Why wine and the internet don't mix....

[russ.will]

Having spent a rare and productive evening on Saturday getting to know my new (to me) OOUK VX8L, I eventually retreated inside circa 3am to ponder what and why I had seen. Weather, work and other commitments had conspired to restrict time at the eyepiece for the last couple of months and the fact that Mrs Williams and the mini-me were staying at the grandparents for a a night, conspired to produce the perfect storm.

There were two equipment issues I wanted focus on, in the process of having a good look around.

One is that at F6, the VX8L sidesteps the slightly dubious trend toward ever shorter focal ratios, that for the most part are imaging centric. I was therefore keen to view with and without, the coma corrector that my previous F4.9 newt had demanded for the longer focal length UWA EPs. I say demanded, but you get caught up in the 'necessity' for coma correctors, when you have EPs well corrected for astigmatism, as coma is the major abberation left to remove. However, an F6 scope has a lot less coma and I was keen to see if I could get away without all of the extra air/glass surfaces in the chain and yet receive a sufficiently sharp star field across enough of the FOV.

Hand in hand with this, was trying out a mis-matched bunch of UWA and SWA EPs from ostensibly the same stable. I was beginning to suspect that I personally was happy with a 70deg FOV, as I was personally finding that the closer eye position required to access the total UWA FOV, meant I was generally only effectively using an SWA FOV. I don't wear glasses (except for reading) and can happily handle the eye relief from both sets of EPs. But I've begun to feel that just because I can handle both, isn't the same as wanting to. I can handle a 6mm Ortho, but lack of wanting to, meant I flogged the one I had pretty much as quick as it was bought. This is a subjective past time after all, so I cannot be wrong.

Anyhow, after five hours I had reached the conclusion that F6 scopes are very much easier on coma and I can live without a coma corrector at this focal ratio. However, that an SWA should be even less susceptible to coma as it should be, was less clear cut on the basis of the EPs I had to hand.

The ridiculous 40mm Maxvision SWA was bought on a grape induced whim for my refractor, but offers a fraction more TFOV than my 30mm ES82. But the 30mm offers a darker background and would win (for my money) on an either/or comparison, ignoring the price disparity. What I really needed was the MV 34mm SWA.

I've already ditched the 18mm ES82 as it was the one ES82 I really didn't get on with, to the point of avoiding reaching for it. Plenty of people do get on with it, but this leaves me with the 24mm MV SWA (bought to fit my 1.25" Lunt Solar Wedge) and a 16mm MV SWA bought because it was so cheap. However, if it hadn't been for the 1.25" requirement, I would probably have bought the 2" MV 28mm, SWA. The 24mm MV does seem to work happily without the CC, whereas the 18mm ES82 seemed to (counter intuitively) need it, so I was starting to think that SWAs are easier to deal with in more ways than one, for me at least.

So, here's what happened.

Having imbibed a couple of insulated mugs worth of Bordeaux whilst outside, I came back in to ponder the evening and enjoy the balance of the bottle. Reasoning thus became further blurred and I couldn't decide between purchasing the 34 or 28mm. So I put both in the cart. Then it really went wrong, because I incorrectly figured that I was only the 20mm short of the set, so that went in too. Then I clicked buy.

Oh dear.

So the 30mm ES82 had to hit the classifieds which sucked up half of the difference and to be fair, my writings in other spheres has comfortably covered the rest.  I wasn't credit card stupid drunk, at least.

Here's the lesson. If you must drink and astro, make sure that it's a good bottle of wine, because at least you wake up with a clear head and are able to deal with the regret. The manifestation of extra EPs is irrelevant, because that is ALWAYS going to happen sooner or later, it's just the time frame that varies. A good bottle of wine, on the other hand is a one off. Don't waste it.

Russell

[Paulhenry85]

A good wine always costs!!

[Rickstar]

Nothing succeeds like excess.   I hope you had enough money left to buy another good red!

[alan potts]

Nice piece of writing Russell, wine or the like actually dilates the pupil, so my Docotor friend told me, the trick is knowing when to stop.

I tend not to have a problem these days with wine or anything, my problem is more serious, using the Internet on an empty head.

Alan.

[Bart]

Very enjoyable read. You describe well the flawed thought process that I and others have gone through when choosing eyepieces. It does seem rational and well thought out at the time, however.

While I have been known to have a couple on a nights observing, I do realise I shouldn't, as it inevitably brings on a premature feeling of tiredness, when, really, I should be making use of every available minute, living on this cloudy part of the world.

Nice post, very eloquent.

Barry

[Paul73]

I would stick to white wine for observing sessions at this time of year. You wouldn't observe through a cold scope would you???

However. If Russell had done this and then on coming into the warm, moved onto a nice bottle of red, he might have ended up with a full set of Telvues!!!!!

So he has ended up with a nice set of eyepieces and avoided certain bankruptcy. A good result all round.

Looking forward to the MV range review from Russell in the near future?

Paul

[alan potts]

I think you have a pretty good set of eyepieces there Russell, I know you think it's a bit of a lump but I sold my 40mm yesterday to an ex-site member, I think that is a very good eyepiece but more use in the very long scopes like mine. With the 41mm Panoptic though it seldom gets to see a focuser.

I believe you will come to really love the 28mm I did and the 20mm is a peach too, if fact the whole range betters many from other manufacturers, considering the resale value of them I wonder why I got rid of the sometimes.

Alan.

[Naemeth]

A good wine always costs!!

Both before drinking it (buying the wine in the first place) and when drinking it, as this topic demonstrates perfectly.

[rwilkey]

PM sent

[russ.will]

I thank you all for your sage advice and warnings against excessive intake of purified water. The corollary to such swiftly proffered and yet I fear, I'll conceived advice, is that you would be reducing your own access to a flow of pristine, second hand eyepieces into the market. I invite reconsideration?

