New to the forum...

[Astro_Baby]

Wow theres been so many people joined since I stopped posting for a bit due to other commitments - can I just say a big hello from me

[insomnia]

Who are you again?

[Astro_Baby]

[Altair40]

Well it was Astro_Babies review of the Skywatcher 130M that helped convince me that it was a decent instrument. I had read other reviews before (spent far too much time :-)).

That review did it, though...

Not dissapointed with it yet, given obvious apeture limits. I'd like a 300mm version of this but would probably need a forklift to shift it about.

[Astro_Baby]

Laughs - its called aperture fever.

Actually I very much doubt most people ever exploit the 130 to its full potential. Mine gave some good views of Saturn, Jupiter, open clusters, Albireo and quite a lot of stuff before I sold it on in the lust for more power - buah hah hah Mr Bond

The 130 isnst perfect by any means but for the money its miraculous and like lots of 130 owners I kind of wish I hadn't sold it.

[Altair40]

Thanks for that, Astro_baby.

There's some very dark sky's out in the boondocks around here. Fortunately the box for the scope fits perfectly in the back of our 4 by 4.

I saw either M31 or the double cluster by naked eye in our back yard here last friday or sat eve about 11pm BST. Just a smudge if not really looking at it. 10 by 50 bino's easily showed this to be M31 the night before last. Rain washed atmosphere and the town down in a dip. Only one streetlight behind a large tree...

Just had a look now. Semi cloud, fireworks but can't see M31 by MKI at the moment but:-

There is hope. I know where it is now!

I just need to get in a lot of time walking that equatorial mount around the stars at lowest power. It feels very unnatural to me at the moment.

Not even had a chance to do a polar alignment yet. Because it's been cloudy and when I went after Jupiter I just pointed it in the general direction until I was lucky enough to find it.

For that matter, I don't even know half of the constellations out there yet! Heard of them, yes. Point then out? No.

I can see a years worth of playing about with this instrument before even thinking of anything larger...

!

Patience and learning I what I need

[Pete Presland]

hi astro baby welcome back to sgl from bedfordshire! where would we be without your collimating advice amoung other things

[SeedyF]

hi astro baby welcome back to sgl from bedfordshire! where would we be without your collimating advice amoung other things

What he said /\ /\

[Mr Spock]

Welcome back

[Quatermass]

It was your review on the sky watcher 200 that finally persuaded me to go and by one and now my wife and I are members of our local astronomical society and I cant stop talking about the moon nebula astrophotography barlows focal length celestial spheres right ascention declination filters colmination mounts eq6 eq5 goto ccd etc etc etc my god what have you done astro b:eek:

[Altair40]

Just pointed out that Astronomy is the next cool thing!

Judging by last winter: very cool.

[Brendan of Borg]

Hello