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Hello from Cheshire

Red Wulff

By Red Wulff
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Red Wulff

Red Wulff

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Hi all, looking forward to participating on the forums, I was a very keen astronomer in my teens (some years ago now) but then family life and living in the city got in the way. I'm now in my forties and fortunate enough to live in rural Cheshire with dark skies, and I'm about to go out and buy my first telescope for 30 years!

I'm planning to purchase a scope from Orion Optics, so looking forward to hearing people's views on the models etc. I'm a keen photographer so really want to have a go at astrophotography as soon as I can.

I feel like a kid at Christmas again, can't wait to take delivery.

RW

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Red Wulff

Red Wulff

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Hi Tinvek, thanks for saying hello, I'm in between Warrington and Northwich, just off the A49. I get nice dark skies to the south, Warrington and Runcorn make a bit of a mess of the northern horizon but I can't complain, I'm properly away from any street lights or towns.

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yeti monster

yeti monster

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Welcome back! I'm another recent return to star gazing. I'm lucky enough to be in the hills away from a lot of seriuos LP, although the neighbours are rather fond of their 24 hr daylight back yard!!!!! I've got plenty of good viewing patches where outbuildings sheild any "bad light". Worst problem seems to be wind/rain/cloud, but I've been able to catch a few good views of Jupiter, venus and "some stars..."

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mattifor

mattifor

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Hi all, looking forward to participating on the forums, I was a very keen astronomer in my teens (some years ago now) but then family life and living in the city got in the way. I'm now in my forties and fortunate enough to live in rural Cheshire with dark skies, and I'm about to go out and buy my first telescope for 30 years!

I'm planning to purchase a scope from Orion Optics, so looking forward to hearing people's views on the models etc. I'm a keen photographer so really want to have a go at astrophotography as soon as I can.

I feel like a kid at Christmas again, can't wait to take delivery.

RW

Take my advice don't rush into buying anything until you have tried it out.

I was advised by someone with good intention when starting a year ago.

I followed the advice to the letter buying a Orion Optics Europa 250 deluxe and a Vixen sphinx mount on pedestal stand.

yes its good equipment, but having tripped and destroyed the Eurpoa 250 trying to mount it unaided.

I then invested in an observatory. and the replacement Europa is permanently mounted in there.

I now also have a Takahashi CN212 Cassegrain/Newtionian on a portable pedestal with Vixen Sphinx mount , a lot easier to move around and assemble unaided.

and also a Meade LXD55 Achromat refractor on a Vixen GP mount and tripod or pedestal for use when I want to do some quick observation as its easier to set up and no collimation to worry about

best of luck with your choice.

mattifor

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mattifor

mattifor

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Mattifor

I'm sorry to hear about your first Europa, knowing how clumsy I can be it may happen to me yet. The fact that you purchased another Europa makes me think that you were happy with the build quality?

Cheers

RW

Actually the Europa rarely gets used by me as it is my wife’s. I prefer the Takahashi CN212 Cassegrain/Newtonian I believe the scope is easier to handle and I can sit when I use it with my D.I.Y built electrical operated rising pillar and Vixen Sphinx SDX mount .

But as you say the build quality of the Orion Optics Europa 250 is good, but if I had not bought the Observatory to permanently site it I do not think I would have replaced the destroyed one with another large Newtonian.

I have however considered getting a Dobsonian cradle to mount a second Europa 250 or may be a 12" Newtonian onto and store it in a shed where I could wheel it from.

Have you tried a 250mm Newtonian or are you considering a Cassegrain type?

Seriously consider where you are going to use the scope and try handling in dark conditions.

Get a good motorised mount and consider GOTO.

what ever you decide on practice in a dark room at home.

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Red Wulff

Red Wulff

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Mattifor

I have a big garden and dark skies so my initial plan is to house everything in a new shed which will mean moving equipment no more than 10 feet to start observing. I started considering an Orion Optics SPX 300 f/4 on the EQ6 mount and created a thread to discuss that - can I link to a thread? Anyway the thread is on the Equipment page. A lot of people have mentioned getting two scopes, perhaps a dob for visual and a refractor for imaging, I'm just taking some time and gathering information and opinions before I make some purchasing decisions.

RW

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