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Patbloke

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Everything posted by Patbloke

  1. Great report... Amazing progress from the early days Great work!!
  2. It's ok folks I've found a micro 4/3 adapter and nose piece... Cant delete the thread so thanks for reading πŸ™‚
  3. Following a recent prompt from a wanted ad on the forum... I've dug out my barely used Opticstar AR80 Gold Dual Focus Achromat I've set it up during the rubbish weather on the bird feeder at the bottom of the garden! Sat on the AVX mount it's a bit over engineered but great views for spotting πŸ™‚ It got me thinking that maybe I could attach my camera the Olympus OM-D for a few pics... I used to have a t piece for a full size DSLR and did take a few pics years ago. However, this little camera is amazing but I'm not sure what adapter to buy which will enable me to fit it to the Opticstar and my other two Fracs So after a quick search I've decided the quickest way would be to seek help on the forum Any ideas folks?
  4. Best wishes Steve. Binocular legend πŸ‘
  5. Another great night, thanks Nick. I need these refreshers every so often It was really good going old school with the CG5 using the slow motion hand controls and the Vixen large home made focus wheel you have fitted on her.. It took me back to when I first started observing with my little Skywatcher 114p, following the planets Also your EQ6 Pro is some mount fella, it's much quieter than my AVX and I'm pretty sure it would carry the weight of a human holding binoculars πŸ™‚ One thing that is always good to remember is that once you get your object is in focus, spend time observing it, get a chair get comfortable at the EP relax and you'll be amazed how the view changes with averted vision and looking straight on over several minutes. Top work... nice hedgehogs mate but I'm going to have to trump you with Sonic which is one of my regular visitors, which is the size of as mall dog and can move at supersonic speeds..... He nearly knocked me off my chair speeding by last night while I was taking water under the night sky :-0
  6. I have an AVX mount and my first star shot is always a fair distance out... I always have to do 3 calibration stars before I get successful alignment. I use a 32mm EP to capture the star at first, then fine tune to centre the alignment targets on a crosshair reticule (red light) A great buy by the way!!! Don't throw your kit in the sea πŸ™‚ I felt the same the other night, when nothing went right out there in the dark... but the next night it all went lovely and I remembered why this hobby is so great
  7. What a great DIY modification πŸ™‚ great work
  8. Oh it appears that I am very lucky in that I do have a pair of Helios Apollos. It's not a gloat (it is) but a few thoughts - I've only ever used the filter threads a couple of times and it's not been something that I found mind blowing at the time so for me it's a 'nice to have' not essential in bins. Also as you are used to a 10 x 50 view, would it not be a good idea to get an available pair of 15 x 70's like a Celestron or Revelation for now so you can see if you like using them? For about Β£70 you can experience the wonders and then keep a look out on the pre used market. I found the so called 'budget' bins a lot lighter and easier to handle and a nicely aligned pair are a big step up from the 10 x 50's (can always sell as well) I spent ages researching bins a few years ago and read a great review on some expensive Pentax which when I bought and used were very disappointing and felt like light blockers! I took them back next day... You are doing the right thing asking users on this site... I hope the comments you get help for final choices πŸ™‚
  9. I bought a really substantial tripod with a pistol grip head when I got my Apollos and I found it really uncomfortable to use with bins... handheld or monopod supported works for me. Check out BinocularSky website - Stephen Tonkin! loads of tips and reviews πŸ‘
  10. This site is great for opinions and advice... There are ways to use binoculars that don't put stress on your arms. Nothing better than putting the blanket out laying back it gazing the universe, sitting in the garden chair leaning back and taking it all in. Don't be scared of the 15 x 70's the standard pairs aren't that heavy and the views are great πŸ™‚ Sometimes you just have to make the choice... if you keep the equipment in condition you can always sell and upgrade if you feel you need more
  11. I love binocular viewing... Bins are always great to take travelling, easy set up and use to scan the skies πŸ™‚ My thoughts - 10 x 50 is a good portable size but 15 x 70 is what I found give the most pleasurable views. Nikon make great cameras and being brand loyal is good, so hopefully the bins would be great if you go that route. I've checked the price and for half that you could get a nice pair of Celestron 15 x 70s which will give more magnification and a wide field of view. As to whether they are available to buy at the moment, I'm not sure. I bought a second hand pair of Helios Apollos after much research and for Β£170 they were perfectly aligned and give great colour and sharp views... I do use a monopod to steady them when sat down. I bought a pair of 20 x 60 Pentax bins once in Australia after researching and reading the reviews... but for astro observing they awful, not very good... I took them back next day and replaced them (for the same amount of money) with two pairs of bins... a pair of 15 x 70's Celestron type - and a pair of Bushnell trophy 8 x 42... brilliant decision I got the best of both worlds... so be careful but also good luck
  12. Hi I also use the joystick trigger ball head... but most of the time I use a monopod, sit back in the chair and rest the monopod on the floor by my feet... It's amazing the stabilising effect it has on my Apollos which are very heavy. I actually prefer the experience far better than using the tripod. Great for travel as well, (not that we can at the moment) 😞
  13. Just a thought - why not contact Moonlite? I spoke to Ron at moonlite@focuser.com a while ago when I had some questions about a moonlite and he was super helpful
