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Ello from Manchester: the centre of the universe..arguably

andyhicks

By andyhicks
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andyhicks

andyhicks

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Hello everybody, thought I'd follow forum traditions and put my first post in the welcome section (I was tempted to put it in the 'Telescope Planet' thread but I wont go there!..yet)

Well I hope everyone's doin' ok, its a pretty nice day outside so hopefully we'll continue to have clear skies :(

Ive just got into this Astronomy malarky and its going good! I've always had an interest in space flight but its only in the last year, I'd say, that my interest really took off (terrible pun). It probably all started to get serious when I got Go-Satch on my Iphone, I was fascinated by tracking satellites and finding out what they were (mostly R/B's) and I was gettin up at stupid o'clock to catch the ISS pass over and try and take pictures with my digi camera. That was my first experience of spending hours watching the skies and I started learning constellations and patterns but only really so I could find sats. Family got wind bout my new hobby and so for christmas just gone I was gifted a spotting scope, it became apprent fairly quickly that its not easy to track a satellite with magnification! at this point I'd seen my fair share of satellites anyway so it kind of went from there. I was lucky to have Mars and Venus visible so seeing them and Vesta too just sent my brain spinning and its not stopped since. My goal now is to study physics and astrophysics at manchester uni.

About 3 weeks ago I got my first 'proper' scope, I went with the SW 130p, seems to be a pretty standard first scope for a lot of people. First night I was just swinging it everywhere looking at everything I could as fast as I could! I was using Pocket Universe on my phone so I was just looking at every messier I could find. I've calmed down a bit since and I cant remember half the stuff I saw on that night so I've started again with a more methodical apporach now with added Starmap Pro. Ive sketched and labelled the constellations I can see from my yard and I working my way through. Ive mostly stopped looking for spiral galaxies at the minute and Im currently getting my kicks from splitting doubles. Beta Cygni is by far my favourite! the yellow and blue really stand out. Last few nights Ive seen sketching the three double stars in hercules, I had time to do M92 and M13 aswell. Other hot favourites have been M57 lyra, M29 cygnus, M81 ursa major and alpha herculis, which is another yellow one I can make out. Saturn was alright too I could see a line on an angle through the disc, presumably the rings, and Im sure I could make out a small moon! Im on a terraced street so its blocked most of the night now.

I'v still only got the 25mm and the 10mm EP's that came with the scope, I've also got a LP filter and a random 3x barlow courtesy of telescope planet! i dont find it very usefull ive ordered my 2x barlow and a 6mm from a more reputable store! They should be here tommorow! For anyone else who had or is having probs with telescope planet Im in the process of taking 'em to the cleaners so Ill let you know how that turns out :)

Im posting my form off today for the Manchester Astronomical Society. Its only really me and my mate who are interested in this, my missus tries but fails! Astronomy for me is one of the things that needs to be done with a few more people, its all good getting excited on your own but I want other people to see what I'm seeing if that makes sense...

Ramble over! Hello everyone, my name Andy pleased to meet you ;)

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Marc8667

Marc8667

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Hi Andy welcome to SGL.

Glad you're enjoying our hobby! SW do make very good scopes, I have a explorer 200p and I also got it from telescope planet after 2 weeks of phone calls and emails! But I'll make sure I don't deal with them again.

I have an iPhone and I've used the apps you've mentioned, but also distant suns and starwalk. Distant suns is good because you can use it one handed easily. Give the lite version ago and see how you get on.

Good luck and clear skies.

Marc

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andyhicks

andyhicks

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dark knight, Rusty Strings, Marc8667 thanks very much, glad to be here. Nice one Bigal1 I was hoping there would be some mancs on. Good to meet you all.

dark knight, we did used to brew boddingtons yeah, not anymore though but in true Manchester fashion they turned it into a nightclub for a while.

Marc8667, yeah Im happy with my scope. Im still waiting to get the most out it with some other eyepieces and I fancy that 2x barlow aswell, whether I'll like it or not we'll find out tommorow. Never ever use TP they're atrocious! MY scope came from stockport telescope & bino's i got a train and a bus to get there and back, I didnt expect the size or weight! the picture dont do it justice! it was only when I was ordering eyepieces etc that TP came into it.

Thanks everyone ;)

e2a: Cheers David o !

