WOW!! I'm hooked for life

[Intergage (Matt)]

Hey all,

I FINALLY got my new scope up and running (I would use my Bino's but don't have a tripod for them) anyway, Saturday night I took out the telescope with my missus and attempted to just point and look at a couple of clusters and stuff. Wasn't very successful saw a couple of small clusters but overall it was blackness. I got fairly pissed at it because of how much it moved, how much I had to focus it etc BUT..

BUT last night I saw the moon and thought "Easy target!" got the scope out again and put in the 20mm lens and looked at the moon, it was breath taking. So I put in the 3x zoom +20mm lens and took a look again. I was stunned.. I couldn't describe what I felt when I saw the surface of the moon from my back yard. I had to see closer so I got out (I THINK!) the 4mm or the 40mm (Not sure, little lens but high magnification) and dropped that into the 3x zoom and as I was refocusing for the new lens I started to see mountain peaks, crators, detailed land scape.

It was, hands down the most beautiful thing I have EVER seen and it was just the moon. After looking for a bit longer until it went down (Was only up for about 40min and then went down again)

Around 10:30pm before I went to bed I remember I left the scope out so I went to pack it away and thought before I do that I should scan the sky for some thing to look at as it was fairly dark. Picked the brightest star I could find and found it threw the 20mm lens, looked like a bright star so I put the 3x in with the 20mm and I started to see 2 other objects near the bright star, centered it and put in the high mag lens and my heart almost dropped out the legs of my pants. I'm not 100% sure but I'm 90% sure that it was Jupiter and two of its moons. I followed it for about 40min just kept readjusting etc and watched it and watched it.

I'm hooked, no questions asked.


tl;dr: Finally got scope working, saw the moon's surface and 90% sure I saw Jupiter and 2 of it's moons. Hooked for life no questions asked.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Congrats.

I also recall seeing the Moon the first time through a scope, and it wasn't even night time. Ah, the excitement.

H

[iceman (Mike)]

Wait until you see Saturn for the first time!

[Intergage (Matt)]

I'm really keen for these "star party" things. So I can learn off people that have been doing it for years. All I want to do now is learn more about it! I would no joke give up my fairly successful career in IT (As successful as a 5 year career can get you) for a career in Astronomy.

I am obsessed with it haha.

[Ric]

It's an awesome hobby Matt, wait until you see your first galaxy.

Cheers

[Intergage (Matt)]

Originally Posted by Ric

It's an awesome hobby Matt, wait until you see your first galaxy.

Cheers

I'm VERY keen on seeing a Nebula. Do you think there are any I would be able to see with my scope (Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ) from an urban observing position?

I also have a set of 80x15 Bino's but no tripod.

I'm REALLY wanting to see a nebula hey.. Even a small one, they interest me the most.

[Octane (Humayun)]

You should be able to see the Horsehead easily.

www.skymaps.com

Go, go, go!

Also, to download Stellarium (free) and have a poke around on your computer to see what's up at what time and in what direction.

I'm a fan and user of Starry Night Pro Plus 6, but, Stellarium should get you going.

H

[iceman (Mike)]

Originally Posted by Octane

You should be able to see the Horsehead easily.

The horsehead? I think not!

Try M42 first

[Mliss (Mel)]

Matt, welcome to the club.

I've not been doing this for long either, and isn't that feeling you get when you see something for the first time just awesome?! Doesn't sound like it'll be long before you get that vacant look from your family and friends when you bring up the subject...again and again.

I haven't seen Saturn yet either and it was one of my top 5 things to see first. (I've been waiting oh so patiently for it to come around again... ) I haven't looked to see if you've posted in the beginners section, but if no one has suggested it yet, check out a little program called 'Stellarium'. It's free and will be your best friend

Glad you found IIS, there are so many wonderful people here.



Edit: H, you did it again!

[Intergage (Matt)]

I'll try both!

M42 is close though isn't it? Would I be able to see detail in it with my setup do you think or will I just see the brightness of it?

Not that I expect to see much. I was only seeing little white dots last night and I was AMAZED.. Showed my brother a couple of them and he just said "Boring" and walked away... He is beyond stupid though so yeah haha.

[Intergage (Matt)]

Originally Posted by Mliss

Matt, welcome to the club.

I've not been doing this for long either, and isn't that feeling you get when you see something for the first time just awesome?! Doesn't sound like it'll be long before you get that vacant look from your family and friends when you bring up the subject...again and again.

Awesome doesn't really describe it haha. Although I do know what you mean and I couldn't agree more!

[Mliss (Mel)]

Originally Posted by Intergage

Showed my brother a couple of them and he just said "Boring" and walked away... He is beyond stupid though so yeah haha.

brothers are great like that!!

[Octane (Humayun)]

Sorry, I meant M42.

Umm, I did what again, Mel?

H

[Mliss (Mel)]

post the same thing, you're too fast for me H

[Octane (Humayun)]

A slippery little sucker.

H

[Mliss (Mel)]

you'll keep!

[Intergage (Matt)]

All I can think about is getting home and setting up again!
I have also got a list of things I want to eventually get once I get a decent scope. Can someone take a look and tell me what you think?

http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron...-and-8-se.html - For a Canon EOS 5D M2.

http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron...zed-mount.html - For easier spotting etc

http://www.ozscopes.com.au/celestron...ilter-kit.html - For viewing planets and the moon etc.

[astronut (John)]

Great news Matt...you've been bitten by the bug!!!...now just wait for the aperture fever to set in!!

[Intergage (Matt)]

Originally Posted by astronut

Great news Matt...you've been bitten by the bug!!!...now just wait for the aperture fever to set in!!

You mean spending more money on a decent scope correct?

[naskies (Dave)]

Congrats! Isn't it amazing how so many of us live our lives completely oblivious to such wonders overhead? I picked up my first scope a few months ago and I'm still constantly blown away by what I see

It's worth re-visiting the moon every few days as it goes through the phases. The amount of detail that pops up as the lunar terminator (shadowy region) moves across the surface is quite remarkable.

Jupiter is the bright "star" that currently rises in the east (slightly north) at dusk, and sets in the wee hours of the morning. It's fun to watch the moons dance back and forth around, in front of, and behind the planet. I don't know if you can see much surface detail in your scope, but when the seeing is good watching the Great Red Spot "live" is amazing.

A few other suggestions for things to look at:

* The Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud - just randomly look around in the clouds (it's worth hunting for the 47 Tuc globular cluster too).

* The Orion side of the Milky Way is chockers full of interesting and bright stuff... Pleiades, Betelgeuse, Orion Nebula, Sirius, NGC 2362, Southern Pleiades, Eta Carina Nebula, Omega Centauri, etc. In fact, just randomly point your scope in the Milky Way and you'll be absorbed for ages

* If you're up late until the early morning, check out Mars and Saturn. (Don't worry if not, they'll rotate around in a few months to nicer viewing times.)

I live next to several freeways on the southern outskirts of Brisbane, and both the Orion and Eta Carina Nebulae are naked-eye-visible for me so you'll have no trouble through the scope.