philj

The 1st incarnation of my observatory was a counterweighted hinged roof in 2 parts. Apex sealing was easy. I found it restrictive in windy conditions but also quite useful because I could have one side down and the other open depending on where I was observing. I kept it like that for a few years then converted to roll off, less scarey

Phil that is nice range of EPs. How care finding the new TeleVue DeLite EPs?

Love them Mark. I was out for an hour last night doing a few doubkes before the moon got too high and the cloud came in and I found I was using the TVs over the lvws but I think thats because of the newness of the tvs more than quality.

I like the fov in the delites and its a true to the edge of field view. I still think the lvws are excellent though

Yeah I noticed Jules. Im after clearing some as well, I have a load of TMB planetaries which I haven't used in yonks. I shall get round to advertising them some day soon

I currently have 3 cases, some have to go

2015 version.

Had to succumb and get a Maplins case due to the new additions of the Delites my wooden case was has been outgrown.

 Will get round to making a nice wooden case for these eventually but this will do for now.

My knees go a bit wobbly when I see Moonraker scopes in C3PO livery. I bet you either love or hate scopes in gold.

Nope, scopes look right in that colour, once upon a time they all came in that colour, it was called brass :-)

TS 80mm f7.5 OTA and have mounted it on little AZ mount, will do an unboxing thread soon

You kept that quiet  Nice one Jules. Good scopes and very versatile

Du hast mich

;-)

Thats good to see that Eagle Moss are doing that again. I have one, out on lian at the moment and they are very good. All brass construction with vari speed electric motor. £300 for a solid brass orrery is pretty good imho, just do a search to see what prices antique ones sell for :-)

Thats a lovely photo Phil

JohnH really knows how to capture the atmosphere

Yes John, I love it. That year it cropped up everywhere, from S@n mag, to sgl calender, I was even on the Luxall toilet walls at one time :-) The wife got a bit fed up with me going into the newsagents and looking through the astro mags to see if I was there

A shot of my old FLT98, no longer with me, on one of the rare occasions in the past few years I got to use it

Im sure JohnH wont mind me posting this image, I have this framed and on my wall at home to remind me that Im an astronomer when clouds get in the way. John took this of me and my plot at SGL7 (I think) Ta again John

My Meade 5000 127edt a bosting scope if ever there was one. Pictured on portable rig, heq5 and berlebach

Only just found this thread Derek, well done on a good find. Classic scopes just have that certain something, they look elegant and a good make will give you good views. A good 60mm long focus scope can show a surprising amount of stuff. Enjoy

It works good too Jules. Its my scope of choice for lunar and planetary when the jet stream allows.

Just to prove I do think mirrors can be used for telescopes - Mak 180 pro in cloudy moonlight. This scope is a magnet for clouds I reckon, it sometimes feels like every time I put this scope out to cool along come the clouds. Mind that's the same for any scope isn't it?

Pimped Towa 339

Big brassy and little brassy, little brassy has a mahogany tripod now

Outstanding

My first serious telescope was a 76mm Tasco 10te refractor, circa 1970, this was really well made, all metal and wood with very littke plastic. I dont recall the manufacturers mark (I didnt know the relevance then) but I wouldnt be surprised if it wasnt Towa, circle T it was a superb performer. But then Tasco started to cost cut and the influx of plastic telescopes under their name did nothing to help their reputation in the 80s.

Tasco sold some great gear over the years but also some poor gear as well

A case of unsightly spikes eh Jules :-)

That 8" OO newt I rebuilt the other year had curved secondary holder vanes which gave acceptable views. Stick with the refractors, you know it makes sense :-) :-)

Only just found this thread and find it fascinating, thanks for sharing chaps.

There is a camera available for pure mono from Leica, the M monochrom. Makes me wonder if this is debayered the write up suggests it may be. However at the price its going for I dont plan on finding out anytime soon

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/860536-REG/Leica_10760_M_Monochrom_Black_and.html

Cheers Jules

I had to get something a bit more appropriate looking for the 4" F15 an ali maplins case just didn't look right, yeah I know

_{A new addition to my eyepiece collection is a set of Circle T orthos, 4, 6, 9, 12.5, 18 & 25mm. Plus an old Fullerscopes adjustable barlow, shown here in their posh new box which I knocked up from an old microscope box. The diagonal is my brassified WO 1.25 Dialectric. Oh and theres a Celestron 40mm E Lux Plossl in there temporarily until I can find a rare as hens teeth 40mm Circle T Ortho}

_{This kit will be used mainly with my 4" F15 refractor.}

No longer made Inpro 9x63 Dawn and Dusks, superb low light binos and light enough to not require a tripod when doing astro plus Visionary 8x42 for the odd spot of twitching

It is a great little scope, I had one...The only challenge I found was lining it up on the stars....

I find a bigger dob easier to point...

But having said that the image from the little scope was great, crisp and sharp..

Mark

I remember yours at SGL6 Mark, with the dirty great Hyperion in it. On the basis of the views I sawe through that little scope I bought one myself and its a great example to folks of just what you can see with a scope like this

philj

Just finished my new eyepiece collection, All Vixens Lanthanum LVW, I love em. Ive had this walnut box for sometime with a view to making it into an ep box. I repolished it, reinforced the sides, added a liner , fitted pelicase interior foam and then added the eps.

Theres an O111 andf H Beta filter as well as a lanth barlow in their, nice and compact compared to my old set up.

Philj