First/second light

[sammy1404]

Well tbh its actually 3rd time using my scope but i havent posted a report which i promised so here we go starting with my equipment and then a detailed report of each day.

scope in use was a skywatcher skyliner 250px dobsonian. Eyepieces were the standard 10mm and 25mm super's which came with the scope. Otherwise that is it.

First day was the day after i received the scope ( 11th january). It was still day early sunset but i used the scope and looked at the moon. First with my 25mm it was pretty clear but a little bit of unwanted light but still pretty good first try, clearly saw the craters. Moved up to the 10mm and it was just amazing, saw really close up on the moon easily spotting individual craters. After, i scanned the skies for other things but only saw stars, pointed the scope at one particular star because it was brightest and hey presto i was looking at jupiter through my 10mm. What can i say it was amazing, very clear saw the equitorial band and 4 moons. Overal comment so far, pretty good scope but it was day time so wanted to put it up to the test more.

Next was friday evening. Got home cracked out the scope and went straight to jupiter. Found it with ease and aligned with ease using the finder scope, it was pretty much the same as the first time maybe a bit clearer with more contrast, moons were still there but in a different position. Back to the moon, yet again amazing. Then i did my first deep space search. First of all i found the orion nebula, well i was gob smacked, just amazing, pretty big in the EP, filling most of the view, although it was black and white i could still make out the rough shape of it but hopefully with a bit of astrophotography coming up ill be able to make it out even clearer. Finally i went to m31, the moon was very bright so it was just a fuzz. But what an amazing fuzz it was it was just simply stunning and mesmourising to be seeing another galaxy like ours which may have life there. After this day i was grinning for about 24 hours and the scope had beaten all expectations.

Finally is today where i saw a lot more. Got up at 6:30 for school saw it was clear so i went outside. Straight away i saw venus so i got the scope and saw it in a (dont know the correct ternimonology) half moon state, god it was bright! Next i went onto my first viewing of saturn... WOW!! its just shockingly amazing, i clearly made out the shape of it and could see the rings with ease, it was tilted just enough to see the gap between them and the cassini division was visible ever so slightly. I think i saw a few moons as well about 3 unless they were stars. Later at 19:00 i went outside. Looked up with my eyes and saw a fuzzy patch so i looked through the scope and there was the pleides. Great sight, it was very clear and i could easily seperate close stars this was with a 25mm. Next was the moon with 25mm and 10mm, got it was bright, it temporarily blinded my right eye lol, going to get a filter for that but still great sight and the way it is facing us just shows how random space can be with this side being smooth compared to the others. Next was jupiter with both EP's, pretty clear with 4 moons visible, band was clear but no spot and was very bright probs because of the moon so it was difficult to focus. Next was m31, again it was very fuzzy but i could still make out the rough shape of it but it was just grey with a bright center, moon hasnt done much favours today. Finally i went onto viewing the orion nebula through both EP's, was amazing again, clear detail luckily the moon didnt effect it. However im not sure if im looking at the right thing because there are lots of nebula in and around orion so idk. I think it was though in the right region and looked about right. Oh and i tried hunting down the crab nebula but with no luck.

Im guessing that everyone is bored now lol. Any tips or anything appreciated otherwise enjoy. So you know i have ordered a t ring for my canon eos, a 6mm celestron omni, and a collimator.

Thanks

Sammy

[kniclander]

great report, great scope;) . enjoy the collimation:D

take your time with jupiter - the more you look, the more you see.