LDUNN1

I have not read all the posts in this thread, so maybe someone else has suggested this as future development already, but just in case....

......one of the features of Calsky that I like is that I have set it to email me with 'clear observing' opportunities. So a day or so before the clear patch I get an automated alert & can make suitable arrangements & preparations in advance. Could you consider a similar feature?


 

Just a thought, but as a dedicated astro weather site, wouldn't it make more sense to split the 24 hour period per row at midday rather than midnight? That way you get all of one night on a row, rather than having to look at one row for the night up to midnight, and the next row for the following days small hours.

.....maybe have a toggle to offer the split at midnight or at midday, that way it can be tailored for both nighttime observers or daytime solar observers.

Just an idea, anyone else have an opinion on the above?

Brilliant idea! This is always a source of frustration, going to multiple weather sites and getting multiple responses, some of which are not astro specific or minded with their forecasts, so it's great to see one being added that is. Cheers FLO!

......& don't forget the excellent comms via SGL that FLO support us all with.

When I first got into astro several years ago, it was the seemingly unbiased advice & comments from FLO that I read on this site that added to my decision to purchase items from FLO.

anything to take out offensive lighting really........but it was not a serious suggestion!

.....maybe this is a quicker easier alternative to the construction of a light pollution shield :-

Alternative LP Shield

I have used a large, 3mx3m I think, pop-up gazebo to cover my scope (nEQ6 with 6" f9 (long) refractor on) when a shower has come over.

......but I have not used it to cover sides & remove roof struts.

FYI - I've emailed tents4work to get more details on their screening products. Will share details if/when I receive more info. These look closest to solving the issues I have with my existing tents.

PS thx oneeyedsame for posting!!!

I have one like Carol has shown & I have used it with a 6" f9 refractor mounted on an nEQ6 (so pretty bit). Couple of issues with it for your intended use:-

1) the ground sheet is sewn in, so you'd have to errect the shelter first, then get all your kit in through one of the small doorways (or over the top - yikes with a 12" dob!!!). I wish this tent didn't have, or at least had a removable ground sheet, so you could set up you imaging gear & then put the tent up over it should conditions change & dictate some protection was required - be that a shower or wind, or maybe stray light that was not present (or missed) at the start of a session.

2) the next issue is that with my setup, the eyepiece / camera was right at the edge of the tent, so I had to either lean against the inside of the tent to distort & lean it over to give me room to observe, or I had to go outside the tent & observe leaning over.

3) the top of the tent is only about 5' (approx - I have not measured, this is a guess, but it is roughly chest height for me & I'm 6'3". ) - the top of my scope sticks out a long way, & a decent sized dob might be similar.

Hope that helps.

as an aside - this tent comes with a 'shower cap' that covers the central opening. I was warned that this can fill with water if there is a shower, & it can 'collapse' inwards, dumping any water inside the tent. There is a separate 'storm cover' which goes right over the whole tent right to the ground & provides much better protection if you should be caught out by a shower (or rain storm). I've thought about building a simple frame work that can quickly be put up around a rig & then the storm cover thrown over this. There is no ground sheet to worry about then & if the 'shower' turns into an 'alnighter' & you decide to pack up, you could do so under the protection of the storm cover supported by this DIY frame work.

I once got caught out by a shower - throw a tarp over my rig, but the show only got heavier & eventually we decided to pack up, but it was hard to dis-assemble everything & stow it back in cases when you only have a tarp loosely thrown over the rig & the rig is supporting the tarp - hence the thought about the storm over.

PS - the fishing / hunting pop-ups above have enclosed roofs, you are not going to be able to use them while observing, & if you cut away the roof material, it looks like the supporting struts will still be well in the way - & if you cut supports in the roof the structure might lose its integrity - just cutting the roof material might also have the same effect.

Sorry about the PM - wasn't clear where to address adapter proposals too......& you sometimes forget that SGL forum is not the FLO website ;-)

Anyway, email now sent to FLO's email address.......

PM sent.