Any Adeladians willing to help me with my scope?!

thongus · #1 07-09-2007, 05:56 PM

Hi
is there anyone in Adelaide willing to spare a few minutes helping me set up my telescope?
Just got it today, will throw in a 6-pack of your choice?

[1ponders] (Paul) · #2 07-09-2007, 05:58 PM

Might need to change your thread title thongus to "Anyone in Adelaide...." I know Victorians are a bit keen on their amber, but Adelaide might be a bit far for a 6 pack?

sheeny (Al) · #3 07-09-2007, 06:09 PM

Sorry mate! Within a couple of hours of Oberon I'd give ya a hand but I can;t see me doing 1088kms in under 2 hours...

Like Paul said, maybe edit the title of the thread to include Adelaide...

...and if there's no one local prepared to help, ask more questions! It mightn't be as good as being there but you'd be surprised what we can achieve by remote control!

(with a bit of patience!

)

Al.

Orion · #4 07-09-2007, 06:10 PM

I would, but it's a long way to go for a 6 pack!

rmcpb (Rob) · #5 07-09-2007, 06:19 PM

What type of scope and what are the problems/

Let's cut to the problem and get it fixed!!

thongus · #6 08-09-2007, 12:48 AM

Ok,
The telescope is a Celestron 8inch Newtonian CG-5 EQ mount

The problem? its everything ! LOL
I tried reading the manual, and i got stuck at polar alignment. Because of that I cant really go any further. The manual confused me even more.
I got a polar finder for CG-5 but i think i may be missing the mount for it, i will check tomorrow. Anyways, i figured i would ask for someone to come because it would save me hours of my tinkering.

Anyways i have a looked at a few stars tonight (moving the mount freely), there was one that was quite noticeably bright, and when i looked through the eyepiece, the star appeared to be a perfect circle. Could i be looking at Jupiter or some planet? or are all big stars perfectly circle looking through a telescope.

Another thing, the manual doesn't state the power requirements for the electronics, I know its 12v, but i don't know the amperage. Having a quick surf on the net there was one that said 1.5A so i plugged in a 12v DC 2.5A adapter in. It seems to work.

Sorry to trouble anyone on here, I may be slow to read manuals but i'm a quick learner if you show me. Honest..

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #7 08-09-2007, 01:47 AM

Stars should be pinpoint sharp.

Jupiter is easily noticeable in that it has 4 prominent moons very close to it. An 8 inch will show some banding quite clearly of Jupiter. Jupiter is rising around the same time as sun set at present.

If it was Saturn then you see the disc quite prominent and gap between the disc and planet. Saturn is quite low in the west horizon at present.

Mars has a reddish tinge and rises around 1.30 am EDST.

Venus is following the sun and sets just after sun set this time of year.

Hope this helps

csb (Craig) · #8 08-09-2007, 04:36 AM

I wouldn't say that the moons of Jupiter make it easy to identify for a newbie.

I was actually disappointed & then astounded when I first used a scope because I "couldn't see" Jupiter's moons. I thought they were stars - they didn't look close at all.

Worse still. When I first looked at a star, I was amazed at how big it looked...then I focused the scope..Hmmm. I was 25yo..Hmmm!

Yeah, I'm in Adelaide but I hardly touch the amber - since joining this forum I send any beer I'm given to 1ponders....I bet he's pondering now

Sorry, Thongus. My work and other commitments help keep me busy enough.

thongus · #9 08-09-2007, 06:43 AM

Hey guys
what i saw in the telescope looked exactly like this ( i drew this )
The other stars around it were small and sharp, so i figured this was focused.
It was the brightest star above, if its a star that is. Does this look right to anyone?
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/9...titled1jg1.jpg

Jupiter · #10 08-09-2007, 09:45 AM

Thats Jupiter and its moons.

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #11 08-09-2007, 09:52 AM

More than likely, Jupiter showing 3 moons and maybe a star in the background. The moons lie on an approximate plane around the planets equator. The spot not lying on this plane is possibly a star.

The 4th moon, the closest, Io, is is more than likely in front or behind the planet.

You should be able to make out the equatorial bands around the centre of the planet.

