S.A.M

Get a new one to be on the safe side. Cost of filter, a few pounds, cost of eye....................priceless! Peter

August 1999, first total solar eclipse seen quite a few since! Kennady Space Centre, never lets me down, been three times so far and finally Transit of Venus from Big Island in Hawaii. Wish list: Northwern Lights, looking thru a large scope over 20 inches in diameter and not having a queue behind me? Peter

Next two total solar eclipses are in South America, so a long way to go and see them? As said before next good one for Europe is in 2026.

Went out on Saturday night to Castlerley Camp near Upavon in Wiltshire with some members of SPOG. Could see four planets in the sky not long after sunset, from west: Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and finally Mars. Looked at a few deep sky objects in Sagittarius and Scorpius before calling it a day not long after the Moon came up around 00:20. In the three hours I did not do much viewing as it was time to catch up with the other people what had been happening over the last few months. Also had a go at doing some astro photography of the Milky Way (not had time to really look at them yet) with my new toy (Canon 10 - 18 mm lens). Peter

I was shown it on Saturday night (while viewings with members of SPOG ) thru a Starwave 6 " refractor, it was there but if I was looking for it I could easy miss it? Lets hope it brightens a few more mag over the coming weeks. Peter

I would never buy a telescope like the one mentioned, you would get more satisfaction throwing your money down a drain.

Been cloud here for last two days.

Every time I go out viewing I keep an astronomy log of what I have viewed, sometimes I just view the brighter objects on display. A few years ago I decided to complete all 110 objects in the Messier list, after that wondered what I could do? Found a book about the Herschel 400, it took nearly five years to complete that list and now going thru the Caldwell list, some are covered in the 400 list and have about five to do from UK shores? Was lucky recently to be in Barbados and ticked a few more Caldwell's off the list, probably will not get all of them unless I live south for a few years? Peter

100 mm double stacked Solarscope, have the 60 mm single stack and I think it gives brilliant views? As for the 100....... dream on! Peter

When I saw the headline I thought of a 10 pence new coin but I guess that was not what you were looking for? Happy hunting!

Use to buy both of them but now only go for AN. I have noticed how AN have improved over the years for quality of items they publish, probably with SAN around they had to go forward? Peter

Nice picture.

What happens if you did not have a FB account? Not everybody uses these platforms. Peter

A brilliant eye piece, comes at a cost unfortunately! If you can afford one (I got mind second hand) I would recommend it, works well with short refractors. Peter

Jeremy, Now I know why it is cloudy in 'Swindon, your 'Box of Clouds' escaped and went south! I also looked at Jupiter last night, shining bright in the southern sky even made out alpha Libya (a constellation I have never really looked at?). Happy viewing. Peter