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Marki

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  1. For me, out of my current stable, I think I'd keep my Skylight 10mm f13 achro, even over my APM LZOS 130mm triplet. I'd miss the aperture and the quality and crispness of views in the 130mmm, but I think the 4" would be more manageable in the long-term, as I get older... . Its a lot lighter! And that 100mm Carton lens in the Skylight at f13 is no slouch in terms of quality and I can live with the pretty limited CA.
  2. Currently 6 for me, all refractors: TS-Optics 80mm f7 ED doublet (never used; I was going to use it for astrophotography, but somehow that never happened.... ). TAL 100RS f10 achromat (my first refractor, simple, rugged and great views) Skylight 100 f13 achromat (I really like the looks of this 'scope, and its great for star-splitting and good for punching through indifferent seeing) TAL 125R f8.9 achromat (a bigger version of the 100rs but somehow not quite as capable) APM LZOS 130 f9.2 triplet APO (magnificent optics, and my current go-to whenever I get time to stargaze) Skywatcher Evostar 150 ED doublet (not at all bad for the price, but I'm finding the size increasingly a pain, so hasn't had as much use as it deserves recently....) I'll probably reduce the collection a bit (thinking of moving on the 80mm and the 150mm as they get pretty much no use now). If I decided to get something with more aperture again, it'll probably be a C8 or similar for ease of use.
  3. Well, this is actually a difficult question! So many different scopes have given me so much joy or wonderful memories, from my first view of Saturn in a Celestron 8SE, or showing Jupiter to relatives through a Skywatcher Equinox 80 (lovely little 'frac that - regret selling it!). However, for sheer quality of optics (and views), then I have to say my APM LZOS 130 ED. But I love the looks of my Skylight 100mm F13 even more - something about that long black tube with brass fittings that just triggers my inner Victorian gentleman astronomer/steampunk vibe :). And, perhaps oddly, of all the scopes I've owned the one I love most is my TAL 125r, simply because of the effort it took to acquire and then to get it fettled. No one said I had to be rational in my choice ;).
  4. I got to 480x happily last night with my 130, John. Moon was phenomenal. Seems steadier tonight, but the sky is definately more washed out for me now.
  5. Got no view to the west, so I've been enjoying some doubles in and about Com Berenices/U Major/Bootes. Tried to see some fuzzies, but given up and the sky is pretty washed out. If you can't beat it, enjoy it, so now I'm seeing how high I can push the magnification on the moon.... . Clavius is a treat in my LZOS 130/1200 . Hope you are all having fun too!
  6. Here are the two I still have. A 100RS and a 125R. Both achromats and both lovely to use. I did have a 125 Apolar, but returned it as it has been damaged in transit. I think the 100RS is a superb f10 achro, and it fired my enduring love of refractors (and Russian glass). The 125R at F8.9 is good too; the example I have needed a fair bit of attention to correct soem aberrations (from the wonderful ES Reid) to enable it to give of its best, but since then its been really good.
  7. I've come to the conclusion that it is not really the glass, the kit, or even the seeing, but patience and discipline that I really need (and the lack of which separates me from the many good observers here). By discipline, I mean to get out under the sky and actually observe, no matter how tired, or if there are early starts in the morning or I'm feeling annoyed by work, or the myriad of other excuses I find to not actually do the one thing I should to improve my limited skills.... namely, time at the eyepiece. And by patience, really looking at an object, not flitting from one to another.
  8. Well, for a start you have the constellation of Orion in the bottom left corner, with the three stars of his belt easily visible, and below them the sword, the two stars with a feint fuzzy light patch around them. That fuzzy light is the Orion Nebula, or M42 in the Messier catalogue. Always nice to see :).
  9. A couple of short sessions either side of teatime for me tonight. Using my APM LZOS 130 f9. Seeing steadyish but transparency not great, even when wisps of thin cloud has passed - I'm sure the sky above York is brighter than when I moved here 10 years ago :(. Mars high overhead, clear of the murk, was noticeable smaller than last time I went out - but lots of detail visible once I'd got my eye in - might have to follow Ratlet's example and invest in some filters though to further up the contrast. Bounced around the sky a bit, picking off a few doubles, and enjoying some nice crisp views of M81/82, in an around Ursa Major and Gemini. Highlight for me was a nice clean view of Sigma Orionis, with the "d" component clear. Struggled with the trapezium in M42 though - just got the "e" component (but not the "f") at x120, but not much better when I went to x200. Suggestion of "f" then but wouldn't swear to it.... . Guess Saganite's APM 152 has the advantage tonight ;). Partly my issue is Orion is over a neighbour's house by the time it clears the trees in the garden.... . Seeing was generally squishy at anything over x200 tonight for me. Still, good to get out after a frantic week at work, and now feeling much more relaxed
  10. Mars, Jupiter and Uranus for me :). Its the first time I've spent any time with Mars since using my APM LZOS 130 ED. I was able to push the mag to 270x comfortably, but the image started to degrade over 300x. At 270x I was able to make out lots of clear detail - and more subtle colour differences becoming apparent the longer I was at the eyepiece - going to have to bone up on my Martian geopgraphy . One of the best views of Mars I've had in years! Jupiter was a spectacular sight as always, but the image broke down at c. 180x. A fabulous target, though! Uranus was clearly a planet, and not a star, at 60x, and resolving into a proper disc at 120x. I pushed to 200x, but it remained just a slighly larger, small and fuzzy disc., the blue colour readily apparent. It always astonishes me that I'm seeing an actual planet so far away :). And maintaining the slighly fuzzy blue disc theme, I also observed NGC 7662 the blue snowball nebula. For some reason, I don't often remember to look at this object.
  11. Set up and its instantly clouded over TWICE this evening :(. Feeling frustrated.... .

