Space Hopper

I've had the pleasure of meeting both Al and David Nagler at the various Astrofest trade shows i've attended. We are very lucky to have Televue in this hobby.

Lets keep our fingers x'ed for this one. Big 'if' though, will it make it round the sun in one piece ? A lot of these promising comets that the media like to hype up often end up in bits before we get to see them. I should have a new camera by then as well (Perihelion is September 28)

Not so sure the focusers are 'better' as such. The ones sold on all my OO scopes have been rubbish. Replaced with Moonlite's, but sadly you can't even do that now. Maybe the current scopes have better focusers, i don't know. You can even spend £500 !! 😦 on the new 'Eris' focuser if you want. I've had both the VX10 short and long in the past, as well as a CT10 and a VX12 F4 as well. The VX10 short is a nice size and not too much of a handful. Optically all my OO scopes have been really nice. But they are expensive new. Not trying to talk you out of it or anything, but have you considered FLOs StellaLyra series ?

@Flame Nebula Did you say you were near Notts ? I'm in Derby so a similar latitude, and its always going to be difficult to see something like this at 53ºNorth with out dodgy seeing conditions sadly

@Mr Spockgood to hear the LVW 3.5 is performing well ; i had mine out last night as well 🙂

There may be more than one spider in there..........🙃

I wouldn't think so. I have 5.5" of Fluorite and find the 'E' star routinely difficult, but do see it from time to time. I've not conclusively seen the 'F' star which is much harder, and never got anyway near Sirius B. But my location has generally poor seeing and what i'd describe as 'fair on a good night. I'm also hampered by 56 yr old eyes and am observing at 53º north, so i have to be realistic about my chances. I do enjoy chasing these elusive targets down though. I'll get there one day.......😀

@powerlord Yes i'm exactly the same. I really am struggling with it all at the moment. Total lack of enthusiasm. Just the one dark site session this year. But i think lots of factors in play here. Awful weather, Bit of depression and seasonal adjustment disorder, shift work, declining health and eyesight, and i feel like the last 4 years have sucked the soul out of me in all departments. And yet, despite all of that, i still feel like buying a new scope / camera & lens.......

Spotting Venus at the point of inferior conjunction (the only time i've done it was during the 2004 transit event. That doesn't count 🙃)

Seeing a shadow transit of Titan across the face of Saturn.

Awesome images !

Almost an untenable hobby for me. I've only the one scope, but i often think it was a mistake buying it. I hardly seem to ever get to use it.

Found a pic of my old VX12 on its Dob mount, after i'd put the DSC mod on it.

A VX12 F4 would be too much of a handful on an EQ mount, and i think you'd soon tire of it. 14kg may not sound that much, but you have to take into account the volume and sheer bulk of the thing. I've owned my own VX 12 short tube a few years ago now, but on a dob mount. It was a big old scope. Not for the feint of heart in solid tube configuration. It excelled at low power, rich field, wide angle views with good quality eyepieces. This was what i used it for. I never used a CC. And i never considered it a planetary scope as such. The VX had quite a big secondary, and with that aperture, was always too fussy with seeing conditions. My 5.5" refractor is a much better planetary performer, and despite sometimes missing the aperture when looking at those fainter Messiers, i don't miss its bulk and humping it about. If you do go down the road of imaging planets with a big newt, then i take my hat off to you.

Welcome Jessica. You have a total solar eclipse happening on April 8, but its a bit to the north and west of you in NC (Ironically the 2017 event passed right through NC) I hope you get to see it anyway 🙂 These things don't come along too often.