Cjg

Good luck! I travelled to the AstroFarm in France and (from memory) saw 102 on the night, missing out on M30, M72 and M73, plus a couple in Sagittarius that were hidden by branches from the adjoining fields. I struggled to get the two in Corvus too, but was a superb night. I've since got them all by travelling to Greece. Having a list of targets certainly helps you improve your visual stargzing as some of the targets, in my experience are in the skies for a short period of time before they become too low down...M79 is only above the trees at Seething for a month or so. Harvard Pennington's book is a super guide if you can find a copy. Chris

I'm down to two, an Altair 125 EDF and the A-P Stowaway. The weather hasn't been great enough to own a 3rd, and when I do downsize home, I think that there will be room for only 1. Probably the 125 will go, as it's a bit of a beast, but the views are superb ( I could trade in my Sabre Mount and Counterweights for an harmonic drive mount?) a tough call.

Thank you, yes it is sad. I'm going to spend as much time as I can in this area, it's a beautiful, fragile part of the world.

Congrats, super image!

Great set up, Neil! Love my Berlebach, perfect on the freezing cold nights too. Only what, 70 days until Christmas too!

Very nearly bought a Sky 90 - on paper they looked a perfect grab n' go scope....Loved my 76, it only went (to an observing buddy) when the Stowaway arrived.

Thank you, and yes, you should get out and shoot in this part of the world,😁 if nothing but for posterity to show what the skies looked like before the light pollution from Sizewell C blights the night skies in that area for ever!

I've heard that the Skywatcher is a better wedge. Bought mine during lockdown and the SW were sold out everywhere with FLO saying 40-60 days if memory serves...Think I had one of the last of their Ioptrons! It's a green laser, the attachment method is better in the newer version, than mine, but same principle see https://www.moveshootmove.com/collections/move-shoot-move-rotator/products/quick-polar-finder-ioptron-skyguider-pro-skywatcher-star-adventurer.

Cool hobby with a Paramotor! The William Optics Wedge worth every penny. Also check out the move-shoot-move laser adaptor, the laser shines through the viewer and you do a decent align with that, fine tuning by viewing, truly a 1 minute or less job!

Thank you. Sadly a view that will be blighted by the light pollution from Sizewell soon enough. To the right, sky glow from the windfarms and Rotterdam, to the left a smaller glow from Aldeburgh...

Thank you, and an invitation too!

Spent last weekend at Orfordness in Suffolk for an Art Workshop. With a 04:30 alarm call to be ready to see the sunrise across the site, most went to bed after supper; I went for a little wander with my star tracker and Sony A7 with a 20mm lens. Had to be very careful to keep entirely to the footpath. 4 Minutes for the foreground, and 6 x 3 minutes (tracked) for the skies. For lightness sake, I used the Ioptron Wedge and regretted not carrying the extra weight of the William Optics wedge. (My Ioptron wedge moves when you attempt to lock it)

Sorry to read that, Michael. I hope that it's a long way off before you have to give up. Others have talked about diets etc, I do know that Dr. David Unwin has success with a low carb diet, whether that would assist you or not, I do not know, but he is at https://twitter.com/lowcarbGP if you have a twitter. I know of one person with poorer eyesight using a EV Scope and tablet, I was impressed by how good the images were on his tablet after a few minutes, but whether that is astronomy or not is another discussion. Best wishes, Chrisd

Thank you, and agree, it's just a habit to get into I think. Chris

Thank you, Neil. For outreach events, it's the Big Friendly Scope 🤣

A combination of weather, work / life has meant that for all of this year, I've always reached for the 92mm Stowaway when the chance to observe has happened. The little 'frac accompanied me to the recent AstroCamp at Cwmdu. But last Saturday, for an outreach event, the Fairhaven Star Night (https://www.fairhavengarden.co.uk/) the forecast was clear, so for the first time, in at least a year, out came the Altair 125 ED. It's a big scope, requiring a decent mount, but with almost 5 inches of aperture, at f7.8 gives superb views. 125 people attended the Star Night, and by 22:30, I think many had stopped to look through my 125. Initially just looking at the Moon, then Saturn and the 'lollipops' of Albireo, the Dumbell Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy, plus a favourite of mine the Owl Cluster, and more. I think as amateur astronomers, we can forget just how enchanting a decent view of the Moon can be, at 8pm it was beautifully lit with the terminator, mountains and maria highly visible. The 'wow's' were not just from the children either. Saturn's rings are not best placed at present, but again for some people, seeing Saturn for the first time was amazing, and the enthusiasm and excitement was infectious. I'm going to make an effort to use the 125 more this year, despite needing more trips to / from the car to set up and take down, think it will be well worth the extra 'hassle'.

Just returned from a very enjoyable AstroCamp. Very pleased that I went a day early and had 5hrs of clear, dark skies. The rest of the saturday and Sunday was rather wet!

£777 was the total, including VAT I paid over and above the purchase price from Astro-Physics.

Congratulations! I received an email from Darleen at A-P 2 years or so ago and took delivery of a Stowaway. Customs and import duty added to that by the shipping company, at Stansted was a painful £777, from memory. Think you can definitely expect to pay 20% VAT and any extras DHL / FedEx etc add into the bundle. Good luck, Chris

I might just bring the Sony to attach the to Stowaway and see if the little SkyGuider pro works with a heavier load than the 14mm G Master lens! Take care and see you in a few weeks! Chris

Like your thinking. Not enough room for both, I use a 3 man tent, so my little car will be laden enough as it is, without another Pelli case.

Booked a first for me, as I was on my Mac today for work, so snagged a "posher" pitch than my usual, this time pitch number 3, with electrikkery too! Now do I bring the #BFS Altair 125 ED or the Stowaway again? Decisions decisions. Chris

I’ve found Alyn Wallace tutorials useful. https://www.youtube.com/@AlynWallace

Did you attempt to photograph the bright light that you and your wife saw, perhaps with your phone camera?

Yes! Took my Tak 76 in its very large backpack, to the AstroFarm near Limoges. Paid Ryan Air £29 each way. Of course had to pay Ryan Air another £8.95 each way so that we could sit next to each other. Ticket was in the name of ‘Mr Seat Item’. Airlines quite used to this…think wedding dresses too. Looked to do the same for the Canaries in 2019’ish, but was much, much more expensive to do. Good luck! Chris