Steve Ward

Been a while , first outing for me this year I think after weeks of grey skies. A few technicals like dead focuser batteries and frost on every optical surface to deal with but got a few frames in the end.

The shop in the link I posted has 58mm filters that just screw direct to the front of the lens just like any other photographic filter ... 😉

Easiest option is one of these ..... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203984223174?hash=item2f7e683bc6:g:ny0AAOSw0Vxin6I5&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsIoC3eADlrIoXHjFqla6FmDG%2BQYHAK7olNB3DCXr%2F4CQnHOzZdmd%2Bvdsp7cuLQUSH4pMFYuOctPVp5KqYTl0fE1heY2lYamGxVMLTTCmgmIhKDSMQ7FhtmVrOiObORBqhRPzyFNnd50%2Faf%2B4eBnt3vlWdxCXLXxjFDT2ADU1uhrOb%2Be2TIYdCNKiaTsNegqHfPol95%2BPPOB5Z4a9RlomACDrIKJi%2FJ5RvI5brcQuumaE|tkp%3ABk9SR_7u6Jm0YQ Have just got the 95mm one for my Sigma 150-600 and it's fine and dandy ... 😉

Both are 'collimatable' ...

Why bother with the 62mm scope at all if you have larger refractors to play with ? Stick with a 100mm-120mm unless you have better than average seeing generally when you can push it to 150mm , dropping to 62mm will negate any improvement a wedge might offer by virtue of the smaller aperture.

Thousand Oaks and Seymour polymer films are fit for little other than eclipse glasses , poor quality when detail is sought. Baader film is marginally trumed by wedges but the difference is not as great as the price differential would suggest.

Just pay close attention to which tip you employ from a PSU that comes with multiple tips , correct polarity is ESSENTIAL to prevent blowing the board. Double check with a multimeter before use and then tape the tip securely in place to prevent expensive slip-ups .

People still getting PA and Go-To interlaced and confused it appears , making it all way more complicated than it need be. Step One ... Read and reread the instructions that come with the mount ... an oft overlooked step due to the usual bravado. An accurate input by the user of the required data ... Location , date and especially time is needed , the more accurate the data the more accurate the initial pointing , rough guessing and especially endless faffing about means everything will have apparently moved from where the mount thinks it is. Step Two ... reread the instructions.

First chance I've had for a play since I can't remember when ...

This How to originally appeared in the August 2012 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

Back to square #1 ... https://inter-static.skywatcher.com/upfiles/en_download_caty01316546576.pdf

You can pick up good 'Used' or 'S/H' DSLRs for not a lot of money from various sources like "WEX Photographic" , "MPB Cameras" or "Park Cameras" ... 😉 https://www.wexphotovideo.com/used-dslrs/#p=categoryPath%3A"used>used-cameras>used-dslrs"&facet.multiselect=true&filter=brand_uFilter:"Canon"&variants=false&variants.count=5&fields=&sort=sellingPrice asc&pagetype=boolean&rows=12&start=0&version=V2&viewType=LIST&facet.version=V2 https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/newly-listed?filterQuery[modelBrand]=Canon&filterQuery[modelCategory]=DSLR cameras&sort[productPrice]=ASC&showAll=true https://www.parkcameras.com/used/cameras/canon?pi=1&psc=ProductPriceMatrix.VatInclusivePrice

The thread's abut pretty not practical and boring ... 😉

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/this-beautiful-art-nouveau-telescope-can-be-yours

Only two spring to mind , The Great Wetherell Refractor and Moonraker Telescopes ... 😉 https://moonrakertelescopes.co.uk/index.html

Had a dormant account for ages , deactivated as soon as the spoilt megalomaniac got involved ...

Quick smash and grab was all I could manage today , but good to see him again regardless ... 😉

Almost forgot the close-up taken with the same 550D in Crop 640 x 480 Video mode.

Next door neighbour very kindly donated her late partner's 550D to the arsenal , first chance I've had to play with it today. Seems to be a very nice sweetspot I've landed on ... 😃

Been a while ......

Nothing whatsoever to feel silly about ... 😉

An internal reflection of Jupiter is all.

And how massive.

Another take on the "Pillars" image with an overlay showing the immense scale involved relative to us here ... 😯 If you were ever in doubt as to our significance in the universe here is confirmation . Credit to NASA and Will Gater.