Grump Martian

My Celestron C6 and Starfield ED 102 mm really give great views. But if I were forced to keep just one  it would have to be my Skywatcher Equinox ED 80 mm. It gives both great wide field and planetary views. Observing the moon is a delight. The little Equinox is a real performer.

Telescopes that I have are of modest apature and easily transportable. I used to own an Orion Optics VX8. I enjoyed it ,but  eventually a bit heavy for me to transport to different observing sites. I would though like to own an Orion Optics VX6. Good optics and easily transportbable. Importantly,affordable.

You could easily say that you would like a Hubble equivalent, but too expensive for this thread.

I've checked your medication Stu. Fortunately there's no known cure for this condition. So doctor advises,fill your boots.

4 hours ago, WolfieGlos said:

Only two;

Starfield 102 ED

Skywatcher Evostar 72ED

And I'll probably be selling the 72ED since it's just sat collecting dust. I seem to be one of a kind here 🤣

My ED 102mm is the Starfield. A lovely telescope. A proper stargazing instrument.

12 minutes ago, woldsman said:

Too many (!). Five refractors & three reflectors:
 

William Optics GT71 (used for wide field imaging)

Vixen Custom 80 (used when I’m away from home for observing)

Vixen Custom 90 (used for v quick observing sessions at home)

Tal 100R (an indulgence)

Tal 100RS (used for planetary observing)

Tal 110 (used for solar projection)

Skywatcher 130PDS (used for imaging smaller targets)

Tal 150P (used for observing at home for longer sessions)

 

I think a couple from this list may have to go…

Noooo, keep them all. You'll reget the loss.

Thanks for thr great replies. I am heartened that people enjoy modifying telescopes to improve and bring them to an instruement that really suites them.

No telescope shop owners allowed,lol.

I have seven including an

1. opticron bird watching scope.

2. Tasco 40 mm.

3. Henry Wildey made 70 mm refractor.

4. Celestron C6.

5. ST 120.

6. ED 80.

7. ED 100.

I'm happy to keep these having chopped and changed over the last ten years. 

The ST 120 gets used on my visits to Dorset. The ED's and C6 are my regularly used scopes in Hertfordshire. The Tasco 40mm is the model of scope that I first looked through when I was 14 in 1974. The 70mm is a treasured item having known Henry during the 1990's and early 2000's.

I use the Opticron in the garden and bird hides in the Lea Valley.

I would love to see a rocket launch one day. But there are some videos that capture a small percentage of what it must be like. Can anyone tell me what the crackling noises are from this rocket launch?

I have recently aquired a Celestron C6 OTA. A fine telescope which I enjoy using.

Below is what I believe to be a link to some useful information for C6 users. There appears to be a wide variety of accessories available for this telescope.

Perhaps other C6 users would post tips and information. Also other links.

https://telescopicwatch.com/celestron-c6-xlt-review/

It has been proposed that the Space X Starship be taken on as NASA's Artemis Luna lander. It may prove to be a great spaceship transportation vessel. But looks too top heavy with small landing legs. Trying to land on heavily cratered Luna landscape without flat paving may well be too differcult.  Chances are high of it toppling over in my opinion. It's center of gravity looks to be very high.

More fuel was added to this notion with NASA's very tall Odysseus lander falling over.

Agencies are trying to land on much more rugged land than the Apollo landers. So why not design a lander that is both wide and a lower center of gravity.

Possibly with adjustable legs .The legs can then be adjusted at short notice to suite whatever ruggedness is encountered. 

I don't profess to be an aeronautical engineer. But I would'nt like to be an astronaut try to land with those short legs. 

An interesting link about the Odysseus lander failure.

https://futurism.com/the-byte/why-tall-moon-lander-fell-over

2 hours ago, DaveS said:

I heard it said that the team decamp to Aus for a Stargazing Live that we can't see because it's for ABC television.

If that's true,then get another team then.

Did I really say that.

There are other platforms for the big budget astro physics programmes such as Horizon, Brian Cox and individual science docs. I agree that the lower budget back garden shed programmes were best.

I know that posts about BBC's Sky at Night come regularly on SGL. So they should. There are not many programmes dedicated to our interest.

I always enjoyed the regular monthly updates about the nightsky and what to see and what's coming up. 

I now understand that the last series ended in November 2023. The next series is returning in the Spring. May I ask why the long gap. Is it for financial reasons? If so, why can't it go back to the low brow way of format. Not always the costly trips abroard. And then hopefully it can get back to the regular and traditional monthly programmes.

Does anyone know where I can order a rubber O ring for my Skywatcher 50 mm finderscope please.

