scarp15

Have own the 6mm and 8mm, continue to use a 13mm and 21mm, all supremely good, yet 21mm Ethos has been my perpetual favourite.  

M3.

Finally managed to get out and waited patiently until just past 11.30pm, emerging towards the south, M3 glowingly popped into view in the 21 Ethos. 6mm Delos and it resolved into a splendid peppery sparkling glow. 

Sit tight put your astro gear to one side and just enjoy other (more amenable) hobbies. Keep a tabs on SGL and await for that potential spark of interest to come back. 

2 hours ago, Flame Nebula said:

Hi, 

Reason I ask, is I have a 6mm altair wave LER planetary eyepiece, and plan to use a gso x2 Barlow to get 3mm or 4.5mm(if you screw the endpiece of Barlow into end of eyepiece) giving roughly 330x and 200x respectively,  in 8" F5 ( when I get it). The Barlow retains the eye relief. But, I'm wondering if I should get a high quality short focal length eyepiece, with good eye relief, instead? 

Give it a go and take your time decision making, though as others have pointed out, there are one or two nice used e.p's currently on the used market. Much of the (currently infrequent) time outside and determined by the subject and seeing or atmospheric conditions, I remain at  between 150x and 200x, sometimes edging it to 240x. A 10mm and 6mm Delos probably gaining the most use. 

31 minutes ago, Flame Nebula said:

Thanks Scarp15. 

Do you usually view high mag without a Barlow? Just wondering if a 7mm, with Barlow would have matched the view. 

Yes I do not use a Barlow, preferring instead to switch between an incremental range of (Delos and DeLite) high power, parfocal eyepieces, that retain comfortable eye placement, a reasonable relaxed exit pupil and adequate true field of view.  

I have 'pushed the envelope', in terms of high power, with my Orion Optics VX8L (200mm) dobsonian to 343x / 0.58mm exit pupil, using a 3.5mm Delos. An evening focused upon Lunar observing under very steady atmospheric conditions. The Newtonian is their standard F6 / 1200mm, though supplied with 1/10 PV wavefront grade mirrors, that is perhaps in terms of contrast and clarity an asset, in stable circumstances at such high mags.  

Personally and endorsing what John has said, I would plum for the 1/10PV wavefront, because otherwise there would be that; what if, particularly since Orion Optics UK after all provide this option. Having owned a VX14 and still use a VX8L, both having the 1/10PV wave mirrors, it does no harm to know that you have potentially got the best possible. Would like in time to perhaps have a VX 10 and would again be inclined towards 1/10PV mirrors.  

Good to reflect, so to speak;

Celestron C8 Celestar

Skywatcher 12" Flextube: manual version

TV 70mm Pronto

TV 76

Orion Optics UK VX14 Dob (still in my dreams)

A bunch of binoculars in the 10.5 x 70, 15 x70 range

Not quite that recent, yet the scope (and eyepiece) continue to provide occasional use and will act as a reminder to self; to make the effort to get back to dark sky observing sometime. 

Sat in the backyard, gazing up at a crisp night sky (as you do), sipping a cold Robinsons Stockport Golden, is a favourite tipple (or else a Guinness if I cannot got hold of the Robinsons) whilst pausing in-between views. 

Travelling to a dark sky location, which I haven't done for a while, definitely a largish thermos flask of coffee.  

20 hours ago, Moonlit Night said:

I was surprised there wasn’t a single advocate of the 9mm, someone even mentioned the 18.5mm. I think the 4mm makes much more sense. 

I would expect that the 9mm would perform as impeccably with the same consistent relaxed comfortable eye placement and parfocal alignment as the rest in the line. Personally do not have one, since I mix DeLites up with Delos and dont want to crowd out that particular (medium / high) marginal focal length too much. 9mm is purposeful though, I had a 9mm Nagler T5 for a time, though perhaps as with yourself, simply prefer a relaxed 20mm eye relief, afforded to DeLites and Delos.  

Edit: T6

The 4mm DeLite is lovely and will complement your 5mm (I use a 4, 5 and 7mm also 18.2mm in this line).

Clear blue sky here to, equally at work, though from home today so can nip outside for a walk and soak up some of those Sun's rays (what a treat).

Being outdoors in the fresh air, encountering the stillness of night-time is calming and soothing and with a clear objective to focus upon studying then observing within the night sky. 

It is remarkable to the extent that you can visually intimately connect with a celestial object from the comfort of your backyard or a dependable dark sky location. 

'Stargazer' is fine though it implies an impression of romanticism or someone who is a bit dreamy, whereby 'cloud dodger' is perhaps at times a bit more applicable.

A few years ago I tried to convey the appeal to a friend though worded badly had his own thoughts, when at the time referred to going to a remote carpark late at at night to meet with others. 

Thus being termed a stargazer is quite all right.

