Saying hi

[Mliss]

Truth is, I've been coming here since October last year :P

I'm still trying to get my head around the basics - hence my delay in speaking up, but I felt it was about time to thank you all for this wonderful site and all the people here who make it so.

I've always loved astronomy, but I didn't buy my first telescope until last year. Like answering that embarrassing question "what was your first record?"... while I'm taking the plunge I may as well admit it was a SW Heritage. :rolleyes: It has been fun and great for the kids as well, but it's just left me burning to see more.

So after literally months of procrastination, in the next month or two I will be finally jumping in and purchasing a GSO 10" and I can't wait!!!! I'm still doing my homework and reading thru the threads on this telescope but I keep coming back to this one.

So until then.... :hi: Mel

[ballaratdragons]

Hi Mel.

Sounds like you have certainly been doing research whilst lurking :)

Yes, good choice on the Dob.

Feel free to ask any questions or suggest any tips you come across. :thumbsup:
Oh, and where is Mandurah?
Is it in W.A.?

[Ric]

Hi Mel and welcome.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, there are a lot of talented people here who will help you along your way.

Cheers

[Mliss]

hahaha Hi Ken :) I was just reading a post you'd left on another thread about Dobs.

;) @ lurking...

Mandurah is in WA about an hour south of Perth. A busy place, but still rural in parts so lots of dark corners around.

thanks for your welcome too, and after thru reading your list of telescopes, i don't think i'll be the one with tips on anything for a loooong time yet. :lol:

[ballaratdragons]

I got a few but don't know the technical side of them. I just use them :P

[Mliss]

Hi Ric, couldn't agree more. some brilliant minds here! :prey2:

:rofl:Ken. looking forward to getting to that stage!!!

[[1ponders]]

Belated :welcome: then Mel. long time lurker. :) A 10" dob and an inquiring family, what a combination :D. Good luck and keep asking. Don't forget the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked. :doh:

:thumbsup:

[stephenb]

Hi Mel :hi:

I also think you've made an excellent choice for a first scope. A perfect all rounder in aperture, weight and ease of use. Also one which will assist you in consolidating your knowledge of finding your way around the sky. Dobs are great at learning to starhop and general navigation without the aid of fancy electronics.

There are just so many free resources in the internet these days. You may have found these links already but Taki's 8.5 Magnitude Star charts (http://www.geocities.jp/toshimi_taki/atlas_85/atlas_85.htm) are a set of excellent free star charts. And don't forget Stellarium (http://www.stellarium.org/) if you haven't downloaded it already.

Clear skies :astron:

[Gem]

Hi Mel :welcome:

As someone who used a 10" dob for many years...
In addition to online resources, I find a good book or two is helpful in finding your feet!
I'd recommend Sky Atlas 2000 and Hartung's "Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes". Between these two, you can plan out your observing sessions.

Good luck! :)

[Mliss]

:thanx: for the lovely welcome.

I have been tossing up so many options over the months - second hand vs new, GOTO or without, Equatorial/Alt-Az and just about everything in between. :question: I'm starting to wonder which interest (*cough* healthy obsession) is greater, the world of telescopes or the night sky.

But i've found that the 10" has many happy owners. As with the dob base.. it's looks just so much easier. There's no need for me to travel so portability isn't something I'm chasing, and just as well as there are only so many ways to keep a 3yr old happy. So the kids got to bed, I enjoy quiet time. :D

Thanks for those links too. I haven't downloaded any star chats just yet, I'm saving that for my first night out when I can really begin to see things. I have been buying Sky & Telescope for a few months and they have one in there each month, which are becoming easier to use as I'm becoming familiar with what's up there. Stellerium is my favorite!! What a gem :)

I don't know any one who is into Astronomy and my friends and family I think are now just quietly tolerating my rants of excitment. Honestly, how could you "forget" to watch a lunar eclipse :screwy: :rofl:

There is a lot of freedom in watching the bigger picture. It puts everything back into perspective.

[renormalised]

Hi Mel and welcome to IIS:):)

Feel free to ask as many questions as you like, we're all here to help you out:)

There are also plenty of members here from over your way and I'm sure they'll be able to help you out in person if they can. I would also recommend joining a club. It's the one place you'll learn very quickly from, plus you'll get the chance of looking through all the other scopes!!!:)

[oosh]

Welcome Mel :) I'm new here also and have already learnt a great deal - we're hoping to get our first scope soon too, also a 10" dob. :)

[Iceaxe]

:welcome: Mel

Can I suggest joining a club / society.

The info you'll pick up is extremely helpful, there is more to astronomy that looking into telescopes, stuff like :- Spectrograph, Collimation, Setting up, ect. The wealth of knowledge and experience of the members is great.
Some club have loan telescopes (that's how I learnt dods mount was easy, and my friend's equatorial mount frustrating).

It may be hard with bubs, but worth checking out.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/clublistings.html#WA

If you get a dobsonian you need to think :-
-Collapsible or Truss type - easy to transport ect.
-Solid Tube - can be mounted on an equatorial goto / tracking type mount.

