Calling all newbies

[BENHINSPETER]

Howdy!

I am interested chatting with any newbies to the skies.

In particular, someone who is doing similar things to myself, that is;

Working through Bob Bee's book and mapping the skies. This morning I saw 3 of Jupiter's Moons for the first time and marked the SCP using Achernar (Couldnt see Carina, damn that tree - think Ill chop it down - not - Im a tree lover at heart)

Happy Viewing All!:thumbsup:

Ben.

P.S. Anyone get a pic of Jupiter/Moon/Venus yesterday? It was a beautifull sight!

[Shark Bait]

Check out the latest pics in the Solar System section. There are some great images of this conjunction.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=92428

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=865126#post865126

[ZeroID]

Hey Ben, we're all 'newbies', just some ain't quite as new as others. :D
Chat to us all, you'll get plenty of help and advice and anyone here will get you started.

[MattT]

Another oldie (sort of) here and a newbie at the same time. Trees in the way and don't want to chop it down...put a Possum up it and the tree will be eaten alive in no time. I know this as I have now lost 2 trees to possums recently and the little pests are working on #3 and 4 soon the tallest thing in my back yard will be my tripod, which I'm hoping they can't eat. Ditto ZeroID.
Matt

[PeterM]

Hi Ben,
I've been in the hobby a while but every night under the stars is like a new experience for me. There is always something new and exciting going on. Mapping the skies is a great start. I wish you well in this great hobby/passion and ditto to Zeroid also.

[erick]

Robert Bee's book :thumbsup:

[BENHINSPETER]

Thanks guys.

When I saw 3 of the moons of jupiter this morning, I looked around for a neighbour to share it with, no-one there, then came in and excitedly told my Wife. She said with little exuberance, thats nice dear.

So I thought, bugger it, Ill post on IIS, there must be someone out there interested!


Cheers,:thumbsup:

Ben.

[stardust steve]

Lol:lol: i can relate to that perfectly Ben. I have been like that many times, rushed in to tell the Mrs...I just saw a Meteor through the Eye piece...i just saw The ghost of Jupiter... i just found the SCP!....that's nice dear lol.
It's ok, we can relate to and share your enthusiasm.
Although now the Mrs has taken a slight interest and have her out at the scope sometimes.
:thumbsup:

[ZeroID]

Pretty standard spousal response eh ? ;) You'll get used to it.

That's ok, we'll all be here to cheer you on. I will say though my wife has been impressed, well mildly interested anyway in Saturn and moon closeups where there is something different to see. And sunspots since the transit.

But I'm happy to do my own thing on this anyway, it's sort of 'man cave' time where I build and design, tweak and align, image and look. And I have managed a bit of Outreach at work as I have posted up a few pix I have taken on the office wall so it grows slowly.

[multiweb]

We're all Noobs. Just different levels of noobiness. :)

[saysme]

Plenty of stars in Tindal, back in Aug 1993 I was laying out on the hard stand and counted HEAPS of 'shooting stars' I would suggest it was probably a significant shower but I was captivated! stars like I had never seen stars before. I Envy your location if only for the dark skys, there isn't a better location to start this hobby.

[zimzum71]

hello people, i love this site..i live on the sunshine coast hinterland (maleny), very new to astronomy..does anyone (who lives in or near this area) know of a really dark dark dark open area or lookout. my home is in a pretty cool place for viewing...but i always want a little more......

[BENHINSPETER]

Its great to have this place to share our enthusiasm, like how we found the SCP Steve.

And Brent, making that 'man-cave' relation to the hobby makes so much sense, we must have the biggest man-caves ever!

[ZeroID]

Here's my 'man cave', the dang roof keeps coming off !!

[BENHINSPETER]

When we finally move to our little piece of heaven in tasmania (happening very soon) and when I finally get my 10" newt (happening not so very soon), I shall have need to make such a man cave.

I look forward to the day, followed by nights of man cave madness.

[astroron]

Hi Pete,I am at Cambroon just not far from you near Kenilworth.
Give me a PM or send an email for details s to how to get here .

