Saganite

Hi Dave, I love observing the Moon above all else. So much of interest with detail to challenge the hardiest observer. I can happily devote a long session to Moonwatching and if I want a break then the planets , double stars and clusters will do. I enjoy hunting the grey smudges when the moon is not around. I use binoviewers most of the time, as you well know, and these make Lunar viewing a remarkable and captivating experience. I love the Moon !!

Hi John, I have spent the evening so far on Lunar and Jupiter, both showing really well, in fact the Moon is taking almost 300x now ! Just had a peek at Mars while I wait for Orion to clear my neighbours damn silver Birch tree ! Enjoy your session, it is good tonight for sure.

The Moon is now taking 285x and steady, though clouds are beginning to appear.

I am finding the same here. Lovely cold sunny day in Cambridgeshire today, and the atmosphere is currently allowing very stable and sharp Lunar views at 100x. Fairly good on Jupiter also. Just finished watching Gannymede slip behind the planet, with the GRS visible also.

-APM are also offering some superb 150mm F8 ED doublets (a friend of mine has one and loves it)..not sure if they do a 5" version though. There is also the APM ED 140, very highly regarded and worth consideration. I was very impressed with what I read about it, but the 152 ED became available first.

It took me a minute or so but I can see it quite clearly, very good. Seeing faces in curtains and carpets and anything with a pattern, is part of my life skill set....😁

Of course , and bring Mike with you....😂 Bring a scope, it'll be a Star Party......

I shall be exactly 100.....😂

Lovely scope Stu. Just needs some red striping on it.. 😉

No problem Dave..... Steve

Hi Dave, Pm sent

My lovely Vixen ED103s has appeared on here before, but not looking as beautiful as now. The Feathertouch focuser shown was never meant for the Vixen because they do not offer an adapter to fit this model. When this appeared for sale I immediately wanted it because of its 95mm of travel. The adapter thread was 88.5mm x 1mm pitch, whereas it is 88mm x 1mm pitch on the Vixen OTA, but I knew it would be a simple job for Mark at Moonraker to chase the thread and that is what he did for me, in short order ....top man . Until this year I had never used a Feathertouch focuser, and now I could never go back, they are sublime.

You may not need it Rob....but you want it !.....

You cannot argue with that philosophy !.....

Hi Carl, Good on ya, but beware that it will attract a certain amount of mirth from our colleagues, the way that I did when I said the same a few months ago...

Until a few months ago I had owned and used the OOVX12 Dob for about four years and I heartily recommend one. Of the several 12" Dobs that I had prior to the OO, it was by far the best. I could move it around my garden, as I did, without it losing collimation, and it was lighter and easier to carry about than the others I had used. It did have a research grade mirror. It is all nicely painted aluminium, so no corrosion problems. Apart from deep sky at which it excelled, it was astounding on the Moon and Planets, and Globular Clusters, particularly M13. I sold mine because I decided that in my senior years now, a better option for me would be a refractor in an Obsy, which is what I now have. I bought mine used from Stu, and was, therefore ,confident that it would be sound, but you are buying yours new I believe, so you should be able to buy with confidence. My sky is also Bortle 4 , BTW. Good luck, and enjoy a superb telescope.

Hi Al, You well know my feelings on this. You were not the first and you will not be the last to suffer a calamity such as this. It almost happened to me a few years back with Andromeda. You made sure it was well insured and you can look forward to a replacement. I would not be in a rush to dispose of the parts, you may be able to salvage something, and I , as you know, have a Vixen ED 103 S focuser which you are welcome to....

Thanks Rob. It is indeed a great set up and certainly I will want for nothing else ! Beware ! you will love it !!......

Hi Al, Yes, absolutely superb ! cheers Steve

Thanks John, You will never need another mount that is for sure, so I will keep an eye out for when you do.... Have you landed back on Earth yet since getting that gorgeous FS 128 ?........ Steve

The Nexus connection will be via the RS232 port I know that much, and you are correct that Serge will soon be making new software available, but for now that is all I know.

Cheers Frank. I have not attempted anything yet, just loving the ability to track rather than chase targets.

I took my AZ100 to Rowan Engineering yesterday as planned and had the motors fitted, while I enjoyed chatting with Derek, Dave, and James with refreshments supplied. Living as close to them as I do, it is an easy trip and worthwhile, they are such great guys. I managed to set up for about 40 minutes of observing, that evening, before the clouds rolled in, and it was worth every moment. I pointed the scope roughly South and got the telescope roughly level, flicked the on switch and settled down to observe Jupiter, the GRS and shadow transit to be exact. This was a big deal for me because I have been without tracking for two long years and at high mags, as we all know , it is a right pain without it. I was using 171 X and it held the planet dead central during most of that time, absolutely superb, and totally silent in operation. The set up as shown is rock steady on my pier, and will soon have an observatory around it all , at which point I will connect the Nexus DSC, and conduct a proper star align !

Superb John, really lovely. I did see it on Ebay and wondered how long it would last. Very pleased for you.......