Saganite

Latest additions to my eyepiece cases delivered in the last week or so. So far I like them very much.

Congratulations John.

Hi Dave, I did, but I sold it along with other oculars to raise the funds for my Denkmeier binoviewers, with their 26mm prisms. It was, as you would expect, a difficult decision but I consoled myself with the knowledge that I would replace it at a later date, however, the one that Alan bought was my third attempt, Dave's (Smith)being the second, and the first was a while back and I do not recall who got that one. I do consider myself now a bino observer first and foremost, but they do not do everything as well as you would wish, and certainly, my best views of Saturn ever, have been with the XW 10. That and the XW 7 were my main armament for splitting doubles. I will just have to be patient.

Ah well, the monk's cowl from that nice Mr Bakay, in the post, will have do .

NO.......... some of us are just trying to

Well done Alan, you beat me to it by a whisker .......!.....................

My collection has changed somewhat in the last 9 months, and the bino pairs are still evolving, with the definite exception of the top line. The two Vixens will go, if I can find another good, used, 16mm T5 Nagler, as will the 11mm plossl pair, and probably the Astro Tech 12.5's, although the latter I have had the longest of any of them, and they are extremely good 55 deg units. The OCS options of 1.4x and 2.5x on my bino, give me lots of different powers, and of course, with the 5" f15, they can all be used at native focus. The other box contains favourites for cyclops viewing, particularly the 13mm Ethos, and the 42mm Vixen, which in Andromeda ,(the big refractor), are sublime.

I must admit I would try a 13mm LVW if one became available. I regularly see eyepieces on your side of the pond, Louise,that I would like, but have never been successful in buying.

Hi, It is in my signature at the bottom of the page, but it is a D&G Optical 5" f15, and a real planet killer !

A truly wonderful eyepiece, and the only LVW that I still have, and will always keep, having moved on the 8mm & 22mm. The 42mm LVW gives me 45x, a TFOV of 1.43 deg, and an exit pupil of 2.8mm in my big 5" refractor, and of course stars are tiny pinpoints across the FOV, just sublime for sweeping star fields..

Hi Chris, It certainly has during the last few months, because short sessions were often available at short notice. If I am sure of a few hours and the sky is good, then I set up the 5" on the pier. ..

Thank you Stu. The OO finder was not needed on the Dob, but gives sterling service on this scope.

I recently sold my Skytee, finding the whole assembly, with tripod etc too heavy and cumbersome, and gone back to an AZ4, and it handles the 4" Celestron easily, even with the Bino's. So this Grab n Go set up can be carried easily from the conservatory and be in use in under a minute. The Celestron ED102, now has the Moonlite focuser and a Baader T2 prism diagonal, and is a joy to use

All you need really, Paul.

All good stuff Dave which will work perfectly well.

Congratulations, and have a great day. Love the cake; hope it tastes as good as it looks.

Hi Stu, I did say I have made a complete hash of things, My response was not to you, but to Chris's post, " Ex as in the D&G " Reminds me now of the Two Ronnies sketch.

Sorry, made a mess of things, but my previous post was in response to John's, and I am referring to scopes.

Word round the camp fire is that the new lady in Dave's life and his ex, may meet up to compare notes

I must echo what John said, and heartfelt congratulations.

The first case is pretty much complete. The 17mm Nagler is a lovely eyepiece but not sure it has a future here as the Ethos 13mm has nearly the same FOV with more magnification, however in the 5" frac it does give 112X, against 146X, so can't decide. A new foam insert might be next. The second contains my 6 pairs for Binoviewing plus Ortho's and plossls.

Beautiful capture, but not bad enough

Fabulous idea Stu, I might be tempted .

Lovely set up Dave and keeping fingers crossed for a good first light tonight. No good here.

Not really helping are we