  14. Did you have the solar scope? I hadn't got out of my car and I was invited over to look through? Yes, it's a different Mrs nowadays... I'm looking forward to many more nights outside, and who knows one day maybe even another Star Party
  15. Thanks for that advice... I’m not going to need much encouragement to leave the grass to be fair πŸ™‚ Its like a carpet right now
  16. Dedicated to Nick (cotterless45) who has recently assisted me in getting back behind the eyepiece! Starting with a Skywatcher 114p I very quickly got the bug sometime way back when... Amazed at what I could see from as many dark sites as I could visit I was hooked. I very quickly moved on to buying great second hand equipment (almost every week) from this forum, eBay and AstroB&S I was even lucky enough to be persuaded with a mate to start a stargazing social club at work and use some of the club funds to buy a 200 Dob and a 200 motorised on an EQ5 and EP's. Unbelievable hunting and viewing continued. Then my first Starparty in the Peaks where I had the great fortune to tent up next to Nick... I never used my own little scope that weekend and was given skytours, much banter, vodka and a new insight into the world of the Astro nuts I lived in a first floor flat so viewing was always an epic, getting all the equipment down and into the car everytime I wanted to try to observe... Many rubbish nights with cloud, no location etc. solo observing is not always great when it goes bad During those years my interest came and went, I got into buying bargains and selling unwanted stuff - I look back at the pictures of great scopes I used to own... πŸ™‚ But in general I found I was only ever using my weapon of choice every time I went out, so everything else was just sat there gathering dust. I'm lucky in that since retirement I've travelled a fair bit. I've seen the southern hemisphere several times and in one amazing twist of fate ended up on Mauna Kea Hawaii where through this forum arranged to meet HiloDon and the team... A truly Mind Blowing experience with views we can only dream of based here in the UK. Very difficult to make out the constellations the sky is so full of stars, and almost straight from sunset πŸ™‚ One of the things you realise is that many of the Messier objects are visible there with the naked eye. I've also been to Sark where the stars looks like diamonds so bright against the dark night sky backdrop Why this story then? Well I wanted to share the feeling of an amatuer observer in that even if you fall off the observing wagon for months or even years, it's just as magical as it was in the beginning when you get back behind the Eye Piece! and people like Nick are always there willing to share their knowledge skills and coffee Having just moved to a house with a garden before lock down I made the effort to visit Nick and receive some Astro inspiration! Following my reintroduction - I set up the other night and enjoyed the planets and a few old favorites through the Equinox Pro... The Astro kit I researched for ages on and bought is still amazing gear for which I am really blessed... I think I will have to pave a square of the lawn for a new observing pitch, but how exciting and lucky am I to be Back behind the eyepiece... Cheers Nick...
  17. Inspirational as always Nick... That's the first time I can say for definite that I've seen the Mars polar ice cap! I loved dropping the Equinox onto the CG5 and going 'Old Skool' just moving the slow motion adjusters, hunting for targets (without a Telrad πŸ™‚ of course) πŸ™‚ As usual the banter was first class.... The fact I don't usually bother with a finderscope on my own AVX set up was a great source of amusement for you πŸ™‚ Your comparisons that followed (for what seemed like an eternity) were great... Oh Pats doing the tour de France this week - without a bike! Oh Pats going water skiing for his holiday - without a speedboat! and on and on and on.............. Can't wait to set up at home now and test out to see if the coffee grinder mount gets complaints from my new neighbours? That EQ6-Pro of yours is very quiet until it's gets to the end of the movements.... Nice kit Thoroughly great night though Nick as always, thanks for the fun and rather superb views of those Planets again which have certainly got me excited about Astro again
  18. Not yet tested her properly... It feels quite special because it's been transformed. It's huge and is taking pride of placed on my lounge for at the moment waiting for a puffer and some recommended cleaning fluid for the lens... I'll need a good dew set up my friend :-) Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk
  19. My man at the Spray shop did it :-) I walked into the garage with the tube and he said "I know what that is, it's a telescope" he has just repaired one that has been dropped from a window! Well pleased with white in the end... It looks huge in my lounge.Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk
  20. Thanks Chris, The optics were good although a bit dirty... It needed a new (old) dovetail some nuts and bolts, much cleaning and a first class paint job. Also I flocked the dew shield which was pretty grubby and had to file down some rough edges of the inside of the rings, I also flocked them so they now caress the tube... I've also bought a new finderscope shoe and cleaned thoroughly the dual focuser. I bought a shark motif which for fun I was going to attach... however, she looks so clean now I'll find a home for that somewhere else. It's been fun and can't wait to give her a good road test. I would upload more pics but I'm struggling :-) I must give Nick (Cotterless45) some big thanks as he mentored me through this project... and supplied the flocking :-)
  21. Picked up a pre loved, and stored in a dusty workshop Skywatcher blue 150 Frac... It was an Ugly duckling which I think you will agree is now a beautiful swan! I give you The Great White'
  22. Patbloke

    IMAG1332

    From the album: The Great White

  23. Patbloke

    The Great White

    My 150 Frac project....
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