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andyhicks

andyhicks

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Thank you Talitha ;) yeah Im having a wicked time! 4 or 5 hours outside feels like a very cold 10 minutes, once Im outside with my scope Im lost to the world!

Thats quite a signature! Ill have a look for some sketching threads, Im trying to give it a go myself but im no artist. I dont have a camera either so its my only way of 'capturing' what I've seen. Im ok with double stars, they seem fairly easy, but when it comes to globulars im pretty terrible!

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Talitha

Talitha

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Trust me Andy you don't need to be an artist, i'm definitely not. In fact i'm totally self-taught, and my early sketches aren't any better than any one else's when they first began.

Sure, practice improved my skill but the real pay-off is that sketching made me study the objects i was sketching. And that, in turn, made me a better observer... can't ask for anything more than that. ;)

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albedo0.39

albedo0.39

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Hi Andy - big welcome to SGL - you've got a great scope to be working with and that will take you around some epic sights if you have dark skies. Good luck with the sketching and hang onto Talitha's coat tails.. she's a master (mistress ?)

;-)

Cheers

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michigander

michigander

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Welcome to SGL, Andy!

My wife's father was a Mancunian, and she has a real soft spot for the place. Memories of learning to roller skate in City's car park on Maine Road. It's got a pretty bad reputation now but those little terraces were 'most desirable' in 1910 when her grandparents moved there. They each had their own, private, toilets!

Hope you're a City fan too.

Dana

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andyhicks

andyhicks

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glowjet, BAZ Senior, Brendan of Borg, phillc, Bizibilder & bunnygod1 :) This is quite some welcome thanks a lot everyone!

I have my little 'un over at the weekend and I live with my girlfriend so we've just got back from a day at the park, weathers not too bad and I got to row a boat for the first time so it was a good day. Its always busy at weekends so not had chance yet to say thanks to everyone until now.

keithatrochdale, thanks for the offer! Id be happy to do that some time. Ill have a look on the website. These telescopes are not very travel friendly are they?! I cant find a case online or anything I can use to transport it in safely so I'm stepping up my driving lessons, once I can drive I can get about more and get to some of these event. Ive never heard of a star party but Im guessing people get together on a good night at a good location for some observing!? Hope so because thats exactly the kind of thing I need to get involved in!

Talitha, I understand what you mean about studying an object and observing it, your absolutely right, first night I was out I was everywhere looking at everything but when you sketch you dont really have a choice but to take some time to become familiar with an object and 'observe' rather than just take a quick look. I will be sticking with the sketching and now I've discovered it im less interested in buying a camera! I like the more personal touch plus they will look nice in my logbook :(

albedo0.39, cheers. The scope is wicked! my barlow and new eyepiece arived yesteday so its about to get just that little bit better, same cant be said about the weather though. The sky from my house is mediocre, it cant possibly be brilliant based on my location and the amount of street lights but I make do. Not yet managed to take the scope anywhere else but I was eager to test my new stuff last night so even though it was still light and cloudy, I didnt level the mount, polar align OR let the scope cool down I saw the moon like never before and Saturn was pretty damn amazing! I had a quick peep at mars then packed up and went it. I get orange glow but after 1am my back alley way is dark and the views I get are plenty satisfying. If last night is anything to go by Im going to have a ball when the clear skies come back!

jeffo50 and Teddy always good to meet more fellow mancs! Are either of you members of the MAS? Apprently if your a member you can use the Godlee Observatory's telescope!

michigander, Thanks for the welcome! Yeah the reputation of most of the surrounding area of manchester city centre is pretty terrible. I suppose its not all bad though. I live in Middleton which is 20mins on the bus from the city centre so its not as bad but I wont leave my scope unattended outside!! Hey im in a victorian terrace and we had a toilet outside! mines been knocked down but my dads is intact (we live on the same street). Im only 26 so I certainly dont remember people using them! Yeah I can imagine these houses would have been much grander back in't day..and the ones on maine road too. Sorry to dissapoint but im no blue either! haha

Once again, cheers everyone! it really is good to be here ;)

Its not looking likely from where im sat but I wish you all clear skies asap!

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bluemidget

bluemidget

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Hiya Andy! I'm in Warrington. No scope at the minute though just feelin' my way around with binoculars - I know what you mean about victorian terrace yards as well!

I'm glad to hear the 130P get a good review as it's one i've been looking at myself.

all the best.

Neil.

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