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Blog 18303

Dark Skies

After sitting watching the news and being constantly bombarded with information abou how to save energy throughout the home BY THE GOVERNMENT. I wonder at the waste of energy Councils and the goverment allow, when everywhere we look there are streetlights, motorway lights, buildings lit as if its daylight and various other lghts spoiling the night sky. Now i am not saying we could switch them all off but surley we could turn some of them off not only restoring some of the night sky for our child
mickyjd

mickyjd

1
Inane ramblings of baldy bain

I have a 5 inch paperweight.

Well what can I say? As Richard Wilson might have it "I don't believe it!" The weather once again had conspired against me to delay delivery of the nice new ETX 125 that I had ordered to replace the broken ETX 80 that I wrote about last time. But the big cardboard box duly arrived on Friday. Excitedly I unpacked the goods and wasted no time getting the scope set up - even if clear skies were not forecast for a while it wasn't going to deter me from aligning the finder and just seeing how things
Iris

Iris

0
Inane ramblings of baldy bain

I've been having a bit of a break

I got the little Meade ETX 80 in November sometime and had been using it on and off on a grab and go basis since then. One such occasion presented itself a couple of weeks ago now on Wed 6th. The night time temperatures of -11 or so were keeping me generally at bay and this one was no different - except that for once the sky was crystal clear and the seeing was rather steady. Being the chicken that I am I decided to pop the scope on a window ledge and have a scout around for some of the Mmms in
Iris

Iris

0
Blog 18243

dual focusser

morning everyone, i'm looking for a dual speed focuser for my skywatcher pro180. i'm a novice so don't know if i should be replacing the existing focuser or adding another to the diagonal. any thoughts or recommendations?
Bradoing

Bradoing

1
Blog 18236

Help! How to install Polar axis finder on CG-5 mount?

Hi All, I am brand new to this and have set up my scope/mount etc but have just purchased the CG-5 polar axis finder and need help on how to remove the finderscope housing on the rear of the telescope's polar housing in order to install the polar axis finder! Any help would be appreciated. THANKS
Space_Trucker

Space_Trucker

0
Blog 16698

Skywatcher Equinox ED100 vs Celestron C100 EDR?

Hi, does anyone have experience of how the two scopes above compare in practice? I know that Equinox has a better build and focuser, (crayford vs R&P), but optically I have heard that they are very similar and both very good.. I've just ordered the Celestron from FLO, complete on a CG-5 manual mount (which I have owned before and know is a good stable mount), and I couldn't resist the all in price of just £485 - about £150 less than the Equinox OTA alone! I'd appreciate the views of anyone w
F15Rules

F15Rules

3
Blog 18203

help needed setting up telescope

I have been given a second hand panaview sky series telscope but it doesn't have a manual how to set it up or use it with it. Can anyone please send me information re how to set it up and how to use it
hil25

hil25

2
Blog 17987

Excitable Newbie's Night Of Firsts

No more 'sidewalk astronomy' for me, my friends. Tonight I finally managed to get myself to a nice, dark location with -believe it or not- not a cloud in sight. I'm not going to pretend it went without a hitch, in this case a badly alligned RDF on the ol' astromaster. One piece of equipment I find hard enough to use already. But undeterred, I decided to aim for something even I'd find hard to miss - the Moon. Considering this was my first view of it through a telescope, I'll happily admit I was
MarshallDavies

MarshallDavies

4
Blog 17987

Excitable Newbie's First Light

Okay, not much to report, but i'm still chuffed! Mainly because I didn't manage to completely [removed word] my scope collimating it before I'd even used it. But thats another story! My scope (a *cough* 5'' newtonian - everyone seems to prefer skywatcher) finally 'arrived' today, bringing christmas with it as far as I'm concerned. As you can imagine i was quite happy. All I needed was a bit of clear sky, so all night i've switched between checking sat24 and hanging out of my window cursing the
MarshallDavies

MarshallDavies

0
Blog 17987

Excitable Newbie Alert

Just thought i'd say hi. I've been captivated (and more than slightly intimidated) by all that up there for as long as i can remember. And being of shoddy natural eyesight i've only ever been able to see anything with my near antique 10x50's. But this year, hopefully, everything changes - i've just ordered a 130mm reflector. I know it's not much, but it's a start (and all my budget can currently stretch to!) So any suggestions at what would be good to point it at this time of year? When it turns
MarshallDavies

MarshallDavies

0
Inane ramblings of baldy bain

...and a partridge in a pear tree

The twelve days of Christmas was what came to mind on Saturday night (19th - 20th) as, encouraged by the clear, crisp but cold weather I suited up to try out the new MRF I talked about last time... 3 pairs of socks, 2 wooly ha-ats, and a hot flask of teaeee.... (OK maybe not X-Factor material)... along with gloves, 2 undershirts, a shirt, a fleece and a windproof jacket :-) - all of which were needed in the -8 deg C refigerator that passed for my garden... The Michelin man cometh!..... and out I
Iris

Iris

0
Blog 18033

Computer controlled Alt-Az versus EQ wedge?

