wookie1965

39 minutes ago, John said:

That looks very similar / the same as the Skywatcher 2 inch dielectric and also the Opticron one, which FLO sold a few years back. I'm sure it would work well with a 4 inch F/10 achromat such as the TAL 100.

It's probably very nearly as good, maybe just as good, as the Altair one.

Edit: check that the 2 inch diagonal will actually come to focus in the TAL 100. I've known of TAL's with the sort of focuser yours has, where even though they would take a 2 inch diagonal, you could not get an eyepiece to focus in it !

The Altair does focus but I needed an extra few mm to focus when using high mag eyepieces, I bought a low profile 2-1.25" adapter  and got an extra 11mm having no shoulder on the adapter. But if you say the Skywatcher/ Opticron is just as good I will just sell the Tal with the Altair in. 

Thanks John appreciate that.

I found this so definitely comparable think I will stick with it and leave the Altair one on the Tal.  

Paul

I'm in two minds of which 2" diagonal to sell with my Tal now I have seen how much the Altair lightwave is to buy new on that note can anyone identify this one please and tell me if it is any good. 

Thanks

Paul 

20 hours ago, IB20 said:

Just to qualify my statement, I’ll try and get round to observing some targets with the 5” that, from memory, really impressed me in the 8”.

Blue snowball nebula

M5

M51

Sombrero Galaxy (M104)

Hopefully in less moon affected skies than last night. Although I was quite chuffed making out two very faint smears of m65 and m66 in the 5”. I’ve struggled to see those with the 8” in bright moonlit skies.

 

M51 is my nemesis I have seen it once in Damians (Mapstar) 22", I have had 6" 8" 10" reflectors  4" and 5" Refractors and never seen it from home. Just got a 120mm refractor as I sold my 5" so I will try this one. 

Blue snowball I have found looks much better in a refractor the colour is unmistakable. 

I posted on here SGL because my EQ5 black plastic cover had snapped on the top screw tried everything only thing I could do was bodge it with melted plastic. 

Was advised contact FLO so I did got a Email back from Alex said he would check if they had one or contact their supplier. 

 The next day Alex got back to me he had found a unit sent photos but for some reason I could not see them. 

Sent me another email apologising which was unnecessary but he did with photos attached I could see. 

As I was in hospital I said I would contact him today all being well I did so this morning Alex got back to me with a way to pay for this non stock item it's now paid for and getting dispatched. 

The service went above and beyond I really appreciate it nothing less than five star treatment no wonder FLO have a very good reputation they are excellent and every employee. 

Paul 

Probably mine about my op sorry. 

A warm welcome to SGL

9 minutes ago, Mark Galvin said:

Hi Paul,

I just stumbled across this thread and, as the Secretary of Liverpool AS, I thought I should respond.

Firstly, I'd like to apologise if our members seemed to ignore you and, separately, your friend. Whilst I don't believe any of them would do this deliberately, it doesn't change the fact that it happened. I suspect it was probably a case of the bystander-effect - everybody thought somebody else would do it.

If you can tell me the dates when it happened (even roughly), I can check the signing-in book to see who was there on those evenings and speak with them, but I'll also speak to the larger group to remind them that if they see somebody new who is on their own to go over to them and say hello, have a chat, etc.

It greatly worries and upsets me that there is a perception of a clique within our Society and our membership.

Yours sincerely,
Mark Galvin
Secretary,
Liverpool Astronomical Society

Hi Mark,

                 Thank you for getting in touch it was 2012 I had gotten my first ever scope and had trouble collimating like many other newbies I had done it but wanted someone to check it, I looked around and found LAS so came up. Brenden Martin checked it for me and said it was spot on.

I was told off coming there as I had my lights on the car this would have been late October into November as it was dark at 7pm.  I came the second time set up outside and a couple of members looked through my scope and asked what eyepiece I was using I thought great a good place to come and talk. I joined that night a member Mark said he had a tripod I could buy which was better than the one that came with my EQ3-2. 

The week after he brought the tripod and helped me set up outside again.

The following week it was raining I cam in quite a few where sat down the front talking to each other looking at laptops I sat down not one person spoke or even acknowledged me I stood up and left.

The same thing happened the week after, that was it for me  I have never been back.

Maybe it has changed now it is 12 years later.

I am now a member of Luton astronomical society I have a zoom meeting every month and even though I am not there they make a real effort to engage with me young and old this is my third year with them

Best wishes 

Paul 

15 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Looks super Paul. But please don’t touch the lens 👍🏻

I'm not only thing I am doing is putting it on a mount and putting eyepieces in. 

I will be adding a Telrad to it at some point. 

This turned up today courtesy of Stu nice Celestron 120mm Omni XL T. 

Paul

Vixen 102m, Herschel Wedge, 25mm and 12mm BST`s, single polarising filter and S21.

Does anyone know where you can get replacements top screw plastic bit broke off I have got it together by melting plastic on to it but its a bodge job.

