wookie1965

A warm welcome to SGL

I use this my Telrads have not fell off https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mammoth-Powerful-Grip-Tape-double-sided/dp/B0038LUASA?th=1

Yes I have the 1.25" Lunt wedge and noticed I cannot focus with some eyepieces including the 3-8 zoom I thought it would be different in a normal 1.23" diagonal but it would not focus in the vixen at all yet a 4.5mm TMB.

Ian can you do me a favour and give me the co ordinates for these please or a different designation catalogue, I have looked in Haas, Cambridge double star atlas, Webbs double stars and Burnhams and cannot find any thanks.

Fantastic reports and the pictures are stunning.

Well I resolved Tegmine in the Vixen 102m with a barlowed 6mm, I have split it a few times but that was with my 5" Meade I should never have sold that.

Mike have you found the Svbony needs a lot more in focus than a normal say 6mm eyepiece. I tried it in my set up for solar (Tal) but would not focus never thought much of it as lower focal length eyepieces wont focus , I thought it was just the solar wedge but had the vixen out and it would not focus in that. Have to try the Tal with the 2" diagonal in.

Great report Ian going to check those doubles out, what scope was you using?

I will try zoom with my Tal if I can not get focus with that may as well sell it on.

No luckily what also worked with the views is my mum attached some interfacing material to the front of a hoodie blocks all extraneous light.

Vixen 102m

OH what a night Started off with Jupiter just to centre my telrad was not that good as the scope had not cooled but make out one band and 4 moons, at first I thought I had a double image but it was two moons close together. Once aligned sent it to NGC 457 lovely site right in the centre I could only see the chips when out of focus otherwise pin sharp. Auriga M36,M37 and M38. M37 sparkled great sight in my 12.5mm NGC 1664 (Kite) Lovely open cluster. 59 Aur (SAO 0595 71) Mags of 6.1 + 10.2 Sep of 22.2", did not expect to get this but with a 6.5mm Pale yellow with a dot at its side. 14 Aur (SAO 0577 99) Mags of 5.0 +11.1/5.0 + 7.3 Sep of 10" + 14.1, Yellow and blue could not see third component Bogardus θ Aur (SAO 0586 36) Mags of 2.7 + 7.2 Sep of 3.8" and mags of 2.7 + 10.1 Sep of 135.3", White and Olive with a tiny dot far away ω Omega Aur (SAO 0575 48) Mags of 5.0 +8.2 Sep 4.7", Orange/yellow touching a blue star. 26 Aur (SAO 0582 80) Mags of 5.5 + 8.4 Sep 12.1" lovely Yellow and Blue pair 41 Aur (SAO 0409 24) Mags of 6.2 + 6.9 Sep 7.6", pair of pale Yellow nearly twin stars. Tegmine ξ Cancri (SAO 0976 45) As the scope had cooled now wanted to try this and nearly got it peanut shape with a tiny waist but not a split. Coma Berenices Σ 1633 (SAO 0822 54) Mags of 7.0 + 7.1 Sep 8.9", Pair of off White twins 24 Com (SAO 1001 60) Mags of 5.1 + 6.3 Sep 20.1", lovely Orange and Blue pair Σ 1685 (SAO 1003 07) Mags of 7.3 + 7.8 Sep 16", Aqua and line pair. 32/33 Com (SAO 1003 11) Mags of 6.5 +7.0 Sep of 195.6", Pale Orange and a off White pair. Σ1639 (SAO 0822 93) Mags of 6.7 +7.8 Sep 1.7", white and lime pair only split with a 4mm at x 250 17 Com (SAO 0823 30) Mags of 5.2 + 6.6 Sep 146.2", White and Blue White pair. ΟΣ 266 13h 28.4m +15° 43‛ Mags of 8.0 +8.4 Sep 2" Both Lime used 6mm to see a comfortable split. Canes Venatici "La Superba" (SAO 0443 17) Wow really bright red cinder lovely 2CVn (SAO 0440 97) Mags of 5.9 + 8.7 Sep 11.3", Ruddy red with silver dot Σ1645 (SAO 0441 87) Mags 7.5 + 8.1 Sep 9.6" , Pair of off White stars. α CVn (Cor Coroli) (SAO 0632 57) Mags of 2.9 + 5.5 Sep 19.3", Bright White with Blue/Green pair 16/17 (SAO 0633 80) Mags of 6.0 + 6.3 Sep 277.5", Very wide pair Off White and a Blue white stars. Σ261 (SAO 0633 96) Mags of 7.4 + 7.6 Sep 2.6", Blue whit twins split with a 6mm Σ 1755 (SAO 0635 93) Mags of 7.3 + 8.1 Sep 4.2", Straw and ice Blue coloured stars here. M3 Lovely patch but no resolved stars after this I stood up banged my head on the scope knocking it out of alignment went to align it again and power pack died gave up then still a great session. Only one problem I could focus with a 4mm but when putting in the Svbony 8-3mm zoom it would not focus very strange. Paul

First night with the Vixen would still be out if my power pack hadn't died.

I waited up until 10.45pm as it said it would be clear from 9pm as I had been up early like every morning 4.50am could not keep my eyes open. Come down this morning son left me a note saying when he came in at 12.30am it was clearer than he has seen it in months, checked and I was well away and he didn't want to disturb me. So a session missed until I dont know when.

No Peter like you said really happy with the clarity and sharpness thank you.

Just a couple more.

If the images I have got up to x125 in this scope on the sun it's going to be brilliant on double stars. Herschel solar wedge, polarising filter various eyepieces, 12.5mm, 10mm, 8mm and both of my zooms.

A warm welcome to SGL and some cracking pictures there.

Wow lovely set up.

Just got this thanks to Mark (callisto) cannot wait to try it on the sun.

Thanks Steve I was really looking forward to it, not done any astro since the first week in December, when I found out about this it gave me a nudge to try and sort myself out and stop feeling so bad, I had motivation. My son looked at car last night and said best get a mechanic I rang a friend and sent him a video so cambelt change now £400 what could I have bought with that money. Gutted beyond belief been feeling terrible all day. Arr well there is always next year if I am here.

What a scope I can only dream of something like that.

I would of loved to have been there could not take the chance on a 200mile round trip with a dodgy water pump been quoted £400 for it to done with a new cambelt.

Well I am gutted I cannot get there had a knocking on the car its either the alternator pully or the cambelt pulleys neither of which I want to be doing a 200mile trip. So trip to the garage Monday morning. I was so looking forward to this been really down for a while now not being able to get out because of the weather and medical problems. Well chaps its the water pump so definitely cambelt change.