First clear sky

[Peter Piper]

Hello everybody,

I would like to announce that I believe I am about to have my first cloud-free night since I got my telescope in early March. Standby for incoming questions!

Regards PP

[delilahtwinkle]

I think I am in for a good night aswell. My second since I got mine at the start of March. I have taken my scope out a couple of times but by the time I have let it cool down the clouds have appeared. I think I tricked the weather gods today though by bringing my telescope out quite early on in the evening. Good Luck, let us know how you go. Dt

[Peter Piper]

Hello again,

Re: My original post, I have to report less than spectacular results tonight. I decided to try and get the 'feel' for the telescope (ETX125) by just using the hand controller and looking at the moon. Easy? No! I found several things going wrong.

1. I could not lock the scope in Altitude, I suppose I could have tried harder, but the instructions imply gentle hand tightening.

2. After a couple of minutes it would not answer the hand controller - or conversely - set off by itself.

3. I found the 'Smartfinder' very difficult to use.

As a consolation I did manage to get one slightly out of focus photo of the Moon - which I will preserve for posterity as it is my first ever 'astrophoto' and I can judge any improvement in technique by referring to it.

As some politicians said in the not too distant past "Things can only get better."

I,m going to post some questions in the equipment forum now and hopefully somebody will point out the error of my ways.

Regards PP

[Peter Piper]

Hi again,

Update from last night.

The vertical lock problem I encountered was simply that as I tighten it I tend to lift the end of the tube and then it drops back a little into position.

The slewing problems ie. not answering the hand controller etc was just a battery problem, I had two completely dead batteries fitted from a box that was supposedly all new ones. Fitted a new set again tonight from a sealed pack.

Still can't get on with the 'Smartfinder' I can't see how to line my eye up with the centre of the screen without a 'rearsight'. Anybody else have this trouble - or is it just me?

No chance of doing anything tonight. Very misty - closing down to less than 200m at the moment.

Regards PP

[Peter Piper]

Hello all,

Just reviving this thread to continue my 'tale of woe'. I finally got an hour or so of usable seeing last night (or the early hours of today). I can't believe my original post was early April.

However, I decided to not get too excited because there was still a lot of cloud around. I went out just after midnight using just a pair of binoculars and the Mk 1

eyeball. I spent around an hour identifying constellations and the brighter stars - I was amazed at what I knew (very little compared to most people on here.) But you know what I mean!

Nevertheless, it gave me a sense of acheivement and I put this down to my enforced reading of 'Turn left at Orion' which was reccommended to me on this site. So thanks for that.

Anyway, tonight looks like it might be better - less cloud, less haze and less lights, I asked the local farmer if I could turn off various security lights and he said 'No problem just turn them on when you've finished' - wish everbody was like that!

I'm starting to ramble now so I'll sign off and goto the equipment forum.

Regards PP