Complete Newcomer

[IR2009]

Hi

I'm both new to the forum and to Astronomy in general, as I know nothing about it really.

It looks very interesting and something I have been interested in taking up for a while now and so I have finally decided to take up the hobby.

Knowing nothing about it is a big problem though really, so basically I need advice on where to start? I've read the article from the 'Sky & Telescope' magazine linked in one of the stickies above, and so I understand I don't need to go out and buy the most expensive items straight away, so I will be buying some binoculars to start off.

Can I get some recommendations on binoculars for below £100?

And next I need to learn the sky itself which looks quite complicated (for a beginner), so where would be the best place to start with this?

Any help and advice is much appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,

Ian

[The Warthog]

I like 10 x 50 binocs as a good compromise between weight and ability to see stuff. I have a pair of incredibly cheap binocs, though not the cheapest, and they are great for cutting through haze and LP to see stars, and a good way to see clusters.

Get a planisphere or the current issue of any astronomy magazine for the current sky chart, and learn the bright constellations first, then fill in the ones that are harder to make out. You will get good at it in no time.

[rblunden]

I'm a newcomer myself. I'm finding the book 'Nightwatch: a practical guide to viewing the Universe' by Terence Dickinson to be really helpful in learning my way around the sky. It's even better (in my opinion) than the very good 'Turn Right at Orion'.

Good luck and best wishes

[Paxo]

Hi Ian,

A warm welcome to SGL. You'll fnd a lot of helpful people here to help you up the learning curve. As for some bins, take a look at the forum sponsers website (the FLO logo at the top of the screen) who have a wide range of bins available, better still give them a ring and get some advice, Steve and James are very helpful and knowledeable.

Steve..

[AntUK]

I'm a newcomer myself. I'm finding the book 'Nightwatch: a practical guide to viewing the Universe' by Terence Dickinson to be really helpful in learning my way around the sky. It's even better (in my opinion) than the very good 'Turn Right at Orion'.

From what I can see, Nightwatch have a more recent edition too, good up to 2018. The Turn Right At Orion book doesnt have much life left in it (good up to about 2011 I think it was).

[RichieP]

Hi Ian,

Welcome to SGL... It's a great forum, the best of the UK forums in my opinion where you will find no end of help.

Binoculars are a very good start, you can use them to find your way around the sky, and even spot a few clusters and nebulae. When you finally take the plunge and buy a scope (and you will!) you will have plenty of targets already lined up.

In terms of binoculars you need to think about two things.

Aperture - Less then 40mm are a bit small for stargazing. More then 60mm and they become rather heavy for handheld use and you will need a tripod.

Magnification - Unless you intend to use a tripod, stick to a maximum of 10x - anything higher will be too shaky with handheld binoculars.

A good compromise is a 10x50 binocular - you can get something decent for £100 I am sure. Oh and avoid zoom binoculars like the plague. They sound like they should be versatile but are unnaceptably dim at high magnifications and have a restricted field of view at low mangnifcations.

In terms of books - Phillip's 'Stargazing with Binoculars' is very good - does what it says on the tin!

Richard

[MikeP]

Hello Ian, welcome to SGL and the wonderful world(?) of astronomy.

Have a look at this, it should help ......Star hopping around the constellations in the sky at night

Mike

[RichieP]

From what I can see, Nightwatch have a more recent edition too, good up to 2018. The Turn Right At Orion book doesnt have much life left in it (good up to about 2011 I think it was).

Did you mean 'Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope'?

There is a book called 'Turn Right at Orion' but its rather different.

[philsail1]

Ian,

Hello and welcome to Stargazers!

With regard to a suitable pair of binoculars for under £100, take a look at these:-

http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=opticron_aspheric_wa_8x40

I have a pair, and they are good. They give a nice "wide field" of view of the night sky, and becuase they have a good "exit pupil," they show even very faint stars. You will be able to pick out double stars, and even a few of the deeper sky objects (Like M31 - the Andromeda Galaxy). They will give reasonable views of the Moon, and you will just be able to discern Jupiter as a disc, and see the four largest Moons as pinpricks of light, but you won't see the rings of Saturn. Although 8x40's are limited in their magnification, they do give a wider field of view (making it easier to find your way around the night sky), and being an "Aspheric" lens binocular, they will give crisp views almost right to the edge of the field of view. And they are nice and light to hold for long periods of time. Finally, being only 8x magnification, they are easy to hold steady - to give "shake" free viewing (the larger the magnification, the more difficult it is to hold a binocular steady).

Best wishes,

philsail1

As a bonus, these binoculars give excellent clear and crisp terrestrial views too!

[AntUK]

Did you mean 'Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope'?

There is a book called 'Turn Right at Orion' but its rather different.

Yes I meant "Turn Left At Orion"

So there's a "Turn Right At Orion" too! Wow that's confusing. Wonder if there's a "Continue straight on at Orion" too.

[rblunden]

Oops! I meant Turn Left at Orion, too. Not like me to lean to the right!