Guest MissyRS Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hi EMS'ers I have long loved star and moon gazing - but it didn't occur to me to do anything proactive about it until very recently! I recall my brother having a telescope when I was little - but it was def. a boy's toy! So now I've decided to flex my brain a bit and get to some active watching myself!! Although to be completely honest I love a good book and so my first port of call has been amazon for a couple of books!!! I am loving them at the min!! I know that the images in them are not what I'm going to see when I eventually look through a scope - but they do make me more enthusiastic to get learning!! So - I have had a look around the forum - and so wanted to say 'Hi' and 'Thanks' for all the wonderful advice and ideas that you've all already covered on here... I'm going to do lots of mooching through the threads until I save up my pennies for a scope of my own! I guess I'll be asking questions too... so thanks in advance for all your help in my quandaries too! I look forward to getting to know you guys on the forum! Ciao for now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Welcome to EMS Ruth Lots of very knowledgeable/helpful folks on here. Ask whatever you like as the only stupid questions here are the ones you do not ask Sheila Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hi Ruth good to have you on board. You seem to be doing the right thing by not jumping in at the deep end getting a telescope right away, doing plenty of research is a must. We are having our quarterly meet up at Belper (Ambergate) this coming Friday if you are free, you will be most welcome to join us, the weather is (fingers crossed) looking like it may be clear so there should be plenty of scopes etc for you to have a look at and through. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the forum, fire away with any questions you have and we will do our best to advise appropriately. Hope to see you at a meet soon. All the best, Daz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hi Ruth, a warm welcome to EMS. It would appear you have your head screwed on correctly, and not rushing out and buying the first thing that fits even the loose description of a scope, just as I did. You are also right that you won't see anything like the images in the mags, and books. But trust me, it does not detract from the buzz you get when you find, and see them yourself. Some things are real small and can be difficult to locate, others are that big you can end up looking straight through them. Again just as I have done. As Daz mentioned, you are more than welcome to come over to Belper, say Hi and ask away with any questions. If it's clear, then we will be outside and you are more than welcome to have a look through the scopes. I say that, but I have not come across any scope pilot who isn't happy to show you the sights. If you need directions, then feel free to ring me on 07970 500302 for further info. ( work No., not private) Enjoy your stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MissyRS Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Thank for the lovely welcome! I would seriously love to come to a meet - but I'm not as mobile as I'd like at the min and so will have to put a pin in that for a future time!!! I am in a pretty 'dark' area at night and don't have much LP to deal with ... so have ordered myself a copy of a sky atlas as recommended in another post and I am going to start off very small with that and get an idea of what 'my' sky looks like! Then I'll work my way up! I'll be seeing you all around here though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tibbz2 Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Welcome Ruth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 You won't go wrong with the pocket Atlas. Despite it's small size, it is packed with useful info, and the pages are plasticized, so it doesn't go soggy out doors. Let us know how you get on. Maybe start with the constellations Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia. These are in the North, and are quite prominent. Polaris is a must if you get an EQ mount, as these align on the celestial north pole. It's a bit daunting to start with as it all seems so big, but you will have it sorted in a couple of clear nights. Take a beverage of choice outside, and get comfy relax and get your eyes dark adapted. This should take around twenty mins to half an hour. If you want to read your Atlas, pop into a supermarket and buy a cheap rear bike light. It is red, so won't ruin your dark adapted eyes. Keep your eye's open for the milky Way, which is at it's best from now through Autumn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hansen Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Welcome to EMS Ruth Lots of very knowledgeable/helpful folks on here. Ask whatever you like as the only stupid questions here are the ones you do not ask Sheila What this lady says. I should know, I am stupid. Hello and welcome. I myself spent some time researching scopes, so take your time and get the best you can for your hard earned pennies. Don't skimp on quality. You get pretty much what you pay for with scopes generally. Plenty of great people who know their subject here and are always honest and friendly. Cannot beat them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hello Ruth and welcome. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Strings Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hi and welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MissyRS Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Thanks for the 'welcomes'... I can tell this is a friendly wee place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldfruit Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hi Ruth and welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hi Ruth, GOTO user here! Enjoy the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Welcome to EMS Ruth. You are very lucky having dark skies and little light pollution where you live, most of us have to trek some distance to experience that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmic dave Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hello and welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Hi Ruth and a Warm welcome to EMS. Hope you enjoy the forum and do ask lots of questions. Any time you're ready - do pop in to one of the meetings/sessions - you'll find a friendly crowd who're willing to help any way they can, and you'll get chance to look at some gear and have a peep through several scopes to get some idea of what's available and what it does. You're taking the right approach by researching before making a scope purchase. One thing you may already be able to do is use a sun lounger and a pair of standard 10x50 binoculars - armed with a night sky guide you'll be amazed at what you can see. Try the Sky at Night monthly center page pull out for what's up and when. Also - download Stellarium - it's free and show's everything in the sky at your location. Have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T A WOW Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Hello there. Welcome to ems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MissyRS Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Thanks... Kim... Sun lounger and binos - revelation!! My dad (it turns out) has some old binoculars - so I know what I'll be doing this weekend!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tibbz2 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 That's one up on having to buy some then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest i-am-kloot Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Welcome Ruth, I was in the same position as yourself a few months ago but got loads of help off the good folks of the EMS. You have come to the right place Mick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Welcome Ruth If you haven't already, download Stellarium. It is a free planetarium software that lets you put your gardens latitude and longitude coordinates in so that you can see exactly how your night sky will look. Plus you can change the time/date to see how your sky looks on any day of the year whig is useful for seeing how the sky differs throughout the various seasons. Hope you enjoy the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angusw2 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Welcome to EMS Ruth. A star atlas, binos and a sun lounger will enable you to see a surprising number of objects, when you work out where to look. Good luck hunting and I hope you can make it to a meet sometime. Angus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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