New Member - Excited to Get Started!

[ckingfournier]

Hey Everyone! I'm new to Astronomy, and just got my MAS membership card in the mail last week.

My mom and brother bought me a AWB One Sky Telescope and a 2x Barlow lens (they did their homework) for my birthday a few weeks ago! I've always been fascinated by anything dealing with or relating to space, and I'm really excited to dive into this new hobby. I've been out stargazing (just on my boulevard) once already, and was able to see some stuff that my eyes couldn't, but living in St. Paul, the light pollution (and street lights) were really bothersome. I'm crossing my fingers for the weather to hold out this weekend, and maybe head over to Metcalf or Cherry Grove to spend some more time looking through the telescope! (I'll make sure to post up if I'm going to make the trip). Not sure what I want to look at yet (maybe start with moon, planets, and constellations), but I'm here to learn!

For the past two weeks, I've been just lurking on the Forum and reading as much as I could. I purchased Turn Left at Orion (Consolmango/Davis) and a travel table for the scope. I'm probably going to buy a red LED headlamp and a Planisphere next, but I want to get out and look at stuff first before I get in too deep! I'm a professional musician/music teacher by trade, which requires late nights, and some trips far from home. I love the idea of coming home from a gig late at night (or while on the road) and bringing the telescope to star gaze!

Glad this community is here, and is active. Really excited to get out there, meet folks, and see stuff!

[setnes]

Welcome to the club! I think you'll love that scope. They made a good choice.

There are some objects that will be easier to see from the cities than others. You should be able to find both M13 and M3 Globular clusters. Add those to your short list during these weird times.

[ckingfournier]

I think they made a good choice too. I definitely will, thanks!

[heinerv]

If you want a quick treat, get up around 4am and look to the south. The bright one is Jupiter and off to the left and down a little is Saturn, both shinning bright. Further to the left will be Mars. 3 planets.

[BradNasset]

Welcome! This is a great hobby!

There are a number of phone/iPad apps for finding constellations and planets and deep space objects (all in the same app). Lots of folks use Sky Safari - it is a legit, really good app. Think it is $2.99. 400 years of astronomical research and study for three bucks - what a deal.

I also have the AWB scope that I use for easy dragging around... and viewing the quality. You will really be pleased with it. Get a bright star, or a distant telephone pole during the day, put the object centered in the eyepiece field of view, THEN adjust the finder scope to point toward it. All set to go!

Also apps for the moon that make it more fun, but I found some moon apps are good, and some are totally not what you would expect. Some show the moon phases, some are better at craters, etc. One iPad app I have for the moon is "Moon Maps" - nice to see crater names, phases and all that.

It is part of the hobby (maybe most of it) to figure out what you can actually see. Based on my using my AWB scope, in a fairly dark sky location, expect to see moons of Jupiter with ease (and if good sky conditions colors of the cloud bands on Jupiter, rings of Saturn, Andromeda galaxy (cotton-ball patch), Albireo double star, Messier 13 (M13) Great Hercules Globular Cluster as Kris suggested, and other stuff.

Yes, you need a red light. Celestron has a little red flashlight on Amazon for about $12. It is variable brightness that is nice. Its light is too harsh so take plastic lens cover off and stick two layers of the 3M invisible tape (the kind with the "fuzzy/textured" surface) on the inside of the plastic lens cover, and then super good to go.

Learning the constellations is actually really enjoyable too. Some look like there name-sake and some just do not. Some are pretty easy to find in a sort of darker sky (i.e. this time of year, in the evening, you can find Hercules, Bootes- at least the kite part of him, Ursa Major- at least the Big Dipper part of it, Little Dipper, Corona Borealis to start with). Some others you wont find in a 100 years until someone points them out.. knowing what to look for, and which ones are visible in any particular month, can be the tricky part. Example, Orion can only be seen in the winter. Once you do see it, then you can see it easily after that.

Don't just rely on an app for the sky. A planisphere is good for figuring out how the Earth's rotation changes what you can see- just fiddle around with it. Don't get the "small" planisphere. Get an 8 inch diameter... fits in a folder. I have a 16 inch one that is fun but it is a pain as I never have a good place to keep it because it doesn't fit anywhere.

Have fun.

[ckingfournier]

All super helpful suggestions, thanks everyone!