Jiggy 67

On the handset under the utilities menu you can alter the brightness of the polar scope . When I first turned mine on it was at 100%, useless, couldn’t see a thing, now it’s about 50% and I can see everything including the reticle. Obviously make sure dec is horizontal or your view wil be blocked. ensure the polar scope is calibrated. To do this place Polaris at the centre of the scope, then using the altitude bolt only put the star on the top of the circle, if it’s at 12 o’clock you’re ok, it’s callobrated, if not, move the mount in RA until Polaris is at 12 o’clock, there is no need to start messing about with polar scope, and lock the mount. Your mount needs to be as level as you can get it for this Now use an App like Ps align pro. The scope is a clock, the app will show you where to place Polaris , based on your location, time and date, using alt/az bolts only, just replicate the view. Return to home (if you moved in RA to calibrate the polar scope) and you are polar aligned. PS Align Pro even has a daytime routine which will get you really close to Polaris by just putting your phone in the dovetail. It uses a compass type bubble to get you close so at night when you look through the polar scope you only have the tweek for good polar alignment

I’m not sure that I am a big enough fan of the eyepiece to bother doing anything!! Considering putting it up for sale

Regarding movement of a laser collimator. You might not want to hear this but the only laser collimator I would use is this one which is quite expensive but excellent https://www.firstlightoptics.com/hotech-collimation-tools/hotech-sca-laser-collimator-with-cross-hair.html It uses compression rings to secure it so it doesn’t suffer the thumb screw movement. It is also factory collimated....I find it very easy to use

To centre the secondary, block out the primary with a sheet of paper, otherwise it gets confusing. The secondary should then form a perfect circle in the centre of the focuser

The cap is easier because it enables you to see the walls of the focuser tube, the Cheshire doesn’t. The cap centers your eye in the focuser which is what you need to centre the secondary

Have you checked that the secondary is collimated with the focuser?? In other words is the secondary mirror aligned centrally with the focusing tube. If it isn’t, you won’t be able to collimate everything else accurately. For this, it’s best to use a collimating cap

Almost certainly after that amount of time, in fact, definitely certainly you will need to collimate. It sounds scarier than it is . Depending on your budget some lasers don’t need collimating such as the HoTec laser which is reall good but expensive. You need a collimating cap to get the secondary aligned with the focus tube and a Cheshire or a laser for everything else. Google Astro Baby’s guide for the best guide i use the HoTec. Once you’ve collimator the secondary with the focus tube with a collimating cap (which you will only need to do once) using the HoTec means you can finish the collimating of the primary and secondary in minutes

Hi Chris, welcome Hope you’re enjoying learning but I suspect you may be setting your sights high to identify ALL the objects in the sky. 😂😂 enjoy the ride whilst you’re trying though

A Sky Watcher 200PDS which is a bit of a light bucket, good for light polluted skies like mine

