Ratlet

If you are willing to wait a few days I can 3D print a bracket that you can attach to the finder ring, if you don't want to stick it to the tube. I bought an svbony handle and 3D printed a finder shoe adapter for my quick finder. The finder attaches to the handle.

Or if you are particularly lazy like me, you can just use a cheapy laser (just make your you collimate the laser first, which is even easier than collimating a newt).

Depends how much of a nerd you are. By using red rings, dovetail and handle on the scope it'll lower the focal ratio because DA RED WUNZ GO FASTA WAAAAAAGGGGHHH!!! (Probably cheaper going for the rings than Warhammer though)

Don't think I can stretch to Primaluce! Found something more in my price range 😂

You are an awful tease lol. Could you at least let me know where you got the rings 😂?

Svbony sv211 handle. Very nicely made and can also be used to hold a finder/guide scope. Though I now might have to get a red dovetail to match lol.

I've got the AZ5 on the 1.75" stainless tripod. Don't know the weight of the tube but it should be on FLO, just add 750g for the diagonal and handle. It handles the 102ED badly to be honest. It's okay at low power which in okay with as I've got a 10" dob for high power. It's not the tripod in this case, it's the arm of the mount that's the issue. The AZ5 just isn't designed for the weight (or specifically the movement arm) of a long heavy mount. I also have a 130pds and had it and the AZ5 on a carbon fibre tripod. I found that changing to the steel tripod did improve stability there. At the moment I'm trying to figure out the use case for the scope to be honest. I think it'll work well for low power and tracked views of planetary but i could do with a quick setup mount for quick views and grab and go. Unfortunately the AZ5 isn't up to snuff. Really what I want is a Megrez 90, but they are like hens teeth!

Typical. Clouds for weeks and then the night everyone starts imaging clouds it goes clear up here!

What do you think you will look at mostly? Are you thinking visual or imaging? What is your light pollution like? Or what is it like where you will observe? Telescopes are like tools, different scopes do different things better.

Managed to get out with the 102 ED out the back of work with the new diagonal. The extra weight is not helping the wobbles on the AZ5 at high power, but god enough for a quick look. Setup in a different location from the last time and it was an experience. Surrounded by lights so no use on anything other than the moon. Lots of reflections of nearby light. That being said, I enjoyed it quite a bit and it was nice to get a little observing in. I love the subtle differences in colour/tone on the moon and they looked great with the Morpheus 17.5mm. I look forward to trying it out on a mount that can actually hold it.

Care package from SVBONY arrived today. No SV215 though. Already got that eyepiece. Got a swanky new handle for the 102ED, a finder shoe, and a cannon m48 adaptor so I can try imaging with the DSLR again. Standout so far is the SV223 2" twist lock dielectric diagonal. Very little information on it, but given the quality of most of their recent gear I figured it would be worth a punt at £98. It appears to be the same as the "ALTAIR PREMIUM POSITIVE LOCK DIAGONAL DIELECTRIC 2" Have to say that the build quality is fantastic. The twist lock feels very competent, the inside looks very dark too. Minimum clear aperture is about 43-44mm using a bit of paper and a ruler to check. Very happy with my haul.

Missing out on the 300 is nature's way of telling you that you need to go bigger still.

I'm blessed with dark skies and awful eyesight even with glasses so I don't see too many stars without the scope, but I get to see lots of objects that are considered faint. The veil was a particular pleasure. Without a filter it was more a textural difference than anything. Like when carpet is brushed in different directions. M51 is marvelous. Still not seen any detail in M31 though. Surface brightness is one of those things that I can wrap my head almost around (if I consider object and sky brightness separately) but I could feel my brain dribble out my ear when I tried to understand how magnification affects how the difference between the two is perceived by the brain.

I quite like the idea that inflation came first before the matter. The energy of the universe drove expansion of space at ridiculous speeds and then when it eventually 'stretched' enough and the energy density got to a certain point there was a phase change and the energy driving expansion got dumped into the universe as matter and light. New idea to me but it makes much more sense that way round rather than matter/energy first they inflation mysteriously happening (which I think was the preferred explanation in the 80's/90's/00's). I'm getting a bit more excited about advanced physics than I have done in years (at my popular science level understanding). For ages it felt like there were gaps in our understanding and we knew they were there but didn't know the shape of them. Feels like now they're getting a much tighter head on where the theories breakdown. Lots of arguments and intensity and it kind of feels like there is a shift coming.

Handy if you have to desire and time to use it. It's a hobby unto itself, but the cost of parts for astronomy is usually so high that it certainly encourages you to use the 3D printed option. I would quite like a reasonably powered laser cutter as a compliment. I recently upgraded my prusa mini to input shaping. That's been an experience. 5 hour prints done in 2 hours!

Slightly off topic, but how are you powering the camera and getting Nina to control it? I tried before with a dummy power pack and it just kept stopping taking images after a short while.

Nice looking bit of kit. Really like the design of the clutch.

It's fantastic on the moon imho. I can only compare it to my 8mm BST and X2 Barlow, but I've found the contrast to be much better on bright targets with the svbony. Also very nice just tweaking the zoom to the right level for the seeing. Not parfocal but for me it's a minor change between powers and in the sort of region where I'm usually fidgeting with my focus anyway. It pairs well with the moveshootmove mobile phone holder for some imaging/streaming. Just remember to adjust the phone position as you adjust the power. I've popped my phone out of the holder more than once.

Not enough InFocus or outfocus?

Is it just the thumb screws that it'll hit? If you know the thread type and screw length I can have a look in my bit box. Got some knurled thumb screws that might be shorter and work for avoiding collision.

You are far more sensible at this than I was with my Tair 3. I didn't think to mark the lenses. I've got everything crossed for you mate.

I rest my case your honour. Mind you I think I was pretty lucky that the 102 came up second hand so I'll not moan too loudly.

I think the Megrez 90 has fpl-53 Vs fpl-51 in the long perng. At least I hope that's the case lol. I don't even know if it'll make a difference for me with the glass as I don't think I'm massively sensitive to CA, it's just an abundance of caution because I've found with observing that once you can see something when observing it becomes easier. I did have a long hard look at the LP90 and came close but at the time decided not to. The main driver of the 102ed purchase was a good price in the classified and having some money to buy it.

From memory my last order came through from evri and it didn't really update until it had basically arrived. My recent order was received by the on 06/03, no updates since. Fortunately the weather is rubbish and I'm working.

Megrez 90. I know the 102ed is a great compliment to the 10" Dob but the Megrez would have the edge for grab and go. Unfortunately they are like hens teeth. Maybe a swap advert is required lol.