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Hi Mark, I'll take the Vixen and Televue Plossl's please. Let me have your PayPal email and I'll gift you the money . Thanks, Chris

Given the unsettled weather we seem to have had over the past 2 years, I wonder if people are spending money on other hobbies? In my case I spent my cash not on aperture, but on portability with a scope that will go in an overhead locker, and isn’t too heavy. I had more clear nights observing in 2015/2016 that last year and so far this year...Hopefully we have a decent winter and get the use of of our scopes.

Excellent, thank you! Chris

Managed to pick up a lightly used Skywatcher AZGi, for those of you with this mount, could you please recommend a cable to go from the Powerbank (mine's a Tracer with the cigarette type lead) to the mount? Had a quick look, but couldn't spot anything out there. Thanks, Chris

Just throwing you a different option. There was a used version of one of these on Astrobuysell UK last week. https://www.altairastro.com/starwave-152-v3-red-tube-achromat-refractor-telescope-461-p.asp It’s a very good achromatic, plenty of aperture?

Thank you! I’d forgotten to do that, although the phone number is no longer mine, the post code is! I’ll have to fire up Photoshop

Thank you. AstroPhysics have a different business model, which is clever. As I understand it, they produce their scopes in relatively small batches, and create a wait list. You sign up to the wait list, and if you’re fortunate enough to be at the beginning of the list, you’ll receive your scope within a short time frame. This new Stowaway was exhibited at an Astro Expo in the USA in 2018; think the people visiting the stand would have been on the first batch. By the time I’d visited the website to add my name, I was far down a long, long list. As I understand it, this will be the last batch of Stowaway scopes produced for some time...The company are now focussed on producing their 130 Starfire telescopes; I know someone who added their name in 2013 to that list, with first shipments due later this year / early next year! Whether he missed an email, or is on a list we don’t know. It’s a clever business model because it evens out any potential ‘quiet periods’ in the business, allows for the owner to manage the scale / growth of the business, and creates high quality scopes with a scarcity value...Baader have done the same with their Travel Companion. HTH? Chris

Thank you, our weather forecast for the next two weeks is for clouds, clouds and rain . Am looking forward to getting it out under the dark skies at a Seething Obsy as soon as.

Thank you!

Pelicase make superb cases, but you can obtain them in the UK. Inside though, was what I had thought about in (I think) April 2018, and then forgotten about until an email dropped into my mailbox on Thursday evening. Of course, the weather is completely cloudy (that's the polite description) for the next two weeks, so I've managed a total of 5 minutes moon-gazing in between clouds and rain.

Inside was a Pelicase.

Had a distraction on Monday with a delivery from UPS. The parcel was shipped out on Friday from Machesney Park. The outer boxed looked like this!

Congrats, it's 5 years since my Tak 76 arrived. It's been on many AstroCamps, outreach events and adventures, including a Messier Marathon in France with me. Have read great reviews of the 100 DZ. Am sure yours will bring you many smiles too. Chris

Thank you @Stu. Am expecting the AP Stowaway tomorrow. The Baader would not arrive in time for my trip (CV19 permitting) to Turkey next month, so I’ve emailed Baader asking if they would mind passing “my” Travel Companion to the next person in the queue. If they insist, I’ll happily take it in Nov / Dec and then have a decision to make. Hopefully unboxing and photos tomorrow, but next week looks full of clouds and rain all week, so first light might not happen for a while. Chris

Should be here by the end of the day on Monday...of course the forecast is for rain / clouds here for all of next week . Number 434 of the 3rd batch produced.