Ratlet

1 hour ago, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

Hi Ratlet, I think I can withdraw that comment I made. A tiny bit of reading indicates that the repeatability of these is pretty good - 0.1 degrees. So once you have calibrated against your known altitude target the device should continue to read +/- 0.1 of that value. That has to be good enough for a dobsonian because pushing to a tenth of a degree is not that easy. So it's all a question of 'digital' (your hands) input versus digital output!

They seem reasonably popular on Cloudy Nights with the dob squad, although I'm not sure I get behind the people who proclaim it makes goto and Digital Setting Circles obsolete.  I did consider the fully digital option as there is a set designed for the stellalyra, but this seems fairly low cost, low risk.  If it manages 0.1 degree repeatability that will be perfect.  Even without the azimuth circle (need to get it printed) getting the altitude correct to that accuracy should make it easier to find faint fuzzys.  I'll be giving it a test tonight hopefully.

I will say that I made a fairly large failure of logic in the whole process because I should be making sure the dob base is level which means that I have a level surface to calibrate the inclinometer on.  Assuming it still reads good on a star then the adjuster is redundant.

That's a brilliant idea!

6 minutes ago, Moonshed said:

I can tell you a short story about money laundering.
Prior to us moving to Spain in 2008 I decided I had to sell my pride and joy, a 2004 3.0 Litre S Type Jag with automatic and voice command everything, including the phone. I advertised it in Exchange & Mart and I had no responses. After a month I had a phone call from a man asking if it was still available and I told him it was. He replied that he didn’t expect me to accept an offer for such a well equipped car and offered the full asking price of £9,000. He turned up next day as agreed, did not so much as cast a glance at the car as he walked past it on the way to the front door, came into the house holding a carrier bag and said “there’s your money.” It was all in cash, all used £20 notes.
My bank was not overly impressed with my explanation as to why I was depositing £9,000 all in used £20 notes!

I bought my first car for £5500 in cash.  From my sister.  When I took the money out the bank said they could transfer it direct easily.  I said no.  It was the first and only chance I'd have to hold £5k in my hands 🤣

Might be my fault.

One box of dob 'may contain clouds'

The other box of dob said it 'may contain snow"

Must have used Hermes to ship the clouds and snow though as last night was clear.

Anytime I see stuff like this I always pretend it's money laundering.

I think this project perhaps more aptly demonstrates why I became a chemist and not an engineer 🤣

26 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Nice idea…. I guess that removes the need to level the tube to zero it.  Be better with wingnuts though? 

Indeed.  The hardware shop did not have any, and I mostly made do with what I had at hand.

28 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

I gather the new software version didn't support the feature any more. Pity, as I was on my way from neutron star to supernova, as I recall

If you make 100 posts in the astrophotography forum did you automatically get "financial black hole"?

Listening to the Actual Astronomy podcast recently as the covered setting circles, I realised how incredibly easy they are (in theory) to operate, especially given the ease of finding coordinate on your mobile.

I've not test got the azimuth printed up for the dob base, but I made a start on the alt.  This is inspired by Dakota Starry Nights on YouTube where they did something similar.  Essentially it's a small jig that allows you to adjust the inclination of you inclinometer to allow better calibration.  It attaches to the tube using two embedded neodymium magnets.  The base is 3d printed andhas a layer of flock to avoid scratches.

Say you point at a star that is supposed to be 35.5° but your inclinometer says it's 34°< you simply adjust one of the nuts to get the inclination to match.

Not tried it in anger yet, but thought I'd share.  My hope is that by the time I have actually tried the full setting circle business I'll have spent at least twice as much as a Starsense unit and still not been able to get it to work.

They must have dialled it back a bit.  Makes sense.  My 130pds is on the heavy duty tripod and is a bit wobbly bobbly at high powers and it probably only just gets to 5kg

Broke in the dob.  First light for the 10" Stellalyra dob.  But of a cluster all told, the wife is away so trying to squeeze stuff in whilst the kids watch bluey.