For me first was a 10" dobsonian (solid) on a dobsonian mount and some good quality eye pieces,
next will be an EQ6 Pro mount or heaver duty equatorial mount so It can take future loads eg- cameras ect, (by then I would have leant enough from the club to understand it, & not get frustrated),
and when I'm ready ... Astrophotography.

Well that's my plan, it might not be yours.

[Mliss]

Hi Carl, thanks for your warm welcome. :hi: I'm hoping to track down a club near by soon. It will be a great experience and so much fun.

Jason:welcome: welcome to you too.

When are you planning to get your telescope?? Would love to hear how is all goes. Some wonderful photos on your website, are you planning on getting into astrophotography?

lol Jo, that's exactly where my 10yr plan takes me too :rofl: I'm hoping to establish most of my base knowledge with the 10" dob, so I'm getting the biggest bad boy i can afford. then upgrade and get something portable and, as you wisely put, "when i'm ready...astrophotography." Awesome plan right?! :2thumbs:

oh and I clicked on your link, and have just found out that ASWA offer instrumental load prgrammes. I will definately be calling them tomorrow. :D

[oosh]

The girlfriend and I are planning to have one within a few months, though truth be told there's still PLENTY of learning that can be had for me with just the binos. I'd like to get into astrophotog at some stage down the track, and the whole concept of imaging really excites me, but I just want to learn more and observe with the Dob for a fair while yet I think - still so much to learn before I head down that path, and I think the credit card will thank me for it toohttp://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/../vbiis/images/smilies/rofl.gif

[Suzy]

Hi Mel :hi:

So nice to have another female on here, I think there are too few of us on this forum :sadeyes:, so I'm very glad you've stopped lurking. :P

I have a 10" dob and love it to bits. Just handle-able, and once on wheels, it's a breeze. Though I have to admit when I first got it I had visions of me being pinned under it if it hit a bump whilst I was dragging it around.:question: I could see the newspaper captions: " Serious wannabe visual astronomy observer gets pinned and trapped by her own scope doing what she loves doing the most.." :question: Aye, a tad embarrassing.. squished astro girl is not a good look :shrug:.

I'm actually getting a table top little dob soon, I think like you're SkyWatcher Heritage, but in a 4" and the Orion brand (as a grab 'n' go). I'm going backwards to what you're doing. :screwy::lol:

Perhaps you'd like to join us in the Observation Forum with some obs reports :question:. I do reports even with binoculars :D. It's a great way to learn and sharpen up our skills with visual observing. :)

I look forward to your contributions. ;) :D

Have fun and very glad to have you with us,
Suzy.

P.S. I love your avitar by the way!

[Mliss]

Suuuuzzzzy :love2: I know right? were are all the girls??

"Serious wannabe visual astronomy observer gets pinned and trapped by her own scope" :rofl: I hadn't thought of that either. Can you not pick it up or am I getting confused with my baby scope? Any WHY are you getting a little one? Heck you can have mine if you like. :P

Observation Reports? haha i may as well put the kettle on and give up fighting the house work.

Thanks, i love this pic. It was on my facebook for ages. Better than looking at a washed out tired old "i've not slept in ages" pic! All credits to my 4 little stars and all the others in the sky. :lol:

:family:

[Suzy]

:lol2: Mel, you funny gal.

No, I'm afraid I cannot carry this scope. :shrug: I have to rely on hubby for that job (i.e. if we take it in the car etc) I can hoick it up over ledges and bumps using the tension handles (something that's called a "crab shuffle :P), but that's it. The height of the scope (as it's on wheels the base sits 8cm off the ground) comes to my bottom lip, and if I stand in front of the tube, err let's just say except for my shoulders, I don't think much of me would be seen. :rolleyes::lol: It does look impressively big next to me, so when someone says they have a scope, I like to say, pfft take a look a my scope :screwy::P:lol: I'm getting better at judging how much I can yank it around and hoick it over stuff without it tipping.:thumbsup: :lol:

The smaller scope is for a quick grab'n'go to throw in the car or just for a quick session. The 10" is no fuss and easy to get out, for sure, but I tend to do long sessions with it studying deep sky objects. I do a lot of binocular observing for quick sessions, so this will take that place to a certain degree (I will still maintain bino viewing tho). I love star clusters, and I don't need a huge scope to do a lot of cluster observing with. And my neck gets mighty sore from long sessions of bino viewing.:sadeyes:

My advice, don't get rid of your little scope just yet, it may come in handy.:) Seems most people here have got at least one grab'n'go scope, and for good reason.

I'm on fb as well, so why don't you "friend" me sometime. :)

[Liz]

Welcome Mel. :jump:
I also have a 10" Dob, and its great. Always tempting to get a bigger one, but Bella is managable as she is, whereas a big brother may not be.

I also have a 5" goto which Iam still getting my head around, but little Mak is doing well.

Sounds like ya on the right track in all areas ... go girl. :thumbsup:

[ZeroID]

Hi Mel, :welcome:aboard. It's OK, you and Suzy ain't the only girls but you're in a minority. But we'll all watch out for you. :thumbsup:

I'm rebuilding my 10" Dob for astrophotogaphy, but I have a 4.5" which was my starter scope aand I've just picked up an 80mm F5 refractor which will double as a finder on the new 10" scope and a quick Grab and Go travelscope. I also use my 12 x 50 Binocs a lot for in between the clouds viewing. Just give that added seeing when the sky is not good but enough to keep an eye on things above. They are all useful under different conditions and situations so I am not selling any on just yet.