Luckily for the safety of my 'toys' bank account, I have yet to find myself with bottle and a browser page open on binoviewers.....

Russell

[russ.will]

I think you have a pretty good set of eyepieces there Russell, I know you think it's a bit of a lump but I sold my 40mm yesterday to an ex-site member, I think that is a very good eyepiece but more use in the very long scopes like mine. With the 41mm Panoptic though it seldom gets to see a focuser.

I believe you will come to really love the 28mm I did and the 20mm is a peach too, if fact the whole range betters many from other manufacturers, considering the resale value of them I wonder why I got rid of the sometimes.

Alan.

You're quite right about the 40mm, although it does provide some very nice views in the 1200mm frac. At 30x and a 4.1mm exit pupil, it's like having an astro binocular in the bag and makes onehelluva finder eyepiece. 

It does feel a little odd buying the MVs though. As conventional wisdom would have it, I am downgrading from the ES82s and yet in use, it doesn't feel that way.

I've had a few opportunities to look through the green and black and never felt like I was missing enough to justify the outlay over and above what I already had. That's not to say that they didn't have the edge, but with another more expensive hobby to balance, it was an edge that was too expensive to justify. The limited range of Maxvisions/Meade SWAs I've played with seem to give up a little UWA quantity, for an edge in quality edge to edge. That's my eyes though.

Either way, it does seem nice to have significantly broadened my range of EPs, for what after the sale of the big ES82, was only £150.

Russell

[John]

I've made some of my best purchases when I've had a couple of glasses of decent wine 

I'm glad I only have one expensive hobby though. My others, fishing and birdwatching, I pursue on a shoestring with the cheapest equipment I can lay my hands on. 

The great thing today though, with eyepieces, is that, if you are happy to do without wide field and long eye relief, £50 will buy you optical quality that is as good as something that costs 10x more. Anything more is sheer indulgence. 

I rather like indulgence in this hobby though 

[Naemeth]

I rather like indulgence in this hobby though 

I think you speak for many of us here .

[russ.will]

I've made some of my best purchases when I've had a couple of glasses of decent wine 

I'm glad I only have one expensive hobby though. My others, fishing and birdwatching, I pursue on a shoestring with the cheapest equipment I can lay my hands on. 

The great thing today though, with eyepieces, is that, if you are happy to do without wide field and long eye relief, £50 will buy you optical quality that is as good as something that costs 10x more. Anything more is sheer indulgence. 

I rather like indulgence in this hobby though 

That's the problem. This is the hobby where I'm supposed to keep my sensible head on. The problem I have, is that in those rare moments when it's really good, it's oh so mind bendingly good, that it's hard not to make purchases to be ready for that next rare moment.

I'm thinking of that one night with the 12" Dob, where the atmosphere had conspired to make >300x magnifications a practical reality. The reward was detail on Jupiter that I've only ever seen in imaged. If I'd have been 'with grape' at that moment, I'd have rushed in and bought a brace of Orthos and.. Oh. Hang on.

I'm too impulsive to be trusted by myself, aren't I?

Russell

[John]

That's the problem. This is the hobby where I'm supposed to keep my sensible head on. The problem I have, is that in those rare moments when it's really good, it's oh so mind bendingly good, that it's hard not to make purchases to be ready for that next rare moment.

I'm thinking of that one night with the 12" Dob, where the atmosphere had conspired to make >300x magnifications a practical reality. The reward was detail on Jupiter that I've only ever seen in imaged. If I'd have been 'with grape' at that moment, I'd have rushed in and bought a brace of Orthos and.. Oh. Hang on.

I'm too impulsive to be trusted by myself, aren't I?

Russell

Perhaps we all ought to have "Minders" that we run decisions past for a sanity check before committing ?

(I don't mean partners though  ) 

[nightfisher]

I try my very best to avoid drink and internet shopping, its easy as i hardly ever drink

[Naemeth]

Perhaps we all ought to have "Minders" that we run decisions past for a sanity check before committing ?

(I don't mean partners though  ) 

It doesn't really help to post on here it seems, most replies are along the lines of "Go for it" .

[Bart]

It doesn't really help to post on here it seems, most replies are along the lines of "Go for it" .

Yes, spot on. We often seek advice, when what we really seek is approval/encouragement.

Ahem....... what does everyone think of me buying a couple of nice Televues?

Barry

[Mr Spock]

Remember always the internet and alcohol don't mix. You can't take back what you do or write.

So, what sounds cool tonight after a few beers, will be an epic facepalm tomorrow!

[nicks90]

i'm not to be trusted with money - i buy shiny bits if i have any. My landrover would suddenly grow new parts and upgrades, my computer would breed a new graphics card etc....

so now i am hamtrung by SWMBO as the paypal account is now in her name

dont blame her though, i would do the same if the show was on the other foot!

[Mark in Macc]

I thank you all for your sage advice and warnings against excessive intake of purified water. The corollary to such swiftly proffered and yet I fear, I'll conceived advice, is that you would be reducing your own access to a flow of pristine, second hand eyepieces into the market. I invite reconsideration?

Luckily for the safety of my 'toys' bank account, I have yet to find myself with bottle and a browser page open on binoviewers.....

Russell

Lovely, lovely binoviewers! You know you want some.

[russ.will]

You can stop that right now!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[alan potts]

If I lived in England still I would have done exactly the same as you Russell, I don't believe that with still working if I was there and the total lack of any reasonable run of clear sky I would have any Televues in the case. 

Paper bag time,  last night the milky way was like a white line on a freshly laid road (slight exaggeration for maximum effect)

If you get skies like this it is worth going the extra mile,  though I went too far.

Alan