Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

  • Welcome to Stargazers Lounge

    Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to contribute to this site by submitting your own content or replying to existing content. You'll be able to customise your profile, receive reputation points as a reward for submitting content, while also communicating with other members via your own private inbox, plus much more! This message will be removed once you have signed in.

Forums

  1. Welcome

    1. 301.2k
      posts
  2. Beginners

    1. 266k
      posts
    2. 195.7k
      posts
    3. 53.7k
      posts
    4. 173.5k
      posts
  3. Community

    1. 8.6k
      posts
    2. 999
      posts
    3. 7.2k
      posts
    4. 14.8k
      posts
    5. 36.6k
      posts
    6. 6.5k
      posts
    7. 396.4k
      posts
  4. Retailers

    1. 25k
      posts
    2. 3.2k
      posts
    3. 899
      posts
    4. 2.1k
      posts
  5. Equipment

    1. 316.6k
      posts
    2. 20.5k
      posts
    3. 105.5k
      posts
    4. 115.8k
      posts
    5. 76.2k
      posts
    6. 1.8k
      posts
    7. 56.2k
      posts
    8. 123.3k
      posts
    9. 50.3k
      posts
    10. 42.6k
      posts
  6. Observing

    1. 39.2k
      posts
    2. 55.1k
      posts
    3. 25.2k
      posts
    4. 10.2k
      posts
    5. 22.7k
      posts
    6. 24k
      posts
    7. 15.2k
      posts
    8. 10.6k
      posts
    9. 7.7k
      posts
    10. 18.2k
      posts
  7. EEVA (Electronically Enhanced Visual Astronomy)

    1. 1.7k
      posts
    2. 20.2k
      posts
  8. Imaging

    1. 97.5k
      posts
    2. 25.1k
      posts
    3. 48.2k
      posts
    4. 3.1k
      posts
    5. 80.1k
      posts
    6. 120.9k
      posts
    7. 114.5k
      posts
    8. 327.5k
      posts
    9. 55.2k
      posts
    10. 658
      posts
  9. Science

    1. 1.6k
      posts
    2. 26.4k
      posts
    3. 8.1k
      posts
  • Latest Posts

    • I'm pretty certain I recall spot groups going round three times - perhaps more?
    • Thank you, yeah it was just beautiful, very lucky to have witnessed it. I was using my Fuji XT-2 and the Fuji 16-55mm f2.8 lens.
    • Thanks Paul. Sadly parts of Norfolk did fog up, mostly over on the North East, my parents mist it because of the fog, they drove around for an hour trying to find a clear patch. I was considering two locations, Happisburgh light house over on the East coast and Cley wind mill, I'm thankful for chosing Cley!
    • Just to follow up, the size I measured is... Distance to target (km) x measured size in reticle (mm) / Focal length of scope (mm) ...so... 151,000,000km x 1.45mm / 975mm = about 225,000km or about 139,000 miles (ignoring foreshortening from it not being exactly square on). In the SM125 scope each little tick on that scale is  over 15,000km across at the sun, so Earth would easily fit inside one tick. I've seen a few reports  in the media that there might be more action when this spot comes around again, but how long can a spot keep going?
    • Well Guys, it seems like 'we have the technology' ....... Decided to order the 'coaster clips' on-line with Veals, for delivery.  Postage was £2.50 - it would have cost me that to start my car up and make it to the end of the road!!  Ordered yesterday at mid-day and, with amazing efficiency, they were delivered today, also around mid-day.  What service! So here's an explanation of my process with some accompanying photos - excuse the long post, as there's a number of steps + the photos! Here's the item(s), as received, 2 per pack: I then disassembled one of them - unscrew knob and the nylon tie section easily pulled out: I then determined that the thread inside the knob is actually M10.  As it happens, I had some short M10 threaded rods left over from a house building project a couple of years ago.  And they measured 140mm in length, close enough to by strap wrench as tested - sorted!  But, when the knob is screwed up tight there's no appreciable thread left available within the knob itself to screw the rod into, due to the length of that 'guide flange' protruding out.  Solution - cut the flange down a little to allow more threads inside the knob to be available (I've cleaned the cut end up since taking this photo!): Assembled the clamp onto the PT knob and cut off the excess straps, flush with the (cut down) flange.  Excuse the out of focus photo, but you get the idea ...  I then removed, released the knob and pushed the straps through a short distance and cut them off a bit shorter (as explained in Steve's video).  I actually cut 5 'threads' off each strap.  Then reassembled and fitted onto the PT knob again: I then screwed the rod into the clamp knob, to test .... AND IT WORKS AS PLANNED!: Realising that this rough and ready threaded rod might not be the most comfortable thing to grab hold of, I went back to my shed in search of something to cover it with.  Aha!  Some 15mm 'Speedfit' water supply pipe had the perfect internal diameter to enable it to be screwed onto the rod!  Measured and cut to size, screwed onto the rod (the rod threads happily cut their way along the inside of the plastic pipe - a little stiff going, so I used a 'mole' grip to assist). Then, would you believe it (of course!), it started to rain, so I decamped into our wash room ...... here's the rod + plastic pipe cover, fitted: I can then remove the threaded rod section, leaving the clamp still tightly in place: Aligning the clamp in this orientation allows me to still comfortably close the lid of the 'scopes carry case (it's about the same excess protrusion as the 'scopes tube clamp).  The PT was orientated where I'd left it from my last session, so hopefully it shouldn't be too far off the optimum setting and thereby require only minor adjustment to bring it back on band next time out.  I hope!: And the lid closes, for storage, no problem:   So, there you have it! It fits, and seems to work in principle as planned.  I'll test it out for real whenever we get a clear day with some sun (tomorrow doesn't look too bad, I think) and let you know the outcome.  Further to my test using my 'strap wrench' I have no reason to doubt that this sturdier solution should be able to do the job nicely.  We'll see ....  
  • Recent Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • David Smith

      Blown away by the Aurora Borealis last night, fingers crossed we might get some more tonight 🙏
      · 0 replies
    • Earl

      We are total surronded NESW by Aroura !!!!!
      · 0 replies
    • Earl

      broken cloud time to run a timelpase from the back window, might do star trails later as its saying clear so far
      · 0 replies
    • Minhlead  »  inedible_hulk

      Hi there,
      I can see you had a Lunt 50mm for sale. By any chance it's still available?
      · 0 replies
    • Hawksmoor

      Had a brainwave as to how I could make a conversion gizmo to attach to my homemade spectrometer to enable it's use for nebulae. The aluminium bits arrived from EBAY this afternoon. I feel an astro project coming on!
      Finally got the LVST (Lowestoft Very Small Telescope) reprogrammed and catching 'meteor pings' again. Everything went west after the electrical supply to the shed went down in the last major storm deluge. All is up and running again. It really does pay to write down what you have done and programmed when you get old. I'm 74 years old you know!!👴
      · 0 replies
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Entries

  • Images

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.