Shimrod

Bought a pair of these recently and thought they were so good we now have a 'his' and 'hers' set. The standard neckstrap isn't great and as we also use these for birds/wildlife as we get into summer I'd like to replace them with something better. I have an unused Canon DSLR neckstrap which would do fine for one of them, but wondering if anyone else has swapped out the nextstrap for something a bit more comfortable?

36 minutes ago, Mike Q said:

Looks like ES has a eyepiece sale going on again.  Up to about 50 percent off.  Not sure how long it will last. 

Looks like the sale is North America (US?) only, no change in price over here. Amazon.com prices are unchanged, so anyone in the UK wanting to take advantage of the sale (and it does look attractive!) would have to find a US based astro shop that will sell abroad.

There was a question on here a little while ago asking about where to get some Canon IS binoculars repaired as they were quite old. As I was browsing a Canon photography website I came across a link that points to the end date for support/repair for various Canon equipment including binoculars. This is probably of particular interest if you are thinking of buying second-hand. The link is to the Japanese website so I have included a cut & paste of the google translation for the binoculars below.

Canon Repair support period

4 hours ago, Astro74 said:

Hard to define what valuable to one person or not ? I think perhaps just ignoring the negatives would be best 

You had no problem doing that in the first post when you announced the channel! I don't think anyone here has any problem with another channel sharing hints, tips, guidance and reviews for astronomy but it really needs to have some actual content before it can be described as a valuable resource. 

Edit: You've also put Mr. Ince on the spot if he hadn't given you permission to post this.

13 minutes ago, Starfazed said:

Thanks that's really encouraging to hear. I actually bought a 130 flextube as a Christmas present for a family member a few years ago and got to see it out the box, having since seen Crayfords I appreciate the limitations but expect I could tolerate it. Is it worth getting a Bahtinov mask (would one fit) to assist focus? What eyepieces, Barlows, other accessories if any have you tried it with?

I must be missing something but what's so good about catadioptic scopes of similar aperture that people pay three times the price of this for something like the C6SE, even the basic Celestron SLT or Astro FI  mentioned above is double the price of the Heritage. I appreciate that they have longer focal length at the expense of field of view, but if the atmosphere limits any 6 inch telescope to around 150x magnification, why would that design (or smaller like the 127) be more sought after for planetary observation if the Heritage can deliver the same view in a compact (at lest, once folded away) form factor and with a wider field of view for DSOs?

Finally, I just spotted a handful of elderly looking Meade LX200s of 8 or 10 inch size for between £1000 and £1500 in a second hand telescope store not a million miles away from where I live, but too far to go just for browsing. At the top of my original budget, and I'm guessing they are both technically more complex for a beginner to master and come with the risk of obsolescence and malfunctioning? Or are they so much more superior that they should be snapped up without questioning?

You won't need a bahtinov mask for visual focussing, but buy one if you ever have more than a passing interest in astrophotography.

I would probably stay away from the LX200 - I have an LX90 (my first 'real' telescope) and the fork mounts are really heavy - although very stable. If you are set on a 8" SCT a Celestron SLT, SE or Evolution model would be lighter and easier to manoeuvre. Generally the OTA in an old telescope would be fine, but I would be worried about the electronics failing. I'm going to guess the store is ENS Optical.

If you're absolutely set on getting a larger telescope, you might want to look at the 8" Celestron Starsense explorer. It uses push to technology (you put your phone in a special cradle and use an app) to guide you to the right location in the sky. Have a look for reviews, it seems to be a well respected system. The total weight of the OTA and mount is around 20 kg.

2 hours ago, Beardy30 said:

It’s ok Jim I’ll step in 👍🏼 I think the point is that it was a post to be helpful perhaps however the point has been missed as perhaps not the arena for it maybe ? Robert is a local legend in our neck of the woods and is a much respected astronomer who has decided to launch an on line resource which hopefully as time goes on will be a good watch for enthusiasts, I for one learnt everything I know locally from Robert over the last 10 years or so and he’s extremely knowledgable. 

The point wasn't missed - the post describes it as ' an invaluable resource for beginners and the more experienced' yet there's nothing there. It may become one in time, but there's absolutely no content of interest or value there at the moment.

18 minutes ago, Astro74 said:

Lancashire local astronomer and scientist Robert Ince has launched his own You Tube channel - it’s an invaluable resource for beginners and the more experienced 

https://www.youtube.com/@StargazerRobUK

Are you sure? All I see a handful of very short timelapse videos and nothing educational at all.

