quasar117

Thanks! I'll have a think and let you know as I'm decided between either a Telrad or Baader skysurfer III.

Would either of those have to stick on the OTA or can the baseplates fit on the tube ring fixing points?

Mostly there now....just need a finder

Hi, just wondering how I can access the Classified Ads section please? I believe I've met the prerequisites but can't seem to find it on the forum menus.

I've just fitted the spread stopper to my Uni 28. Seems just as sturdy as the clip on tray. Also seems adding the tray on top of the spread stopper makes no difference. I had to drill the centre hole in my tray as it was the older model.

Will the Morpheus provide less distortion?

The Baader Morpheus 17.5mm sounds a good eyepiece for DSOs.

I don't wear eyeglasses. Astigmatism would irritate me so I would like to avoid that as much as possible really. Would you notice loss of sharpness on open clusters and globular clusters with the 24mm UFF as you move away from the center? If so I'd sooner spend more money on a 'lifetime' DSO eyepiece. As you say it's a bit too low power for lunar observation. So I'd want something to frame the moon to give perspective. Would something in the realms of 14mm suit this? I'm still keen on getting the SVbony 3-8mm zoom to cover me for high power on the moon and planetary.

Would the ES 24mm 68 degree be a better option than the 24mm UFF? I think due to light pollution in my area the 24mm would be a better choice than 30mm for my low power eyepiece.

Having read a few other threads regarding the 24mm UFF it appears the 30mm is sharper edge to edge. That sways me back towards the 30mm.

I live in supposed Bortle 5 skies but all my observing is from the backyard and it isn't always reliably dark due to neighbours sensor patio lights etc. Would I be better off with the 24mm for now then as I can't afford both?

Looks like I'll be getting the 30mm UFF then 😅 that blows the budget.... better not tell the wife haha

When testing the 30mm UFF on FOV simulator it's 24x mag with the Starfield. That certainly gives a wide view! Would the 24mm UFF be a better option for framing the showpiece Messier objects and the moon? Or is the 30mm that much more superior in providing better correction and a flatter field?

Will the 30mm UFF vignette in a 2" William optics durabrite diagonal?

Looking on FLO there is a £90 difference between the 30mm Celestron Ultima and Stellarlyra 30mm UFF. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the eyepieces are more or less identical save for the branding?

Since I'm planning on buying a 2" diagonal, would the Stellarlyra 30mm UFF be superior to the 24mm UFF? Or is it pointless getting a 2" diagonal if I can get excellent low power wide eyepieces in 1.25" format?

Would something like the Stellarlyra 24mm UFF be a better option than the Vixen NPL 30mm? If so I think I could stretch the budget a bit. Long term, would it be worth saving up for a 24mm Televue Panoptic to replace these for low power wide field?

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I forgot to mention I will be using the Starfield on a manually controlled GEM mount. Only planning on plonking it down, pointing north with correct latitude for location and then tracking with RA and occasional adjustments to the DEC. Hopefully this should be sufficient for the smaller FOV orthos. I've seen FLO are selling two variants of orthos: BCO and Masyuama. The later being more expensive. Is there any difference in quality/ performance of the two?

Would the 10mm and 18mm Orthos compliment the SVbony 3-8mm zoom? If so all I would need would be a low power for nebulae and bright DSO's to get me started.

Looking at purchasing a few mid to high power eyepieces for planetary, lunar and double stars for the soon to be arriving Starfield 102 F/7. On a bit of a tight budget for eyepieces as I have splurged on the rest of the setup... Would I best going for a set of Otho's such as the BCO or Masyuama Abbe ortho's or wider fields such as Starguiders and Nirvana's? I'm aware of the short comings of Ortho's for FOV and eye relief, but would that be a good sacrifice for better contrast and sharpness across the field?

I really do appreciate all the help chaps, thanks a lot 👍

Hopefully I can obtain one before the Starfield arrives!

Sorry about the slow reply been a busy day. Wow there's a lot to catch up on on this thread! @Sunshine ever since I saw your Vixen GP can't help but think that's what I'm really after. GEM mounts seem to make more sense to me having used an EQ6R-PRO for some time. The Vixen GP balances quick setup and accurate and easy tracking which is what I want- as I would sooner observe one object for a long duration than dart between objects. What mounting thread form does the Vixen GP use please? I currently have M10 thread on the Uni28.

My apologies. It's still not available for me yet. Like you say, I believe I have to have been on a month.