faulksy

thank you nial 👍

very nice, see you put ptfe on your colimation bolts 👍

original pic. i do look happy as steve said

it used to run on ptfe pads

hi Alan, if you go back a few pages it was all wooden. made a new base out of alloy . it is just sited in there, think there is some pics on here, its a barn shed. just wheel it out and observe. mag 21.5 skys here

1 more pic 🤪

yes makes a difference, especialy high powers in the dob hole 🤣

Pics now. also lowered the ep height by 50mm

hi everyone. been a while but never gone away. i have never been totaly happy with the dob movment. have tried all different types of bearing surfaces,polishs and waxs. spaced the teflon different still had to much stiction and movment was right. gone down the route now of polyurethane coated cam follower bearings, 3 on the ground board ( azy ) and 4 on the rocker bx ( alt ) its took a few months to complete. since sept last year 😄 to be precise @Peter Drew suggested it and a few on cn. so some pics coming and hopefully some more reports very soon mike oh yes movment is awsome. no notchy ness but stays put due to the polyurethane bearing

here you go. its in the observing reports

was looking at that last week from your neck of the woods. was amazing in the e 4.7

were do i start. at the beginning 🤣 here we go. 930 ish mile trip one way takes you to a wonderful camp site in the south of france. right in the heart of the cevennes national park. in one of there dark sky reserves. the night we got there the milkyway was blazing away, sagitarius was right in your face. 2 nights later scope time 15/8/23 22.15. temp 17 sqm 20.9 lots of old favourirtes but its been over 12months since i looked up with the dob blue flash neb, dumbell neb,m10, m22,m12, m15 ,m71 foot print nebula nice wife spotted saturn so quick look there. then the veil omg this was the best i have ever seen it. ethos 4.7 510x right in your face. more on this later next blue snowball , m13 with the 4.7 easy to see the prop. cateye with lovely ctr star. spindle galaxy great shape,m81/82 , little dumbell neptune lol saturn neb, little gem neb, owl cluster, ngc 185. carolines rose first for me. m52, bubble nebula, fireworks galaxy very poor. m31 and its other 2 companion galaxys very nice lanes everywere. ngc 6781 and m71 to finish this was a late finish. but amazing night. one thing struck me. nebula which will be in part 2 were absolutely incredible, so were clusters you could use mega power around 500x and the quality of views didnt drop off. but all galaxys were very poor. was it because of the milkyway so bright reducing the contrast ? let me know what you think. part 2 soon mike

just got home. 25hrs and 920 miles couldnt wait to have a brew

Sounds like you know that one marv. Good idea that

Yes all good. Few scrapes on the roof box. Totally forgot it was there. Laughed afterwards 🤣

You wouldn't of been jealous today when we got tha car wedged in a multistorey car park because of the roof box. Think chevy chase in European vacation 🤣 Seen lots last night. Will report soon

All ready for tonight. Last night was quite poor until silly aclock this morning. Omega, veil ring etc were good. Galaxy no very so. Just see arms in m101

Will put some reports up in the next few days. Havnt looked through the scope for ages

Mega sky last night. Milkway was horizon to horizon. Will check how dark it is tonight must be high 21 though. No lights any were

Don't know why it sent that again. Any way what a Incredible place 900 miles straight through 26 hrs travel time

6 hrs to go before we set off. mega clear there for the next 2 weeks 👍

i will report back with pics. after this trip i will be at it at home more often, most of my jobs at home are done 👍

anyone else going 16 days left for us. cant wait 🤣