celestial_search
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/18/04
Posts: 2569
Loc: Iowa, USA
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone (and happy day to everyone outside the U.S.)!
My new C-11 of course did not arrive Wednesday. UPS says it will now be Monday.  And of course the night was perfect for viewing. 
However, I've been culling the Cloudy Nights Forums for the ultimate Do's and Don'ts suggestions/tips, but have not been too lucky building a list. So,
What do you suggest as your top tip/"secret" of observing (viewing, transporting scope, ...) and your top DON'T (other than the obvious such as DON'T LOOK at the SUN!). Also, as far as possible, not a particular telescope-related tip (i.e. more "generic"). There is a wealth of experience out there, but surfing for over four hours so far I have not compiled a very long list. I'm looking for the "creme de la creme" of your do's/don'ts. Thanks for any suggestions!
Frank
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Frank
C-11 XLT
8" f/6 Newt on GEM
Tak FS-102II
SV 80L Triplet APO
EQ-6 Mount on pier in backyard observatory (EQMOD)
CG-5 AS (GOTO)
SBIG ST-5C CCD and Canon Rebel XSI
SSAG
Oberwerk 15X70s and Pentax 10X21s
Edited by celestial_search (11/25/04 11:28 AM)
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Matthew E
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/24/04
Posts: 927
Loc: Whitby, Ontario, Canada
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my advice is ONLY collimate your scope on cloudy nights, unless its a quick adjustment of the primary.
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NexStar 114GT
NewStar 10” Dob with Moonlite CR-1
Short Tube 80mm
6mm Radian
14mm Radian
Celestron Ultima Barlow
Durham Region Astronomical Association
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Toronto
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rustynpp
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 1018
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always wear more clothes than you think you are gonna need.
never forget to step away from the telescope for a few minutes and just look up.
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markf
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/13/04
Posts: 1936
Loc: Houston, TX
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Dress WARM! Actually, dress hot. If it's going to be 50 degrees outside, dress like it were 40 or 30 degrees. Observing is not what one would call a "high energy" activity, it gets cold quick. I feel silly wearing my heavy coat for fall weather, but it's nice and comfy that way! (and it has a hood I can pull over my head to really block out some light!)
Also, practice setting up and tearing down your scope. Seems obvious, but when you're at a dark sight, you really can's see much! You might want to start from the beginning: pack everything up as if you were leaving. Then unpack, setup, then tear down and pack. That way, when you're in the field, in the dark, you'll know where everything is and goes, and you won't leave behind your favorite eyepiece, or lens cap, etc. 
Mark
Edited by markf (11/25/04 11:57 AM)
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markf
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/13/04
Posts: 1936
Loc: Houston, TX
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Nick,
JINX! On the warm clothes bit! 
Mark
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Celestron C6N on a CG5-GT
Orion 80mm Refractor (guidescope)
ToUCam Pro II
Canon 40D
http://www.carsandfish.com/astroweb
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rustynpp
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 1018
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lighttrap
Reged: 02/06/04
Posts: 3833
Loc: cloudy, foggy, humid NC, US
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Do have appropriate clothing on or nearby.
Don't assume that you'll be as comfortable at 2am in what you were comfortable wearing at 8pm.
Do gain familiarity with your equipment, and have it pretty well collimated before venturing out.
Don't assume that it came in optimal condition just because it's new.
Do plan your observing session, or at least become familiar with what you are likely to see, and in what part of the sky, and at what time, prior to your observing session.
Do familiarize yourself with your charts and atlas before expecting to use them in the field with a red light.
Do have all your accessories collected and organized, and Do remember to bring them.
Do remember to bring fresh batteries for anything that requires batteries.
Depending on what type scope you have, Do remember to bring a stool or chair to observe with. Even if you don't use it for observing, (which is highly recommended if possible), you may find that sitting occasionally really helps, anyway.
Do keep your expectations low and reasonable.
Don't expect Hubble images, and Don't expect to see unreasonable numbers of objects in one session.
Do expect your observing skills to increase with time.
Don't expect to start right out seeing to the limits of your equipment.
