Nicola Fletcher

8 hours ago, tomato said:

Great report and photos. On another thread I nominated this telescope as the worst telescope I could ever own. In no way was it meant to detract from the folk who built and used this monster, it was more a tribute to their commitment, tenacity and dogged determination required to construct, maintain it and actually make observations.

It’s really an incredible construction isn’t it. I’m fascinated that it only moves in altitude - how frustrating if something interesting was just outside its field of view! It’s predecessor was a 35 inch, but I don’t know if it had the same design. I think it’s amazing that the astronomers discovered and recorded so much with it - as you say a testament to their commitment. And an extreme case of aperture fever.

17 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Wonderful photo's Nicola. I really enjoyed looking at those amazing sketches. What an exciting time of discovery it must have been back in the 1880's, playing with such a powerful instrument. Thanks for posting! 😊

Glad you enjoyed them - it must have been amazing, sitting up there late at night sketching (and wondering how you were going to get down in one piece!). Seeing it up close was a fantastic experience.

I visited the Leviathan at Birr Castle, Ireland, yesterday. I had been hoping to see it for a long time (funny how we are less likely to visit things on our doorstep!) and it didn’t disappoint. 

The great telescope had been restored in the past number of years and looked like it is in working order. Apparently the mirror has been replaced and the wooden stairways and platform system that can raise the observer to the eyepiece looked in very good repair.

The grounds were stunning with the autumn colours and the I-LOFAR low frequency radio telescope was also visible. The Science Centre had a lot of very interesting displays- I’ve posted a few photos including one of the absolutely massive EPs from the telescope. One of the highlights for me was some of the beautiful sketches that had been made at the telescope (reminded me of the fabulous sketches of Mars by @mikeDnight), as well as a sketching box and an old red lantern that was used telescope-side.

I hope you enjoy the photos - Also I hope it’s ok to post this here. I wasn’t sure if History of Astronomy would be a better place.

I thought that was a great episode - I wish it was on more often!

Thank you for posting all these fantastic photos and the description- I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the build and the end result is jaw dropping - I hope you have many happy years in it!

Thank you both very much - I didn’t think I’d be the first one to have this issue. Magnus, I’d really like to take you up on your very generous offer - I’ll PM you now. Thank you!

Hi all,

I just took delivery of a new AZ-EQ5 GT mount and set it up. It looks like a very nice, solid, well built mount and I want to use it primarily for visual with my refractors.

I have one small issue - I have a Celestron lithium powerbank that uses a fairly straightforward cable that plugs into the powerbank and there is an identical port on my EQM-35 Pro that I can use to power the mount. I’ve taken a photo of the two plugs on the cable that came with the powerbank (first photo).

The AZ-EQ5 comes with a cable with a specific plug on one end that fits into the power port on the mount, with a cigarette lighter plug on the other end (second photo). The powerbank doesn’t have a cigarette lighter port on it though, and I don’t have anything else that I can plug it into apart from my car! My question is whether there is a cable that I can get to connect the mount to the powerbank - and what is the name of the port that’s used to power the AZ-EQ5?  Is there another solution apart from buying another powerbank?

Thankfully we have heavy cloud tonight as i’d be so disappointed if I couldn’t use the new mount if it was clear!

Thank you very much in advance.

Thanks @ScouseSpaceCadet for a great observing report. Plenty of ideas and I’ve never looked at the double cluster in Perseus so it’ll be top of my list next time out!

I also got out last night to my local village for an annual astronomy event that has been postponed since the beginning of the pandemic. We mainly focused on the gas giants and Venus earlier in the evening, but the Pleiades were a treat through my FC76-DCU - playing with magnification using the Baader Hyperion zoom. 
 

I’m glad you had a clear night - it was my first one in a while too, and we also
captured a shooting star with an iPhone completely by accident. 

15 hours ago, johninderby said:

The pic is of my Tecnosky 125 but yes they are made by the same manufacturer although specs may vary a bit depending on what the particular brand chooses. I like the Tecnosky as they test the scopes and Astrograph also tests the scopes again when they arrive in the UK so you know you will get a perfect one.

