Cjg

On 11/11/2023 at 08:58, IB20 said:

As I finally bagged M1 last night, I’m going to see how long it takes me to do all 110 from my back yard (B6-7). Maybe in numerical order but that might drive me crackers!

Any that can’t be reached or that aren’t visible will be noted and skipped over until I’m in darker/or a more Southerly location. M2 should be gettable tonight so I’ll update as and when I bag it.

Wish me luck! 😅

M1 10/11/2023 - a hard to see diffuse, grey smudge (scope 200P at 69x)

 

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

12 hours ago, The60mmKid said:

I feel increasingly drawn to the idea of committing myself to only one. Are there people out there who are doing or considering this? Or am I just getting old?

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.

On 19/10/2023 at 14:53, knobby said:

Lovely image ! It's just so sad how we are losing dark skies so rapidly 😞

 

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!

1 minute ago, Littleguy80 said:

Must be a day for tripods. Berlebach Uni-18 for the 4” Tak. Based on a quick test it’s way more stable than the carbon fibre tripod I have been using. I have to put it away now until Santa can deliver it a second time 🎅🏼 

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

On 18/09/2023 at 20:55, Stu said:

Mine was a Tak Sky 90 which I sold a lovely FC-76DC for. I was trying to find the biggest aperture for grab and go/carry on purposes and for widefield views. In reality I found it much too bulky and whilst it was decent on planets, the edge performance and field curvature for widefield just wasn’t what I was hoping for. Sold for a big loss, and a number of years later I found a replacement 76 which if I have any sense I’ll hang on to…. 🤪. My Genesis gives me my lovely flat widefield views, though not for carry on.

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.

On 18/10/2023 at 09:51, Stu1smartcookie said:

Lovely image from a lovely part of the world . whets my appetite to get out there and take some wide angle shots . 

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!

On 18/10/2023 at 09:30, powerlord said:

i got a SW one - I hardly ever use my AZGTIs so couldn't really stomach the cost of the WO one tbh. But the SW feels tons better than rubbish ioptron at least.

laser - you can see a red 5mw laser line through your sony viewer ? Or have I got wrong end of stick ? I could see it working with a high powered green job

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.

55 minutes ago, powerlord said:

Very nice. I'd love to Get something as good as that some day. I flew over the area earlier in the year in my paramotor - atomic bomb buildings, etc. Cool.

My ioptron wedge is rubbish too. I reckon they all are - trying to Pa it is a recipe for frustration.

 

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!

3 hours ago, AstroNebulee said:

That's an amazing image, congratulations. Stunning foreground 👍

Lee

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)

On 08/09/2023 at 10:02, Mr Spock said:

For as long as I can remember I have observed with my left eye. That is going to have to change.

I am diabetic and have diabetic retinopathy in both eyes, and diabetic maculopathy in my right eye.
The maculopathy in my right eye consists of a blurred patch just below centre. I will have laser treatment soon to stop it spreading - it's not a cure. It's still sharp in the centre though.
The retinopathy can only be seen in my left eye. A year ago it was a string of floater like objects across the centre; a few days ago it was four strings. The view of Jupiter was so difficult I had to switch to my right eye. Very uncomfortable as I'm not used to it. I did get to see lots of belt detail with the 4" though.

So, sometime in the future, I may have to give up visual observing altogether. I've no idea when that will be 

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

13 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Thanks for the great read, I think you should use the 125 more often, more trips from the car pay off in photons!

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

Chris

17 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

Great report, Chris. Awesome to see the BFS back in service 🙂

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'.

On 28/08/2023 at 18:11, cajen2 said:

Wales is great for dark sky spots but of course not famous for its clear skies....😆. Events like Astrocamp are usually a great success there: even if it rains all weekend, it's a good social event.

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!

On 07/08/2023 at 21:13, giorgio_ne said:

Did you pay £777 and an additional 20% VAT on top, or the £777 amount covered  VAT + Customs + Import Duties?

 

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

On 05/08/2023 at 17:05, giorgio_ne said:

Dear All,

I have received an email from Astro-Physics. After waiting for seven and a half years, I am now in line for the purchase of a Starfire 130 GTX 🤩

I am based in the UK and I would like to know what taxes, custom duties, VAT etc. I'm expected to pay on top of the refractor price and the accessories I'd like to order.

Insurance and shipping will be communicated separately by AP and I can handle that, I do not have any idea however on what other charges I'm expected to pay, when and how...

Is there here any UK based AP customer that could kindly give me some indication?

 

Many thanks in advance.

Giorgio

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

50 minutes ago, reddoss said:

Hi Chris, You had better behave yourself if your on imagers row!!!!!!!!   See you in September.

 

 

Cheers, Justyn

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

5 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

Both? 😛

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

On 16/07/2023 at 15:46, Jerry007 said:

Hi everyone.  Hey I joined this forum because I have been unable to find an answer to my question anywhere else.  So back in early January of 2018, probably the 6th or 7th, my wife and I were on vacation in Kauai Hawaii.  As many may know, the US navy has its Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands beach on Kauai.   We were laying on a beach probably 20 miles from the base.  It was sometime in the early to mid afternoon and as we looked up, almost directly overhead wearing only sunglasses (my hat brim covered the sun) I saw a bright light.  I was able to easily point this out to my wife who recalls this to this day.  It looked like Venus does as far as size an intensity only it was a cloudless sunny day.  It did not move and remained there for as long as we cared to look at it.  On subsequent days I was unable to find it in the sky.  I asked quite a few locals and they all acted quite odd and didn't engage in the subject which I thought was really odd.  I'm curious if anyone has seen this on Kauai?  I thought perhaps it was a geosynchronous satellite related to the Navy but I didn't think they can be seen due to their altitude and I am not aware of any celestial objects that are visible in bright daylight.

Thanks for your feedback in advance.

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

14 hours ago, GTom said:

Anyone flown with telescope gear larger than the cabin bag allowance? Some flights are still reasonably cheap if booked in advance, I was wondering if anyone flown to e.g. the Canaries booking an additional seat for the scope?

Easyjet names Musical instruments, I wonder if the option could be used for e.g. a C11? https://www.easyjet.com/en/help/baggage/musical-instruments

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