wookie1965

I'm glad you got some clear skies Nick unfortunately for me my weekend in Bala at the end of the month. I expect it to be cancelled any day now especially as Merseyside is Tier 3 so cannot leave area or stay out overnight I'm devastated to be honest only thing I had to look forward to this year. Maybe when this covid thing is over I can take a trip up there. Smashing report as usual.

Well I am jealous booked to go Bala end of the month just for the weekend hoping the weather gods see fit to bestow clear skies in a dark sky area. As of today that will be cancelled as I cannot leave my area and I cannot stay anywhere over night. So please let the sky gods bestow clear skies on you all and have some great viewing nights I look forward to all your reports.

A warm welcome to SGL

A warm welcome to SGL

Get a piece of paper draw a circle the same size as the objective place this over the front of your scope then get a laser collimator turn it on mark the paper where the red light hits turn the laser 180° and do the same again then do the same again without the diagonal. If you have good collimation when there is no diagonal in but not with the diagonal hopefully you can adjust the diagonal to gain the same results. Like this

Actually it is one of the brightest I find the magnification does not help with this when I had a 150p (6") scope a 15mm hit the sweet spot. x50 mag. I am in light polluted skies bortle 5 so I think it's just a case of the seeing conditions. When you get a good night no moon good seeing conditions and try different eyepieces of various magnifications you will see it mutch better, when I have viewed it on good nights it looked like a smoke ring or polo mint one of my favourite objects.

A warm welcome to SGL

A warm welcome to SGL

A warm welcome to SGL

I have just read through it again and it tells you every step to measuring the spider to backing off the 3 collimating screws holding the secondary with your hand while backing off the centre screw, making sure you see a perfect circle of the mirror and equal distance all around it. Nipping up the centre screw not too hard. Take the piece of paper paper blocking the primary now adjust the 3 collimating screws so all the mirror clips are in the view the same amount. That's it secondary is done as long as you don't drop or bang the tube this will stay in place. Now follow the primary mirror instructions and your done. The 3 collimation screws you need to back one off tighten another at the end make sure all 3 screws are nipped up and the centre screw and that's it, seems hard now once you have done it it's like riding a bike.

Try this it will make things easier did with me. http://www.schlatter.org/Dad/Astronomy/collimate.htm

http://www.schlatter.org/Dad/Astronomy/collimate.htm Use this shows you all about placing paper opposite the focuser and how to block the image from the primary.

Since I have been using my level and taking care to get a good polar alignment the accuracy of the mount has increased. I was having trouble before where I would hit the first target but gradually the targets after would be further and further out of the FOV now I can do 3/4 hour sessions and the targets are always in the FOV I may have to centre them but they are not out of the FOV.

I use a small level because the bubble in my EQ3-2 and EQ5 where not accurate I would check with a level as well to make sur your bubble is accurate.

A warm welcome to SGL

A warm welcome to SGL

A warm welcome to SGL

A warm welcome to SGL

A warm welcome to SGL try these http://avila.star-shine.ch/astro/messiercharts/messierTelrad.htm And here look for the post saying Link it will let you open it or download its a pdf https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/412757-telrad-finder-charts-for-messier-caldwell-dsos/

I would love a Ed 120 I would have to sell both my scopes and put money too you don't see many come up second hand. Thanks a lot John I really appreciate it. Paul

A warm welcome back to SGL

BST Starguider have long eye relief and are very good eyepieces.

I really appreciate you for taking the time to go in to so much depth very informative, the chromacors do they have any influence on focusing, in my naivety it looks like an extension and therefore would influence focus I know I am more than probably wrong, would you suggest I get one for the Meade would it make the views better in you opinion.

A warm welcome to SGL

That Bresser looks identical to my Meade 127 I have heard god things about the Helios was that a good Frac and thank you for answering me really nice scopes.