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Greetings from Glasgow.

Geo

By Geo
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Geo

Geo

Posted
Posted

Well after years of wanting a telescope I finally took the plunge this week and bought myself an Astromaster 130 (with motor) It was £150. I have also grabbed the Celestron Eye Piece & Filter Kit (£139.99) and a Telrad Red Dot Finder since the one supplied is apparently not very good.

I am completely new to telescopes and astronomy, I know it's not going to a cakewalk but if it makes me even more excited than I am right now then it will have been worth it! I should have it in a few days.

Just wanted to come say hello and ask if this kit is a good place to start? What can I expect from my first week?

Thanks, please be patient with me if you can because when I say I know next to nothing about all this, I really mean it!

Excited!

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brantuk

brantuk

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I Geo and welcome to SGL :)

I'm never used the Astromaster but the size and type of scope (newtonian) is a good start, and with a Telrad I feel you've made a great choice - very useful.

I have the Celestron ep kit - and can use all the ep's except the 4mm and 6mm cos the exit pupils not big enough for me. If you're a younger person you may get on with them better (exit pupils shrink with age lol).

In your first week stick to easy objects - Moon of course, Pliades, M42, and Saturn, to name but a few. Download Stellarium if you haven't allready - it'll show were objects are in the sky at your location. And learn how to polar align the tripod and mount.

You're sure of a thrilling time - any questions just open a thread in the beginners help section :(

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gary1968

gary1968

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Hi Geo, welcome to SGL. If you need any info just shout mate, I'm sure there will be someone that will be able / happy to help.

As you are in Glasgow you might be interested in this little society...... Scottish Astronomers

and we have a forum here....

CSOG Forum - Index

you would be more than welcome to come along to any of our observing sessions, have a look through other scopes and have a blether, as well as having the security of observing in a group.

gary

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Geo

Geo

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Thanks for the replies guys, I had a feeling you'd be a friendly lot!

I downloaded Stellarium earlier and promptly spent over an hour just looking at where everything is up there and when I could maybe see it. Lovely clear skies here in the south side tonight and Im having a lot of fun with the stellarium and the naked eye. I must say I am a bit worried about having it all set up properly. The assembly seems no bother but the actual alligning, focusing and getting it all ready to go does give me the fear.

Gary I will certainly be popping over to that forum and would love to come along to learn some of the basics, and perhaps see some sights. Cheers!

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JamesM

JamesM

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Hi Geo and welcome to the forum.

You were right to get the Telrad because you can adjust the brightness in contrast to the scope's own red dot which is simply too bright to be useful. brantuck is right in suggesting the more straightforward targets and this will help you get to grips with the scale of what you see through the eyepiece compared to that which appears on a star map.

Take and your time and enjoy - it is worth all the setting up!

Continuing clear skies

James

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dod

dod

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Hi and welcome from me too. There's loads of help and good advice here, and you're right, it is a really friendly place. Get your first view of Saturn, it's easy to find and utterly fantastic.

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