I got a telescope for Christmas!

Sykk

Hey fellow forum go-ers,

Yesterday I got a new telescope as my christmas present as I absolutely love and study (as best I can) the cosmos and planets/galaxies and the like.

Tonight was my first time ever using a telescope, I spent a good 2 hours looking around the moon (I'm still in awe from seeing it close up with my own two eyes, rather than looking at it on the tele or in a book)

I have been a kind of regular viewer on this forum but didn't really have much to say until now . The sticky's are a great help and I've been looking around various site's on How to:'s all night.

I don't by any means wish to be spoonfed but would anyone be kind enough to answer a few questions for me? I'm a fast learner and wish to be using my telescope to it's maximum potential.

Spec is as follows:
Seben Telescope N 150/1400 Big Boss EQ-3 Reflector


Stern size: visible to 13.8 M
- resolution in seconds of arc: 0.92
- aperture ratio: 1:9
- Magnification: PL 6.5mm/215x, PL 20mm/56x
- mount : EQ-3
- expanded by 1.25 "(31.7 mm)
- Aluminium Tripod: 6x30 - 1x Steplessly vertically adjustable

I recieved a some lenses with this.

Plossl 6.5mm AF50°
Plossl 25mm AF40°
2x Barlow
1.5x Erecting eyepiece

The guide on viewing that came with this was actually quite terrible and doesn't give me much info.

I used the AF40° on top of the 1.5 eyepiece on the scope to view it (Was what I could see it easiest with) I could see craters but it really wasn't as close up as I expected.

When I tried using anything else it became either a blur or I couldn't see it. I didn't attempt to view anything else tonight.

Could anyone tell me what lenses I should be using to see the Moon and Venus properly. Is the scope decent and what should I try to view over the next few days.

Thanks in advance.

-Nigel

dlofnep

Congrats Nigel welcome aboard! happy stargazing!

dbran

Hi Nigel

Congratulations on your new telescope and I hope you have great viewing with it.

Your first port of call would be to joining your local astronomy club. If they are active they will have observing sessions where you can meet like minded folk and exchange info etc.

Regarding your scope, the primary info is the aperture of the scope ie 150mm ie 6'. As a rule of thumb, the highest useful amount of magnification you can get is roughly 50x the aperture. ie 300x This will itself depend on current conditions (or "the seeing") and the object that you are viewing. For example, when you are looking at a bright object such as the moon or planets, you may be able to push the magnification up to 300x easily. But if you are looking at a faint object, you may be better off using low mag. The higher you push the magnification the fainter and less defined the object will get.

The focal length of you scope is 1400. You get the magnification of your eyepieces by dividing the focal length of the scope by the focal length of the eyepiece. This gives a magnification for your 6.5mm eyepiece of (1400/6.5) 215x and for your 25mm (1400/25) 56x. A barlow lense effectively doubles the magnification.

There would be no point in putting a barlow lense with the 6.5mm because it would give a mag of 430x which would be beyond the useful magnification for the scope and even on the moon you would probably just see nothing but mush. You best magnification for the moon would be just using the 6.5 on its own. (no barlow)

To get the maximum mag possible you could try and find/acquire maybe a 4.5mm eyepiece or a 9mm with a barlow lense to give you 300x

I would not bother with the erecting prisim and as it just puts extra glass in the light train and just turns the image upside down.

Invest in good eyepieces if you can as these will pay dividends.

Hope this helps

dbran

Sykk

Thanks for the warm welcome and the info! I'll have a look into the astronomy club.

dbran, I'll give that a crack tomorrow night - Skies are a bit cloudy at the mo. Thanks again.

-Nigel

djhaxman

Found this on www.opticsplanet.com, helpful sort of a guide for those of us who have just got a telescope for the first time

1. Observe away from buildings, pavement or large objects that absorb heat by day and release it at night. When these objects release heat at night, they create air currents (heat mirages) which degrade image quality in your telescope. This is why observing from a terrace or top of a building is not a good idea. The best locations are open, grass covered areas.

2. For a similar reason, observing through an open window is also a bad idea, especially if there is a pronounced difference between the air temperature in your house and the outdoor temperature. Since air always flows from a region of warmer temperature to a region of cooler temperature, you instantly create a nasty air current when you open the window. This seriously degrades the image.


3. If you must observe through a window during cold weather, leave the window closed, but be aware that the window glass is now acting as a lens in your optical system and your optical system is only as good as its weakest link, which is now your window. Since the window is acting as a lens, you will also discover that best image quality will be obtained by aiming the scope directly through the window, rather than at an angle. Pointing the scope up or down, rather than straight through the window, will produce serious optical distortion.

4. For the above reasons and more, observing from a deck is also a bad idea. Not only does such a site put you too close to a building, it also provides a less than stable observing platform. Every step you or someone takes will instantly produce a vibration in the eyepiece of your telescope and the higher the magnification, the worse the problem. If you have no other option, fine, but a telescope needs to be on the ground for best results.

5. Allow your eyes to become dark-adapted before trying to observe faint deep-sky objects. This takes time - typically 30 minutes under truly dark conditions. Unfortunately, it only takes seconds to ruin your dark-adapted eyes by looking into a bright light. Since red light is easier on dark-adapted eyes, astronomers therefore use red light to work around a telescope or read star maps. You can either buy a flashlight with a red lens or make your own by coating the lens with several layers of red nail polish.

6. Make sure your finder scope is aligned properly before you take your telescope out under the night sky. The finder scope is the little spotting scope on top of the main telescope and it helps you center objects in your telescope.

7. Always start observing with the low power eyepiece. This is the eyepiece marked with the largest number, not the smallest. It is much easier to find an object at low power and images are brighter and sharper as well. In fact, you will use your low and medium power eyepieces much more than your highest power eyepiece.

