Ratlet

Any of you crazy cats use an inclinometer?

Looking for a recommendation for one of the magnetic hobbies to go on my scope so I can setup some setting circles for target acquisition.

Anyone pick up one of the Lidl ones last year?  I'm usually a big parkside fan.

16 minutes ago, Smiller said:

I have one of the slightly larger 12” Goto Dobs (and Orion XT12G) and I leave it setup vertically in the garage with a scope cover and just dolly it out with a red wheeled dolly with a bit of foam on it so it doesn’t scratch.  I find that super easy.  I don’t know what your situation is but if you can keep it setup and just dolly it about, that may help.

I’ve been super happy with my Goto Dob for observing because in my suburban backyard it can be difficult to find targets and I’ve always found starhopping difficult.  However, I didn’t use setting circles which may have worked well, so I’ll admit that.

I also do like the fact I can put a target in the eyepiece and it basically stays there for several minutes as I let others look without losing it.

But goto dobs tend to hand push a bit less smoothly, they cost more, and are a bit heavier.

On the other hand you can do a bit of astrophotography with them if that interests you: Lunar is easy, planetary is not too hard with a basic planetary camera, and even a bit of deep sky due to the goto feature providing basic tracking and modern cameras allowing short exposures.  Here are some examples I’ve done with my Dob over the last year below.   EAA is also fun during social gatherings.  It takes some practice and patience, but it did open up a whole new world for me that I absolutely did not expect this telescope to be able to do.   So my goto dob is now my jack of all trades scope…. I just love it.

 

Those are some absolutely fantastic images!

It was a tough call, but ive limited experience with goto.  My first run wasn't great and I'm currently ironing the kinks out of the az-gti.  Getting there but not got there yet.

My thinking was that there are alternatives available that can provide the functionality of goto that I can add on easily enough if I want to.  Setting circles, encoders, starsense, for example.

The only thing that then lacks is tracking.  I've got a feeling this is something I'll need to get sorted sooner or later and will basically require a tracking platform down the line.

I've got a golly with pneumatic tires which should nicely handle the dob out of the shed.  I didn't really consider the shed before I got my scope, but it's basically lived up there since purchase and it is so handy for just getting going.

5 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

You should buy yourself an EQ platform. Mine was just completed today and is being packed and shipped Monday. I am looking forward to doing a bit of EEVA with my 12”.

 

Definitely on the cards.  I really enjoy sketching and I think it'll be a benefit.  

Where did you get yours from?

4 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Why? The eyepiece position doesn’t change with a dobsonian, apart from being higher or lower depending how near the zenith you are observing.

That's a good point.  I can't remember the last time I adjusted the position of the eyepiece with my alt-az mount.  Not quite sure what I was thinking. 😂

8 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

Ah, it was you!

I clicked through and it had already gone.

I almost didn't.  Surprisingly the wife was more gung-ho than me.  

Oh, my indisputable law of astroinmaging:

Clear skies will only occur within +/- 3 days of the full moon.

Astronomy is like playing Civilization.  Only instead of one more turn, it's one more eyepiece/filter/gizmo and you are less likely to get nuked by Ghandi.

10 minutes later...

I guess that's me put out of my misery.  Figure with the money I save I can build myself a tracking platform and print some setting circles.

Guess I'm a dob guy now.

And right on queue FLO have a sale...

I need to remain strong and not waver.  Should probably close the window with the Skywatcher 80ED in it in case my finger slips.  It's basically the same as my 130PDS but a refractor... I don't need it....

I look like a bit of an itinerant librarian who has been launched at speed through a bush.  I'm generally more worried what effect I'd have on other people at a dark isolated spot.

I find muttering to myself constantly about teeth adds to the ambiance.

Star hopping in a Newtonian is pretty easy if you use a wide angle eyepiece.  I use a 32mm plossl which give a 2° fov.  I just find the nearest bright star on my chart/skysafari, line up on it with my quickfinder, then turn the chart upside down-ish.  That'll match the view from the Newtonian.

All my kit lives up the shed.  The GEM28 and imaging stuff stays in Really Useful Storage Boxes with dehumidifier packs to keep them dry.  Mounts and scopes live up there.  Fortunately most of the condensation form of the tin roof of the shed and so long as I keep them out of the drips, they stay dry.

Surprisingly not as bad as I thought working on the azgti.  A wee bit more swarf in it, but not too bad.

Not sure if it was replacing the grease or just adjusting things but it moves on the azimuth a lot better now and a bit better in alt too (although it wasn't bad before).  Perhaps a small amount of play in the altitude, but not major.

41 minutes ago, Second Time Around said:

You may not be able to actually see the high cloud but if it is there it'll reduce the number of stars that you can see.

Slowly came to this realisation over the winter.  It's worth a go as sometimes it's not too bad.  Other times it's worse that having thick clouds!  