Just now, inedible_hulk said:

Poor service from Royal Mail, but thankfully no harm done 😊. I’m about an hour south of you and it looks like we’re in for a reasonably clear night!

Btw, you might want to block out your full name and address which is visible in the third photograph.

Just done but I have had a fall and it's kicked off severe pain in my back sat with a Tens machine on and ice on my leg. 

Thanks to Neil (Neil27) for the 12mm BST. 

Thank you to Dave (F15Rules) for the cap that fits on my dew cover. 

I can now uncover the scope without putting finger marks on the glass taking it off. 

Paul 

Not happy with royal mail today wife just been to put rubbish in the recycling turned around two parcels under the rose bush no card no note in the letter box. 

Luckily both well packaged. 

1 hour ago, John said:

The prism should compare similarly to your mirror diagonal as it does with mine.

I really hope so anyway 🤞

Have you any idea how many mm of inwards focuser travel you need to gain to get the 3-8 Svbony zoom to focus ?

 

Probably about 2/3mm 5mm at most hopefully. 

16 minutes ago, John said:

What diagonal have you been using up to now Paul ?

The 10-12mm of in focus gain that I mentioned was compared with an Altair 1.25 mirror diagonal, like this:

 

Hi John it's this one not got a name on it but it's a mirror diagonal. 

Paul 

A warm welcome to SGL

I have just bought one of these, https://www.firstlightoptics.com/diagonals/celestron-90-prism-diagonal.html?_gl=1*ghbf8m*_up*MQ..*_ga*OTA5MjI1OTE4LjE3MTI5MTI1MDU.*_ga_F6VGWQ0MW9*MTcxMjkxMjUwNC4xLjEuMTcxMjkxMjUxMC4wLjAuMA..&gclid=CjwKCAjwt-OwBhBnEiwAgwzrUiuYxdFUAt2dmCpCht4Daqu6B6i3Zy-ERji0hSlwXiWDEo-3z1o-jhoCh1UQAvD_BwE

The reason is I have been told that the light path is shorter so I will gain 10-12mm extra in-focus on my Vixen 102M. 

Has anyone used one or has one can tell me the difference in views are please. 

Paul 

20 minutes ago, John said:

Yes. I recently picked up a cheap Celestron branded 1.25 inch prism diagonal for use with my 75mm F/16 refractor and gained around 10mm-12mm of focuser travel. The optical performance seems quite good too.

 

Hi John is that inward travel.

Is the light path shorter in a prism diagonal than a mirror diagonal. My Svbony 3-8mm wont focus in my Vixen 102m.

Done.

Try an app called Astrohopper  just need to attach your phone to the OTA

Corona Borealis

Σ1964   15h 38.2   +36° 15′        Mags of 7.9 + 8.1  Sep  15.3"   Twin glossy white tiny gap.

ζ Zeta CrB    (SAO 0648 34)  Mags of 5.0 +5.9 Sep 6.3"   White and yellow companion

Σ1973    15h 46.4m   +36° 27`       Mags of 7.6 + 8.8 Sep 30.5  White with a little grey dot.

α   CrB  (SAO 0651 65)  mags of 5.6 +6.5 Sep of 7.0"   A pair of pale yellow stars nearly alike tight split.

H V 38 16h 22.9m +32° 20`  Mags of 6.4 +9.8  Sep of 31.7`  White star with a wide little companion.

ξ Xi Boötis (SAO 1012 50)  Mags of 4.8 +7.0 Sep of 6.3` White star with a small grey dot 

τ Boötis  (SAO 0290 71)  Mags of 5.8 + 9.6 Sep of 4.5`  White star with tiny dot I couldn't focus on. 

η  Boötis  13h 54.7m +18° 24`  Mags of 2.7 + 10.0 Sep 110.6` Bright star with a pair of hair split twins.

Σ1910 (SAO 1208 51)  Mags of 7.4 +7.5 Sep of 3.8`     Twin yellow stars

1 Boötis  (SAO 0829 42)  Mags of 5.8 + 9.6 Sep of 4.5` Wide Blue/White and a very Blue companion.

Κ (SAO 0290 45/46)  Mags of 4.5 +6.6  Sep of 13.5`  Bright white with a silver companion

Σ1812   (SAO 0832 19) Mags of 7.9 +9.5  Sep of 14.1 White and grey, high power needed to keep the pair split.

Σ1850  (SAO 0833 74)  Mags of 7.1 +7.6 Sep of 25.5` White nearly twins

ΟΣ298 (SAO 0648 00)  Mags of 6.9 + 7.8 Sep of 121.5"  Orange twins in  swarm of orange stars.

ε Boötis (SAO 0835 00) Izar   Mags of 2.6 +4.8 Sep of 2.9" Orange /Yellow  with a Blue star just on  its edge.

39 Boötis (SAO 0452 31) Mags of 6.3 + 6.7 Sep of 2.7" White/Gold pair split by a hair.

Used the Tal the Svbony zoom works in it but the seeing was not that great so the zoom looked a bit soft.

Paul

At what price though, But if its that good could sell all your eyepieces and just have the one.