Do spend a good amount of time really learning the limits of your equipment before upgrading or changing.
Do take advantage of the generally better seeing conditions from midnight to dawn.
Do take advantage of dark sky sites as often as possible
Do take advantage of any local astro clubs if possible
Do remember to relax and have fun.
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18" Starsplitter II f/4.5
8" Hardin Dob f/6
C5 workhorse mini SCT f/10 or f/6.3
70mm TV Ranger dual purpose birding/astro
77mm Leica Televid APO
16x70 Fujinons on UA Deluxe Mt.
12x50 Nikon SE
8x30 Nikon E2s
and many others
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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If you suspect its not in optimal condition what can you do about it?
Edited by squarehead (11/25/04 04:02 PM)
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Matthew E
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/24/04
Posts: 927
Loc: Whitby, Ontario, Canada
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sorry i dont understand your question? if its not optimal , then its not collimated. You should do you collimation on non-observing nights, as collimation can\will take longer than you want when you first start out.
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NexStar 114GT
NewStar 10” Dob with Moonlite CR-1
Short Tube 80mm
6mm Radian
14mm Radian
Celestron Ultima Barlow
Durham Region Astronomical Association
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada - Toronto
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
I you suspect its not in optimal condition what can you do about it?
optimise it ;-)
seriously though, unless its actually broken i'd wager most suppliers would not entertain a refund, so learn how to optimise your setup - collimate, clean, whatever else 'we' can do (still learning these myself)
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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 19246
Loc: Brooker, FL
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lighttrap has covered everything exceptionally well.
Of his recommendations, I'd stress:
1. Warm clothing - layered of course, but with emphasis on footwear (I use Navigator boots
https://www.theshoeworks.com/c6.html for winter, and have cut-finger mittens, got at a Totes factory outlet.)
2. Observing chair - this is an often underrated item, but I rarely leave home without it.
3. Assume your new scope will need collimation. It's not difficult, but needs a little practice. Get a set of Bob's Knobs http://www.bobsknobs.com/, and it'll be routine, even if it won't need to be done often.
4. Note that "dim fuzzies" (most DSO targets) are called that for a reason....they're 1. dim, and 2. fuzzy
5. Take some Patience Pills. And align your finderscope before nightfall. I suggest getting a Telrad, Rigel, or Giant Mars Eye finder - it'll make initial alignment SO much easier.
You're going to love that scope - of all the ones I have, the N11 is the one that's going to be here when others come and go...
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N11GPS Fastar//TOA-130S//MK66 Std//AT6RC//Vintage C5//Megrez II 80mm APO//SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II//Sirius EQ-G
Too Many Astro-Cameras//Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Casey and Nelson
Lot 19 Deerlick Astronomy Village (Canis Major)
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Some really good suggestions here. I'm not a vet, so I won't chime in, but I'd agree with them all.
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miniventures
Something Else
Reged: 09/13/03
Posts: 11259
Loc: Powell Butte, Central Oregon
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All those suggestions about warm clothes are exceptionally true. For me, it's real important to have a hat and warm, warm boots
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LarryC
Volunteer
http://www.sunrivernaturecenter.org
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BillFerris
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/17/04
Posts: 3587
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Hi Frank,
You've gotten a lot of great tips so far. My top three "Do's" are...
1. Observe objects when they're along your local meridian. That's the imaginary line running north-south through the zenith. Objects are highest above the horizon when along the meridian. You're seeing them through the least amount of atmosphere and where the seeing (atmospheric steadiness) is typically best.
2. Take your time with objects. Spend at least 5- or 10-minutes observing before you move on. You'll see more detail and may even find a surprise or two.
3. Use high magnification. The wide field produced by a low power eyepiece is great for sweeping the sky and finding objects. You may even decide it's the best overall view of an object. But before moving on to the next target, spend a few minutes observing at about 12X per inch of aperture. A lot of deep-sky objects only reveal their best kept secrets at high mags.
