So, I got a Planisphere...

[b4d0m3n]

...and I'll try it out tonight, weather permitting. Rock.

[acropolite]

Be vewy...vewy.. careful, they can be dangerous in the wrong hands....:lol2:

[mickal555]

I sticky taped a compass on mine so I know where south is :D

What brand have you got?

The one I got is great!

[rmcpb]

A planishere and a pair of binoculars will keep you going for months. That is all I had for years before getting my scope.

Have fun learning the sky :)

[cahullian]

dont forget you look at it when held above your head lol :poke:

[b4d0m3n]

Aye, aye. :D I can't afford binoculars at the moment (well, I can, but my money is being used elsewhere), but the Planisphere worked admirably. I found Centaurus and Scorpius and what may or may not be Musca. It was awesome. I'm not sure what brand it was, but it cost twenty bucks and worked well enough.

I don't need to put a compass on mine because I know where the sun sets. It's easy to work it out from there. :) Haha! I rock.

[ballaratdragons]

It sets behind the hill in my back paddock! How can you see it from where you are if it sets here? :D

[RAJAH235]

What do you mean? :shrug: The pivot point, ie; eyelet in centre, denotes the SCP. Depends on how far South you are as to how high to hold it...... :D L.
ps. FWIW, a quick South pole finder = Find Crux, draw line thru long axis towards Achernar, approx. 1/2 way between is SCP. If Achernar is not visible, then measure 4.5 Crux's or 26 degs along......or you can look for Sigma Octans..:P :poke:

[Ganymede]

Has anyone ever actually seen Sigma Oct? The 'sky glow' over Brisbane kills it for me, even if it wasn't hidden behind my neighbours garage! Needless to say I use other methods for polar alignment... :D

[RAJAH235]

Have you painted a spot on your neighbour's garage? :P When you know where to look, It's easy with bino's. At our site, the limiting mag is normally around 6, so it's pretty hard n***d eye. For those interested, see attached. :D L.

[asimov]

:thumbsup: Thanks Laurie.

[RAJAH235]

No probs. Can you make out all of the details, John? I inverted the colours to make it easier to read, + it saves on black ink!!! :D L.

[Ganymede]

Thanks Laurie! Not sure if the neighbour would like me painting a spot on his shed, he's a bit grumpy at times...:wink2:

I normally align using a sun-shadow derived north south line which I've averaged over quite a few observations. I used this line to set some small markers in the lawn which I plant the 'scope in each time, then I use the drift method for final tweaking. A bit fiddly at first but I'm getting better at it. :thumbsup:

[Daemon]

People now days are so unimaginative: You don't 'ask' your grumpy neighbour if you can paint spots on his shed, or you know you won't win. You do it thusly; sneak out late at night and spray paint a large red abstract shape on the shed in about the right area. Next morning, watch the neighbours for signs of going to the letterbox or similar, then casualy saunter outside and say something along the lines of, "did those drunken kids wake you up too, last night, while they were hopping the fences and carrying on", feel free to add lib the rest. A few days later, when they've become aware of their new graphito, you go out at in full day, shaking your head sadly at the state of the world, and make an investigative attempt at scratching some of the paint off, in a casual and sympathetically woebegone manner. However, you place the scratched off not red area with accuracy from the calculations and observation you made the night before. Vallah, objective achieved and the grumpy neighbour not only doesn't think you strange (or astranger than he already did), but beggins to think better of you due to your obvious concern for his unmitigated suffering at the hands of the unapreciative young.

Daemon

[elusiver]

:lol:

el :)

[ving]

or a pentagram.... darn devil worshipers!

congrats and enjoy d00d! :)