First Light SW 150P - EQ3-2 mount.

[jayjt29]

Got my shiny new SW150P On Wednesday and as i imagined the sky was full of clouds!

Anyway got out in the back garden from 19:30 to 21:10 on 10/03/11.

My first port of call was the moon and WOW it was amazing, i had viewed it a few days prior with an old 3" Tasco with a 20mm and 5mm eye piece i was amazed at this so was stunned at what i saw with the 150P i used all the supplied Ep's 10mm and 25mm and the Barlow. All were great and i could have spent longer viewing but thought id try and find M and M82....

Being a 'man' i didn't fully read the instructions and even after browsing here for nearly 2 months, the mount was not set up correctly so i failed to find M and M82 (even with use of Turn left at Orion!) The two main causes were not having the mount aligned correctly so i could not navigate the sky and possibly the light pollution from a nearby street light!

I have since read the instructions from cover to cover regarding the ESQ-2 and watched numerous videos and guides on the internet and have been 'practicing' indoors even with the wifes head shaking and huffing and puffing!

Anyway back to the thread topic, whilst trying to scan the sky for M / 82 near the Big dipper or as i have always known it the 'saucepan' i viewed a satellite passing just under the handle or 'ALKAID' at 20:21 hours, i later looked this up on Stellarium and found out it was ENVISAT it was orange in colour and 1249km away traveling at 0.74KM/S i told the wife my new found knowledge but it didn't have the desired effect and i was called a Geek..... I am not just interested what i had viewed. So all was not lost with my search for 81/82..... Next time i will locate one of them! well ill try!

My attention was then drawn to Betelgeuse and Sirius that i could see with my own eyes, unfortunately several large trees where in the way so i did not try to view with the scope.

I then turned back to the moon and viewed this for a further 5 minutes or so and tried to take some snaps with my iphone afew came out ok (that is my ok ) so i will not be uploading them just yet!

I looked above the moon and saw M45 or as i call it the small saucepan.. This was easier to locate using the scope and i spent the rest of my freezing first viewing looking at the many stars that can be seen within it, i again used all the EP's combos that you get with the 150P i was impressed with what i saw and i made notes of the nights activity's which i plan to keep in a folder with hopefully many many more nights viewing.

All in all it was a good few hours and only the second time i had even looked into a telescope:hello2: Im hooked :D Not that i have any knowledge on the subject but if your a Newbie like me and have £250 as a budget i dont think you can go far wrong with equipment i have, which was £239, now what do i get or put toward with the £11 change i have from my budget....?

Thanks

Jay

[Astro Imp]

Hi Jay,

Glad you managed to get out and enjoy your first night.

If you haven't already bought/made a red light torch definitely consider one for your first purchase.

I can't beleive your wife thought you a geek

Hope you have many more great nights.

[jayjt29]

Cheers Astro, to be fair to the other half she did come out a few times to view the moon and i think she was secretly impressed by what she saw, not that she would admit it as that would indeed make her a Geek'ess..

Im working shifts over the next few nights so wont be able to get out until a week or so..

Your sig is indeed right and i did read the manual if all else fails!

Jay

[solo]

Nice one Jay. Looks like just as soon as you get the mount set up sorted you'll be on the long slippery slope to clear skies obsession syndrome.Welcome to the club and happy viewing.

Cheers, John.

[jayjt29]

Thanks John, after only and hour and a half and a wonky stand I'm already on the slippery slope!

Now to the seasoned amongst you, whats the easiest way to get new kit past the misses?

Jay

[brantuk]

Get a really cheap old car from the scrap heap and put it in the garage - open the bonnet and strip out some bits leaving them all over the place. Tell her it's a project you're working on. She'll never go in there. Bingo - somewhere to store all your secret astronomy bits lol

[jayjt29]

A cunning plan Brantuk, i can tell you are seasoned in the field of keeping new gear 'under the bonnet' so to speak!

Jay

[ythanpythan]

Jay, I'm using the same technique she uses with shoes and bags.

"What this? No I've had it for ages."

Good luck!

Ian

[jayjt29]

Ah yes that old chestnut! I like it

[Ronseal]

HHmmm, £11 will get you a Mira led headtorch with red filter, the £2 change can be put towards a bar of choc for her indoors

Great first light report, and great scope!

I've stopped telling the wife about things like satelites, but I've sussed out she's into looking at Saturn, seeing shooting stars and the Aurora - all of which I've seen whist out in the garden & she's missed, and I tell her that too!