Hi from Cedar City, UTAH

[NoFlyZone]

Well, the music store in our wonderful city moved to a new location. And next store is this pawn shop. And inside this pawn shop was a telescope. And now the pawn shop does not have this telescope, rather, I have it. 

It's a 10" Meade LX200 Maksutov-Cassegrain of I believe 1996 vintage. So I got a lot of learning to do. I'm 66 YO with a 12 year old son. I live in dark sky, 6200ft above sea level. I had a crazy passion for astronomy when I was around my sons age and could point out nearly every well know constellation and planet way back then. Now I'm starting over with a smart boy who hopefully can learn and share in this rekindled hobby. 

I bought a Sky-Watcher 200cp a few years back but beyond the moon and planets I was unsatisfied trying to locate celestial bodies and I always dreamed of a scope like this. It may not have the latest (what AFL?) optics but the price seemed good.

Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom. Hopefully in time, I can share some too!

[shropshire lad]

Welcolm to the forum .... from a wet and windy Ironbridge Shropshire England .... 

[wookie1965]

A warm welcome to SGL 

[Floater]

Welcome. Sounds to me like you’re on the right road.

Have lots of fun. 🙂

[Space Hopper]

1 hour ago, shropshire lad said:

Welcolm to the forum .... from a wet and windy Ironbridge Shropshire England .... 

(wet and windy ? Its clear as a bell in Derby tonight?)

Welcome Mr NoFlyZone. I envy your weather and high altitude, clear, transparent sky's.

I've heard of Salt Lake City, but not Cedar City. I bet you get some great views.

[Guest]

Welcome from overcast Ohio. You have skies most of us have fantasies about.  

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Space Hopper said:

(wet and windy ? Its clear as a bell in Derby tonight?)

Welcome Mr NoFlyZone. I envy your weather and high altitude, clear, transparent sky's.

I've heard of Salt Lake City, but not Cedar City. I bet you get some great views.

That would be south of SLC about 3 and a half hours.  I am envious of his skies. 

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

[Sunshine]

Welcome to SGL! a big scope while living under dark skies is a dream come true!

[shropshire lad]

@NoFlyZone, I took this image of the milky way a few years back from our B&B in Springdale Utah ... not too far from you I think .... we dont get skies that clear in my home town.

.

 

[MercianDabbler]

Welcome. You have some great skies down there.

On the way back to Cedar City from Zion NP I pulled over and took a Milky Way photo with the camera perched on some screwed up clothing on the roof of the car. It beats all of my efforts to do the same with more time and a proper tripod in the UK.

[fozzybear]

A warm welcome from France. 

[barbulo]

Hi and welcome to SGL. 

[WolfieGlos]

Hi and welcome 😀

Chris

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi there and welcome. 

[CCD-Freak]

Welcome from a Texan "Lounge Lizard"

Great place here...lots of great people and information.

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire 🙂