take a cap off the other I can't, do I need to leave that cover on? Up to now I have just taken the cover off the circle that is in the cover. I feel up to now me going on the forum has been all one way...me asking advice but hopefully in a few months I will also be able to contribute a bit more positively. Regards Dt

[Astro_Baby]

Okies - the cover nearest the eyepiece needs to come off. Of the two small covers only one can be removed. The other is a 'hanger' for the removable one.

The red dot finder needs to be lined up to the telescope. So you need to get the telescope onto a target ( like a street light thats a bit distant ) then align the red dot finder to it so the red dot AND the telescope are looking at the same thing. The red dot finder will have two small wheels on it - one to make it go up and down and one to make it go left to right. You need to twiddle these until the red dot finder is centred to whatever is central in the telescope view.

The cover nearest the eyepiece is just that - a cover - it should pull away entirely with a quick pull. They can be a bit stiff when new.

Hope thats some help.

[Ant]

It is a difficult question. But one we have all asked.

A few questions to narrow it down a little.

1. Are you likely to want to take photos?

2. Do you want to view the planets/moon more than galaxies/nebula or vice versa.

3. Are you able to keep the scope outside in a garage or shed?

Cheers

Ant

[delilahtwinkle]

Thanks AstroBaby... I will get the kiddies into bed and go back outside shortly. What situation would you keep the large cover on and only take off the small circle cover??? By the way I have asked for a friend request with you...I am not sure what that means, I was going around the site and found the friends page, hope you don't mind. Dt

Ant, I am hoping that I can leave my telescope in the green house, do you think that would be ok? Regards Dt

[Ant]

I'm not so sure a green house is a good idea. It'll get VERY hot in there when the sun shines.

And heat is bad!

Some designs of scope need longer to cool down than others... Ideally you need to keep the scope as close to the outside temperature as possible (hence shed or garage).

Ant

[red dwalf]

When you are viewing you need to remove the 6" black cover at the front of the scope not just the little one, the covers keep out the dust when not in use, take off the small cover covering the focuser (bit where eyepieces fit into) then put in an eyepiece, then you are away, setting up the red dot finder is a must as it is hard to find objects when looking with the eyepiece so here are a few a b c`s to help.

A. put in the 10mm eyepiece

B. turn scope to focus on to a chimney top or other object in distance

C. center top of object in scope view

D. turn on red dot finder and use the two screws on side and top to adjust the path of the red dot to what you are looking at.

E. job done

[DemonicOmelette]

I had a problem adjusting the finder, as mine was too "out-of-line", and the little adjusting wheels didn't go far enough. The finder turned out to be quite loose, aswell, so CAREFULLY and with the scope pointing DOWN (so spanner didn't fall in!), i moved the finder by hand and tightened it up. Problem solved.

I also didn't realise at first that you have to turn it ON. Couldn't figure out for the life of me how to align the scope! So yes. Make sure you turn it on first. And don't laugh. At least I took the lens cap off.

-eli

[delilahtwinkle]

Hi DomOm, I cannot believe I have fiddled with my scope all last night and all the time I had the cover on. Tell you something I am pleased I found out about it before I called the supplier to tell them they sold me a dud; that would have been awful. Three cheers for the forum for stopping me being hugely embarrased on the phone. Roll on tonight for round 2. I am going to go out now and sort out my finder before this evening. Hope it is clear.

Red dwarf, going out there right now to fix my finder, thanks for your help...will keep you posted Dt

[red dwalf]

no problems matey, you gave me a good laugh reading your messages, i know i shouldn`t but thats part of the forum, to have fun !

need any help just ask, someone on here can put us newbies right !

[DemonicOmelette]

Just remember, point the OPEN end of the scope up.

[dark knight]

Don't forget to rotate the telescope if the view is upside down....(joking)

Its great to see new members making use of the forum, No question is silly, questions are what make these forums so enlightening. Just remember all members here were beginners once, but that is what makes this a special forum, a wealth of info and a willingness to share knowledge.

[DemonicOmelette]

I was brand new last week, and am sure I asked my fair share of silly questions. This is a very, very welcoming forum, though, and haven't experienced any of the hassle "n00bs" can get some places! All in all, a very useful place to be.

-eli

[dark knight]

To be honest knowledge is only any good if it can be passed on.

[Astro_Baby]

Okies - Delia I accepted the friends request but I have no idea what it does

The small plastic covers on the big end cover - they are usually used for 2 reasons.

1/ As a convenient small hole to put a sun filter on for solar viewing. NEVER look at the sun with a telescope unless you have a professionally made sun filter sold to you by someone competent.

The advantage is solar filters are expensive - bigger scope = bigger cost. You dont exeackt need a lot of light gathering power to see the sub so a small hole is fine and keeps ths cost of the filters down a bit as well as making the view slightly darker ( though with the sun thatas a bit moot really)

2/ For lunar viewing using just the small hole removes some of the brightness - in time you'll need a lunar filter to remove the brightness because the moon is amazingly bright through even a modest telescope.

3/ Technically speaking removing the small cover in the scopes main cover increases the focal ratio of the scope but I'll spare you that just now.

Hope its all worked out for you and you finally got a view of something last night.

Oh something else that fotren throws newbies with Sky-Watcher scope is the Barlow lens. It has a plastic cover on its base which is often VERY tight when new and often beginners unscrew it and take the Barlow lens with it and wonder wahy its not working - you need to twist it a little but PULL on it to remove the black plastic cover on its base.

If your stuck again just ask away

Mel

[delilahtwinkle]

Right then folks, finder is now aligned, cover is off, I am about to go out there and look at the sky!!! Just to pre warn you all I think the next topic for SGL Dt question time will probably be regarding the auto track side of things which at the moment I am not thinking about. Must dash, a quick look at stellarium then I am out there. I have so enjoyed these messages aswell, I have laughed out loud a few times. Speak to you all soon. Dt. Tonight I will mainly be feeding off the stars!!!

[Mikea]

You must be having a good time - still out there at 9:15 pm! I have cloud

[delilahtwinkle]

I see the moon and the moon sees me!!!!!. I tried to find seven sisters with no joy, well I did find her just as the clouds came over and they are still there now so I got my sunglasses on and had a look at the moon....Impressed is an under-statement.

I thought I might find Saturn but along came the clouds. Earlier on in the evening I think I found Venus, it was a crescent shape. I am getting a sore neck and my eyes are kind of sore, I have been trying to keep both eyes open while looking but find it quite hard. I am going to go and see if the clouds have gone...think I am getting obsessed. Dt

[dark knight]

Great stuff, Dt, sounds like your having a ball..a lunar filter is worth getting. obsession, that it is.

[Astro_Baby]

Deliah - what you can do is put a dark coloured towel over your head and the bit of the scope where the Eyepiece is - think of those old time photographers. I find it allows me to keep both eyes open and puts less strain on the eyeballs PLUS it gets rid of stray light and distractions.

I use an old soft and dark coloured bathtowel thats quite light.