Still available through Bresser uk:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165748637701?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=U5rbRsPhTGK&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=PvuSuZhdTlO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Took the cover off my azgti as I was planning on serving it.  Found there was skelfs of swarf in it.  Looks like poor cleaning during manufacture.

Does anyone have recommended grease to use in it?

This looks like the sort of thing 3d printing could easily fix.  How long a body does it need to have?

I recently went through a similar thought process with the cases for my 1.25" filters.  I also just got a 2" filter so it needs to have a case designed for it too.

My idea would be to make it reasonably snug fitting with something like flocking around the outside and craft foam/thin rubber sheet on the base to keep it secure whilst fitting and provide friction respectively .  I'd probably go for cuts down the side so you can slide the filter in/out easily.  I only say sheet over o-ring because it's easier to design.

Basically the attached but without the wings (so it's a cylinder), sized for a 2" filter, long enough to fit into you assembly and with the filter threads exposed.

14 minutes ago, saac said:

It's too far North lol. Let me guess you south of the Watford Gap?   If it helps I know the feeling Glasgow is way to far South for my liking. As for midges they fly South for the winter   

Jim 

Midges aren't that much of a problem.  The trick is to always go out with people who are tastier than you.

I do remember back in the 90's having to drive in an old long wheelbase land rover to rescue some German scouts who were hiking to the local scout campsite and got overcome by the midges.  That was wild.  They were hiding in their tents and every surface was black with them.

With the NC500 they could do with some more sites along the East Coast.  Just watch out in Sutherland.  They'll probably burn you at the stake up there for witchcraft if you've got a scope 🤣.  (Said in jest as a native of Sutherland)

That's magnificent.

What are the dimensions of the sketch?  What materials did you use?

That's a fantastic sketch.

I don't usually redo sketches at the eyepiece.  For me they serve as a note on what I was observing but mostly as a tool to help really observe the object.  I seem to see more by sketching than I do without.

That being said the real reason I like sketching is because it's fun.

One reason I'm reluctant to correct mistakes is that I kind of like going back and sketching stuff and seeing if I get better, or was the seeing better.

If you haven't you should try sketching from astroimages.  That is quite fun too and I think it can help refine your technique as you can do it in the warm and with more detail than you'll see at the eyepiece.

But that is a smashing sketch.  Instantly recognizable, even though I use a newtonians and mine would be rotated 90° from yours.

That's really good feedback.  Thanks all.  Sounds like it won't be a major issue at all.

I'm very interested in a tracking mount, I've taken a break from sketching of late due to to lack of clear skies and pure greed at wanting to see more objects, but after gorging a bit I'm wanting to get a bit more organised and start sketching my observations.

Stellalyra is a forum favourite, but the Bresser seems to have been well regarded.  It also has a rotatable tube which I can see being handy.  

How are you all observing with yours?  I'm waiting on the geoptik observing chair coming in stock.  The chairs adjustable so vertically I don't see the eyepiece going anywhere awkward, but rotationally does the focuser end up in an awkward place?

I'm hitting my 40th this year and the cost controller has authorised a big ticket item (possibly related to it also being her 40th).

I'm still swithering on what to get but top of the list is (stereotypically) a 10" Dob.

I'm really enjoying visual and especially DSO's so it seems a logical choice.  This far I've been using a 130pds on an az5 and finding and tracking is a dawdle with the slow-mo.

I'm a little apprehensive about how it will go with Dob though.  Is it much of a difference?  I've tried manually pointing with precision with my scope and sticktion is a bit of an issue and it's a challenge?  Is it easier with a dob because it's designed for it?

Number 2 option for the birthday is a binoviewer.  Completely different realm to the dob, but there's loads of things I've not seen with the PDS and thinking about getting a dob gives me flashbacks to getting a lecture from my mam for asking for my pudding when I've not eaten all my dinner!

Astap for the plate solving.  Works super quick.  I believe the lazy geek has a guide on setting it up.

I usually do the same troubleshooting for weird artifacts, blink through the subs to make sure there aren't any dodgy ones, maybe some cloud or a light shining on part of one of the images.  If that's good stack the lights on their own, then add darks, then bias and flats.  Most of the time I get trippy results it's either a dodgy sub or a dodgy dark/flat.

Another vote for the DIY tc-e2.  There are a couple of different designs out there for 3D printing frames.  If you are patient you can get the lenses for £25 or so.  The frame I printed doesn't need to have the lenses glued in as the eyecups kind of clip over the lenses.  You need to soften the pla first.  I did get some rubbery plu to try but haven't got round to testing it in the printer yet.

My mate has gone halfway up a mountain in New Zealand for 3 weeks so I loaned them to him.

I Call them bionic eyes.  They're marvelous.  I did think about printing up a bracket to hold one of them up to my quickfinder as they give a really nice boost to your ability to pick up faint stars.

View from the front is.... Well.