johninderby

That’s the 1.25” eyepiece adapter. It’s supposed to be there. Pic from manual.

Interesting to,compare the LAC chart detail of Plate to a high res image.

Gping to download the full set onto my iPad so will have them handy.

If you click on the one of the charts you can download them in three different resolutions. There used to someone on eBay who used to sell prints of them.

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/LAC/

Such as

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/LAC/lac12/300dpi.jp2

Here you go. 🙂

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/

That’s why a zoom eyepiece is so useful. Find the right mag then switch to a regular eyepiece once you know what the seeing will allow. 

This article on the subject is worth a read. 👍🏻

https://starizona.com/tutorial/understanding-magnification/

Using the actual scope aperture (assuming it’s a Skymax 127j the Teleview eyepiece calcular gives the maxiumum usable magnification as 280x. A 6mm would give 250x and a 5mm would give 300x so the 6mm is the highest mag eyepiece you would find usable and that would be on the moon. For planets a bit less would be better.

Skywatcher do an extension pillar for this available from any Slywatcher dealer.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/skywatcher-eq5heq5-extension-tube.html

I allways wanted the Rukio book but just a bit too expensive

Still fall back to this online resource though.

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/cla/

If it hasn’t gone supernova that is. 🤔

All I can see is fog this morning. 😢😢😢

Yes not looking good for the next cycle. 😢.

”We will start seeing the new sunspots of Cycle 25 appear sometime in late-2019. Sunspot maximum is likely to occur in 2024, with most forecasts predicting about half as many sunspots as in Cycle 24.”

Just a tiny, tiny bit cheaper on Amazon UK for a used one.. 😁

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TeleVue-21-0mm-Ethos-Eyepiece-2-0/dp/B002YH6DGM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=televue+21mm+ethos&qid=1576537928&sr=8-1

I think it is the potential of this mount that is getting a lot of interest. The ability to change the mount instead of buying a new mount if your needs change will be a great selling point.

Remember the days of the “Semi-APO” and the arguments the term provoked? 😁

Sunday night is looking promising so who knows??? 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

I have a high security steel shed in the garden with built in ventalation. Nothing rusts or mildews and very few spiders. Good ventilation is the key. 

I’ve owned an Astrophysics mirror diagonal and other than the build quality couldn’t tell the difference between it and a WO or a Revelation quartz. I have however seen a difference between the previously mentioned diagonals and one of the lower priced dielectric diagonals such as the Skywatcher which have a bit less contrast.

Have been trying out a Baader T2 prism in my little 127 Bresser mak and while it is excellent not much if any real difference to a mirror diagonal. Maybe I’ll change my mind after further use. 🤔

I use a Baader Morpheous 4.5mm on my 10” f5 dob and it isn’t too high mag for lunar observation when seeing is good.

Think makers of GOTO mounts should be worried by what Rowan comes out with in the future. 🤔

On 14/12/2019 at 18:30, JeremyS said:

I'll probably get a ladder in my stocking at Christmas

🙂

 

Hmmmm😁

Think it’s an M4.

Keep the dob and mounts in the conservatory and OTAs in a closet that being on an outside wall is pretty cold. Move wharever OTA I want to use into the conservatory and close doors to the house and let the temp drop to ambient. Then if it’s not raining ready to go. 

The conservatory doesn’t get too hot on most summer days as I pull the solar blinds and open some windows if it is sunny.

Thanks for the update.

DPD is quoting last shipping date for Xmas as 23rd Dec so should have a few opportunities over Xmas to put it to use. 🙂