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Thank you @Elp that’s a detailed, helpful answer. Need one for early August, so a couple of weeks to decide. Many thanks, Chris

Which gets the most use, or do you use a different scope on each mount? Thank you!

Both mounts are similarly priced, so budget not really an issue. Have you experience with either? Sorry, just seen your earlier post, thanks for the info!

So, a smaller HEM 15 or AM3 would comfortably carry my Stowaway 92mm f6.65 'frac meaning I could do away with the Skywatcher AZ GTi and AZ5. Who is using them for visual, could you fit a ball head to them (would replace my Sky Guider pro!)? And which of the two would be better, I'm not ever planning to buy an astro camera, but reducing the amount of kit I have.. @FLO a side by side shoot out or guide to help choose between the makes would be useful if you have any pointers too, please? Thanks in advance everyone. Chris

Thanks, think the core will be to the South from 3am'ish. Camera is a Sony A7R mark 2 will probably use the 20mm lens and the Ioptron Sky Guider for the sky. Although looking at the weather and moon.....

Thank you!

Show your Mum @Stu’s post. 🤣 He’s definitely ‘taken one’ for the forum / astro community in general, being on the way to having a different scope for each day of the month🤣

Thank you, I’m looking at finding a spot from one of those hills to possibly photograph the MW core in the early hrs one morning.

Advice please! If I were to visit and set up a camera looking East from the hill with the White Horse of Uffington, just how bad is the light pollution from Reading to the East or from the towns and villages to the South? The light pollution map suggests the area is a Bortle 4, but I’m struggling to visualise just how much the sky glow would be. ( Last visited the area some 25 years ago) Thanks, Chris

2.5 An Astro-Physics Stowaway 92mm An Altair Astro 125mm EDF Doublet An Altair Astro 72mm Doublet on a long term loan with a friend.

Definitely not top row, Justyn. Not booked yet, awaiting results of an eye exam on April 5th to see when the eye drs. Will fix the cataract in my left eye. Right eye done, but internal pressure in the left eye was much higher…🫣

Think I may have been pitched next to you last Autumn? it was the wettest camp I remember. However, the night before AstroCamp was beautifully clear, and there were many of us already there. Hopefully see you next autumn.

Worth watching / subscribing to Alyn Wallace if you are interested in a month-to-month objects to observe / photograph. Here's his overview for 2024

Depends upon the light pollution and whether your view to the South West is clear or not, but now, possibly the easiest is the Orion Nebulae, M42, the fuzzy patch underneath the three belt stars is naked eye visible and you'll see nebulosity.. Freetstarcharts is your friend to print out so as not to sacrificde any books https://freestarcharts.com/messier-42 You do not mention how old your children are, but NGC 457 the Owl Cluster usually a 'winner' https://freestarcharts.com/ngc-457 Just underneath Cassiopeia The Andromeda Galaxy is another easy, naked eye from dark skies, but will be possibly straight up, so for a refractor, stiff neck time? https://freestarcharts.com/messier-31 If you can borrow a copy of Turn Left at Orion, it will give you an idea of what to look for, month by month, especially helpful, if in the early days, you do not know what to look for and where. Good luck, Chris

I have just the two scopes now...an Astro-Physics Stowaway - 92mm is a beautiful size for a 'frac, and the views exquisite..and then a 125 Altair EDF Doublet, the #BFS (Big Flipping Scope) If it's outreach or I know that the clear skies will last, it's the 125. But the Stowaway is something else...am surprised no one has mentioned the @FLO StellaMira 90mm ED Triplet...yet😉

@SwiMatt I had an ST102 many years ago, gave it away to a school teacher. Hopefully the newer versions have a better quality focuser that does not flop about. Anything other than a really lightweight eyepiece and it was a frustrating experience...Good luck, and hope you have plenty of popcorn at the ready for the ensuing debate 🤣 Chris

A great evening, Neil, felt very much like the 'out-of-hours' sessions that we had before the madness of CV19. Observing Barnard 33 has become a bit of an event whenever you and @Helix are on the pads with yours dobs! As for the soup, as much as I'd like to claim an ancient recipe passed down....the soup maker came with a recipe app!!😂 Hopefully more nights like that to come this year, Chris

Anyone one with experience at running events and within commuting distance to Didcot? 1 Year fixed term contract, might be an experienced organiser at a local Astro Club who would suit this? https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1891384

So many questions, what were the views like? How on earth did you store / transport and fit it onto the mount? Quite certain that’s not a scope you could slip past the other half unnoticed🤣 That’s a lot of commitment, well done! Chris

No wonder the forecast has gone to pot for Thursday and the peak of the Geminids.🤣 Congratulations, look forward to seeing your 1st light report in due course. (Asking should I get a 5 inch 'frac on an astronomy forum was really and truly only going to give you 1 answer, wasn't it! 🤣) Good luck with your new scope Chris

If you are going to, please, do it well before next April's Cwmdu.🤣 and there'll be a huge queue at 'frac alley!

Yay! Can highly recommend the mount, it’s great news that it’s available!

A no longer made Altair Sabre Mount. Once balanced, it really is a joy to use; the only thing lacking are the 'slow-mo' cables.

An Altair 125 EDF owner here. Yes, an appreciable advantage over my 92mm Stowaway, but ....the extra length, weight etc means that I have to use a much bigger / heavier mount, so if you already have a mount capable, then the only thing stopping you, really, is the weather and how many clear nights you have in your part of the world to use it. I've put off investing in a harmonic drive mount for my 125 as the weather has gotten worse each year, with fewer opportunities to get out for a few hrs. The recent @FLO pricing of their 125 in Carbon Fibre is a bargain. Good luck, Chris

Agree. I shall miss Steve's monthly emails, have shared them on the NAS FB group a few times. However, I understand his reasoning too. Chris