johninderby

ZWO camera, nirvana 7mm eyepiece and a TS-Optics Glass Path Corrector 2.6x 🙂 Plugged the ZWO ASI120mm Mini camera into the tablet I want to use it with and connected OK unlike the 120MC camera I bought (and sold) last week and found out isn’t compatible with a tablet. The Nirvana 7mm UWA-82° eyepiece is a great deal at the moment at only £75.00. Less than half the price of the WO UWAN version. The TS-Optics Glass Path Corrector 2.6x (barlow) will give about 1.5x screwed directly into the camera and a bit more if the nosepiece is used. Will have to experiment a bit.

Hmm perhaps one of these could be adapted. 😇

One of my chief complaints about new scopes is the usual lack of a carry handle. They should at least offer them as an option. So I fit them myself. So much easier to fit an OTA to a mount when you can hold it with one hand leaving the other free to tighten the saddle clamp.

Have been trying out different eyepieces for the Skymax 180 & Bresser 127 Maks and have settled on a 7mm eyepiece as my high power choice. Have been using an X-cel LX 7mm which does work rather well on these F15 scopes but am looking for something better primarily for lunar observing. Am considering a few 82º eyepices such as the ES 6.7mm or Opticstar 6.7mm (same eyepices) or the Nirvana 7mm which is a great buy at the moment or something completely different, the Baader Genuine Ortho 7mm (know where there is one for sale). On such slow scopes would I notice any real difference in performance on the moon? Is the lack of eye relief and narrow fov worth it with the BGO? Decisions, decisions. 🤔

Micro SD card for my tablet and a short USB cable in a nice fetching ZWO red. 🙂

Ask them for a price on the barrel and the correct filter and get it sorted in one go.

Good that you have discovered that the filters are stacked. 👍🏻 Wonder if the eyepiece barrel from a diagonal would fit or maybe TS could supply a spare barrel from the wedge. Worth asking them. 🤔

Glad to see you’re enjoying using the wedge. 👍🏻 The narrowband filter is just for enhancing contrast so removing it should be OK unless it’s a combined filter. Are there two filter elements stacked together? If you hold the filter up to the light does it look dark tinted? Might be wise to play it safe and screw in an ND3.0 filter and try it.

Clear at last so decided to do a bit of lunar observing with the new Mak. Gave some lovely views with really sharp and contrasty images. Spent some time wandering down the terminator enjoying the detail. Never remember the Skymax 127 ever produceing images as good as this. Just feels like a bigger scope if that makes any sense. Used a Baader Moon & Skyglow filter which I like as gives the moon a neutral grey shade. Well I bought it as a grab’n’go lunar / planetary scope and it doesn’t disapoint. Found I could observe straight away after taking it out if the conservatory. Doesn’t seem to be as affected as the Skymax by lack of cool down time. New camera arriving on Tuesday so looking forward to trying it out on this scope. Yes it’s a bit more expensive than the Skymax but seems worth it. 👍🏻

Available from a few German places but less than half the price on eBay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SVBONY-Solar-Finder-Scope-Fully-Metal-For-Sun-Positioning-Solar-Eclipse-Observe/362366838367?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Ball head from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0189228CS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The Lacerta was good quality but prefer the Svbony as it is easier to use particularily once the etched lines on the disc are inked in.

A 290MM mini works perfectly with the tablet. I’ll be testing a 120MM mini next week which should work as well.🤞🏻

It seems like it’s the USB2 cameras that use the regular USB cables that give trouble with newer tablets but the ones that use the mini USB connection on the camera seem to work. 🤔

I dare say that is most likely. 🙂

Just sold my ASI120MC because it’s incompatible with my tablet. 🤬

Depends on the quality of the stainless so I’d go with the aluminium and the OD won’t matter. .

With the pier extension had to use the spacers as not enough clearance for the heads of the knobs. Aluminum spaces perhaps? Hmm have some unused new black stainless steel knobs with a shorter thread somewhere. 20mm thread length, 25mm dia. head.

One day Skywatcher will start providing these quick removal knobs. Or then again probably not. 🤔 I see you went for the red option as well. 👍🏻

And an inexpensive mini flight case from eBay. Trimed the foam that came with the solar filter to fit and now have somewhere to store/carry the filter.

Just a little self adhesive mount to attach a photo tripod head. Fitted to the mount it allows you to mount a tablet or phone in a covienient place using a small ball head and a tablet/phone bracket. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01NCLMIN2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A sun shield for the Bresser 127 Mak. Adjustable to fit most diameter OTAs. And a second hand ZWO120MC camera.

The Lacerta and TS solar finders are .also adjustable. And the Svbony solar finder is available with a mini ball head mount which makes it fully adjustable. I added the ball head afterwards and it works a treat.

Solar finder The basic Svbony solar finder is non adjustable but they also do a version with a mini ball head mount so I’ve now mounted mine on a mini ball head. No lack of adjustment now. ? Also removed the disc from the finder and filled in the etched lines with ink.

It isn't adjustable but they do another version with a mini ball head that is. Actually any ball head could be used as the finder has standard photo screw threads. I’ll sort out a mini ball head tomorrow and see if I like it.

Well the sun peeped out through a break in the clouds and had the chance to try out the solar filter and finder. With a 25mm 60 degree eyepiece the sun just about filled the field of view. Nice sharp image of a featureless sun. ? The Baader micro focuser worked nicely. ?

A solar finder. Better pic in my scope thread.