Stargazer_00

Absolutely fantastic!  I've been looking for something like this for a while and here is a real treasure trove, thank you!

Mmm...as tempting as it seems, I think it's too big for a small house.

I could imagine me bringing it into the house and the wife will do this to it

Is that a solar scope version?

I've got a few actually, don't really use any of them often though.

8x21 Pentax Jupiter 3 - utter rubbish, surprised Pentax produced something this rubbish - gave to the wife who has no interest in anything that needs binoculars

10x50 Celestron UpClose - cheapo rubbish, heavy, poor views. focus only good in the centre 40-50% and goes off rapidly outside of that. Shows heavy CA

10x50 Barr & Stroud sprite monocular - cheapo and surprisngly good! No CA noticable during the daytime on tree banches against sky background which usually shows CA heavily. This is my go to binocular (even though its a mono). Based on this quality I'd be tempted by a set of bins by these guys.

20x80 Celestron Sykmaster - Beast sized bins. Must be mounted for prolonged use. Pretty average views, shows CA during the day. Not great but for some reason I can't find myself parting with them either. I used them to spot PANSTARRS.

My back garden has almost no light pollution pouring into it from neighbours which is great. On occasion though one of them will leave a bathroom light on all night which is only an annoyance really. The way I devised to get around this was using my solid base sun umbrella parasol set up that I use on hot summer's days on my lawn. It's a free standing heavy base in which you stick the parasol/umbrella.. Mine stands about 20 foot tall and can tilt so I jsut set this up so that it shields my observing spot from the offending light source. It works to magnificent effect and has helped me avoid any conflict where I lose my (exceptionally short) temper and start swearing at their window while they sleep.

To add to this, I've since found this can also be used to block direct moon light. Obviously it can't improve the sky but it can help your dark eye adaption a bit if you are looking for planetary nebs.

Is it "lets dig up an ancient post" day? This is from 2006

Mines a skywatcher one. 365astronomy 61 quid

cheers, thought as much

I took delivery of a RACI today and its now mounted on my dob waiting to be used.

I rotated the finderscope in its bracket to orient in the same line as the eyepiece and when looking through it its clear that up, down left and right dont match the orientation of the cross hairs. Is there an easy way to rotate the crosshairs in the eyepiece element? If I could align them to the copes movement it'd be simpler in the finder to understand what up on the scope translates to in terms of up on the crosshairs.

I dont honestly think its going to cause me any issue as it currently is just wondering if this is something thats configurable was all.

but my case isn't big enough!

couldn't help myself... paint is so horrific at any form of graphic editing but i just had to mock this idea up (OCD or something)

Good review. Thanks I agree they are a very comfortable eyepiece to use. Some good advice regarding buying which may help others with their choices. There are a great many choices at this price point and is often difficult to know what is good.

I have to carry 2.. surely im not the only one?

This one is 'main' case; those in my signature. Not sure why I seem to be the only person who stacks them standing up. Front from left to right 4.7, 6.7, 8.8, 11 centre 14, centre top 18, top right 24. space for a 30..

Other case, all my other bits! some BSTs (5, 18, 25) some plossls (32, 12.5) a barlow, cheshire and laser collimators, 3 filters (solar, neodynium and uhc) and of course the trusty red torch and copy of sky and telescope pocket atlas! As you can see this case has grown over time and as such the foam is a little bit, well, disordered!

Moonshane: Do you do bases on commision at all? You have a great design on all your scopes it seems.

I'd maybe consider an eq platform but I prefer a no-tech approach on the whole. I've found tracking manually at high powers no bother with the "Moonshane" mount, even with orthos. I actually enjoy nudging the scope gently to track an object - for some strange reason it makes me feel a connection with what I'm viewing

I know exactly what you mean, and that is what I dont want to lose. I really dont want a computer to show me things, at all. I feel in love with the idea that the scope and all its parts just work. i can put it anywhere and its only limit is me and what I choose to look for.

I've never used a tracking mount before and to be honest the nudging isnt that much of a pain, i think it's more the stickion in the operation of the scope not that actual nudging. Ive more or less eradicated that in RA axis with a lazy susan which is very nice but Im still trying to find the right solution to the altitude. I currenty have covered the faces on the scope shoulders which touch the uprights (not the nylon pins) with teflon tape as that appeared to be where the sticktion was being caused. This has however made the scope rather loose and prone to nose diving even with the tension handles cranked up far higher than I would like. It doesnt bear 2" EPs well at the moment. I am exploring counterbalancing options at the moment or going back to the drawing board on the teflon tape idea.

Have to start saving and keep an eye out for a 12" F5.3 tube then

What do you reckon about my reasons for Goto?

The Orion Optics VX12L with 2 speed focuser, 1/10 PV optics (whatever that is, sure its an improvement) and a dob base would be £1800

The equivalent skywatcher (non goto) is £950

Is it worth that much more?

I did 6" to 10" and it was a nice jump. 10" to 12" would provide a 51% improvement in light grasp, a slower scope (F4.7 to F4.9) so better performance from my EPs, and only a marginal loss in true field of view.

Those 3 factors combined make it appealing still.

I would also have the option to add GOTO at this upgrade point. I really dont need it as I get as much enjoyment out of the hunt as I do the view, however I think i'd like it for extending viewing on planets and moon only. I dont need to be shown where things are but I could do without the nudging once in a while.

Thanks John. I'm no superman, carrying the 10" and base together usually gives me a sore back for a few days as I used to carry it at an odd angle to get it through doorways and such, the weight of the two combined is OK it was more the awkward position I held it all in that goes for the back.

I dont exercise enough (at all), so I will carry all scopes in two pieces. I suspect the 12" is around the limit of my comfortable limit for carrying. As this is likely to be my last scope upgrade I may save up for a nice high end OOUK one with a good mirror coating.

Do you think the optics make a lot of difference in the OOUK compared to say the equivilant 12" skywatcher? OOUK sure do want alot for those extras, but i'd go there if it was my upper limit and therefore final purchase.

Im thinking about going from 10" to either a 12" or 14" flex tube. I like the idea of increasing the aperture but both steps will lose TFOV. That said though i have an ST120 which shows tons of sky so if I wanted TFOV I can always get that out instead.

I'd realy want to see both of these in the flesh to decide which is best for me. the 10" is easy to carry, I suspect the 14" might be more than I can carry in and out of a shed without pulling my back trying not to trip over things.

The 12" might end up being the one I go for but is it worth going 10" to 12"?

It's seemingly impossible to find these in the flesh, wish there were more showrooms around

Odd, I always thought SkyWatcher was the poorer cousin of Celestron :/ I have a SkyWatcher scope and always saw it in this respect.