:welcome: to iceinspace :)
Cheers:thumbsup:

[clueless]

Yes, I wish I wasn't so excited in wanting her to see everything as well. It makes it hard to sneak home, say, a new goto mount, but if I did that she would chop its legs, and mine, off.
There must be some way into convincing her I need a goto mount, and to not worry about the next electricty bill.
How much is a kerosine heather these days :lol:

[stardust steve]

:lol: I am in the same boat. Desperately trying to find a way to get on of these fandangled tracking mounts home.
I know patience is a virtue but c'mon already i have waited long enough!. . . maybe my tax check from Ms Gillard will tip the odds in my favor :D

[zimzum71]

hi all, i just have to share an experience with y'all.....i trust no one will go "yeah yeah, bin there done that....ive only been into asto' since the start of this year, started off with a pair of giant 20x80 skymasters (they are just fantastic), then aquired a puny tasco galaxsee...but i won it off ebay for around $30, so couldnt go wrong realy, especialy learning to use an equitorial mount, and it had those department store eyepieces - H20, H12.5, SR4 ect.....BUT i have just aquired a celestron c90 Mak-Cass (about the size and weight of a 2 letre milk bottle--wonderfully portable)....it is simply incredible, add to the fact it came with a 32mm plossl, its also my first experience with a proper eyepiece. so this morning i was up around 4am and holy sh** the nothern sky is full of eye candy...jupiter, venus, orions belt + nebula...with the new gear i could see jupiter so sharp with at least 4 cloud bands. i NEVER knew the importance of a good eyepiece, befor i was all about how to put cash aside and go for an 8inch+ dob...that can wait...too long to save that much, now im looking at and researching eyepieces like mad, again i never knew of all the different types, brands and designs...i figure two excelent eps and a good barlow will keep me very pleased indeed, ooh and a couple of filters. now on top of all that i was able to construct a wonderfuly solid stand that works like a giant camera mount....so pointable with a long handle to freely move accross the sky AND ive attached one of those holographic red dot target thingys used for airsoft guns. its connected by a swivle ball that came off a cheap camera stand - you look through the little screen with an iluminated red cross or reticle, line it up with say saturn and your on target within seconds....i put so much time into making the stand and the viewing very very easy to use, i love getting the "wow!" responce from friends and visitors as they look around...especialy the rings of saturn. cheers to you all, ive learnt so much from this site and you fine people......a special thanks to astroron for inviting me to his observitory, nice people, great gear---40cm wide, 6 foot long dobsonian
.....need i say more....................
p.s. just a quick question to anyone who can help, my c90 came with a pretty solid diagonal corector, but ive heard its a bit ordinary, is it worth getting a premo one? will it add more to viewing quality?

[ZeroID]

Hi Pete, sounds like you're having more than enough fun as you are. If you re getting good views now I wouldn't worry too much much about a 'better' diagonal. The perceived improvement would be marginal at best.

I'm not sure what the best EPs for a small Mak-Cass are but someone with knowledge of them will chip in. I'd just be making sure I got good EPs and accessories, barlow especially etc for now and enjoying the view.

What EPs have you got already ? If you list them someone can make suggestions, normally expensive. :eyepop: I use 2 mostly, my 15mm and 20 mm GSO Superviews. For the price they work extremely well in the DOB and the 80mm.

Eventually you will get aperture fever, it is inevitable so any good buys now will be still good then. :thumbsup:

[moonunit]

Ever heard of paragraphs?

[RB]

I saw one once !
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showpost.php?p=880490&postcount=1

;)

[zimzum71]

yeah me too, but the foto was blury and to tell the truth i think it was just a guy in a hairy suit....;)

hey zeroid cheers for the info on the diagonal, its good to know. at the moment ive just got a celestron 32mm plossl, and a whats called a "super barlow x2" from a mob called seben in germany....seems realy solid and well made.

but i have just come from the world of H20, H12.5, SR4, so its already a huge improvement. i was thrilled with the fov on the 32, makes the huygens like looking through a black soda straw...

at about 1.3 km from my house i can read car licence plates with the lower power plossl + barlow comapared with H's that come nowhere close ....on the same road is one of those "40km/hr school zone 9am - 4pm" signs thats great for use as a focus chart and calibrating the spotter...

also does a realy good barlow (as apposed to a plastic tube you get with a department store scope) make a big difference? id be greatfull to know about say a top of the range price and make, and then a middle range but still decent..

yes its inevitable i will get aperture fever but my c90 has eased my panic of pooling enough cash together to get something big, im just so happy with it, cost me $160 from the U.S. and your dead right with what ever i spend on 1.25" eyepices can be put to use on the next toy.....

[ZeroID]

Seben is good I beleive. On your 32mm that will give you a 16mm option. It will be slightly dimmer than a 15-16mm EP by itself though.
I 'd suggest a range of about 10mm, 15mm, 20mm would give you plenty of options. I also have 6mm and 9mm TMB Planetaries but not sure how these would go on your smaller scope ( mine is 10")

[zimzum71]

ah i see, i guess because there is simply another layer of glass between your eye and the view... i wouldn't have though of that. for sure the ep sizes you mentioned are about what ive been checking out, except for around 14-15mm because i now used to think i could just halve the 32 and get the same brightness....again cheers for the info man....