12" Dob First night out

[Tamtarn]

Brought our " New Baby " home on Friday GSO 12" Dob also purchased a Laser Collimator and EP Case as well.
Assembled Dob and did a couple of IIS modifications - Handles and buffer on back base board. ( We'll get to the Sliders sometime today )

Our house is high on a ridge in the Yarra Valley about 70k's from Melbourne, we have very little light pollution and often have great dark sky conditions. Will it be tonight? Ready to go !! Clouds rolled in so no viewing.

Out to dinner Saturday night - Dob in garage cooling down. Arrived home 11pm hoping we had clear skies YES !!! A few clouds passing through but basic visability OK in certain areas. Let's face it first time out we didn't care about conditions.

Whoops ! Forgot to align the Finderscope. Oh well best try a few of our favourites with naked eye tracking. A little harder but seemed to work well.

Jupiter first - Eta Carina - Lagoon - then some star hopping and fingers crossed - Sombrero - which considering it was in the Western sky we were more than happy with what we saw.

We were so enthralled it was suddenly 3am. Time to pack up getting quite damp with the heavy dew. Hoping for clear skies again the next few nights.

Night 2 Sunday - Amazed at what we can see in such a milky sky because of moonlight and we are observing early because we don't want a late night again. We really don't care about conditions at the moment we're desperate !!

Again we caught up with some of our favourites A little easier with the finderscope. Omega Centauri - Tarantula ( BOTH WERE JUST AMAZING ) - Swan - and Eta Carina again. Just put in about one and a half hours and headed inside about 10pm. So looking forward to our first moonless dark sky.

Overall we're so happy we went for the 12" it will satisfy our needs for many years of searching this amazing universe.

NOW WE START SAVING FOR OUR PREMIUM EP'S

Barb & David

[astronut (John)]

Great report Barb & David, If your handy with electronics I would recommend building a dew heater for your finder & main e/p.
There's a article on dew heaters in the D.I.Y. section.
There's nothing quite like a view with a big dob is there!!

[Gargoyle_Steve (Steve)]

Fantastic stuff guys - hope the new member of your family gets lots of love and TLC - they need it you know! You'll have many happy years together, sharing good times and incredible sights again and again

It's an awesome thing ..... looking up, perched as we are on this tiny little lump of dirt - other Planets, awesome in their appearance and size, vast numbers of stars, the Milky Way (billions of stars there alone), so many other galaxies, nebulae - stunningly beautiful objects of astounding diversity shining at us across incomprehensible distances, seeing objects that have taken hundreds or thousands or more years just to send their light to us ..... how can it NOT be overwhelming to think about and to view in all it's glory?

And now it's all yours! Have fun!!!!!!

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Barb & David,

Welcome to the 12" Dobbie Club. You will freak when the Moon goes!!!!!

[spudrick]

Great news you have a mighty GSO 12", i also have received mine late last week but as yet have not had the skies to have a look. Weather forecast is not looking too promising for the week
I cant wait to check out some of the sights

[astro_nutt]

Congrats on the 12"...I know the feeling...(well..sort of)...the first time I tried my 10" dob on a Moonless night!!...as for you both...enjoy!..enjoy!..and enjoy!!