Guest Jmz Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi all, I'm James, from Ashbourne in Derbyshire. I've been lurking for a while now and thought it was about time to say hello! I have been playing around with Stellarium and cheap 7x50 bins for about a year or so and recently decided to take the plunge and get my first telescope - a basic 4" refractor. I've been using it out of my window, in a town, with light pollution, and I'm already excited at what I can see! I'm intending to start finding some dark sites nearby (hopefully with other people around, my GF and I spook easily!). I'm on a pretty tight budget so I won't be looking to upgrade any more equipment until I know exactly what I need, so I'll be listening to as much advice as possible. Thanks all, James W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi James. Lovely part of the world you live in. It's a bit of a trek but you should both try and come down to the Wymeswold Jupiter even in March if the weather is OK. If you've been lurking you've probably already worked out who the nutters are on here; I'm in the sane and sensible camp. Good to have you on board. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cazz Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi James, welcome to EMS :-) I too am from the sensible section, but I don't recall seeing James D there lol. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T A WOW Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hello from me. (another sane one) Welcome to EMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi James welcome to EMS. We do have a darksite at Belper which isn't far from you. When we have our next meet you are more then welcome to come along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi and welcome to EMS. Don't listen to James, he is a complete fruit cake! Yeah like Mick says, your not far from our Belper dark site, keep an eye out on the announcements section for a meeting being arranged, usually last minute and a weekends. Hope you enjoy the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Welcome to EMS. I wouldn't listen to Dawson (James) would a sane person dress in a monkey onsie?! ha ha! I however am sane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi James and welcome to the forum, only the over 50's are the sane ones on here!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi James, welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philjay Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi James and welcome, your not too far away fromme, Im just down the 515 in Church Broughton, any questions or help required just ask awsy, we are all here to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi james I fit firmly in the nutter side of things Sheila Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckstar Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 (edited) hi welcome aboard. It does worry me when people start claiming to be sane, I've only ever met one sane person, I know he was sane, he had a Certificate to prove it.😕 Edited January 26, 2014 by tuckstar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jmz Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Thanks all for the warm welcome! I think I'll check out the Belper site sometime soon, Wymeswold sounds good too! Heh, sanity is overrated anyway eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi James and a warm welcome to EMS Hope we see you at a meeting soon - meantime fell free to ask questions and enjoy the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Hi James, a warm welcome to EMS. Right! Anyone who is involved in this hobby/obsession is as mad as a badger. Lets face it, you go out when it's dark and cold to stare at things no one else has the slightest comprehension of. Apart from that we are mostly normal, (ish). A four inch refractor will give you some nice views, and should keep you occupied for a good while. With respect to the dark sites near you, Flagg or somewhere near there is pretty dark. I wouldn't worry about being spooked. Things should be frightened of you, unless it is much taller than you, then you can be spooked......just! You are very welcome to come over to Belper, or Wymeswold, which is around another half hour away. Enjoy the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweedledee Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Welcome to EMS James. You are in the middle of some nice countryside and not far from some dark skies. Belper dark site is just a quick run down the A517 for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest speed Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Hi James welcome to the asylum .....standing room only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Hi James welcome to the EMS Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren27 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hi, I'm a fairly new member here aswell and still finding my feet, but so far the locals have been friendly. I'm just up the 515 in Buxton, you don't have to go far to find dark sky, some good spots up on the Tissington trail, try some of the car parks, or the official dark site at Parsley Hey which is only 15 minutes north of Ashbourne. I'm still after a scope, which one did you go for? Take it easy. Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tibbz2 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hi and welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jmz Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hi, thanks again for such a warm welcome everyone! Darren, I've been to Parsley Hay recently in the fog, what little I saw looked promising! I checked Minninglow Car Park that night too, although that was good it was a little creepy in the fog heh. Some nice spots indeed around the 515. Regarding the scope, I took some time thinking about what I would be wanting to view most, for me that is the moon and planets - I had read somewhere that a refractor would suit this. The idea of collimating and looking after a mirror seemed a little intimidating, I went for a Skywatcher Evostar 102 in the end. I've already seen a wobbly Jupiter from my flat window, and I think I'm getting the bug. I can only get out at weekends, so I'm itching for clear skies! Good luck in your choice, it's definitely worth taking some time over it. I hope to see you at a dark site sometime James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fondofchips Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Hi James & welcome to EMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren27 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Scope choice is doing my head in at the moment. What I want is a small light weight scope that has a big apature for dso's, but will also offer high contrast views of planetary stuff, capable of taking good images on a goto eq mount, oh and it must be under £400. Not asking too much is it ;-) Seriously though, I'm struggling with making a decision, need to get out more and see some of the options and have a serious thing about what I realistically can afford and what I want to do. In the mean time I'll continue to drive the wife mad, changing my mind repeatedly and dragging her endlessly to different shop's "just to look!" Take it easy Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 With your budget I think it's a struggle in my opinion. Also you say you want decent aperture but lightweight-these don't really work together as larger aperture equals more glass which adds to the weight. I think you're definitely on the right path having a good think about what it is you want to do as that will have a massive influence. If imaging is in your plan throw as much a you can at the mount as that is the foundation or imaging. If you do want to image anything more than the planets/moon you're gonna have to dig deeper into the pockets also. For visual only you can't go wrong with a nice dobsonian where your money gets the best value per inch of aperture. Of course though dibs are not the smallest of setups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest foundaplanet Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Hello,welcome... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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