GasGiant

@westmarch  South. Gotchya !!  The pics show it pointing North, before I read this 🙂 

Here is my progress so far. Started today at around 10 and cracked on till around 4.  The linked plans have been fantastic, thank you for taking the time to run through things.

I have changed a couple of things. 

I bought a ball housing for a more solid fit, Im trying to eliminate any wobble I might come across. Less slop in the system as it were. 

The bearings and shaft I have kinked over slightly. If they are placed as shown then as the platform arcs one side of each wedge lifts slightly losing contact with the stip. This way I get full contact as it goes through the arc.  Maybe Im over thinking things but Im hoping it will eliminate potential slippage !!   I think If I had used thinner strip then it would have been fine, however ive used 10mm strip. 

The motor is on its way, by the time thats here it will be ready to rock !Gulp.   Im really hoping Ive done everything correctly and it works well once set up.

Here are some build pics

Magic. Thank you @PeterStudz

This is a great thread, really useful.

Maybe I missed it, Can someone explain how you polar align please ?

Is it simply pointing the pointy end north as accurately as possible ? 

Also, im at 51 degrees. Should I use the 50 or 52 degree wedge ? 

On 24/01/2024 at 13:43, blinky said:

My argument is there is a finite amount of light being emitted, if you open your curtains, that light escapes and lights up the road outside, so there must be less light inside.  Another analogy, you shing a light on a wall from 6 feet and from 20 feet, 20 feet will be dimmer 'cos the light has spread out further

But light isnt 'a mass',  its flowing.  So the constant stream of photons going outside would be instantly replaced by more being emitted by the bulb ?? Maybe 🤣

6 hours ago, Mandy D said:

Have you got a copy of  Turn Left at Orion? It shows drawings of the various views of common objects in the different types of telescopes. It may help more than Stellarium.

Just bought a copy 🤙

That's fab. Yeah, that's what I saw.

I looked at stellarium but really couldn't figure it out. I did wonder if it was m42.  I don't think it helped that the eyepiece flipped it ! 

Lots to learn 😀

Oh, exciting.  My first nebula

It's Between the moon and Jupiter 

Please keep in mind im a noob and I have barely a clue what im looking at but ..

What am I looking at here 

I drew this pic as I saw it ( ish ) but have flipped it for the image you see here.

So a cluster of stars with a greyish greenish haze around them as shown. Or there about.

Annoyingly I cant line Stellarium up accurately, Is there a way to do that

I offered up a compass on my phone and it says roughly 200 degrees S 

Id love to know what im looking at !  Any ideas 

Carl 

30 minutes ago, Xilman said:

Some people, Martin Lewis in particular, take absolutely superb images with a Dobsonian. He often shows surface detail on the Galilean satellites of Jupiter, for instance. His web site is https://skyinspector.co.uk/ and a representative set of images can be found at https://skyinspector.co.uk/jupiter/#bwg5/1257

Oh wow, Nice !!

5 minutes ago, PeterStudz said:

An EQ platform has already been mentioned with the OP in another thread so I left that one out. I have a DIY EQ platform (they are so easy to make) and I now couldn’t do without it. 

Yes, thank you. Thats in hand as I have bought some bits and bobs 🙂 

1 minute ago, mikeDnight said:

You should buy a binoviewer and a couple of pairs of good plossl or orthoscopic eyepieces in the 25mm and 18mm range. Attach the binoviewer to a 2× barlow to get approx 4x amplification, and you'll probably never want to look at the Moon or planets again with anything else. For me, the change to B inoviewers has been the greatest game-changer to my observing that I've ever experienced.

I have heard of good things with Bino viewers. I even emailed FLO who gave me some great advice... hhmm, ponders. 

Decent deal ? 

Around 32 quid for a set of 4 SVBONY ?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005245518571.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.f73b38daDG64GU&mp=1

I dont need a seat as I have my scope on a raised platform so very little stopping.