Regards,
Bill in Flagstaff
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Grand Canyon Adventure
Lowering the Threshold
18" Obsession
4.5" Meade 4500
10x50 Swift Audubon
Cosmic Voyage
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mirage
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/23/04
Posts: 693
Loc: central texas
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Probably not so much for Frank, but especially important for newbies flying solo:
DON'T rush to unpack and set up everything without the time and the space to do so in a considered manner. There's nothing worse than losing a tiny piece or damaging a critical component due to a rushed or cluttered assembly experience.
DO read the manuals that come with your equipment. If your equipment doesn't include manuals or the manuals don't sufficiently explain a feature, take the time to research it online before attempting to just 'figure it out'.
DON'T try to clean your optics. If they look dirty, use them anyway - minor dust and smudges often have no visible effect. If you feel they truly do need cleaning, research it thoroughly before making the attempt!
DO take your new gear to a star party sometime soon after receiving it. Don't be intimidated by the feeling that it's too modest or you're not knowledgable enough to run with the 'big guns'. Have someone experienced check it out and assess its performance - veteran eyes can often spot warranty issues that you might not realise are atypical of your instrument, or reassure you that its performance is perfectly acceptable.
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imber stellarum 10x50 binoculars
architectural advisor
friends of the austin planetarium
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Yaquina
sage
Reged: 09/07/04
Posts: 358
Loc: Newport, OR
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DO: Learn the sky and learn how to use your scope.
DON'T: Pull into a star party with your headlights on!
Clear skies, Mike
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Explore Scientific 80mm ED APO
Orion XT10 Classic (many mods)
9x63 Meade Bino's
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markf
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/13/04
Posts: 1936
Loc: Houston, TX
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Quote:
DO take your new gear to a star party sometime soon after receiving it. Don't be intimidated by the feeling that it's too modest or you're not knowledgable enough to run with the 'big guns'.
Hehe, for sure don't be intimidated  . First public outing I took my scope to, I was definitely feeling "inadequate" so to speak. My little 5" scope next to an 18" dob? Oh my that is one big scope! And everwhere I looked was 8"-10" dobs...there was one scope with my size aperture, but a 5" refractor is HUGE compared to a 5" reflector with a 650mm focal length!
But everyone was quite friendly, and we all enjoyed showing views to the kiddies. (It was Astronomy Day at George Observatory)
Mark
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Celestron C6N on a CG5-GT
Orion 80mm Refractor (guidescope)
ToUCam Pro II
Canon 40D
http://www.carsandfish.com/astroweb
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Yaquina
sage
Reged: 09/07/04
Posts: 358
Loc: Newport, OR
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Another big DO, DO, DO, is introduce any kids with any interest whatsoever to astronomy. My opinion, maybe the most important contribution any of us can make to astronomy.
Clear skies, Mike
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Explore Scientific 80mm ED APO
Orion XT10 Classic (many mods)
9x63 Meade Bino's
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mirage
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/23/04
Posts: 693
Loc: central texas
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Quote:
Hehe, for sure don't be intimidated. First public outing I took my scope to, I was definitely feeling "inadequate" so to speak. My little 5" scope next to an 18" dob? Oh my that is one big scope! And everwhere I looked was 8"-10" dobs...
I'm still trying to talk my best friend into bringing her ETX-60 along when we go to star parties, but she just won't do it. Especially after the nice focuser and finderscope I bought her, it seems such a waste to leave it lying in the closet!
The people at star parties are always friendly and even tiny scopes are fun to play with...
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imber stellarum 10x50 binoculars
architectural advisor
friends of the austin planetarium
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weezy
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 02/13/04
Posts: 1739
Loc: Colorado, USA
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My Nighthawk and son-in-law's 80f5 is usually the smallest scopes at any of our star parties. If it's a public party, you would be surprised at the questions a smaller scope can generate. Especially if most of the other scopes are large and I do mean large dobs.
A lot of people seem to be looking for a smaller, more portable scope, so just be prepared for any kind of question.
Weezy
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3 cats
Orion 120ST
Stellarvue Nighthawk
Stellarvue 102APO
Shrine Manon 60mm
PST
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