     

  12. Tonight was the first time I've been out for a session since March. Just not been "in the zone" for ages, work and personal reasons. But tonight made me remember why I keep coming back - and why I should do it more often; I've finished my brief session with a massive grin and I feel lighter and happier than I have done for months. I went out as much to try to remember how to put everything together and how to work the mount, rather than with any plan in mind. I made a schoolboy error with "daylight saving" and wondered why my alignment was so terrible.... . Having been informed by my better half that the clocks dont go back til the 30th, I shamefacedly went and reset. So with no plan in mind I simple pointed the scope wherever took my fancy (and whereever tree cover allows from my garden). I enjoyed some quality time on Jupiter (hard to miss ) - the highlight being seeing the shadow of at least one of the moons slowly passing across the disc of the planet. I also spent some time in and around Cassiopeia (the classic double cluster diamonds on velvet experience) and Andromeda (who doesn't like an easy galaxy?), then finished on Mars - I'd have liked to stay out longer but another early start beckons... :(. The seeing wasn't all that great - clear enough, but pretty wobble atmosphere. Still, there was some lovely detail on Jupiter to be seen at c. 150x. Mars was a beautiful small pinky orange disc, with hints of darker regions when the seeing momentarily steadied; I think I need to learn how to "see" again though, to tease more detail out. Hope it is clear tomorrow Here is my APM LZOS 130 ready for action tonight, trained in Mars.
  13. Wow! A contender for my lottery win 'scope! I have an APM LZOS 130 f9 and that is excellent.... . I can only imagine what the views through the same class of glass with 228mm of aperture is like! I wish you clear skies and I look forward to your "first light" report as soon as the weather gods allow
  14. My first bit of kit was a secondhand pair of 10x50 Zeiss Jena bins from the 80s. I didn't get a proper 'scope until 10 years ago, after watching Stagazing Live in 2012. I plumped for a Celestron 8se, and my first view of Saturn through that is clearly etched in my memory... .
  15. I have a wonderful APM LZOS 130/f9, but too little time and space to get the most out of it. And a couple of other nice achromats and ED refractors between 80mm and 150mm. But even so I stilll daydream.... ..... about this! https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/444899-the-great-wetherell-refractor-rises-again/ I just love that whole steampunk vibe More realistically, I do wonder about an 8C or 9.25 cat, or equivalent dob/newt... . Honestly, I'd settle for a bit more free time and a 1 notch drop on the bortle scale where I live, though.
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