Mark at Beaufort

3 hours ago, TheycallmeRiver said:

Two new arrivals here over the last couple of days.

Yesterday I collected my 6 y/o daughter's first scope.  Thank you @Mark at Beaufort.  She's so excited.  I hope in 12 years time she herself will be a member here, and I'm able to remind her of this picture 🥰

And for me: A used 19mm Panoptic arrived this morning!  I might let her use that instead of one my plossls, if she can demonstrate the required care

 

Glad she like it.

Wonderful image Alan including the fainter galaxies. I looked at my Interstellarum atlas and also the The Sky website to get further info on this Lenticular galaxy. Really well done getting this detailed image.

3 minutes ago, Steve Ward said:

Hi Mark , looking at Sat24 there appears to be a bit of a clearer patch approaching you.

I hope you get to play out in it before it gets too hot , pretty unbearable outside here already , gawd knows how i'm going to cope if it hits 40C as predicted , anything above 24 degrees has me running for cover these days ... 

Yes thanks for that. It looks like the cloud will totally clear in about 1.5/2 hours. It could get rather hot by then.

Great photos Steve. Its cloudy in Hereford although I can see the Sun from time to time. It is certainly a great time to view the Sun in white light.

Thanks Paul that is really good to catch both. I will certainly have a go at trying to catch both objects.

Excellent detail. Can't critise the photo at all. Job well done. Look forward to seeing Jupiter.

Lovely view of the Sun with the PST +DS plus the 90mm SvBony showing white light using the Baader Solar Continuum filter.

Your comments above sums it all up. Really good.

What a brilliant report - this is what SGL is all about. I really enjoyed reading your session.

34 minutes ago, paulastro said:

Thank you Mark.  I did put an alert on the Celestial Events Heads Up forum, but it was a bit late I'm afraid.  I didn't put it on until around lunch time yesterday.  I did mean to put iton earlier.

Not to worry Paul I did appreciate that it was something I should try and observe but forgot. I stayed up until 12.30am seeking out some faint DSOs and went to bed feeling chuffed that I had found some v.faint DSOs.

Really excellent Paul. I was awake and never thought about checking the sky.

Herefordshire Astro Society had an observing session last evening at its new site. We were using 2 - 12" Dobs to show a large assortment of objects. Too many objects to list which included a nice view of Uranus.

18 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

A golden oldie just arrived 

Michael that box looks like series one made in Livermore. Apparently that era were the best - should be great in 12" Dob .

2 hours ago, Davesellars said:

Just bought the Starfield 102 ED f/7 from FLO for less than the Altair f11 I was looking at originally - I couldn't say no to that offer!    Thanks FLO!

 

Well done Dave I look forward to your review. You should now be set up for the Planets return later this year.

This is my Heritage 130P on a camera tripod using a Pronto mount.

I never started until 9.45pm because of the local school's floodlights so I just set up the Skywatcher 150P.

I started with the Monkey Head Neb using the 20mm Myraid and Castell O-III filter. This was followed by M35 + NGC2158, Christmas Tree Neb, Rosette Neb. I then switched to the 13mm Ethos and Viewed M47 and  M46  taking in the PN 2438 (using TeleVue filter). Still with Ethos viewed M38, M36 and M37, M1 and then fitted a H.Beta filter to try and see the California Neb with the ES68 24mm (failed). It was interesting to then view M42 still with the H.Beta - nice to try different filters on M42.

Before going into Leo I observed M44 and M67. Quick tour of Leo viewing NGC2903 and then the Triplets although I could not see NGC3628.

Ended the night in Ursa Major- M51, M82+M81 (great in 9mm Myraid), M108 and finally the Owl Neb (trying both TeleVue and Atronomik O-III).

Just now, Mr Spock said:

If you want to spent lots of money there's always the 21mm Ethos  Similar fov to the 31mm Nagler.

Thanks Michael I had a 21mm Ethos and sold it together with the 13mm and 8mm Ethos. I missed the extra wide field so bought the 20mm Myraid which is nearly as good. As mentioned I am going to hold off for the time being but if a used one appears in the classifieds at a reasonable cost I might change my mind.

I am grateful for the many excellent replies. The cost of the Nagler 31 is very high and although I might use it a bit on balance it won't get used as much as my 20mm Myraid. So I will hold off at the moment.