I dont have a RDF, It has the standard finder on it which I find difficult to use, or home in on things. Even the massive moon ! LoL  I see those shoe box finders with the target reticle have favourable reviews ? 

I noticed the CA sometimes and not others Im sure, is that 'a thing' or has it always been there and Ive just noticed, lol?  I thought it must be the EP but are there  any filters to help that?  I like to take images of the moon using my phone. 

As above ? and some questions 🙂 

Own already 

9MM Plossi  that came with scope, so a cheapy !  ( not sure of its FOV but its not much ) 

2" 30mm Super View Stellalyra 

2x barlow for the plossi

5, 8, & 12mm BST and a BST barlow are coming for my Birthday 

What should I be buying next?

Filters ? for Jupiter  ( moon I like to look at au naturel and burn out my retina ) 

Filters to combat Chromatic aberration ?  Sometimes I see a thin blue line around the moon but Im not sure its there all the time i've looked previously? Why ?

The 30mm stellalyra is 2",  would I benefit from a 2" barlow with this EP?

What else should I be looking at buying for my 10" Dob, folks ? 

Thank you

Carl 

Fantastic ! 🙂 

Great images. The moon is never boring. Ive really taken to viewing it

Ok guys, ill give it w whirl. Thank you.

16 minutes ago, IDM said:

You might want to consider trying Astrosurface as another free software package. I think it gives you greater control with both wavelet sharpening as well as other sharpening tools. I have used it mostly with my more recent Jupiter images and found it very useful.

Ian

Is this it ? Looks like its was made in the early 90s ?

My pc is saying its unsafe to download ?  

Thank you, folks. A lot to ponder.

On reflection and as tempting as it is, I think splashing out at this stage on an expensive new set up might be counter productive. Im going to press on with the Dob ( which I love)  The mount idea has whetted my appetite to make something !

Thank you @doublevodka I will dive into that link 

19 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

If you want tracking , the cheapest option is to keep the dob and get/make an EQ platform .. Flo actually have some in stock ! 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/equatorial-astronomy-mounts/omegon-dobsonian-polar-wedge.html

Tempting. Expensive, though that version looks well made.

On 16/01/2024 at 22:13, bosun21 said:

A far cheaper route is to get an Equatorial platform. It tracks the target so no more nudging the scope. You can also do EAA with short exposures and find out whether imaging is your cup of tea.

These look interesting.  I could probably knock up something like that. I have sniffed around the interweb and I can buy the motor unit for something like 50 quid... hhhmm

Hi folks

Well Im hooked.  Tonights Jupiter was beautiful 

At the moment I have a 10" Dob which I am loving for viewing the moon, Jupiter and Saturn. Not had a really good chance to look further afield yet. 

However! on high mag ( 9MM with barlow) Jupiter especially whizzes by before Ive had a chance to soak in the details. With the dob Im constantly jogging the unit around.

Sooo, whats next ? Im kind lost as there are so many options. 

Looking for tracking and I think I would predominantly enjoy observing but I would like the option of popping a camera on at some stage too. 

So for the mount. I think I will splash on the Skywatcher EQ6-R PRO Go-To.  I think this will 'future proof' me ?? 

But scopes, Im lost. 😞 I m thinking one of the explorers series ?

There are too many variables and each and everyone of you may give a different answer, but some guidance would be great !

Thank you.

Carl 

Fantastic here Nr Dorking but sooo cold. lol. did an hours worth and just had a super hot shower to thaw out !

Moon spectacular as always but I managed to snag Jupiter and even better I got some good views of Saturn

@Nigella Bryant  Im booking my trip to the Maldives tonight. lol

Nice one guys @Chaz2b & @Zermelo

I will be interested in what you think when you have them.  When I bought the Stellalyra it was a toss-up between that and the Bresser. Being a noob, I literally only went for the stella because someone said they were good 🙂 

@tomato genius! 😃