bingevader

Pff, she doesn't know what she is missing!

Jaffa cakes at the ready!

Sir John has a nice ring to it.

As you've probably gathered yourself and from reading around on here, the planets aren't well placed for viewing in the UK at the mo and it will be a year or so before things improve much. There's a difference between detail and contrast. For high contrast, generally you want as little glass as possible. So an orthoscopic or plossl eyepiece will help there. For detail, then it's a good idea to read the reviews of the eyepiece focal length you want, that have been used in the same or a comparable 'scope. If you want the best that money can buy, then obviously that is going to cost. However, there are some very fine eyepieces around at the moment that won't break the bank and come pretty close to the big boys

12mm and 2x barlow would be good for craters. The 8mm and a 2x barolw is also good on the moon, but requiring a calmer and clearer night. The 12mm and 2x barlow would also be good on the planets when they're better position on a good night, so not a must have at the mo I'm afraid!

A Carbon Brush has said, you must consider the bigness of it! It's not small or light.

Sadly, completely lacking in the fire-breathing and flight departments.

But if you don't see the beauty in science, it could be seen as just exposing the dull realities. There be dragons? - no there aren't. Mermaids? - nope, sea lions, walruses and narwhals. Magical Rainbows? - Nah, just the diffraction of light through a raindrop.

Maybe a very small piece? I've always thought that the science added to the wonder rather than detracting from it. But, you don't need an understanding of science to enjoy the night's sky. Poetry would seem to differ in that respect. You at least need a grasp of the language it is written in. Some poetry is beautiful. But then sometimes it becomes a code to be cracked with hidden meaning, that only those who fathom the code can understand. Astronomy (or at least amateur astronomy, or even stargazing!) isn't like that. You can just enjoy it for what it is.

Hello! Where are you and how is your light pollution? If you can focus on the moon then there shouldn't be a problem. You should be able to focus on the stars then, they should resolve to nice pinpoints of light. If it is a problem with locating objects, then what is it you have been trying to find? I'm sure we can help you with that. If you are finding and focussing on the moon, then we can also assume that your finder scope is well aligned too, but the more accurate it is the better. What are you using to locate objects? Have you downloaded Stellarium? The globular cluster M13 in Hercules would be a good one to start with. Can you focus on and split Albireo in Cygnus? Another good place to start is the book Turn Left at Orion.

Fab! half price at the minute too! I've dithered about getting one for years now! I don't seem to manage with both eyes open and I get a tire eye if I try to keep one closed for any length of time. I'll let you know how I get on.

I'll be looking at one of the cheaper zoom EPs for the school observing sessions in the autumn. It'll cut down on the time taken to switch EPs.

I have the 4mm Nirvana too. It's great in my (slightly slower) 8" dob.

We keep bees at school. We're also an Ecoschool so have always tried to disturb the bees as little as possible, whilst still encouraging the children to take part as much as possible. We still treat for varroa and manage for swarms. We only take the "surplus" honey and feed as little as possible. Last year was a good year, we hadn't taken any honey the previous two years. We've National hives, a WBC and a Kenyan Top Bar Hive. We have Warre hives at home. Last year we cut comb and pressed the honey out. I hadn't considered that it makes the honey more expensive, but yes, the bees would need to draw out new frames. I'm hoping to make frame cages this year to preserve the comb. The other hives still function in the same way though. The frames are removed and spun in a centrifuge. There's no loss of comb then, even when using foundationless frames. On topic! For the last two years, we've had wasp nests in the school grounds. One near the apiary and the other in a compost heap. They we're no trouble to children or bees! The one was fascinating, the wasps cut a tunnel down through a bramble patch to what we assumed must have been an old mouse hole.

Let us know how you get on with it when the clouds clear.

As Ricochet has said, what's up with the X-Cel LX? My 7mm X-Cel LX is smashing in the 8" dob and the etx90. The only reason I'm considering changing it some time in the future is for an 82° EP. Having tried the 4mm Nirvana I'm tempted by the 7mm as a future swap, but not because I'd expect there to be much difference in clarity.

Which parts are now automated?!

The mind boggles!

That'll make a new (possibly hi-brow) twist on the Doctor, Doctor joke then! Although the Nappy Pin would be funnier, if slightly surreal!

Happy anniversary's eve. Best of luck! And here I was, just hoping for a wee 12" Dob!

I'd have said M81 and M82 are quite difficult to find and M3 is way out on its own! Just for another alternative, Hercules is rising, what about M13? About 1/3 of the way down the right hand side of the trapezium (between eta and zeta) and very splendid it is too!

That holds true for us as a species too then?!

Ah, thanks! I can see the 7 exposures.

As very amateur astronomers (speaking for myself, clearly), we are in the business of historical time travel. In 2014 I watched the supernova in M82 that happened 11.5 million years ago!

The space dragon seems to have eaten the bottom corner, was that intentional? The rest is fantastic!