Thanks Paul - the Sun has come out so will have a look.

6 minutes ago, Don Pensack said:

Depends.

Just looking for a larger exit pupil?  A very cost-effective way would be the 30mm APM Ultra Flat Field or one of it's rebadged brothers.

Looking for a larger true field?  Then you want a larger field stop eyepiece, like the 31mm Nagler or 30mm ES 82°.

Of course, the second option also gives you the first.

Thanks Don I just read the reviews on the APM 30mm which was very good. However I think I want the extra large field but not sure about the opinions on the ES and the edge quality although some state the new version is better.

36 minutes ago, scarp15 said:

Hi Mark, when I take my 14" dob on dark sky trips, I start with a Nagler 31mm and in conjunction with a 21mm Ethos they form a dominant combination, sometimes along with a 41mm Panoptic. Mostly I have the paracorr in, therefore an exit pupil of 5.09mm for the 31 and 3.96mm for the 21. However the Panoptic 41mm increases to 7.73mm exit pupil and the 31mm Nagler, on occasions when the paracorr is not in use gains 6.8mm, each are wonderful for wide field views and contrast is fine. The sky brightness measures between 21.3 and 21.6 mag, which is a factor.    

Thanks Iain that is useful information. As I stated previously I recently used the new StellaLyra 16" Dob and the exit pupil was 6.88 so perhaps I should not worry especially reading your reply because the view was fantastic

I know in my 6" Newt I could  fill both parts of the Veil which I fancy trying .

Now it's just a matter whether I buy the 31mm Nagler or the cheaper ES.

My main observing is DSOs and I have a good range of EPs which include a Myriad 20mm 100 degree and an ES68 24mm. I recently had the opportunity to use a Nagler 31mm on a 16" Dob and the view of the Veil was brilliant.

I am looking at members who may have a 20/21 100 degree EP and a Nagler 31mm and I wonder how often they use the Nagler and whether they feel its completely necessary.

Part of my consideration is exit pupil. My 12" Dob with the Nagler will give me an exit pupil of 6.22 and a true field of 1.673. My Myriad 100 degree gives me 4.01 and 1.316.

I know that Explore Scientific do a 30mm 82 degree which is nearly half the cost of the Nagler and Opticstar in Sale have a clone version at £260 - https://www.opticstar.com/Opticstar-Ultra-Wide-Angle-XL-Eyepieces.html

I welcome opinions.

1 hour ago, carastro said:

Might be able to get to this, if Omicron no worse.  Can all SGL members wear a badge with their Avatar and Avatar name so we can recognise each other.  

Carole 

 

I am hoping to go and it would be nice to meet more SGL members. I have a SGL T.Shirt and a Mod name badge so say hello if you see me.

Thanks Paul for the heads up. I did have a session today with the PST + DS and there was a bit of activity. We might have a few clear days next week so fingers crossed.

Nice clear sky so before the Moon rose I decided to have a quick session with the 90mm frac. I used two diagonals one with a TeleVue Bandmate type 2 and the other with no filter. Two EPs a 24mm ES68 and a SvBony 7-21mm zoom.

Started with M35 and also picked up NGC 2158. Moved down to NGC  2174 (Monkey Head Neb) nicely picked up with TeleVue filter. Over to the Christmas Tree Cluster and then down to NGC 2244 and The Rosette Neb. Again the Neb was clear using the 24mm and TeleVue filter.

Moved down again to M46 and M47. Using the SvBony zoom at the 7mm setting together with the TeleVue filter I was able to pick up the PN NGC2438

Next M1 and I tried both with and without filter and the view was very clear - could not dec ide which was the better view. Dropped down to M42 and then the Globular M79 (I used the SvBony to get extra mag.)

Over to M44 and then M67. Finally ended with M81 and M82 which again was very good using the SvBony zoom.

So a quick session with an inexpensive Achro frac. Again really pleased with the performance of the SvBony zoom.

I once owned a Orion Optics 6" Newt with 1 /12th wave mirror and it was good. However, I now have a Skywatcher 150P which I use using high quality eyepiece and I am more than satisfied with the views. In addition I have a Revelation 12" Dob and I am again very satisfied with the view.

 My home was bortle 4 until recently and has now dropped to 5 with a reading of 20.30.