Hello from Essex (UK)

[Samop]

Hi everyone

I've just joined and want to say Hello to you all.

I'm in the middle of Essex in a small semi-rural town with fairly  dark skies, although there's a streetlight shining into my garden.

 

I've just bought a decent 5" reflector and am looking forward to using it, once I've worked out how to use the equatorial mount... it doesn't seem to make sense 🙂

[M40]

Hello Samop and welcome to the site 👌 we all have the same challenges when starting, so ask away with any questions, there will be someone who can answer you. 

[Floater]

Welcome. Hope you have lots of fun. 🙂

[Samop]

All the local astronomy clubs meet on evenings that I can't do, so I'm relying on you guys

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

[wookie1965]

A warm welcome to SGL

[knobby]

Welcome to SGL, there are plenty of you tube videos on equatorial mounts but for visual just aim the axis of the mount roughly at Polaris.

[NGC 1502]

Welcome to SGL from another Essex member.

Lots of folk here to help👍

[Samop]

Thanks. I can do 

12 minutes ago, knobby said:

....... aim the axis of the mount roughly at Polaris.

Thanks. I got that bit, but then it's working out how to turn and point. I was expecting it to be the same sort of movements as a "standard" tripod but it seems not. I'll have a look at the youtube videos, then it'll make sense.

[Elbasso]

Fear not. I think that everyone who has taken up this hobby was totally overwhelmed at first. YouTube and this site are your friend. I'm positive you'll master the basics before you know it. 

Welcome! 

[Sunshine]

Welcome to SGL!

[Alan White]

Welcome from a fellow Essex inhabitant.
This forum is a gold mine of information, sometimes sprinkled with ramblings and hummour as well.
Ask away on questions you have, we have all been at that point and all needed to know.

A shame you could not make attending an Essex club work for you.
My Club,CPAC is based near Rayleigh and meets on a Wednesday evening every week, and we have a very mixed membership, many observe, many image and some astronomise via the armchair.
Pitch over, sorry.

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi there and welcome. 

[123Star]

Welcome

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire 🙂