1 hour ago, paul mc c said:

I only realised when he contacted me via a Facebook group,when I asked where he was based he told me London,on eBay it was Bristol,and   Facebook it was someone from Canada's Facebook profile,and when I ask his bank details it was yet another name.

I reported it to eBay but it is still up.

How did he know how to contact outside of eBay? Wanting contact outside eBay is a scam warning sign, but how did he get your Facebook details?

On the listing side there's nothing to indicate this is a scam listing. The seller has 100% positive feedback and has sold other astro stuff that is consistent with the reason given for this sale. 

Other items sold also have the same surface background so I don't believe the account has been hacked. Are you sure the Facebook contact was genuine?

12 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

A C8 8" SCT OTA weighs about 6 Kg.  The SE6/8 mount weights about 6Kg.  An 8" f5 Newtonian OTA weighs about 10Kg.  You can expect a Dob base to be as heavy as the OTA. e.g. 60 lbs for the whole Dob outfit. 

I  was counting the whole package in the weight - OTA, ,mount and tripod. Even if 15Kg isn't too much to carry, the shape and size of an 8" SCT make it an awkward thing to carry.

10 hours ago, Starfazed said:

Thanks - any suggestions for an 8 inch SCT (or Mak, or basically anything that's not a Newtonian), with Goto, and that won't break the bank? I could get a new 200 flextube or used 250 flextube with Goto for in the region of a grand, though sounds like they will be too unwieldy for my needs.

 

I'd suggest trying to get to a showroom or local astronomy club to have a look at some telescopes. If you're looking at an 8" SCT have you given up on the idea of taking it down the road to the park?

6 hours ago, Starfazed said:

Many thanks for all the suggestions so far. In response,

 

Thanks, I was wondering how practical the 250 GOTO would be, and it sounds like it's not going to work if it has to be carried 100m away to set up. Sounds like in reality the scope would be mostly Moon, planets, and any DSOs that are visible through urban haze, with occasional treats to dark skies where it's all hands to the pump to see what's available. Plus maybe a bit of dabbling with EEA.

I hadn't noticed there's a 6 inch Goto version of the Skywatcher for £400, the Heritage Virtuoso GTI.  On paper that looks almost like the perfect solution - probably the largest aperture yet still easily portable telescope with Goto for anywhere close to that budget.

I've never used a Cassegrain type telescope so have no idea what to expect over a reflector of the same aperture. The Skywatcher 127 has a smaller aperture yet costs more than the Virtuoso. The Celestron 6SE has the same aperture yet costs three times as much, and I'd previously discounted the 8 inch SCTs/Mats etc as being above my budget so what extra do they offer above the Virtuoso? Unless I'm missing something, it feels like there's not much inbetween the Virtuoso at 6 inches and spending a great deal more for something at 7 or 8 inches with Goto. is that the case? Are no Goto AZ mounts available for a compact 8 inch reflector like the 200PDS? It feels like I have the budget and leaning for something with a slightly bigger aperture than the Virtuoso, but an 8 inch SCT is probably overkill. If we keep the budget at £1000 and I opt for the Virtuoso 150 that would still leave room for a no-frills 10 inch Dob, though I'd better not tell the other half....

So, with that in mind, can anyone recommend anything at 8 inches (which from brief experience plus looking at lots of images online struck me as being the sweet point for starting to get really nice stuff)?

And if the consensus is to check out the Heritage 150 Virtuoso GTI, besides the obvious mods (focuser PTFE and light shield) are there any extras such as really decent lenses that would take the viewing up a few notches?

 

If you're asking about the difference between an 8" Newtonian and an 8" SCT, then the key differences (apart from a shorter tube) are that the focal length of the Newtonian will be shorter and the field of view in the SCT will be narrower. There are many objects (especially those visible in light polluted areas) which look much better with a wider field of view. Indeed some objects such as the Pleiades, Orion Nebula and Andromeda galaxy will not fit into the field of view of an 8" SCT so you could be missing out on some of the best targets. If you are still considering the 100m dash down the road to the park, bear in mind that while an 8" SCT might be lighter (around 15-20kg) it is still an awkward lump to carry and you will also be carrying accessories (battery, additional eyepieces etc). 

If you haven't read through it yet, the 'what can I see' thread is worth a look and may help you consider what you might want to achieve visually.  I still think if you want something that is portable (and can be easily loaded into a car), the small refractor on an alt-az mount (manual or goto) or the table top dob might be your best choice.

edit: just for reference, I have an 8" SCT on an AVX mount, but if I want to go any further than my garden, I have an AZ-GTI and choice of 61mm or 80mm refractors which I take out instead.

3 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

I hate to see this. Must have been on a very tight budget. 