Apologies- I can see now it’s bigger! You must get some great views through it. I agree, knowing that it’s tested is a huge bonus.

On 06/10/2021 at 17:43, johninderby said:

Would recommend buying from Astrograph as they are a UK dealer so no customs or high shipping costs to bother about. Plus top class service and the owner Rupert is an expert that can answer any questions you might have.

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astrograph_net.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/www_astrograph_net/Products/AGTEC125F78

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astrograph_net.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/www_astrograph_net/Categories/Shop/"Telescopes %26 Binoculars"/Apochromatic_Refractor_Telescopes

It looks very much like my Starwave 102 ED-R - and also the offering from Teleskop Express: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4964_TS-Optics-ED-APO-102-mm-f-7-Refraktor-mit-2-5--R-P-Okularauszug.html. 

Are they all made by the same manufacturer, do you know?

(P.S. I absolutely love my Starwave )

I also recommend the Baader Hyperion Zoom. I do have expensive EPs but find myself using the Zoom on both my refractors and I also used to use it on my 127 SCT before I sold that scope. I also really like the BSTs which won’t break the bank 👍

Thanks for sharing your setup and photos - I love the idea of using the AZ-GTi with these scopes. I use my FC76-DCU with a Giro Ercole mini but can definitely see the advantage of a portable GoTo mount.

5 hours ago, Piero said:

A bit late to this long thread.

For what is worth, I use two sets with my FC-100DF:

(1) combo: 30 APM UFF, Zeiss zoom +/- modded VIP Barlow (just 2" nosepiece),

OR

(2) 24 Pan, 9 nagler, 5 ortho, 3.4-2.0 vixen hr.

 

I tend to use:

(1) for DSO

(2) for double stars

For planets, solar, lunar observing, I use the Zeiss zoom + VIP (2" nosepiece and push fix adapter).

The zoom + VIP is tall, but once the telescope is balanced I don't have issues with it. I use a wrist weight on the dovetail to counteract the torque when pointing at high altitudes.

I've used the 24 Pan + N9 on DSO successfully too.

Other times, I just leave the ZZ without VIP for the whole session.

Thanks for your input Piero, very interesting to know about the different setups depending on what you want to observe. I can imagine  the FC-100 DF is a wonderful all rounder too.

On 08/07/2021 at 22:29, MAL in TX said:

Hello!  I've just stepped up to a used Tak FC-76D and have been reading your posts with great interest.  Although rather late to this party, I'm really wishing to know how things turned out for Nicola.  Especially the diagonal question as I have (and plan to stick with) 1.25 for now.  I purchased the TeleVue 1.25 Everbrite Star diagonal and am contemplating the Baader Zoom.  Unfortunately, it's been raining buckets for weeks and there's been no opportunity to test the telescope at night.  Is the TeleVue a bad choice?  Should I have gone with the Tak prism?  Was Nicola able to resolve focus problems (and how)?  Do you recommend the Baader Zoom for this scope?  Many thanks in advance for your thoughts

Hi! Sorry for being so disgracefully late in replying, I see you’ve already taken the plunge but you might be interested in my setup,. In the end I went for the Tak 1.25” prism, TV Nagler Zoom 3-6, Nagler 13 and the Baader MKIV Zoom. The Baader Zoom was bought for my other scope but I really love it with the Tak. 
 

Your setup looks fantastic and I’m very impressed with the photo of it all packed into one case. I still have to try this but for the moment everything fits in my car and is great for staycations 😊

It’s a good question- no I haven’t, but in the last 10 years, I’ve increasingly found that I have to choose the place in the garden in advance for setup of my scope, based on what I want to observe that night. There are some beautiful birch trees obstructing the 360 view I used to have. Lucky I have a 25 acre small farm just down the road with unobstructed views. It’s not quite as handy as stepping out the back door to the telescope though!

59 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Mine is first UK edition (was published in USA first)

Yes, that’s the UK edition I am reading. The copy I bought is the first US edition. Thanks!

On 07/04/2021 at 21:47, JeremyS said:

Indeed, Nicola. This one is worth having as the real version. I have 3 😊

@JeremyS I managed to get a first edition of the version you have on the right. Mine is from Harper & Row, first edition, 1965. It’s in amazing condition and looks like it was never read. However, the middle copy looks like the library book I’m reading. Published by McMillan, is that the second edition? 