Thankyou.

I bought myself a table top Dobsonian mount. The Celestron C6 attaches quite well. So I am looking forwards to some relaxed stargazing in the Spring and Summer. A glass of beer,no cup of tea will accompany the telescope on the garden table.

Bought a Celestron C6 last night. Collected it near Bournmouth on our way to Swanage.Low and behold a brief opening in the clouds allow me to set it up for a brief stargaze.

May I ask advice please. I once had a Nestar 6 SE orange tube C6. I removed the standard Celestron 1 1/4" visual back and fitted an S C T Baader Clicklock. This worked well. I am now buying a silver colouered C6 from a Nexstar Evoultion. I'm not sure that there is a Clicklock that will fit this visual back thread.

Can I ask other C6 users how you have upgraded the visual back on your C6 OTA please?

I have always enjoyed visual astronomy using manual alt/az mounts. I will continue to do so. I have over the years tried out equatorial goto mounts. But have never really got on with them. But I am occassionally frustrated by not being able to find objects. Uranus is proving to be differcult to locate. I have recently been looking to add a Celestron C6 to my collection of smallish and easy to handle refractors. So I have started to consider a Celestron Nexstar 6 SE combined with a Skysync module. I am thinking that a small goto setup where the date,time & location is automatically inputed would make setup much easier and more appealing. Also a handset controller ( easier for me) as opposed to tablet or mobile phone control of the telescope. How good are the Nexstar 6 SE's to transport and operate with the Skysync?

Another question crossed my mind, are the 6 & 8 Nexstar SE mounts the same. I always thought that they were. But I have recently seen that the Nexstar 6 SE has a payload of 5 kgs. The Nexstar 8 SE OTA exceeds 5 kgs.

Should I buy The Nexstar 6 SE for the need to locate differcult objects?

The thought crossed my mind. One day in the future deep space missions may just dissappear without trace. Never to be seen again. I do think that most of future missions will be robotic. Especially with AI advancing. Better engineering techniques aswell.

Planning on going to the stands on the Saturday.

I was bought a set of 7 x 50 Bushnell Explorer binoculars for my 30th birthday. That was in 1989. I'm sure that they were on the shelf of the shop for several years.They have been my goto astronomy binoculars. I have enjoyed their hand held simplicity along with really bright views. Alas mold has started to grow and coatings damaged. I have had and enjoyed 70 mm binoculars. I still have Opticron HR  8 x 40's and 10 x 50's. But still go to my default 7 x 50's.

I know that my aging eyes and exit pupil distance would say 10 x 50's would be the best choice.

May I ask for any

7 x 50 recommendations and experiences. I think that the Bushnells should now be retired and a modern set bought. Not sure which would be better, porro prism or roof prism though?

The 7 x 50's were a delight to us. Not shaking when hand held.

Thanks in advance.

56 minutes ago, Carbon Brush said:

I used to own a 10" flextube. A cheap round coffee table top and rubber castor wheels was my favourite transport.
I put socket type cups on the table top to accept the Skywatcher feet - that ensured the scope didn't slide about during transport.
The odd bit of bouncing over door thresholds didn't upset collimation.
If you think this might help I should be able to rummage out some pictures of the setup.

Thanks. If you can it would help me

I have put my 10 inch Dobsonian up for sale. I have recently had a hernia operation and it feels to heavy to lift and move. I would dearly like to keep it and use it. If there is some device to assist. Are there other 10 inch Dob users that share my situation? Please help.

For low power and widefield viewing I use a 22mm 82° and 32mm 68° eyepieces. Using them is very comfortable with no kidney bean effects. I have though often though about longer focal length Plossl eyepieces. Televue have a 55mm 50° Plossl . Stellalyra have a 50mm 48° Plossl. I have an unbranded 40mm Plossl which is differcult to use to be honest. I wonder how owners of the above Plossls get on with them. What are the views like?

3 hours ago, Mogster said:

The more recent Starship HLS images have more LEM style legs and pads on the base. The legs are supposed to be self levelling. I seem to remember that the Raptors aren’t going to be lit for lunar landing, Space X are going to use Dracos at the top of the stack in similar fashion to the Dragon capsule. So on lunar landing Starship will be hanging from the Dracos at the top rather than balancing on the Raptors at the base.

https://www.nasa.gov/reference/human-landing-systems/

It’s also worth considering that the Raptor engines are very heavy and at the bottom. Starship probably isn’t as top heavy as it appears at first glance. Maybe…

Interesting points you raise. On first looks it does appear to have a very high center of gravity. But this becomes lower with the points you raise.