8. Keep the magnification down. Too much magnification is, perhaps, the single biggest beginner mistake with a telescope. Too much magnification yields a fuzzy, very dark image. There are a great many variables involved as to how much magnification to use, but when you begin to lose image detail or when images are not as satisfying to your eye, back off on magnification. Be especially careful when using barlow lenses - it’s very easy to overdo magnification when using this accessory.

9. Begin your observing with an easy object such as the moon or a bright planet - basically things which are easy to see and find. Trying to find faint objects such as galaxies and nebulae takes practice - it is as much a matter of technique as it is equipment. Go slowly. As you gain experience and confidence, move on to more challenging objects.

10. If you have a GOTO model, use alignment stars that are widely separated in different areas of the sky and that are lower to the horizon. This gives your computer a better fix on your location than when using alignment stars that are close together and overhead. Doesn’t hurt to learn the names of a few brighter stars, either, as an accuracy check for your computer system.

11. Use what astronomers call “averted vision”. Simply put, this means looking out of the corner of your eye (where your eye is more light sensitive), rather than the center of your eye. In other words, don’t stare directly at a faint object when trying to see it - glance at it from the side of your eye. It can mean the difference between seeing a difficult object and not seeing it.

12. Keep your expectations reasonable. Compared to an observatory telescope, your backyard telescope is minuscule. It will never deliver the image quality or detail you see in magazines or on television. Nor is your eye a camera - it cannot collect light over a long period of time like a camera and produce the beautiful color images you see in photographs. Those are done with filters and computer enhancement.

On the other hand, your telescope is delivering an image directly to you and to you, alone. Astronomy is now your own personal voyage of discovery into the depths of the universe and your telescope is your spacecraft. Even a small telescope or binocular will give you a glimpse deep into the depths of interstellar space, but, in the end, it is the experience as much as it is the view. The glory of it all is that we can do it from our own backyard. Enjoy.

Sykk

Well, that was some much needed info!

I was using the scope out the back on the deck yesterday. No wonder I kept losing my aim every few mins when people were walking around. Also, some other stuff I didn't know.

Thanks for that!

-Nigel

Sykk

Does anyone know of any software I can download to shot me the positioning / orbits of the planets for free, or perhaps a trial version of one? Don't have a credit card / paypal to get Starry Night

lochdara

complete newbie here. just downloaded stellarium, www.stellarium.org
now it didnt work at first. all my menus were complete crap, so i had to download opengl graphics drivers,. You can goggle that.

gives all the info you need. Use f6 to type in your current location and it does the rest.

dlofnep

Sykk wrote: »

Does anyone know of any software I can download to shot me the positioning / orbits of the planets for free, or perhaps a trial version of one? Don't have a credit card / paypal to get Starry Night

As mentioned, Stellarium. It's awesome and free

Sykk

Great! I just spent more time on the moon last night as I couldn't find anything else!

Seems my finder scope is off tune? When I get a star in the crosshair I can't see it with my main scope. That's the way it works isn't it?

Thanks again

-Nigel

lochdara

Line it up in the day time. Pick an object 300m ish away and align with spotter scope.

I think im learning. The moon was cool last night. I was playing with astrophotography. I try to get a camera involved in all hobbies.

Am I right in saying Saturn is visable early morning.

Sykk sign up to astronomy.ie too.

dlofnep

Yup, Saturn is currently visible until it gets bright.

Sykk

dlofnep wrote: »

Yup, Saturn is currently visible until it gets bright.

That visible with my scope?

I couldn't find venus last night, I doubt I'll be able to find Saturn tonight

I take it I should be using the 6.5mm on it's own? - to look for these planets

-Nigel

Sykk

lochdara wrote: »

Line it up in the day time. Pick an object 300m ish away and align with spotter scope.

I think im learning. The moon was cool last night. I was playing with astrophotography. I try to get a camera involved in all hobbies.

Am I right in saying Saturn is visable early morning.

Sykk sign up to astronomy.ie too.

I can't leave it out during the day as the back garden is in bits due to rain, so I need to set up shop out front

dlofnep

Sykk wrote: »

That visible with my scope?

I couldn't find venus last night, I doubt I'll be able to find Saturn tonight

I take it I should be using the 6.5mm on it's own? - to look for these planets

-Nigel

Yes, it's visible with your scope. Get up at around 5:30 or 6am tomorrow morning - startup Stellarium and you'll see Saturn. Just point your scope at it, and if it's clear you should be cleary able to see it's rings.

You can even check now with Stellarium if you use the fast-forward time function and fast forward to tomorrow morning at about 6am.

Sykk

I really appreciate all this help.

I'm gonna get up early and hopefully I'll get a look at it. PS: Should I use the 6.5 lense?

-Nigel

dbran

Hey

If you cant get up quite so early don't forget that Mars comes to opposition next month. It rises now in the evening sky and is well placed about 9pm. It is visible in the North-East in Cancer. Just look to the east of the "Sickle" in Leo and it is the brightest star there with a distinct pinkish colour.

I had a look at it on xmas day and was able to make out the polar caps and just a hint of some surface markings. Bear in mind though that Mars is always a small object and needs patience to tease out detail.

Have fun:)

dbran

lochdara

for a starter whats the best eye piece for mars. I have 12.5,20 and a high power. Dont know what that is. I have a barlow lense too

dbran

Hi

Recommend you start of with a low magnification eyepiece first and then work up as high as you can go. Mars is quite bright so it should take quite high magnification but dont expect too much. You will need to keep an eye on it until the atmosphere steadies before you can see some detail. Mars shows a very small disk even when it is closest.

You can also get this software which shows the you what face Mars is showing tonight among other things.

http://www.merid.cam.org/meridian/english.html

dbran