questions from a newbie

Ok, coupla basic questions I'm hoping I can get help with.

I just got an 8" newt on a german eq mount. (Thanks Margo!)
This is my first real telescope after making a mistake buying a tiny
meade that produced nothing but frustration.
Ok, the first thing is, how long do I have to wait for the tube and
mnirrors to acclimate themselves to the winter nights before I can get
good views?

Should I take the scope apart or can I leave it set up in my living
room? I'm concerned about the counterweights. Will they do any damage to
the tube if I leave it set up for long peroids of time?

Who makes the best eyepieces? I'm not really concerned about price, i'd
rather pay more for the best than worry about saving a few bucks. And
should I buy a full kit or just pick and choose?

Also finally, what kind of views can I expect? I've only had it for a
few weeks and it's been cold and overcast so I still haven't looked thru
it yet. What will andromeda look like?

I know these questions have probably been asked before but i'd
appreciate any information from anyone who knows better than I.

Brian-

brian posted:

Ok, the first thing is, how long do I have to wait for the tube and
mnirrors to acclimate themselves to the winter nights before I can get
good views?

It depends on the difference in temperature between inside and outside. I
would say that if the temperature is in the 20's (F.) outside, you might want
to have the scope outside for at least an hour and a half before you try to
use it. If the difference is only 10 or 15 degrees, then something between
half an hour and one full hour might be enough.

Should I take the scope apart or can I leave it set up in my living
room? I'm concerned about the counterweights. Will they do any damage to
the tube if I leave it set up for long peroids of time?

You can leave it set up if you want to. The counterweights won't do any
damage to things. You can also take it appart if you want to make it easier
to transport.

Who makes the best eyepieces? I'm not really concerned about price, i'd
rather pay more for the best than worry about saving a few bucks. And
should I buy a full kit or just pick and choose?

There are many places which make very good eyepieces, so I wouldn't be
terribly concerned just yet. For the "top of the line", Tele Vue is probably
one of the best, but their eyepieces can be *really* expensive, and it may not
be cost effective for you just yet. I have had good luck with Plossls and
wide-field eyepieces from various sources like Orion telescopes, so it doesn't
take a huge amount of money to get halfway decent performance.

Also finally, what kind of views can I expect? I've only had it for a
few weeks and it's been cold and overcast so I still haven't looked thru
it yet. What will andromeda look like?

The rule is: "Don't expect too much". A telescope (even an 8 inch) may not
make the Andromeda galaxy look like its photograph, as the human eye does not
have the kind of ability to collect and store light to build up an image that
a camera does. Still, the "live" view of a number of objects can be quite
stunning, so you should find a lot to look at. I would suggest viewing from
as far away from city lights as you can get, and view at times when the moon
isn't in the sky. The faint "Deep-sky" objects will show up a lot better when
that advice is followed. Also, find your nearest Astronomy Club, as they can
give you a lot of helpful advice. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

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"brian" wrote in message
.. .

Who makes the best eyepieces? I'm not really concerned about price, i'd
rather pay more for the best than worry about saving a few bucks. And
should I buy a full kit or just pick and choose?

Televue Naglers (arguably the "best" eyepieces) will cost you about the same
amount of money you paid for your telescope. Each! However there are plenty
of "second best" eyepieces that are somewhat more affordable. I have had
good luck with Televue Panoptics and Radians... and you could actually buy 3
eyepieces for the price of your scope. On the other hand, if you want
something much more affordable, the Orion ED series will allow you to buy 10
for same price.

Hi Brian,

Ok, the first thing is, how long do I have to wait for the tube and
mnirrors to acclimate themselves to the winter nights before I can get
good views?

It depends on how cold it is outside. If you can, leave the scope in an
unheated garage. Otherwise plan on an hour for cooldown, less on warm
nights, more on cold nights.

Should I take the scope apart or can I leave it set up in my living
room? I'm concerned about the counterweights. Will they do any damage to
the tube if I leave it set up for long peroids of time?

You can leave it up indefinitely.

Who makes the best eyepieces? I'm not really concerned about price, i'd
rather pay more for the best than worry about saving a few bucks. And
should I buy a full kit or just pick and choose?

It depends on what you want to observe and what your budget is like. For
lunar and planetary viewing, the University Optics Orthos are a great buy. I
also like the TV Plossels for general purpose. For wide angle, it depends on
your pocketbook!

Also, check at http://skyandtelescope.com/resources/organizations/ to find a
local astro club. Take your scope to a public night and you'll have an
opportunity to borrow eyepieces and compare them with what you already
have --- through your own scope so you know how much of the improvement is
due to the eyepiece and not just the other person's scope.

Also finally, what kind of views can I expect? I've only had it for a
few weeks and it's been cold and overcast so I still haven't looked thru
it yet. What will andromeda look like?

The metereologists haven't figured it out yet, but taking delivery of a new
scope is guaranteed to bring clouds. You might look at the library for the
book, "Turn Left at Orion." It has a number of drawings that give a
realistic idea of what you will see.

I know these questions have probably been asked before but i'd
appreciate any information from anyone who knows better than I.

Glad to have you with us Brian!

Clear Skies

Chuck Taylor
Do you observe the moon?
Try the Lunar Observing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lunar-observing/
Lunar Picture of the Day http://www.lpod.org/
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