dweller25

@Fozzie Was it at 9:25pm if so I saw it too - it burned red to green ?

Yes it is possible to collimate your scope 🙂 @Captain Magenta posted this correct procedure earlier and it worked perfectly on my 6” CC...... I took 3 steps: 1. lined up the focuser axis to the primary axis, a la kitchen table collimation, 2. pointed the primary directly at the centre of the secondary (I also used a Glatter) 3. adjusted the secondary to "symmetricize" the reflection of the laser onto the primary, in my case getting the reflected dot back onto the laser source

Yes it needs tweaking for best results

Great sequence of images 👍

It may be worth flocking the primary baffle if you see a halo when observing bright objects otherwise do a jigsaw 😂

I changed from the clamshell to rings so I could add a carry handle - feels much safer when moving the scope onto the mount.

When the planets are low you are viewing through much more atmosphere to see them hence the poor views. Altitude wins. Well done for getting up though 👍

As a visual only planetary observer I am thinking about changing from my Vixen GP equatorial mount to either the Ercole or current Skytee altaz mounts. I only use one scope at a time, which would be a 4” F/8 or 5” F/8 refractor or a 7” F/15 Maksutov, weighing 6.4, 8.5 and 7 kgs respectively. Does anyone have real world experience of these two mounts in relation to the scopes I have ? Is the Ercole overkill for my scopes ?

In my opinion the best all-round telescope and the best performance/value for money is a Newtonian on a Dobsonian mount. Ideally it would have an open back and a cooling fan to allow for faster acclimatisation. Check collimation every few uses for best results. However - my most used scope is a 5” Refractor as my back does not like Newts.

Hi Tiago, What objects do you observe the most ?

The ISS will go through Orion at approx 21:34 BST tonight - should be an interesting view and a great photo opportunity......

A perfect starter scope that is also very capable is a Dobsonian like this 6” ...... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html Or this slightly heavier 8” which is still manageable by an adult as it splits into two parts like the scope above ..... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html First Light Optics are a very good supplier. Also you can download free software for your PC or tablet called Stellarium which helps you navigate around the sky and shows you where thousands of objects are for observation You can also mount these scopes on a motor driven equatorial mount at a later date if you want to do photography.

Great photos 👍

Looking great.....

Well done 👍

I went through quite a few filters before settling on the Neodymium for the planets.

Another 👍for those drives

I really do not want to hijack the OP’s thread and understand the issues you have with a large aperture Scope like your 18” My experience in the UK is that my 5” Tak ALWAYS shows more planetary detail than my 4” Tak and a 10” Newtonian USUALLY outperforms both on the planets, unless the seeing is poor - then the smaller refactors will show a steadier image than the Newt but the level of planetary detail will still be very low in both types of scope. There have been several constructive replies to the question asked by the OP and alternatives have been discussed too, but in the end it’s up to the OP to decide what he/she would like to do, but I think we all agree that you cannot go far wrong with a 4” Tak 👍🙂

Here are the thoughts of a world famous refractor manufacturer....... https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/articles/how-to/what-is-the-best-planetary-telescope-r402

All the 4” Taks are probably very similar in performance - but honestly a cheaper 10” Newtonian will be better on the planets.

I suspect there is very little difference, perhaps you may be better considering the new FC100DZ ?

It is worth spending the extra money on the Bresser and First Light Optics are great to buy from. An 8” Dobsonian will give serious performance for a very long time. Dobsonians are very easy to setup - the base and scope can be carried outside separately if required in two trips at the most. Collimation is just ensuring the mirrors all line up with each other - there are loads of guides on the net which take longer to read than the actual process takes 😀 The Bresser is supplied with a 25mm eyepiece giving x49 which is good for deep sky and the Moon, perhaps a barlow first then another eyepiece later would be a good first step.

Hello @AliP80 and welcome to SGL. The 8” Dobsonian is an excellent scope for beginners and experienced users too and can be upgraded in the future to a fully motorised/ tracking telescope as it suits you. It will easily show a wealth of detail on the Moon and planets and as you have dark skies will perform well on the deep sky objects too.

Good suggestion 👍

The Skymax 127 is a good 5” scope - how about buying a 32mm eyepiece for it to give x47 and an exit pupil size of 2.7mm ? https://www.365astronomy.com/32mm-GSO-Plossl-Eyepiece.html https://www.telescopehouse.com/televue-32mm-plossl-eyepiece-1-25.html