kirkster501

...wrap the Kimwipe box itself in clingfilm when they are stored. And just use them for optical surfaces, throwing them away after each wipe of a surface. Remember the golden rule; a wipe/clothe/kimwipe is cheap. An optical surface is expensive.

You may find this link useful: http://iankingimaging.com/show_product.php?id=1462 In my experience it's not so much the fluid you use (99.9% isopropyl alcohol you can buy of the bay is the best), it's the cloth you use to do the cleaning. Buy some Kimwipes as per the link. They will last you donkey's years.

Welcome aboard. I work at the University there a lot. Lovely city.

Don't feel bad about it, at least you got out there and tried. Our lack of being able to do this regularly due to our cimate means we cant get into a routine.

I will just miss out as I am on a cruise in the Caribbean, so will see a large partial eclipse. Still, looking forward to it nonetheless.

HP 8300 with 10x USB2 and SSD 128G from Ebay for £120 on the mount. Second PC to VNC into it (£100).

Well done Sara

My friend, when based in the UK and its climate you are grateful to see anything at all.... we are fed scraps from the table when it comes to getting to use out scopes.

Manufacturers can indeed be overoptimistic. Just like my BMW 535D Touring 3.0L can apparently get 50mpg according to the datasheet. Yes indeed, downhill, in neutral with a wind behind it, it probably could...... Always remember, there are no datasheet police.......

Winter and summer in UK are merging into the same thing climate-wise 90% of the time. The only difference is that it's light in summer when its grey and overcast and raining. In winter, just the same but dark. Sssooooooo depressing!

I also got my side-by-side plate from Stefan - the astro-mechanik - from Germany. absolutely built like a tank. http://www.astro-mechanik.de/Doppelklemmen/doppelklemmen.html

Some more pics how I have done it. The thick loom has one cable that I missed. I will make sure this gets tidied properly when I get [if i get] a new camera. All will be broken down when i go on jollies in two weeks and taken to my dads.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XHHZMDV?psc=1 These also look good and may work at the scope. I may give these a try first on the rats nest of cables at the back of my TV. I always thought TV/Computer/HiFi was a nightmare for spaghetti wiring until I got into telescopes and AP..... A complete rats nest!🙄

Thing is does that zip cable tie tend to kink? That's the great thing about the spiral wrap, it has "movement" when the scope is slewing.

All cables labeled both ends - yes. I have a note which USB port they connect into. They are all high quality USB cables and rust me £10 each! I have had endless problems with cables and, yes, I agree Olly they do indeed fail! The cables are all wrapped in cable spiral tidy. If need be I can remove a cable in 15 minutes. Eventually I wil move to OAG so need more cables in the loom but there is one spare as a hot swap just in case. It is sod's law that I would have discovered a supernova that night that the cable failed! l also note which PC USB port each device plugs into because I am convinced that keep swapping them about causes problems and glitches with the software and drivers. The system can do a meridian flip without catching/snagging on anything.