Nicola Fletcher

This is my most loved scope ever. I sold it and have regretted it ever since. It was a humble little Celestron 127 SLT Mak. It was recommended by a member at the Astro club I joined when I was just starting out. It was my only scope for about 7-ish years and I used to have such fun with it. I really liked how easy the Celestron handset and software was to use and had lots of first sightings of some of my favourite targets through it. Although it was goto which I know lots of people don’t recommend for beginners, it inspired me to learn the night sky and I now love to use refractors on manual alt-az mounts. I am honestly so tempted to buy another one!

3 hours ago, Jasonb said:

Hijacking the thread again, sorry! Anyone going to Cosmos 2023 tomorrow? @Padraic M, @Bogmonster, @Nicola Fletcher, @Muc, @LukeSkywatcher?

Yes, see you there! 

On 07/03/2023 at 04:15, SuburbanMak said:

"I say, that's a splendid view!"

Thank you for writing this wonderful report. I’m reading this in a coffee shop and laughed out loud at your exclamation! I remember that feeling with my FC76-DCU the first time I saw the moon with it.

2 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Oh OK. I thought you owned a few rentals. 

I wish! 😜

15 minutes ago, Jasonb said:

Well, I just booked my ticket for Cosmos 2023

Excellent! Looking forward to meeting you!

11 hours ago, Jasonb said:

If a few of us are going to one event we could arrange a mini meetup, just to put faces to names! I'm looking to see if the 25th suits me for the Midlands COSMOS party! 🤞

That would be great!

3 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Are your rentals both wheelchair and dog friendly?

Looks amazing. 

Yes re. dog friendly - I bring my poodle on all my trips away so that is an essential feature!

Some places would be wheelchair friendly - especially bungalows. I suppose it’s just a matter of checking with the owner before booking 😊

4 minutes ago, Jasonb said:

Thanks @Nicola Fletcher! Much appreciated.

There are lots of forestry roads leading to lots of clearings that would be perfect, but they all have gates on them unfortunately. I'll have a look at Glendalough and the Sugarloaf too. I think meeting fellow stargazers and learning that way would be very helpful too, I might have a look at Irish Astronomy Week and Midlands Astronomy. Thanks!

I know - it’s difficult when you want to get your car to sites and there are gates. Definitely check out the Sugarloaf car park, and I’m sure there are places around Glendalough that would be suitable. 
Hopefully we can meet some Irish SGL’ers in person at some stage at an event!

21 hours ago, Jasonb said:

Hi @Nicola Fletcher! Not to hijack Bogmonster's thread, but I've recently started doing some drives around Wicklow looking for a potential dark site to use, have you any recommendations? I was using some light Pollution maps which suggested around Aghavannagh, but it's hard to find somewhere that's off the main road. I'd appreciate and advice, thanks! 

Hi @Jasonb, I know a group meet at the Sugarloaf car park sometimes, and Glendalough is another lovely place. I’m in the fortunate position of having a small farm with great views so I tend not to travel unless meeting with others.

I have rented cottages in Wexford with lovely dark skies and of course the west is another fantastic destination (there are a couple of sample photos below).

@Bogmonster, the Irish Astronomy Week is coming up this month and has loads of events -  see https://www.irishastronomyweek.ie. I’m also a member of the Irish Astronomical Society. There are several clubs around the country and the midlands astronomy club is having their COSMOS star party on 25th March which I’ll be going to - see https://midlandsastronomy.ie/cosmos-2023.

Hope this is useful!

Welcome! 
I’m from Wicklow so not too far from you. Best of luck with your new scope. It’s great having dark skies, I know what you mean about simply looking up. I also love to use binoculars and have ‘discovered’ plenty of things using them!

It’s simple and just a photographed copy from my sketchbook, but this is the best night I viewed comet C/2022 E3 ZTF. It’s the first comet I really observed properly and followed over time. I’ve sketched it on multiple nights and I’m glad to have a record of my observations over time.

I use white chalk pastel, paintbrushes, pastel pencil and a white Gelly roll pen on black paper.

I also really like your sketch. It’s instantly recognisable and gives me that same wow feeling as I get when I look at M42 through a telescope.

I also like to make a rough sketch at the eyepiece and then a better one once I’m inside. I really like sketching with white pastel on black paper as I like the idea that the sketch matches the eyepiece view as much as possible. I don’t really worry too much about errors, you can always sketch the same target several times and refine your technique.

