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Hello from Essex/Suffolk border

Rhian

By Rhian
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Rhian

Rhian

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Hello Everyone!

I'm Rhian and I’m based on the Essex/Suffolk border. Always been interested in the night sky and had a couple of telescopes when I was younger which my parents (I mean Santa!) had brought me for Christmas but nothing too serious.

After buying my partner a 450D for his birthday/Christmas just gone and giving him the opportunity to get into photography (something he's always wanted to do), he decided to repay the favour and brought me a Skywatcher Skyhawk 1145p synscan AZ GOTO for my birthday!

I'm a total Novice at the night sky but already I'm hooked -even more so after looking through the forums and seeing the imaging section!

I'm not entirely sure where my telescope falls in terms of quality on the market but it's certainly doing its job very well!

Looking into updating my standard x2 Barlow (Celestron Ultima hopefully) and gaining some more EPs and replacing the two standard EPs you get with the telescope (10mm and 20mm). So any recommendations would be brilliant!

I'd like to start at looking at the Moon in more depth and moving onto Planets and Stars then maybe one day into Nebulas. I'm at the point where I'm a bit too keen and want to buy everything and anything to help my viewing experience even better than it is now! Haha.

Anyway I’ve babbled on far too much for my first post. Look forward to sharing my experiences and listening to/seeing yours.

Rhian

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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HI Rhian - nothing wrong with your scope. Its a Skywatcher which is a good brand and the SkyHawk is a lovely little telescope to learn with. Lots of us on here started out with either it or its slightly bigger brother the 130.

As to eyepieces I would always counsel taking your time and not rushing in to buy stuff because its easy to make expensive mistakes in this hobby. Get some eyetime in and decide what you really want first. A moon filter is a good first accessory if your doing lunar viewing. I'd sugget giving Steve or James at FLO (the forum sponsor a calll and get their advice on EPs to go with your scope - They wont hard sell you and are true gentlemen).

Ask any question on here and you can bet someone will come back and its a treasure trove of help and support.

Its great as well to see another woman in the hobby - theres quite a few of us around but more is always good :D

Clear skies to you......

Mel

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Capricorn

Capricorn

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The scope is F/5 so I suggest that the smallest EP you get is simply 5mm. That would give accordingly a magnification of 114x.

F/5 is on the fast side so you may have to look at EP's that cost a little more then "inexpensive", not suggesting the expensive stuff that is £200+ per EP.

Really it depends on your approach. I would say how about a couple of televue plossl's. They are about £70 a piece but you would keep them forever.

For planetery observing there are planetery eyepieces, William Optics make a range. Burgess or TMB also did but they seem to have disappeared. Think they are round the £60 mark.

SCS Astronomy shop do a range by Orion that may be worth looking at. FLO do the WO offerings.

There are also the wide angle eyepieces also which you may like.

Problem is that you have to first buy them then find out what you think of them and how they suit.

For straight magnification then 5mm, for fields of view, clusters etc, a 30/32mm. With the 2 you have that is 4 and covers a decent spread of options. I would predict that at some time you will want an 8mm or similar.

By the way I don't really like barlows so that is why I have ignored. Unless they are good then you simply add more problems in and the view goes downhill fast. Using a barlow requires a good barlow and a good eyepiece.

There is a club at, or near, Witham, may be worth contacting them. North Essex Astro or similar.

EDIT: You do not need planetery eyepieces to view planets, they should be build with characterists that enhance planetery viewing. Note the word "should".

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Rhian

Rhian

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HI Rhian - nothing wrong with your scope. Its a Skywatcher which is a good brand and the SkyHawk is a lovely little telescope to learn with. Lots of us on here started out with either it or its slightly bigger brother the 130.

As to eyepieces I would always counsel taking your time and not rushing in to buy stuff because its easy to make expensive mistakes in this hobby. Get some eyetime in and decide what you really want first. A moon filter is a good first accessory if your doing lunar viewing. I'd sugget giving Steve or James at FLO (the forum sponsor a calll and get their advice on EPs to go with your scope - They wont hard sell you and are true gentlemen).

Ask any question on here and you can bet someone will come back and its a treasure trove of help and support.

Its great as well to see another woman in the hobby - theres quite a few of us around but more is always good :p

Clear skies to you......

Mel

Well after doing my research around the site and looking into different lenses i've realised that it can get very expensive! So, i don't think i'll be rushing into too many purchases just yet!

I'm suprised you knew i was female - get called Ryan a lot! :D

Rhian

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Rhian

Rhian

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Thanks for your advice Capricorn. I've actually just ordered a 6mm lens which i saw someone mention on here a couple of days ago. This one to be percise Just as a starting point and to see what it offers beyond the standard lenses that came with the telescope.

I am currently looking into/researching a 32-40mm lens but wanted to get some more viewing in (especially with the new lens) first and take it from there as Mel said its easy to make expensive mistake in this hobby.

I wouldn't mind upgrading my Barlow anyhow and seeing for myself as i've read, many members have different views on Barlows so i suppose it's down to the individual!

Rhian

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Helen

Helen

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Hi Rhian and welcome to the forum. You've got a nice starter scope there, and it sounds like you're reading and learning a lot, but most importantly having fun!

Helen

PS Have you got Welsh roots?

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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Well you could go up to about 32mm - that would be about the max in the wide view you could go to with your scope. My favourite lens for ages was my Celestron 32mm. Useful for open clusters of stars and generally mooching about.

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Rhian

Rhian

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I will have to have a look at the Celestron 32mm then, been mentioned quite a few times as a good lens to have. I've read it's good for finding stars/clusters etc then swapping to a smaller lens for close up magnification.

Helen - yes I do! My mum's welsh and have family up in North Wales. Will be visiting again in August and can't wait to take the telescope up with me!!

Rhian

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