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Hello from a Manchester newbie.


andy jack

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Hi guys my name is Andy I am a newbie both to the site and the hobby. I have been lurking just reading the posts for a little while now.

What a great site, the information it contains is simply mind blowing to a novice like me. :D

I did not want to post any "what’s the best telescope" type questions because its all been done before and I know how repetitive such questions can be.

Due to living in an area that has fairly bad light pollution I will be doing a lot of my spotting away from home. So I wanted a telescope that would be reasonably portable i.e. fit in the car, and give me the biggest aperture for my budget of around £250. After a great deal of consideration I decided against a Go-to option preferring to put my money into the telescope and mount.

Hopefully I have done the right thing, because today I became the proud owner of a Skywatcher 150p. It has to be said to a total novice like me it’s an impressive looking beast. This will probably sound a bit silly to those of you who have serious kit, but it looks massive in our modest living room. My wife, who was clearly not impressed has already pointed out the obvious, it can’t stay there! :D

Sod’s law would dictate that it is probably the cloudiest day/night we have had for months. It’s that cloudy here (half way up a hill) that I have not even been able to set up my finder scope. We are shrouded in cloud, the furthest object I can see is the shed at the bottom of my garden. :)

My daughter and I really can’t wait to have a play and no doubt as a result, I will have lots of questions to ask and experiences to share over the next few months. :)

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Thanks for the welcome guys.

Conservatory, ottoman storage facility? :D

Once de-cluttered Mine will be living in a cupboard.:D

Loads of hills in Manchester, or at least Greater Manchester it covers a massive area. :)

Fingers crossed it looks like I may be able to at least set up my spotting scope later, you never know I may even get a peek between the clouds. :)

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Don't know about bringing my daughter? Her attention span is fairly limited she would probably wish she was back home watching the X Factor within no time.

I get very few Saturday nights free in the year, but I will certainly make a point of coming over to see you as soon as I can. Lets hope that coincides with high pressure, clear skies.

Looking at the AA route planner I am only 23 miles 40 minutes away.

Perhaps while your playing with my new toy I will learn a thing or two. :D

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It's ages since I've been over to the atronomy centre at Tod, despite living about a mile as the crow flies from the place. Really must find the time now I have a half decent scope. Having fairly wide open skies of my own makes it too easy to set up and pop in and out of the hoose though.

23 miles... where are you then Andy? Staleyvagas?

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It's ages since I've been over to the atronomy centre at Tod, despite living about a mile as the crow flies from the place. Really must find the time now I have a half decent scope. Having fairly wide open skies of my own makes it too easy to set up and pop in and out of the hoose though.

23 miles... where are you then Andy? Staleyvagas?

Are you a detective or something? LOL

I may be, not saying anything until I have spoken to my lawyer. :D

Thanks again everyone for the warm welcome. :D

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Hi Andy

Welcome

I live in Irlam (salford) i have only just started out with this hobby ( 4-6 weeks). I bet u dont live to far from me. I have been doing the same as you......reading!!! and on monday nite i prepared to go out and read the stars as i dont want to use goto. (a bit like taking up motor racing yet going around the track in a taxi). I still have not had a sky clear enough to start to work out the constellations , but fingers crossed for tonight

Nice to know someone is at the same stage as me.

ps i dont have a scope as i am getting bino's to start with. (on 14/10 (birthday))

Teddy

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Hope you don't mind me asking Keith?

Tonight for example, it is looking a bit grim, best we can hope for are perhaps a few breaks in the cloud. Thats being very optimistic as well.

In such conditions what do you at the Astronomy centre?

Bit nervous about coming over on such a night because: A, I don't know anyone. B, I don't know anything. Being a total novice my input into any conversation etc is going to be nil.

Hi Teddy.

Being an enthusiastic angler I have spent countless nights under the stars. I must have spent at least 100 nights under canvas just in the last 18 months alone. Summer, winter its all the same to me only the lakes freezing will see me stuck at home. After so many years watching the sky it is almost a natural progression to want to see and learn more. The only mystery is why it has taken so long? Perhaps I was simply content having my mind blown by what I could view in blissfull ignorance?

Since I started to learn a little about the night sky it is amazing what I have seen just with the naked eye. Stellarium has really helped a lot. For example I was gob smacked that the bright star that I have been watching for weeks was not a star at all it was Jupiter. :D

I was tempted by GO-TO but then decided that half the fun was probably in learning the sky. :D

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Hope you don't mind me asking Keith?

Tonight for example, it is looking a bit grim, best we can hope for are perhaps a few breaks in the cloud. Thats being very optimistic as well.

In such conditions what do you at the Astronomy centre?

Bit nervous about coming over on such a night because: A, I don't know anyone. B, I don't know anything. Being a total novice my input into any conversation etc is going to be nil.

No problem, I know exactly how you feel as I am a total beginner too. I guess there will be a fair bit of talking; you may well be better waiting till we get some clearer weather. But it does give a chance for the experts to give equipment a good once over; the other day Peter checked mine and we found that it was well out of adjustment and had to modify it to get it to adjust correctly. Peter did this without fuss, so useful to have somebody who actually makes telescopes and Camera Obscura on hand.

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haha jupitor also made me realise that there is so much going on up there !!!

I dont like goin places as a new boy but if u do go to that one in todmorden then e-mail me as there then would be 2 new boys. (i know very little to)

Teddy

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