Productive though.  Observed Venus for the first time and accidently split a double (zeta piscium).  Jupiter was just barely visible above the rooftops, but looked very nice. 

Popped in to get the kids clean and back out whilst they had snack.  Orion was up and the moon was only just above the horizon, but still a distance away.  Looked brilliant. I've never seen the Trapezium resolved to cleanly.  There was more detail in the nebulosity and it clearly extended further.

Going to get the sack barrow sorted for it tomorrow.  Removing the tube to move the base then moving the tube is a hassle I can do without.  Early indications are good.  Nudging is an absolute dawdle (I sometime just pushed it with my eyebrow).  Even if it gave the exact same view as the 130pds the fact I have to sit to observe makes it winner.  Sitting is the way forward.  Just need rvo to tell me the geoptik is in stock!

Happy so far with my purchase.  Hopefully clear skies and wife here on Friday and no moon so more detailed writeup then.

Tidy, I was going to have a check.  First time viewing Venus and first light and first (accidental) double split with the dob.

Busy wee field that.

8 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Where did you get the 9kg payload capacity from? The Skywatcher site states that with the 1.75” steel tripod the maximum is 15lbs or 6.8kg.

It's in the manual believe it or not.  I'm not sure if they scaled it down or not at some point.

That the aperture fever cured...

Feel like I should apologise to @FLO since I basically stole it in the Spring sale.

Im not sure if we're supposed to be doing bean cans or ornaments for these pictures but hopefully I get some clear skies tonight and I can hop to some observing.

Cracking.  Massively underated part of the hobby is constellation spotting.  Great when you work out where everything is and can say "yup, that's caseopia" , especially when it's a faint one like Cancer.

Just now, Stu1smartcookie said:

Wait for the tube before you build the base ! But isnt it annoying how one parcel can reach you and the other one comes later ?

Indeed.  DPD delivered me the greatest gift of all: hope.

False hope.  But hope none the less.

5 minutes ago, Moonshed said:

That is funny I have to admit 😂 but I’m the sort of idiot that would protect my dog first and foremost, 🤓 but then a Bichon Maltese standing 10” high isn’t much of a deterrent anyway.

 

 

Would be absolutely devastating if you got attacked by Achilles.

Now the proud owner of a 10" dobsonian!  Base.

Tube never made it to the depot.  Last update seems to be it's still in hinkley.  Hopefully it'll make it here tomorrow.

If you find the contrast is a bit lacking on planets, a cheap yellow and skyglow/light pollution filter stacked together does wonders.  It's basically a baader contrast booster for less money.  I tried it on the 130pds I use and it blew me away.

3 minutes ago, SuburbanMak said:

Thanks @JeremyS - happy to report that the finder screws have just turned up in my final pre-recycling check of the Flo packaging. They are just little fiddly bolts though so as my main use will be grab & go, I think I will be ordering the ADM quick release bracket next time I have a Flo basket worthy of the postage!

You're a better man than I.  I usually find myself wanting parfocal rings and then adding stuff to make the postage and packing worthwhile!  Any excuse 😂

😳

A surprise, but a welcome one!

Cracking report.  I don't know why but I always get a giggle seeing an azgti paired up with an expensive scope and tripod.  Versatile bit of kit!

20 minutes ago, doublevodka said:

Some other forums, however, not so much 😂

Finally, something we can all agree on.

(Although I will say their sketching bit is delightful)

Ah well.  

Never mind.  Should still be clear on Wednesday.

Full moon isn't ideal, but I've got AG's double book and really keen on starting that.  @Mr Spock has got me fired up on them and also really want to try some better logging.  This far I've been basically using the "what I saw tonight' thread to track my observations 🫠

That being said, I'm not sure what's going on, but desperately hoping the delivery date is correct and so is the clear outside app lol.