Hope it does sell, but worry about investors who might lose in the process!

I had a quick look at the financial filings - looks like they have been burning through $150m per year, with revenues in the last year of around $2m. Even if the satellite launch had been successful, I'm not sure the profit on a launch (estimated at $12m cost per launch) would have been enough to get the company to breakeven given the current competition level in the launch market.

1 hour ago, Starfazed said:

 

3. Then I spotted the 200PDS Newtonian and HEQ5 with GOTO combo. Equatorial mount, shorter tube but still 200mm aperture, and dual speed focus. I have no experience with EQ mounts but would be willing to learn. I appreciate there's a knack to things like getting the eyepiece in the right position. Also would be better for long exposures if I do decide to explore astrophotography - but I'm unclear whether EQ is still considered important now that GOTO allows tracking for multiple short exposures and image stacking, to give the same overall exposure time as a single long EQ-mounted shot? How transportable would this combination be?

 

This would probably be even more awkward to carry than the Dob - at least three separate trips to carry the OTA, mount/tripod then counterweights and accessories.

I would second @Ags suggestion of refractor and AZ-GTI - which can later be converted with a wedge to provide an imaging platform. Alternatively if the park has some picnic benches, consider one of the smaller table-top goto dobs (such as the Heritage Virtuoso) which will be portable and give you a good visual experience.

3 hours ago, Macavity said:

Of course the *Elon Fans* are forever "roaring him on"... seemingly forgetting any failures?

 

Failure is part of Musk's development process - much like Brian McCready (who won the Kremer prize). Unpinning this is having components that are reusable (as well as easily repairable) to enable a fast development cycle. It also helps to be well capitalised at the start which it seems Virgin Orbit was not if it only took one failure to bring the company to near collapse.

9 hours ago, theknopsy said:

Thanks, yes that is my deliberation, perhaps the 24mm would be slightly redundant in my current setup. 

I've no experience of this eyepiece, but if you are after a wider field of view, the Celestron Luminos 31mm (82 degree) eyepiece is on sale at Amazon until this evening at £193 - about £80 off normal price. It's a large and heavy eyepiece though (over 1kg).

50 minutes ago, jaygpoo said:

Thank you for your reply but I still dont understand how the celestron hand set can control the focuser. It has a focuser section . Are you saying that without the usb connected to something the unit will not operate. So I have the laptop on and SGP open. The focuser is selected and I can control the focuser but its almost impossible to look in the eye piece and contol the focuser on the laptop at the same time. Hence the reason I want to use the handset. 

Sorry, I misunderstood your original question. You can't control the focuser with the handset unless you are using a Celestron mount - the focuser connects to the aux port on the Celestron mount and the handset operates the focuser via the mount. 

If you want to use it with your NEQ6 you are going to have to use your laptop. I control my AVX with the laptop rather than hand controller. I use CPWI and that allows me to use an XBOX game controller to control the mount - including the focuser. Possibly you could do something similar with sharpcap?

You can control the focuser with the Celestron handset if you are using the Evolution, but you will need to use a laptop for the NEQ6

46 minutes ago, jaygpoo said:

I need some help please. I have a celestron 9.25 on a NEQ6 mount and I control it by SGP through a laptop . Now I want to start using the scope to image the moon but the issue is the focuser. If I use sharpcap I can not control the focuser to get focus unless I use sgp on the laptop. I have an evolution mount an I am told I can use the hand set to control the focuser. If the focuser is powered and I plug in the handset it does not power on? so just how are you supposed to use the focuser with the handset if you do not have a celestron mount. I do not want to use the evolution as it only made for 8" scopes.

You can power (and control) your focuser by connecting it to a USB port on your laptop - just make sure it provides enough power. Alternatively it will also take a 12v power source (although you will still need the USB connection to operate the focuser).

On 26/03/2023 at 00:00, Ags said:

Despite having started this thread, I am a bit late to the party - mine is now ordered and should arrive in a couple of weeks.

I ordered mine last week after dithering for a while - bought the last one from an Ebay seller at £105. Not had a chance to use it and this is my first zoom eyepiece, but it clicks nicely into place as you zoom and feels well put together. I am hoping it will go well with my ZS61 to make my travel kit a bit lighter.

On 22/03/2023 at 10:50, Hadi Jafar said:

anybody manage to solve this problem?

Have you flashed the firmware of the mount at all? If so check which version you have installed. I don't mean the version number (e.g. 3.40), but whether you have flashed the standard or AZ/EQ version. If using the latter, you have the telescope on the right hand side of the mount (when looked at from behind the mount) even if using it in AZ mode. If you have the standard version of the firmware, the telescope should be on the left.

