bingevader

I'm assuming the barlow helps a bit with the eye relief?

6 hours ago, John said:

Its sharp though and I often use it with a Baader Q-Turret 2.25x barlow as a high power zoom.

I think we'll probably need a barlow at some point, especially with one 'scope.

Hello all,

I've been thinking for a while that it would be a lot easier if we had a zoom eyepiece for school rather than me running around changing over eyepieces.

Obviously, this would be a budget eyepiece.

Firstly, because the school budget won't stretch to much.

Secondly, it's going to have little fingers all over it.

So, we're looking at the range of 7.2-21.5mm eyepiece clones that seem to be in abundance at the moment.

(OVL, TS, Omegon, Opticstar, Orbinar, Seben in no particular order).

I'm hoping that with all the experience on here, we can choose a suitable EP and rule out any duds.

If anyone has any experience of any of these for night time observations (mainly), I'd be very grateful.

Cheers

1 hour ago, Zakalwe said:

The adverts will be based on YOUR browsing history, interests Google searches and nothing to do with the website publishers. It's how online advertising works.

Sorry to disagree, but behind all the county security we still get the odd advert like this, or for scantily clad singles in the area (!), in our primary school where the browsing history is totally clean and legit!

Don't take anything apart until you've checked the warranty though.

If it was bought recently get in touch with the supplier.

There's an EQ2 mount or just the tripod on Astroboot.

If you aren't going the recondition, refit, rebuild route and are thinking of spending in excess of £200 for a mount, then I might reconsider.

One of these would only be a bit more, or stump up a bit more and go for the bigger 200p Dob!

I'd be tempted to have a go at the 114 myself.

Maybe I'm very lucky.

I have the lowly, but popular Skywatcher 200p and it moves just fine.

I haven't modded the Dobsonian mount at all.

I was quite careful when assembling initially for things to be just right, not to tight or too lose, but other than that, it is how it came out of the box.

I star hop at low magnification before spiralling in on the target and then adding some magnification.

I nudge rather than track, but find it effective enough for me.

I've enjoyed the moon at silly magnifications with no problem.

I was lucky enough to find parts of the Veil Nebula this Autumn for the first time too.

Maybe you need to consider stripping the mount down and seeing if there is any way of making it move smoothly.

Sorry, much better now.

The reference was to the Black Album.

I've never seen that much detail from my bortle 4 site.

I'm having a bit of a Spinal Tap moment at the minute!

How much more black could it be? None more!

I think I see three white dots in the pictures.

Is that right?

My Bortle 4 skies seem to show a few more stars to be honest.

And a merry Z0Z0 to you too!

No New Year plans, never been much for that, can't imagine that Z0Z0 will make any difference to my plans.

However, I will continue to try and get out as much as possible!

And add to the 82° collection.

We'll continue with the school observing sessions until half term, so that will be fun.

I don't think the 12" dob plans will be developing any time soon though, maybe next decade.  

It's a nebula.

Just to leap to the defence of the Meade 4000 Super plossls!

I don't know what people are comparing them to, but I have the 9.7mm and 26mm that came with the ETX90 and both are splendid.

I compared the 26mm with my 25mm TV plossl and could not find much difference.

The Meade gives a slightly warmer coloured image and the TV plossl slightly better contrast.

I have some other Meade plossls, not all marked 4000 or Japan, or China and can't really find any fault with them either.

To counter the general Meade bashing, the ETX90 is a splendid little 'scope, an excellent grab and go and often comes on holiday with me.

Also, I've the 30mm 5000 and that's splendid too!

Maybe I've been very lucky!

Where are you Bottletopbill85?

Are you able to get along to a local astro club for someone to have a look?

If it was purchased from a shop then take it back for them to have a look at.

As has already been mentioned, the 1.25" adaptor needs to be in place and the locking screw under the focuser released.

Then the draw tube should move freely in and out.

Try it out in the daytime on distant objects, you should get it in focus and this allows you to align the finderscope too!

9 hours ago, Rob Sellent said:

Avoiding the issue of budget for a moment, given your eyepiece case's current state what have been the deciding factors for you of choosing one eyepiece type over another?

Budget, first and foremost, it's inescapable for me!

And then I save and ask for things for b'days and xmas.

And then, 20 years later, I have what is in my sig!

Currently (5 years or more in the making and not finished yet), I am investing in 82° EPs for the added FOV and nudge factor.

5 hours ago, Maniek said:

You dreamed about a BMW series 3.

I've never dreamed about a car, but then I think I'm a bit odd in that department as I'm just happy with one that just goes from a to b!

5 hours ago, Maniek said:

Because telescope is Just antenna. The screen with your favourite movie is an eyepiece. 

Not quite. Nothing wrong with your 'scope, but you wouldn't buy a 55" full HD smart digital TV if your antenna could only pick up the analogue channels!

5 hours ago, rwilkey said:

Hello again Maniek, best not to go too high on magnification, this is the mistake many make.  Most stargazing is done at low magnifications, esp. DSO's. 

Hello Robin, Maniek has mentioned observing the moon. I don't think he'd have any problems with a 4mm or 5mm and his 'scope, do you?

14 minutes ago, Stu said:

I fear it would be disappointing.

Me too!

We're looking for one for school.

Your Opticstar looks like it might fit the bill, very similar to the OVL and TS and wouldn't break the school budget!

Apologies for the thread hijack!

I seem to remember this coming up before, I don't know if it was on here.

As various people have commented, as little light as possible.

But I think, in the end, it was down to star colour, if that was your thing.

With there being more red stars to look at than green, I think they decided that green light would be better in that instance.

In school, we give out red torches, to avoid people bringing their own (or using their mobile phone torches!).

It's a compromise but does mean the children get to run around in the dark!

One of the Seben zoom EPs is supposed to be good.

The one not made of plastic.

I'm tempted to have a punt at one of these for £14!

Do you have an astro club near by that you could take it to for help in setting it up?

I'd make sure it was properly set up before replacing or upgrading any parts.

The same goes for collimation, it may well need doing, but make sure everything else is in order first.

Have you tried aligning the finderscope in the day time first?

There are few lists here!

Some of the cheaper SW 'scopes have a similar finder fitting to the Powerseeker.

As John has pointed out, you need to get the base as square as possible on the 'scope using the two thumbscrews, then you will be able to adjust the finder.

The same problem might present itself with what ever new finder you decide on, so be prepared.

I have Fred Dase's Lunar Field Atlas too, but it's to big to upload and I can't find a link to it anymore.

I've posted them previously, but here would be a good place too.

Unfortunately I can't remember whose they are to place a credit, other than to say they're not mine.

Lunar 100 object list and notes.pdf Lunar 100 Object List.pdf