You can never have enough scopes ... :D

In the meantime, enjoy, ask heaps of questions, and learn from some of the friendly folks here, they've been a big help to me.

[Mliss]

:lol: Suzy

Hi Brent... and Liz :clap: don't forget Liz. (I totally love how you've named your scope) And i'm sure there's more of us hiding somewhere :P

Suzy i'll send you a pm for fb :)

It's really interesting to read what people are using. I get to the point where i'm settled on a scope and then i notice something else... i've got to keep telling myself 10" dob and that's final. There are too many options!

Everyone has been so amazing I just can't wait to seriously get started. And in the mean time, trying hard to get all this info in my head.

Maybe I'm missing something but with the smaller scopes, aside from the moon, Jupiter and Saturn it's all degrees of dots.... :confused:

[Suzy]

Mel, what is your level of experience? Do you know any of the constellations yet, and what objects have you viewed through your SW Heritage? What book guides, sky programmes have you got etc. Let me know where your level is so we can get you started better in readiness for that 10" or even optimising the viewing experience through your current scope.
Trust me, once you learn more and get familiar with the sky, they won't look like dots anymore, you'll greet them like old friends. ;):lol:

Just make sure that 10" will fit in your car before you buy it. Usually the base goes on the back seat (too bulky for a boot unless you've got a hatchback perhaps) and the tube in the boot. A 10" definitely will not disappoint. I used to have a 6" and that in itself was just amazing.

[ZeroID]

Mel, plenty to see up there, dots ain't all it is. Might have to be patient sometimes till they come round again next year but there are galaxies you can see if you know where and how to look, nebulae, try Orions Sword next summer, big Globular Clusters that will amaze you and more.

Get Stellarium (Free) up and going on your PC, update the star catalogs and start to learn from there.

And you will see plenty of seasonal lists published here and loads of people to tell you what to look for and where. Don't get too overawed by some of the really clever stuff they do but work your way up through the easier objects like we all do at first ( I still am .. !! :) ) and enjoy the viewing ... if those dang cloiuds would just go away :shrug:.

[Mliss]

"you'll greet them like old friends" haha i do that with the a couple of them already. I think i've even said that to them :rofl::ashamed:

it's been difficult to settle on one paticular 'area' to learn/research. i go from telescopes to constellations with lots of doco's in between. Not happy last week saw the last episode of Stephen Hawking's 'Into the Universe', (downloading as we speak).

I've decided now that i've picked out a scope, to start getting serious with learning my way around the night sky. I've used Stellarium a lot and even if i haven't idenified something in the sly, i'll end up googling it and looking at pics :lol:

Once I've got my scope, and after getting a little closer to Jupiter and Saturn, next on my hit list will be Orion. :jump2:

I would LOVE to know if there is anything i can do with this baby scope in the meantime. I've only got two lenses, the ones that came with the scope. I have thought about this before but had no idea it was worth looking at getting extra eye pieces.

Star catalogs ? in Stellarium ? the prog is playing up on me at the moment and i keep having to zoom forward until night time. doesn't matter too much, but will get around to looking at that later.

SO Suzy, getting back to your original question, my level would be not much above basic!! :nerd: :lol: I know i keep saying this but everyone has been so lovely and as long as i'm not pulling the class average down i think i've found my new home :rofl:

HAHA @ "dang clouds" previously, i never thought i'd feel that way...

[oosh]

Mel - in stellarium try looking in the options menu to check which city/area is set as default, I know mine default to Paris last time I installed it, so you may want to check it out :)

[Mliss]

thanks Jason, i've gone through all the settings. I've even uninstalled it and reinstalled it but the time is out. :S i'm currently looking for a solution in other forums and i'm happy to find i'm not alone. It's sounding like it may be related to the update 0.10.61 :shrug: might peek in here to see if there's another thread going.

btw really liked reading your obs report. :thumbsup:

[oosh]

Cheers Mel :) Hopefully have some clear skies saturday night to find some new stuff! Good luck with the stellarium issue, certainly sounds odd.

[ZeroID]

Orion, you may be a little late for that this year, it's already down in the west at dusk but take a look up by the Southern Cross and then go clockwise around the SCP axis a bit to Eta Carina, 15 degrees maybe. Also anticlockwise from there will get you into Trifid, Eagle, Butterfly, Lagoon ....heaps. Plus plenty of cute globs in there as well.
And then when you run out of those there is 47 Tuc and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Full of targets !! I could spend about 10 nights just on thsoe two easily.

Just received my new little refractor, can't wait to try it out on these and try for some pics.

Have a loook at Paddies amazing charts for SMC and LMC
http://www.cloudsofmagellan.net.au/ (http://www.cloudsofmagellan.net.au/)
I have them printed out on A3 and when LMC and SMC get higher in the sky again tey are going t get another hammering.