Question? I'm new to this and have been devouring info. Just picked up the Clelstron Nexstar 4SE with SkyAlign. There are several methods to obtain proper alignment. For general viewing purposes, I understand that the computerized Alt-Az control should maintain objests in the field of view for extended periods of time. Am I correct that utilizing the built in EQ wedge and proper polar alignment, would be even better at maintaining objects in the filed of view, and also eliminate object rotation
niu02kevin

niu02kevin

0
Inane ramblings of baldy bain

Point! Shoot!

Point! Shoot! Pointing the tube thingy is easy - but getting it to point at something that you actually want to view is, well another matter entirely. I hadn't realised just how akward it would be to aim even my little scope and have spent plenty much time flailing around the sky trying to get the target of my attention into the FOV. This is not helped by being unfamiliar with what one actually sees in that little circle of darkeness - you line it up with what you think will be a familiar sight
Iris

Iris

0
East Midlands Stargazers

EMS Meeting 16.12.2009

EMS Meeting 16.12.2009 A basic summary of what happened at our EMS Meeting 16.12.2009 In attendance were: Doc Glider PhilJ Rusty Strings Red dwalf Steve922 Ibbo Brantuk BazSenior Bryndalf ***** Before the meeting Glider got confirmation from Mr Coaker, regarding the use of the dark site at Sawley, Long Eaton. Mr Coaker will allow us use of the field as long as it's outside the times of the Model Aircraft Clubs flying schedule. We get two keys and must keep off the grass runway an
Doc

Doc

43
East Midlands Stargazers

EMS Meeting 16.12.2009

EMS Meeting 16.12.2009 A basic summary of what happened at our EMS Meeting 16.12.2009 In attendance were: Doc Glider PhilJ Rusty Strings Red dwalf Steve922 Ibbo Brantuk BazSenior Bryndalf ***** Before the meeting Glider got confirmation from Mr Coaker, regarding the use of the dark site at Sawley, Long Eaton. Mr Coaker will allow us use of the field as long as it'soutside the times of the Model Aircraft Clubs flying schedule. We get two keys and must keep off the grass runway and stay within
Doc

Doc

0
Blog 17661

Grumpy Old Man

Well, never blogged before but am already bored. Was diagnosed with swine flue earlier this week and just hope it clears up before the fat guy comes down the chimney! So far have missed the work christmas lunch, daughters school play (shes the ghost of christmas past) And tonight the first meeting of the East Midlands Stargazers (and in a pub!). Its also tipping down here, which is good coz I'd be tempted to go out (stupidly) although I don't think I've got the energy to carry the mount out. The
Scott Tilley

Scott Tilley

0
Blog 18020

Moving on up.

i recently bought an Orion XT8i Dobsonian. The base was delayed so i just got the tube today. Bad thing about Florida now, is that it is cloudy. But its good because i can wait for the base to come on monday. I had to collimate it. Cant wait till the skies clear up.
Eliomar

Eliomar

0
Inane ramblings of baldy bain

The dimmest object you can see is your own reflection in the mirror :-)

You know how it is, flushed with new scope enthusiasm - you jump out at any opportunity to set up and have a skoot around the sky. So it was with me in the first few days after the brown box arrived - not that I have lost the bug yet of course. I was being assiduous in handling the little baby but as is the way with things still fumbling about occasionally dropping stuff or picking things up and ever so slightly getting my big paw prints everywhere. Well I had been reading as it happens - about
Iris

Iris

0
Blog 17693

Could fall to the dark side.

Well the weathers been bad all I seem to see is cloud over the last week. The one good night Friday I had to go out so missed a great night viewing. Well My scope has a home finally in the corner of the bedroom. I can open the window there and get a good view of the east through to the south part of the night sky, Just incase for a moment of cloud free sky. Read a post yesterday of someone taking a photo of the moon with there mobile and thought I could have ago at that so I took afew last night
Jupiter Martin

Jupiter Martin

0
Blog 14473

Sky at night subscription and the weather!

Ahh hello from Glalicia place of a thousand clouds! I get it all the time, I go home to blighty and people comment that I am so lucky to be living in sunny Spain rather than cold rainy England. Well there´s a thing....and here it is...it´s kind of a big thing..in fact it is huge...some would even proclaim "christ look at the size of that thing"... Not all parts of Spain have the same weather patterns! Hah I have said it now and please all of you taken note class because I won´t be repeating it (
ncjunk

ncjunk

0
Blog 17871

£250-300 to spend what 2nd hand telescope should I go 4?

I am 100% new to this and know very little about the observation of stars and thought I should get myself a basic telescope. I have no clue on what to go for as it all seems so complicated. I realise that a should get a better spec telescope as a second hand rather than new and is the reason I am asking. Any advice is much apreiciated. I was thinking of spending roughly +/- £250. Thanks for your help
diamond

diamond

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