So last night (6th) was completely cloud free!!!...........all night!!!!! Given the fact that we have so few of these I decided to ignore the fact that there was a near full moon that was about to traverse the sky, not only traverse it, but take all night doing it and get out for some observing. It was abundantly clear that DSO's were out of the question, the moon was behaving like a Brighton FC pitch management system and bathing everything in light which meant that my targets for the night would have to be double stars and maybe some open clusters. To warm up I started with Castor, an easy one to split but still a majestic sight with the secondary slightly smaller than the primary at 5 o'clock. Next I went for Beta Monocerotis.....this is the reason for this post. i cannot believe that I have not looked at this before, if you haven't seen it yet, it needs to go on your bucket list. it is actually a triple star system and is by far, the most beautiful multiple star system i have observed. the three stars were centred in my new Vixen 4mm SLV and presented a curved line from the largest on the left to the two smaller ones curving to the 1 o'clock position. My initial observation was with the finder scope where it presented as a single star but when I moved to the main scope and focused it blew me away as three stars suddenly appeared. Two further, yet unidentified (by me) stars, were also visible in the field of view, right at the edges, one at 6 o'clock and one at 11 o'clock. After staring at Beta Mon for 30 minutes I moved on to Alnitak in Orion and Mekbuda and Mekbuda in Gemini. Alnitak is also a triple star system but i could only split into a double, the primary is a binary but I was unable to split it. I moved onto the Double Cluster, NGC's 884 and 869. For this I used the Celestron Omni Plossl 32mm. I have to say that I am really impressed with this eyepiece, it's worth every penny of it's cheap price tag, I find it gives good crisp, sharp images. Both clusters filled the fov with (I might have this the wrong way round) 884 to the top left and 869 to the bottom right. NGC869 especially was a very rich star field with hundreds of stars easily resolved. I tried a couple of galaxies as well, M33 being one of them, but the moon won that particular battle, I didn't get to see any galaxies, they were completely washed out by the moon. To end the night, I thought I'd have one go at a planetary nebula, knowing full well, I had no chance with the moon sitting on my shoulder grinning away. So I slewed to NGC6543, The Cats Eye Nebula......Wow!!....there it was, centred in my Vixen 6mm, I hadn't even bothered fitting a filter as I didn't think there was any point in bothering. The nebula was clear, but small, in my fov so I quickly fitted an Astronomik UHC filter (superb by the way) and I could now see a disc with a blue/green haze against an ultra black background. I'm really glad I took the gamble to have a go because the result was beautiful, a stunning planetary nebula. By now it was midnight so I packed up, having had a great 4 hours......just shows, that the moon is no reason to not observe!! Thanks for reading

Thanks John....but how would that work with 1.25" ep's. I assume you would move the 1.25' adapter from the focuser, insert the extension tube and then replace the adapter into the extension tube??.....is that correct??

I have recently fitted the moonlight CR2 Dual Speed Focuser to my SW 200PDS. The one I fitted has the standard 50mm travel. I love the focuser but I have noticed that it does not have enough travel to accommodate my 40mm TV Plossl ep......very annoying, it runs out of travel (outwards) just before it can achieve focus. I used the installation kit and fitted both spacers. I have looked at some extenders but they all appear to be for specific telescopes and for astro photography (don't know if that makes any difference). Can anyone recommend an extender or suggest any other solution?

I would google your local astronomy club. Many meet at least once a week and are open to including visitors if they are observing

I might be misunderstanding your question here and you may be after an ap solution but if you’re just after centering a target in the fov then you just use the directional keys on the controller after it’s slewed to the target

They are huge reductions, their must be a reason

I have a 4mm Vixen NLV ep which I really like on planets. As a result of FLO’s discounts on Vixen I had a look around for some NLV’s but can’t find any anywhere. The closest appear to be the SLV which look exactly the same . Are these the same eyepiece but just rebadged with SLV rather than NLV??

You’re absolutely right it can be a pain, however, instead of trying to slide it in from above, push it into the holder horizontally, it’s designed to give way to allow entry and it will be secure

How do you tell which version handset you have??

Result!!!!

In fact, although I have no experience of setting up on paving slabs so this is just what I can imagine, I would have thought that setting a tripod with spikes on a paving slab would be more likely to shift due to the low surface area making contact with the slabs.....I may be wrong though

Tripods have spikes that stick into the ground and the lawn. I find this makes for a sturdy base and I’ve never noticed any movement

The only restrictions on where you observe is your own level of nervousness and I suspect NZ is probably a lot safer than the UK where plenty of people get out and about. You have a good level of set up and go kit that’s quick and easy to get observing. Consider identifying an area with dark skies and speak to a local landowner or farmer for permission to use their land, can be ideal as often you could end up in a secure location, just promise you’ll keep it clean. Astronomy clubs are ideal as they go out together and also look at star parties which will be advertised on the internet, they are great fun where you can observe and learn from others.

Watched the video in the link, pretty amazing but the mention of a planned 12,000 mega constellation of satellites is a bit disturbing!

I’ve just ordered these, they haven’t arrived yet but I did research them and they had good reviews https://www.firstlightoptics.com/all-binoculars/opticron-adventurer-10x50-t-wp-binocular.html

You need to go shopping more often 😀😀