It's Happened!

[TopHouse]

The thing has happened, I'm sure I'm not alone when I mention this, that switch that suddenly drops into place, completely unexpectedly. For months, you set up your telescope, you polar align, you struggle to find stuff, you buy a telrad, you have the charts, you read all the books, study 'turn left'. It still takes you a good half hour to find the andromeda galaxy, if you find it at all!

Then! It Happens!

One night, you go out, you set up, polar align, "ok, lets try andromeda, ok, there's one star, there's another, (you look through the telrad, it should be just about........ there!"

You put your eye to the eyepiece, a couple of adjustments.... BOOM! there it is!

"ha, I got lucky there! lets try....... Hercules cluster... look up, "hmmm, should be just about .... there!" BOOM! there it is!

So, I had a lucky night, so another night comes along, Albiro, easy, hercules glob... easy... andromeda easy!

So, I think i've had the astro version of hitting puberty! Have to say I think getting the laptop was a major contributor, there is no substitute for having the laptop outside with you running Stellarium.

[brantuk]

Astronomy hormones - hilarious lol Well done

[Mouse on the Moon]

That gives me hope.

Nice one!

[richbyers]

Youve come of age! haha seriously its great when everything fits into place

rich

[badgerchap]

Yeah, I know that feeling. My first few posts on here were about my frustration at how difficult everything is, and then a few weeks later, all just slipped into place. I think it's a case of getting used to what you're doing and knowing where you're going wrong.

Another thing I've notice recently is how the image improves almost every time. Must be training my eyes or something.

Hmmm...that gives me an unpleasant thought - eye puberty???!

[Shibby]

Glad to hear your counterweights have dropped... sorry

[Hiddenharry]

that happened to me a thew nights ago i was looking for the swan nebula (im new so its hard to find stuff by my self but im getting better)so i put my scope in the direction i thought it was and there was and the same for m22 but i haven't been lucky since!