Another and probably totally unnecessary noob thread

[Ogri]

2 down, 200 billion to go to the end of chapter 1!

Get a book like 'Turn Left at Orion'?

Have you got a compass at all? I find that one of those is great with Stellarium, so you know where you are with it. I got dad a birthday card which had a nice small compass in it, and as soon as his birthday was over, I pinched it (it's a great help).

Basically though, relax, enjoy the views, have a go trying to find some stuff, and when you fail (almost bound to at first, I think), try again next time, and often 'There it is!' and 'How the heck did I miss that before?'.

A lot of it is learning how to see, and then spending time in the same area of sky so you get to know what's actually there.

We have the season of fabulous views coming (I can't wait for the winter views of the Orion Nebula again personally), and you will quickly get to know some views that will become personal favourites (like the Orion Nebula is for me).

I've now got one of those little netbook things, which will run Stellarium, and I can take that out with me when observing (if I can get signal from the wifi, look out, I'm going to be boring you all stupid with OOoooh's! and AAaaaaaaaah's! and Woooooow's!, I can see it now . . . ). That's going to be a help too.

There's bucket loads of stuff to see out there, and both of us have now got nice little light buckets to see it all with.

It's going to be a heck of a Winter, imho.

I never thought I would live to be an auto-guider interfaced between a netbook and a telescope though, that's for sure. lmao!

PS have you got a decent wide field low magnification eyepiece? If not, one of them will be a massive help for finding things. I've got a cheap secondhand 38mm 2" EP, with a 70 degree field of view, and giving 31.5 x mag, it's really great! I don't know how right it is, but Stellarium says it's giving me a 2.2 degree field of view.

[Vega]

Shame Jupiter only came out as a really bright star with 3 littler stars.

Did you try a higher power eyepeice on it? (lower number in mm). It should look pretty good in your scope and should be able to show the clouds bands on the planet.

I recommend the double cluster in Perseus with a nice wide angle, low magnification eyepeice (highest number in mm)

Albireo double star in Cygnus is always a pleaser too. If you can find the cross or kite shaped constellation (Cygnus) high overhead after dark, Albireo is the star on its tail. (Failing that, click on the magnifying glass button in stellarium and type 'Alberio' in the search... same goes for the 'double cluster')

Matt

[Tredelerch79]

2 down, 200 billion to go to the end of chapter 1!

Get a book like 'Turn Left at Orion'?

Have you got a compass at all? I find that one of those is great with Stellarium, so you know where you are with it. I got dad a birthday card which had a nice small compass in it, and as soon as his birthday was over, I pinched it (it's a great help).

Basically though, relax, enjoy the views, have a go trying to find some stuff, and when you fail (almost bound to at first, I think), try again next time, and often 'There it is!' and 'How the heck did I miss that before?'.

A lot of it is learning how to see, and then spending time in the same area of sky so you get to know what's actually there.

We have the season of fabulous views coming (I can't wait for the winter views of the Orion Nebula again personally), and you will quickly get to know some views that will become personal favourites (like the Orion Nebula is for me).

I've now got one of those little netbook things, which will run Stellarium, and I can take that out with me when observing (if I can get signal from the wifi, look out, I'm going to be boring you all stupid with OOoooh's! and AAaaaaaaaah's! and Woooooow's!, I can see it now . . . ). That's going to be a help too.

There's bucket loads of stuff to see out there, and both of us have now got nice little light buckets to see it all with.

It's going to be a heck of a Winter, imho.

I never thought I would live to be an auto-guider interfaced between a netbook and a telescope though, that's for sure. lmao!

PS have you got a decent wide field low magnification eyepiece? If not, one of them will be a massive help for finding things. I've got a cheap secondhand 38mm 2" EP, with a 70 degree field of view, and giving 31.5 x mag, it's really great! I don't know how right it is, but Stellarium says it's giving me a 2.2 degree field of view.

I just don't get how I find things though. How will a book tell me where to look? I don't even know exactly where my telescope is pointing in the first place. I am so completely new to this that even the most basic lingo scares the hell out of me.

I recommend the double cluster in Perseus with a nice wide angle, low magnification eyepeice (highest number in mm)

Albireo double star in Cygnus is always a pleaser too. If you can find the cross or kite shaped constellation (Cygnus) high overhead after dark, Albireo is the star on its tail. (Failing that, click on the magnifying glass button in stellarium and type 'Alberio' in the search... same goes for the 'double cluster')

Matt

ARRRRGGGHHH!!! [runs away]

[Ogri]

Well a cheap compass will get you pointing into the right area, the book will help you find places to start, Stellarium shows the bright stuff (as you zoom in, so the visibility numbers decrease) to use as a guide, and with the finder and a low magification eyepiece, or a pair of binoculars, you can see the layout of the targets for you to go for.