11 minutes ago, Commanderfish said:

Hi Nicola, just wondering what mount this is and whether you find it stable at Nagler Zoom mags on your photo tripod?

Your setup looks fantastic and I’m very interested to hear how you get on with setting up the 2” diagonal.

I decided to go for this carbon fibre tripod from Teleskop Express: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p8276_TS-Optics-C255FMO-Carbon-Tripod---Height-up-to-1560-mm.html. It was a very good price and is advertised as being capable of carrying up to 12kg, so I decided to take a chance on it. I’m using it with a Giro Ercole mini (https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p8256_Giro-Ercole-Mini-Altazimuth-Mount-for-Telescopes-up-to-9-kg.html). I have used the Giro with the new carbon fibre tripod and other tripods and I really like its simplicity and quality. The whole setup is very stable although it was quite breezy last weekend when I set it up in the field. I can’t say for sure how stable it is with the Nagler zoom as I’ve mainly been using the Baader 8-24mm so far. I will certainly let you know when I get a chance to test it properly. 

What a lovely old refractor, the wood and the note inside would have sold it to me too!

Best of luck with it and it will be great to get it set up and test it out.

I have the same mount and usually do 2 star alignment (for visual), and I have been using Sirius as my first alignment star also. I find it rarely slews to the right place during alignment, but once I correct it and then align it on a second star, the mount finds targets pretty well following alignment. I think it's normal for the mount to be slightly off when aligning?

10 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I feel the same way about real books. The feel and even the smell of real books is something you don't get with a Kindle. Like Jeremy I read Starlight Nights at least once a year, usually in the colder months when I'd rather sit by a fireside these days rather than freeze to death outside. I was first introduced to Starlight Nights by my observing mentor and friend Derek Hartley, when I was 18 years old, I'm now 59. I've read it every year since. Im really pleased youve found a copy and that you like it so much. 😊

Below is a picture of Derek with his Takahashi Sky 90 from four years ago. Together we've walked countless miles around his concrete pier over the last 40 years, hunting everything within the light grasp of various size telescopes, nearly always refractors. 

 

I loved your story and your photo Mike - thanks for sharing it.

It’s not often you come across a really special book that you read often. This is definitely going to be one of them for me also!

10 hours ago, JeremyS said:

This one is worth having as the real version. I have 3

I am so not surprised 😂

2 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

My favourite book. I read it at least once a year. Reminds we why I love astronomy (and variable stars in particular)

BTW you can get it on Kindle

He manages to put into words the magic of the hobby doesn’t he? I certainly couldn’t articulate it as well.

Im old fashioned and like to read real books, but it’s great that it’s on Kindle - getting hold of the book could be difficult- or quite expensive.

On 05/04/2021 at 23:29, mikeDnight said:

Have you ever read Leslie C. Peltier's Starlight Nights?

@mikeDnight Thank you, thank you, for recommending Starlight Nights!

I apologise if this is off topic, but I read the introduction and Chapter 1 on Kindle and it was so good, I wanted to read the actual paper book. It’s very difficult to find online unless you’re willing to pay over the odds. I found a copy in the library, first edition, and am absolutely glued. What an absolutely genuine, passionate person he was. I am thoroughly enjoying it and don’t want to finish!

18 hours ago, jetstream said:

Theres more- you will easily see  Barnards Loop with a quality Hb in your scope- its absolutely perfect for this, start near M78 and once found and observed numerous times try no filter. You scope will show it no filter.

While in the area observe the huge Meissa nebula, your scope will outperform my TSA120 on this one, use a top OIII or UHC. The whole Veil neb will be a piece of cake in this scope too.

Exit pupil matters for this stuff as you likely know and lightweight 2" eyepieces are a goto.

theres more...

Thanks @jetstream - more shopping and observing ideas - great!

For this scope, at the moment I’m building up my 1.25” kit, but I do need to get some filters. I have my eye on the TSA120 with 2” EPs though 🤗

Oh I hope we get plenty of clear skies this summer!!