alan potts

As good as a capture as this is, and your are always top draw, I feel the red bits are just a tad too red. Only a little, I feel held back a bit will benefit the shot. Would be nice to see the full field as well though your scopes are such high quality one can crop. Love the little galaxy at 10 o'clock. Alan

I am sure you will do a good job, don't know how we got on to moon, I think it was via different scopes I have that do very little now. Alan

Maybe I will give it a try, I only have OSC's but I imagine they would do. I have only just sort of got the idea of deep sky imaging the Moon is a different technique as far a s I know. I have seen pictures on here where 100's of images are taken, I only have a USB 2 laptop and the image from both the 183mc and the 071 take a little while, sadly exposure time has no effect on file size. Worth a play though some time in the future. Alan

I have a 12 inch Meade LX 200 that never gets used along with a 18 inch Dob, and others, it seems once imaging takes over all else goes out the window. I did in fairness when i started out set the Canon clicking away and use the Dob but my prostate problems stopped me staying out in the cold. Now I have had that put right and all is well, I should really try and start back again, I have very dark skies and can see a lot of faint stuff, the only annoying thing is the Moon. Alan

It goes without saying I will give it going over. I use to write a lot of reviews for visual work and eyepieces but I don't consider myself good enough to be too serious with the dark art to voice an opinion too loudly. I will write a review on the scope and post some scope and AP pictures with it, i may also do a little visual observing with it too as I have quality eyepieces and can at least see how it performs on CA and other aberrations, Venus being very good for this, i feel it is going to be a decent scope. We have had clear skies all week but with a very large Moon, never good for AP, weather looks set fair at the moment, I am expecting the scope in the next few days, so snow rain and wall to wall cloud is only to be expected. Alan

Looks like I made the correct call then John, I am sure the Esprit range is very good indeed but it is the cost of extra like I have mentioned that I personally feel many of us just do not want, It's a shame they don't do a stripped down version just the scope, let's face it that's all most of us want in the imaging camp. I have 3 TeleVue diagonals, what would i want with a SW. Alan

Thank you for that John, now I recall reading your write up, you were in with a purchase right as the start of play, pleased you are happy. Alan

I wanted a scope around the 550mm F/l and this is only 10mm adrift. The SW 100mm Esprit would be on the money but for me with that there's so much is wasted, Finder, Diagonal, maybe even an eyepiece, none of which I want or need. The SW is that bit faster though which I have had to forego. As is about the norm weather around new scopes, this week whilst it is being shipped, clear every night, no doubt heavy rain next week. The only good thing is the Moon is about, should really try the Dob out now I can. I stopped using it last year with my prostate issues and not being able to go out in the cold, now I've had an operation and all is much much better the poor thing has not seen light for almost 15 months. Alan

Which scope do you have John, Alan

Just ordered a StellaMira 85mm triplet to use with both my OSC camera, the 183mc and the 071. I am sort of hoping it will lift my imaging to the next level as the spec seems impressive and I can get away with spending 1400 quid where as a nice Tak, which I really want, would be ordered to the sound of knives being sharpened. So when it comes I will do a report on the scope and post it up. May well order the reducer at a later date too. I have asked for clouds to be left out of the box, weather not been good of late out here. Alan

I keep looking at the Optolong filter and have been advised by FLO this is probably the best one of its type. I tend to be a believer in the more things something is asked to do the less well it can do them, these Tri and Quad filter for me are asking a lot, not that I know the first thing about them I would not go beyond the Optolong unless I saw some strong evidence of them working. Alan

I personally feel Rodd people like to see different versions, with NB there are so many ways to present the finished picture. I myself don't like to see an image too over saturated and then when i do my own images, do just that most of the time. I think I went for the first one mainly for that reason, though your captures are always beautifully presented and a pleasure to look at. Alan

I'll go one better, it is the best I've seen. Alan

Lovely image, not seen that one before Goran. Alan

I prefer the first image which is a stunning piece of work from you as is the norm. Alan

That's very nice, not over saturated and looks good for detail. I often find people over saturate images which is not to my taste, then find myself doing the same thing. Alan

Very nice and at 550mm I am maybe going to rethink my approach to shooting galaxies, I tend to shy away from there at 805mm, thinking too shot, too small. See here though a very fine result. Alan

Another cracker from you there Rodd, must seriously consider one of these scope you have sometime in the future, just ordered a 85mm Stella Mira from Flo, so that will no doubt come with more clouds, weather has been very unfair of late here. Alan

I wanted to just view it last night with the Dob but clouds had other idea, very nice capture which will always be difficult with a minus 4 mag object in the midst. Alan

Lovely capture there, a lot of galaxies in that shot. Alan

Lovely image Dave, I don't believe I have seen it done better, really great work. Alan

Jolly nice shot you have taken there, I don't normally like starless shots at all, but this one just works well, thanks for posting, Alan

That's come out nicely considering it is so small, I have never tried this one. Alan

Very nice shot there, nice detail. I tend to avoid galaxies because they are small, maybe time to try one of my long F/L scopes. alan

Wow, great image, never seen that one before. Alan