The more you do, the easier it gets.

PS. Oooooh no clouds! Runs out to put telescope out to cool.

[Moonshane]

the good thing about books like TLO and http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-reviews/111106-illustrated-guide-astronomical-wonders-first-impressions.html which is better once you get to know the basics, is that they assume you know nothing, although they expect you to know where NES&W are which is easy - sun rises in east and sets in wets the others follow clockwise N ever E at S hredded W heat but assume you are lay on your back when you do the clock thing.

they give main guide stars like Vega, Arcturus, Capella etc which you will know and recognise in double quick time.

[LukeSkywatcher]

the good thing about books like TLO and http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-reviews/111106-illustrated-guide-astronomical-wonders-first-impressions.html which is better once you get to know the basics, is that they assume you know nothing, although they expect you to know where NES&W are which is easy - sun rises in east and sets in wets the others follow clockwise N ever E at S hredded W heat but assume you are lay on your back when you do the clock thing.

they give main guide stars like Vega, Arcturus, Capella etc which you will know and recognise in double quick time.

Going by the title of the book, i think the authors of TLAO expect you to at least know where Orion is.

No point looking at ANY map if you have not got the foggiest as to where you are.

LOL.

[Ogri]

Well the good news is, once you've got the basics, they stay with you. I did a fair bit years ago sailing, which was very good for teaching you things like keeping a weather eye open, etc.

Thanks to that, when my satnav charging system conked out somewhere east of Budapest last year, and with no maps on me (I wasn't bothered really, could have hit Vienna and aimed for the Med, and followed that to the border with Spain, then headed North), I was able to get to the campsite in the Czech Republic no problem, and from there across Germany, through Belgium, etc. Just using the Sun.

The bad news is, even when you've got it, you can have fog close in like it just has with me! lol!

Still I had a nice view of the Dumbell Neb just before it closed in, so no complaints.

That 38mm has got very nice contrast on a night like this, fair play. Well impressed.

[Tredelerch79]

Right then, we finally have another clear night here so i've got the dob out the garden cooling down. So, apart from the moon and jupiter what else could I see with a Skywatcher Skyliner 200p Dob with a "Super 25 wide angle long eye relief" eye piece and a "Super 10mm" eye piece? That's what it says on the boxes by the way.

[Tredelerch79]

Evening all, long time no post.

I'm after a webcam for my skywatcher 200p. Any suggestions on makes, models and where?

Ta!

[haitch]

This one Cheap Philips SPC880 webcam - 49269 - discounts & offers

The last of the CCDs (more sensitive for low light than CMOS sensors). A few months back before they came up with a load of surplus stock they were going for over £50 2nd hand. You'll want the adaptor and filter they sell too (although you can buy those elsewhere).

There are instructions on SGL to flash it to SPC900 firmware so it's easy to install on Windows 7 if you have that. Lots of guides and tutorials about too.

There are also modifications that can be done to enable long exposures for DSOs so you might want to get a spare or 2 to play with (I bought 4 at the cheaper price of £6 each when stock was higher)

HTH

How's it going by the way... got much use out of the scope?

Paul

[Tredelerch79]

This one Cheap Philips SPC880 webcam - 49269 - discounts & offers

The last of the CCDs (more sensitive for low light than CMOS sensors). A few months back before they came up with a load of surplus stock they were going for over £50 2nd hand. You'll want the adaptor and filter they sell too (although you can buy those elsewhere).

There are instructions on SGL to flash it to SPC900 firmware so it's easy to install on Windows 7 if you have that. Lots of guides and tutorials about too.

There are also modifications that can be done to enable long exposures for DSOs so you might want to get a spare or 2 to play with (I bought 4 at the cheaper price of £6 each when stock was higher)

HTH

How's it going by the way... got much use out of the scope?

Paul

Nice one Paul. I've been using the scope yes but haven't had the tools or know how to look for more things. I have a couple of books now that im getting through, have a planisphere on order and the Stargazing Live thing the BBC did this week was a great help too. When the skies clear i'm hoping to do some searching, spending a few hours outside having a look around. then when the webcam arrives I can start looking at imaging and things.

[Tredelerch79]

So i've got the cam, now what? I've plugged it in to the laptop but it won't install Keeps talking about needing a driver but then says it can't find one to install. This is my first stumbling block, i'm sure there will be many others.

[haitch]

Which version of Windows are you on? If it's Xp or below there is a driver download link on the Morgan Computers website otherwise see here... http://stargazerslounge.com/astro-lounge/113699-philips-spc880nc-now.html

That thread contains just about anything you can imagine you might want to know about these webcams.