New Scope Report from Germany

[Steve NRW]

Hi Folks,

I've had my 8" Skywatcher Dob for a week now and we've had a few clear nights here near Osnabrueck, so here's what I've seen. I've been a bit limited in what I can look for because at the moment we still have about a foot of snow in the garden and my scope has to be placed more or less outsise my back door. The Orion Nebula appears over the garage roof at about 10 o'clock. The basin of Ursa Major rises over my conservatory at about 11.30!

Spent a bit of time looking at Jupiter. The planet and the moons are have been really clear and I've really enjoyed looking at it whilst waiting for Orion to move far enough around to view it. After Jupiter I've been moving onto the Pleiades. Following the advice in Turn Left at Orion, I've been looking through the 25mm EP suppied with the scope. Although I've enjoyed looking at it through my 10x50 binos too. When the Orion Nebula finally appears over the garage, it really has been breath-taking. Genuinely mind-boggling to look at at area of star formation. I also managed to find M81 and M82, although all too briefly before the clouds rolled in. Tonight my wife was out with me and she was most chuffed at finding Andromeda.

That's about it. I've been really pleased with the whole thing. I've certainly learned that books like Turn Left at Orion are really helpful in getting you started - but also that you need to develop a personal understanding of the way around the sky. Although I have nothing to compare it against, I am really pleased with the scope (thanks TS) and I can understand why it is so well though of.

Now, I can't wait for:

1. The snow to melt so I can move around the garden with my scope a bit more (not to mention being able to cycle to work again) and so that it stops reflecting the light.

2. The Revelation Eyepiece Kit I ordered from FLO to be shipped.

3. Warmer nights (really cold with a biting wind here tonight. Brrr.).

I think I may be hooked! Great fun!

[oldfruit]

Hi Steve. Great to hear someone has clear skies as here in the Uk it has been cloudy for what feels like forever. Sounds like you are enjoying your new scope and a bonus when the wife enjoys it too.

I also have a Revelation eyepiece kit and think it`s great with a good range of magnifications for use on different targets.

Good choice of scope too. You will be able to see a lot with that scope and i doubt you will ever be short of things you will be able to view with it.

Hope you skies stay clear (though i say that with jelousy).

[iamjulian]

Yes, well done for getting your wife outdoors my wife is genuinely interested, but I always seem to drag her out on the coldest nights. To save me looking you up on a map, what is your latitude there in Germany?

[Steve NRW]

We are at latitude 52.32 degrees, so about the same as Nottingham which is where I used to live! Although the main difference (apart from less gun-related crime!!!) is that although I am only 10 miles out of the city here, things are much, much darker. There are fewer streetlights and we don't get the dreaded orange sodium lighting glow!