Skywatcher firmware download page

These are the descriptions of the firmware from the above link.

Standard firmware (telescope to left)

AZ/EQ firmware (telescope to right, or for using a wedge in EQ mode)

55 minutes ago, Moonshed said:

Thank you for that information, I have decided not to buy one straight away but wait and see if I need one. This is assuming that I manage to sell my kit and raise enough cash for the 12”Dob. 
I’m looking at sales in an attempt to judge how much to ask for my gear but it isn’t easy with so many different scopes and prices but I will sort something out.

If you don't mind second hand there is a 12" dob listed in the 'for sale' section. You'd have to have a trip to Cornwall which may be a bit far, but the saving on new would pay for an overnight stay in a hotel! 

4 hours ago, Enaranen said:

I am bit new to this and I am trying to setup a starsense with celestron gps. Has anyone done this?  The directions in the gps manual are for the nextstar systems.  Nothing for the starsence hand controller. The system I have is an ADVANCED VX 8" SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAIN TELESCOPE with gps and starsense.  I am not able to find the utility in the hand controller for the starsense menu so I do not know how to turn on the gps and get time date.  I would like to be able to take my telescope with me when I travel and it would be nice to be able to use the gps. I have tried to connect the gps to one of the aux ports on the AVX mount and tried connecting the gps to the hc (hand controller) port and the hc to the aux port on the gps which is what the manual for the gps says. Anyone who has done this setup and it works please provide the details on how to do this.  Thanks

In the Starsense hand controller, you should be able to set the GPS module as the source of date/time under the Time and Location menu - Time/Loc mode. You need to give the GPS module time to lock on to enough satellites to be accurate when you turn the mount on - this can take 30s to 1 minute (occasionally longer). You should see a solid 'G' when you go to view/mode time when the GPS has a firm lock - a flashing 'G' means it is still working on an accurate lock. You can't start your Starsense alignment until the GPS has got a good lock.

44 minutes ago, gary756 said:

Have a celestron Evo 6, had for a couple of year now and have never needed to use the WiFi function. However I recently bought a auto align and thought I would give the WiFi a whirl. I found that it's pretty woeful, did a bit of digging about and there are quite a few reviews where it's mention the internal antenna being too small. Been looking at WiFi dongles. The celestron was recommended by Rother Valley Optics. At about £140 a pop are they any good. Does anyone have experience of these. Any other recommendations?

Cheers.

It's worth downloading the CFM utility from the Celestron website and checking for firmware updates first. There have been some updates that have improved wi fi stability (depending on WiFi version) so try the cheap option first!

3 hours ago, JeremyD said:

Currently using CPWI 2.3.4 

Is it worth moving to 2.3.5?

Why just 2.3.5 - the latest version is 2.4.3

There's been a number of user interface enhancements which make it a bit easier to use, some bug fixes for wi-fi and also tracking issues. I'm using the latest version without issue on an AVX.

46 minutes ago, scotty1 said:

Aurora watch is red ATM 19.00 

https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/

 

Glendale app seems to be broken and has been most of the day (Showing server offline). Makes no difference as it's wall to wall cloud here - and forecast to be like this all week so I'll miss the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus as well, having watched them get closer over the last week.

The forecast has updated on the NOAA website  - looks like the peak of the CME is going to arrive during daylight hours now rather than late evening.

From https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/3-day-forecast

Quote

 

NOAA Kp index breakdown Feb 27-Mar 01 2023

             Feb 27       Feb 28       Mar 01
00-03UT       5.00 (G1)    5.67 (G2)    4.00     
03-06UT       6.00 (G2)    5.00 (G1)    3.67     
06-09UT       6.67 (G3)    4.33         3.00     
09-12UT       7.00 (G3)    4.00         3.00     
12-15UT       4.67 (G1)    4.00         2.67     
15-18UT       4.33         3.00         2.67     
18-21UT       5.00 (G1)    3.00         2.67     
21-00UT       5.00 (G1)    3.67         3.00     

3 hours ago, scotty1 said:

First time I've been able to report aurora on camera to the Glendale app. How do you add photos to the gallery on the app? 

There should be an upload option on your phone - if you have a a picture on a camera, people tend to take a picture of the camera LCD display showing the photo!

I find the Glendale app really useful for checking whether people are actually seeing aurora, but recently I am not so sure about the accuracy of reporting - it was wall to wall cloud here yet people were still reporting aurora as visible!

Forecast is for G3 storms tonight from late evening:  https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/3-day-forecast