If you look at Jupiter another night the moons will have moved.

rumples riot · #12 08-09-2007, 10:03 AM

Ok Thongus, what is your name BTW?

I live in Blackwood, where abouts are you?

thongus · #13 08-09-2007, 01:10 PM

hey Rumples
my names Thong but people call me thongus (tongus) donno why. LoL
anyways I live in Kilburn, 10 minutes from North Adelaide.

My sister and i bought this telescope together, but she wants me to get it going.
I think the main reason why I cant use it is because i really cant find any stars on the starmap, nothing seems to check out. I looked at sky view cafe, and bought a starmap book from Adelaide Optical.

OH and about the picture people, the stars i drew in are to actually show how sharp the other stars were compared to the big star?, they are no where in the same position as they were in the sky.

CoombellKid · #14 08-09-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thongus

hey Rumples
my names Thong but people call me thongus (tongus) donno why. LoL
anyways I live in Kilburn, 10 minutes from North Adelaide.

Because it sounds better than Thong'o? ...like Rob'o Dav'o John'o...etc...etc...

But then again it could be the old aussie larikin coming out Tong and Ur_anus
they kinda go together.

regards,CS

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #15 08-09-2007, 02:04 PM

Thong bought my C8N-GT (from Melbourne), so it's a Celestron 8" F5 on a CG5 mount.

Initially, I used to plug the cigarette lighter socket into the car, but after a while you get sick of that. I think it draws a bit under an amp when slewing, much less when tracking. I bought a Celestron power pack and then a "jump start" battery from Auto Barn, which will run it for several hours. Initially I wouldn't worry too much about aligning, just face 10 or so degrees left of magnetic south. Make sure the latitude scale is set for Adelaide, Melbourne is about 38 degrees, just adjust the screws to raise it up a bit.

If you just want to have a look around, you can bypass the alignment process by selecting "Last alignment" instead of the other options. The goto will be way out, but you can then just slew it around to something for a look. If someone can help you out, it won't take long to get the knack of using it. I didn't actually use the scope properly until I had used it 3 or 4 times.

You will get there, not as quick to use as a Dob (of course), but once you have used it a couple of times, it will be easy.

smithy1026 · #16 08-09-2007, 11:39 PM

Hi Thongus.

I live in the northern suburbs of Adelaide Just past Elizabeth and on the edge of suburbia. If it is any help to you I can suggest a couple of locations where you can get a full view of the sky.

I find it better to be able to see the full sky when searching for objects as you can see all of the constellations. Being on the outskirts also helps with the light polution problems.

Darryl

csb (Craig) · #17 08-09-2007, 11:52 PM

Thong, your drawing, although a simple one, is very impressive. It looks real.

And perhaps now I understand your writing style, do I detect an accent?

I am sure you will learn a lot from Rumples. I have never used a motorised mount and for polar I have just sat my scope in the approximate position.

I've just bought a GoTo mount, waiting for it to arrive. My main interest at the moment is doing solar imaging with a Coronado PST.

I did have a C6N (not GT) before but I was dreaming of the 8 on that mount.

I haven't been able to read a starmap properly. I use it the same way I use a street directory, which is probably not the way to do it

thongus · #18 09-09-2007, 05:15 AM

Hi!
Yes, i tried to make it as real as i could, its my first time i saw a star ( if its a star ) that close up, and was amazed that it was perfectly round.
As for not being able to find any stars on a starmap, its all ok now after i posted this photo in the beginners chathttp://img120.imageshack.us/img120/3959/dsc5221fv0.jpg

My actual starmap didnt show this in the September starmap!, and because someone named it for me, it was easy. I found it in the November starmap of my book.
Also in real life, orion seems quite big, in the book the drawing is very small.

time to learn how to polar align, any tips?

rumples riot · #19 09-09-2007, 01:32 PM

Ok, Next couple of weeks I am gonna try to make some time to do some observing. Andrew from SCP has found a nice location that is in a dark sky environment and also there is Stockport. I could help you with star and polar alignment. I have a few methods that once you learn them you will never turn back. Save the money for the 6 pack and put it towards some astro related gear.

PM me for phone number etc.

thongus · #20 09-09-2007, 04:09 PM

pm'ed !

wohoo