11 hours ago, MalcolmM said:

It's a Manfrotto 500 Pro Video Head on a Gitzo Traveller tripod. I love it, and it copes with the 76DCU I think you have?

Malcolm 

Yes, that’s just what I was thinking of! It would be even lighter than my current travel setup. Thank you 😊

17 minutes ago, MalcolmM said:

Now this is real grab n go 🙂

Malcolm 

That’s such a cool setup. What is the mount?

This is what I grab - here it is mounted on an EQM35 Pro but I prefer it on a Giro Ercole mini mount with a Gitzo tripod. It’s light and can travel almost anywhere with me.

Welcome and best of luck with your new interest in this great hobby!

3 minutes ago, Stu said:

Or an FC100DC 😉

Isn’t that brilliant! I didn’t think that would fit in the Airport essentials backpack. Such a great way to take a telescope on a plane. I love being able to take mine away to dark skies and places with completely different views of the sky.

56 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Haha I think it’s the length of the tube that normally makes it too big. If you tell me the Tak comes with a Mary Poppins style bag then I’m in trouble 😂

Well…it kind of does if you buy an FC76-DCU!

Looks like ‘A Decade in Stargazing’ is out of stock already! I will have to read it on Kindle 😊

9 hours ago, Stu said:

Sounds like the kit is fine, the Nag Zoom is no slouch, same as the Tak prism.

I would suggest having another go over the next week if you can, Syrtis Major is visible currently and that is one of the easier features to see. As I’ve mentioned, in my FC100 I easily saw it, plus the bright oval of Hellas Planitia in the south and the frosting in the North and that was despite relatively poor seeing. The Starwave should be capable of similar results I think.

I’ll keep trying - I’ll get there eventually! Thanks for your help!

21 minutes ago, Stu said:

Your four inch should be capable of showing detail Nicola. What eyepieces/magnification were you trying?

I used a Tak prism diagonal and my 9mm Nagler followed by the 3-6mm Nagler zoom. Everything just looked over bright with colour fringing (the scope is an Altair Starwave apo and I definitely gave it plenty of time to cool). I have a set of Celestron planetary filters and tried the red and yellow ones but both just made everything so dull it was difficult to see anything. I doubt the equipment was at fault so maybe it was the weather/me/lack of patience. I realise Mars is a challenging target but honestly I thought I’d see some features!

Any advice would be gratefully received 😊

I’m really glad you’ve asked this question as I’ve been observing for a few years and still haven’t figured out Mars!

I was all geared up for the opposition this year but only saw a red over-bright disc through my 3 and 4” refractors. I think I just need to have more patience and keep trying. I suspect the conditions just weren’t good enough each time I tried observing it. I also doubt I gave it enough time - I just got frustrated and moved on to other targets!

Your post and the encouraging answers have made me determined to keep trying. Thank you!

I was out at the same time as you looking at the comet through my Olympus 10 x 50s. I still can’t believe how easy it was to find and how enjoyable it was to observe. The clouds were also threatening but I ran in after about 15 minutes and got my 3” Tak. The clouds were really closing in but I got a glimpse through the telescope - I have to say it was nicer through the binoculars though.

Still waiting for the clouds to clear but the binoculars will go everywhere with me for the next few nights just in case there’s a break in the clouds!

Magical is a great way to describe it.

On 27/11/2022 at 16:47, Moonlit Knight said:

I own the same scope by Altair Astro, a Starwave 102 EDR with fpl 53 glass. An excellent telescope optically with a super build quality. Absolutely remarkable value for money. I have had mine for 3 years. FLO have them in stock for 899 quid. But you need a finder and a diagonal on top, and I might suggest a case also. 

Me too, and I completely agree, I’m so glad I bought mine. The focuser on them is really nice to use as well. Still can’t believe I got such a nice refractor for that price!

14 hours ago, dobbyisbest said:

Moon Telescopes’ dobs look like they were forged in heaven

That’s an absolutely beautiful thing, just imagine having that set up in a true dark sky site. 

14 hours ago, cajen2 said:

every Tak owner on here will post pics and it'll become another "I've got a Tak" thread....😄

I have a Tak and love it, but having thought about this, I find amazing-looking telescopes fit the bill.

Great idea for a thread topic @Sunshine!