22 hours ago, doublevodka said:

Personally, I've been using this stuff - https://amzn.eu/d/6xYdvUW yes, it's not technically flocking material, but it's a lot better than the grey paint in most OTA's, it's cheap and in A4 sheet size so quite easy to work with, although if I was doing a large OTA I'd probably invest in this as it looks easy to use and similar to the methods mentioned above - https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescope-flocking-material/protostar-flockboard-flocking-board-10cm-increments-custom-cut.html

That's interesting, had overlooked this option. I ordered a sheet of black velour flocking, yet the sheets of Protostar Flocking board certainly would had been preferred. 

2 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

I flocked my 10" Celestron Starsense before Christmas easier than I thought. I took the mirror cell out and flicked right up the the spider. Only took 20ins. 

Great, wow 20 min good stuff.

3 hours ago, PeterStudz said:

I flocked my 8” Dob 2 years ago when I was still very much a beginner. For me it was far easier than I thought and after I’d stripped the tube down the actual flocking took under a couple of hours. In fact I had the whole thing back together, collimated and observing the moon as it got dark. 
 

I did the whole tube in 3 sections following the advice of someone on here. Although I found a head-torch useful when sticking the sections down. 

 

Good going and yes a headtorch is necessary.

With a mirror clean due and no plans for this Sunday, other than batten down the hatches for the approaching storm, it was an opportunity to undertake a bit more tube flocking. The tube to my 8" reflector I'd previously partially flocked and from past experience fully flocking a 14" solid tube reflector, knew that good planning and patience would be a necessary virtue for this task. 

Perhaps it is the internal textured tube paint applied to OOUK tubes, but adhering firmly in place (in a narrow space) the material can in itself become a little frustrating and flop off., with bits of flaky paint then losing its stickiness. Also sometimes precision cutting, measuring can be a bit botched, leading to some wastage. However practice makes perfect and some of it at least was intact, making a very noticeable difference to the interior contrast. 

When out observing, flocking can make a marked difference I think, but applying it does require time, patience and possibly a bit of wastage in the process.   

Here is a picture following the mirrors being reinstalled, you can just make out a streaky light bit in the middle that has not yet been done.

Footnote: the paddling pool was a bit overkill; had more applicably been used with a former much larger 14" mirror for which was ideal, so thought why not. 

Who else is about to, or has recently undertaken this task and if so, how did you find the procedure?

Think that I would be pretty horrified if I saw cobwebs (Dobwebs) inside the tube of mine (though occurred with my former 14" once when the primary dust cap had dropped off). I do try to keep the dust caps tightly in place, yet is due a clean since a few annoying specs have formed / blown in onto the primary. There is no such place as a spider free zone of course, yet mine is kept in the corner of a relatively warm clean back room. Would employ using an air blower or vacuum cleaner suction hose maybe, if lodged onto a mirror surface, an artists soft sable brush used lightly might shift it. 

Definitely looks the part Stu and for this brief touch of winter sat or stood alongside the telescope. Reckon that you could blend in any nocturnal wildlife encountered. 

'Early doors' on Jupiter culminating south and the GRS still visible. Barge activity within NEB, STB nicely etched. VX8L, 6MM Delos. In for tea at 18.15, then out for some Lunar.  

Had a 12" Skywatcher Flextube the manual version, which was, at a dark sky site, very impactful, following on from being accustomed to using an 8" SCT. It was by its nature, when collapsed quite portable, though I would not had wished for the 14" version, as was still a bit hefty. It was OK to store it within an upstairs bedroom, thus up and down the stairs was just about fine, due to its more compact profile. However the base was bulky, quite heavy and I remade a part in seasoned ply. A consideration though.

Then I had a 14" OOUK (VX14) with the dob base. A solid tube that was manageable and I had often taken it to dark sky sites. A VX12 would be quite reasonable to manoeuvre. The OOUK dob bases are excellent. 

Alternatively consider a truss design perhaps. 

Nice presentation of Jupiter presently and most striking is the very close alignment between Europa ad Ganymede. Using the 8" F6 dob and 7mm DeLite. 

Delos and DeLite are parfocal, complementary in design and 20mm eye relief. The incremental focal length range of DeLite at mid to high power interacts with Delos. Whilst proportionally differing, between the two models; total field of view does not feel particularly compromised and I enjoy seeing the field stop.

Currently my Delos / DeLite line-up comprises; 18.2mm DeLite, 10mm Delos, 7mm DeLite, 6mm Delos, 5mm DeLite, 4mm DeLite, 3,5mm Delos. Largely used for backyard observing, therefore excellent for planetary, lunar, brighter DSO's, binaries, do not have a specific favourite though the 10mm Delos receives perhaps the most use. Definitely no softness or coffee tone, just outstanding, comfortably aligned views.