first outing...

[Pollux]

nothing to excite you guys... but-first outing of my 'new' (to me) scope-not a cloud in sight, took a bit longer to set this beastie up but WOW Jupiter and 4 moons, presumably Io, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa... dropped a bit more mag in and yes, woohoohoo i got bands/rings a thick one and a thinner one - just drifting in and out (is this usual?)

Pleiades, Aldebaran (yes simples i know but...)

slightly cloudy now, but gonna wait for Orion to come up, then want to try for the Nebula... What do you guys recommend for viewing the Nebula?

sorry it's a bit basic - but loving it!!!

Thanks,

Mark

[Talitha]

Well done, Mark! Sorry this is a bit late for eyepiece advice on M42, but i always start out with a wide view and then keep getting closer and closer. The visual drifting in and out of Jupiter's dark belts and light zones might have been caused by fluctuations in the seeing, or possibly by your scope not yet being totally cooled down. The mirror will lose heat until its temperature matches the outside temp, and as it cools it actually creates its own bad seeing by producing internal tube currants.

[jgs001]

Well done Mark. Your excitement is shining in your post, and it's infectious ...

Head over to Jupiter's Moons and you can find out what the moons of Jupiter were.

[Pollux]

:Dthanks guys...