Just got my scope

[Debostar]

Friends, i have just brought my new scope home...It is a Celestron 130 SLT...(Reflector type). I bought it from sharafDG (www.sharafdg.com)

I also got a celestron power pack, and 8 energizer AA batteries.

And also they gave me a free ticket to the aqua park and a free LG electronic photo viewer... (Dubai shopping festival promo)

Wish me luck...I will not take it outside tonight, because it is slightly cloudy and windy....Tonight I will try to assemble it indoors.

[valleyman]

Good luck with the new scope, Wish i could pick and choose a night to go out,

Have not seen a star now for weeks.............

[Daz Type-R]

Got my scope last Wedneday and managed to get out Saturday night for about an hour before the clouds rolled in

Managed to get my finder scope alligned nicely to the main scope then spent the next hour stareing in awe of the detail of the moon, then just as I decided to try and find the Orion nebular (M42 I think ) in came the clouds.

Very happy so far, just need another clear night.

[yoda]

Congrat's matey I hope you have a great first light.

[Debostar]

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/130028-celestron-nexstar-130slt-first-light.html

that was my first light...Tonight I shall attempt to see Jupiter.

[Debostar]

I saw Jupiter...a bright white disc with the accompanying moons, that look like bright stars. A hint of two brownish lines across the disc. The sky was heavily light polluted with 4-5 massive flood lights at the nearby stadium, it looks like a game was going on plus strong windy conditions meant that I had to give up....Tomorrow will probably be better. I was amazed at the crispiness of Jupiter and the strong light it emits...

[Astro Imp]

Congrats on your new scope.

Lots more to see and enjoy.

Keep us posted.

Clear skies.

[Jimmy Stix]

I saw Jupiter...a bright white disc with the accompanying moons, that look like bright stars. A hint of two brownish lines across the disc. The sky was heavily light polluted with 4-5 massive flood lights at the nearby stadium, it looks like a game was going on plus strong windy conditions meant that I had to give up....Tomorrow will probably be better. I was amazed at the crispiness of Jupiter and the strong light it emits...

Jupiter is pretty cool isn't it! Congrats on the new scope.

How many moons did you see?

Have you downloaded Stellarium? it's free and will tell you what to expect in real time and may give you an idea of anything that puzzles you.

http://stellarium.org/

BTW you do know that Jupiter does not actually emit light right?

[Debostar]

I saw 4 moons...just like it is shown in stellarium....Jupiter is a reflector...just like my scope.

My only problem was that it was so windy that the scope wobbled and I really would prefer to view it another night when it is not windy...

[Jimmy Stix]

Great! Nice when you can compare what you have seen to Stellarium.

Don't talk to me about astonomy in the wind. Last month I had reasonable seeing at one of my dark sites, but it's not that sheltered, and the wind was just whipping across the fields. Boy were those stars "dancing" in the eyepiece!

Happy gazing out there!

[Debostar]

Yes, I will have to wait for a still night, it is just too windy tonight....

The moons of Jupiter appeared to be in a straight line from top to bottom and one of them was very near to the disc...There was also a star at right angles to this view, but I think it is not a moon, it is an unrelated star. I think that, had I observed longer, the Jovian system would have moved away from it...Can you tell the names of the moons just by seeing their positions, or would you need to see stellarium to know? According to stellarium, Europa seemed to be the one nearer to Jupiter, but this could be related to it's position at the time...I have got to read a bit more about these things....

[Jimmy Stix]

Of course the moons orbit Jupiter so it depends on what time you look. I have been quite successful in identifying the moons using Stellarium. I am still learning too and maybe if you have lots of experience you can name them without reference but not me yet. Oh no, long way to go!