Andrews GS-680 Limited 8" f/6 Dobsonian

[Frosty]

*Frosty drools*

Only 2 days to go untill I

[Frosty]

Finally today was the day I got to build my first telescope ( 8 inch Dobsonian).

I woke up in the morning and ripped open the boxes, looked at the instructions and thought not the best instructions ive seen... but anyway, I ended up working it out and the telescope was ready to go.

After spending the day celebrating christmas (Merry Chrsitmas to all) with the family then the girlfriends family I bolted home at 23:00 looking high up into the heavens hopping for the clouds to dissapear. I could see a patch of the sky was cloudless, now was my chance.

As I got home I threw a jacket over myself picked up the dob and was out the door.

Seeing as I dont have any experience with telescopes and it was my first night I basically played around with the different EP's just to see what it was like.

Overall I was only out there for 20 minutes, thanks to the clouds. Though I was happy with what I saw so far, I could see heaps more stars than I could with the naked eye. I tried to see the moon, but there were obviously clouds in the way.

Anyway I will write abit more next time on the scope itself, but so far so good. I didnt get to use it much tonight... but Im sure I will in the next couple of nights.

Merry Christmas to all again, and a happy new year.

Clear Skies

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Should have got up at 5am like I did .
Not a cloud in the sky and I managed 30 min with saturn and jupiter

[MintSauce (Gordon)]

well done frosty, the instructions were a bit lacking weren't they.

I keep trying to get out with the scope and keep being tied up with other things, but I've had a long lie in today so I shall be up late tonight I think.

G

[Striker (Tony)]

I got the same Dob and are looking forward to a bit of viewing tonight.....btw...who was the bloody idiot who invented clouds.........grrrrrrr

[Frosty]

Lol! Well ill be out tonight for sure if theres no clouds. Fingers crossed.

[MintSauce (Gordon)]

bah, I was planning to go out last night but it clouded over, planning same again tonight but it's cloudy already - hope it clears.

I've been reading about collamination of the mirrors, the primary is spot on, the secondary needed a slight tweak tho. Does anyone know how a laser collaminator works? how does it make it easier as I didn't find it too hard to be honest (maybe harder if the primary was way out or something.

I'm also going to try fitting those teflon pads like ice has, cause when pushing scope around it does jump a bit far sometimes (and I've not got that much use out of it yet tho, maybe it will get better)

G.