Beginner needs Help- Western Sydney

[Aktar]

Hi Guys

So i got my first skywatcher dobsonian 10 6 months ago and all i have been doing is looking at the moon.

I guess like all the other Beginners i need help with seeing what else is out there

Located in Blacktown /Sydney /NSW

Checked out the social local and tried to cick on contacts but the page has a error.

Looking for a group into the same thing that can show me more ?

Please help

[OzStarGazer]

For me the best way to locate what else is out there has been Starry Night, but Stellarium (free) is similar.
In Starry Night I just set my location and see the sky and by hovering the mouse it tells me exactly what is what. (You can also have everything labelled without hovering the mouse but I prefer to hover the mouse.) You must know which cardinal point you are facing to be accurate of course.
There are also star charts, but I think software is easier for beginners and the screen and what you see changes automatically as time progresses.
By now I can locate a few objects without its help, but it has been a great help in the beginning.
PS: I am sure there are also clubs out there if you prefer people.

[barx1963]

Aktar
Welcome to IIS. Well done on a great scope!
I am in Victoria so cannot be much help with groups in Western Sydney.
As you have been viewing the moon I assume you are basically familar with the scope and the finder?
If so there are many easy target that you can track down. Number one is the Great Orion Nebula or M42.
First try to locate the belt of Orion with the naked eye. They are 3 fairly bright stars running in a line roughly east west. They can be found to the north at this time of year. Locate the esaternmost (right hand side) star in you finder then move the scope up. You will come across a large vertical scattering of stars and fuzzy patches. Find the brightest fuzzy patch, centre that in the finder then using you lowest power eyepiece see if you can find it in the scope.
It should appear as a large, bright nebula.

Malcolm

[glend]

I would suggest you get yourself a compass and a cheap digital protractor to measure the angle of the tube. With those tools you can find most anything. Put a mark on your base and using the compass align that mark to true north (which means you would subtract about 12.3 degrees due to magnetic declination to find true north).

Download a free copy of something like Skysafari or other plantetarium apps and they will give you the exact altitude and azimuth (compass) heading to find any object.

Go to and the Star party gatherings, whether Katoomba airfield or Mangrove Mountain to learn from the experienced guys.

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Aktar,

Check out www.wsaag.org as they have regular viewing nights up at Linden Observatory as well as monthly meetings at the UWS Kingswood campus where you can take your scope along and get some advice and tips on what to point it at etc.

Sat 25th they have observing on at Linden as well as an 8pm-10pm public night on at Kingswood UWS campus. Check the website for more details. The Linden one, I think, still requires a public donation of $5 per person that goes to the Linden trust (for non-members) but I am pretty sure the UWS night would be free to attend.

Well worth a look!

Cheers

Chris

[batema]

Skymaps is good also. go to the link on the home page for skymaps and look at the southern hemisphere. It tells you what you can see naked eye binoculars and telescopes. You can print it off and hold it above your head and you are away. Be patient as you have to star hop from one place to another to find the object. Here is the link

http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html

Mark

[killswitch]

I am also from Blacktown and i attend the meet at Katoomba. The skies there is much clearer and the guys there are helpful. Its usually held on the Saturday closest to the new moon.

A 10" dob can show you a ton of stuff if you know where to look. From home, you should be able to see Jupiter (planet), Orion nebula (nebula), Pleiades (open star cluster) and 47Tuc (globular cluster).

You can look at a star chart or get an app on your phone to help you find it.

[Aktar]

Thank you - I will need to attend one of these nights soon

[Aktar]

Thank you Chris
The information was very helpful
im planning to attend the next meeting

[Bolt]

Hi Aktar,

I'm also from that part of Sydney. I remember a number of months ago there was an astronomy gathering in Parramatta Park although I didn't attend - seems like it was run by Sutherland Astronomical Society, Astronomical Society of NSW, WSAAG and 3RF Australia.

That should give you (and me also) a couple of groups to look at in our area. Enjoy!

Zack

[mjfitzhenry]

Sydney Northwest Astro Group is closest:
http://60.242.153.180/SNAG/

Regards,
Matt

[aloshan]

Looking for help as well

Located in Sydney, Sutherland Shire - 2234

[Larryp]

Sutherland Astronomical Society have an observatory and meeting hall at Green Point Reserve, Oyster Bay. They meet every Thursday at 7.30pm, and are a great bunch of people. You will find all the help you need there:)

[aloshan]

thanks man