Dangerous-Dave

Thanks for this, saved me from posting my CCD back to Starlight Xpress for a clean and reseal. Distance = 7.4 x 4 x 36 = 1065mm = on the primary!

Uffington NT car park has a reputation for other uses!

Belated headsup for this event. Durham Astro Soc will be holding a public meeting at Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve, Houghton Le Spring on Saturday evening (19:00-21:00). The theme is Jupiter, but there will be a dichotomy moon too. Weather forecast looks OK. Free with voluntary donations to the society. Feel free to bring a telescope.

Hi Robin, how bad is your light pollution? I could just about make out the auroral arc over the streetlights, but we are on the edge of the Tyne & Wear light pollution and have a good northern horizon.

Fantastic display last night! The Kp was only '4 - unsettled' but there was a strong southerly Bz, and I thought I could just make out an auroral arc over the light pollution in our street, so quickly got in the car and drove up to the North Pennine AONB. Initially all I could detect were two strips of green ionized Oxygen along the northern horizon. Admittedly this is pretty darn good for 55N, but at 8.30pm this errupted into pillars of red, at one point the whole ensemble resembling a crown of thorns, with colours easily visible to the naked eye. I then relocated to a darker location up in the wilds near Blanchland and was rewarded with more activity at 10.00pm! All shots taken with EOS30D, Samyang 14mm/f2.8 and 8mm/f3.5, I hope I haven't used up all my astro luck last night!

Thanks Richard

Derwent Reservoir Broccolitia, Cawfields, Walltown Crags on Hadrian's Wall The coast north of Blyth Anywhere in Northumberland National Park! Kielder Forest

Thanks, that doesn't bode well! Does the flattener include any micro adjuster to assist in this? Thanks DD

Wow, surely not just me who sees flaws in star shapes and CA there? I have been imaging for nearly 10 years and that CA looks as bad as achromat Takumar SMC lenses I have used (not a criticism of the imager I hasten to add). Any thoughts Per?

Any news regarding vendors?. I am too poorly to kip in a tent ATM but have need of some nicknacks

BUMP! Anyone tried the new WO Flattener 6 with the Megrez 72? Being largely unimpressed with reviews of and images from TS apos I have decided to Guide with an OAG and use my Megrez 72 'guide scope' for wide field imaging. I used to own the MkIII flattener but was unimpressed, like others I found the stars misshapen even at the correct spacing. Thanks DD

Hi per, thanks for the review. I have been considering buying the TS 100/f5.8 or 130/5.2. Looking at your pics there are two things that might concern me: a. brighter stars seem a little diamond shaped. I get this with my R200SS, but this is a Newtonian! Is there anything causing diffraction in your image chain? b. some noticeable red halos - possible CA?

Thanks for that folks. Yes, the brand is pretty much an unknown quantity. Not that I would buy any scope without extensively reading forums and reviews first, but you can buy a scope badged Takahashi with some confidence. Although I do feel the 580mm focal length of the TS100 is about as low as I'd want to go with my CCD (SXVF-H16), the FSQ is not much less than that. With regards 49mm image circle, IIRC I am currently getting that from my R200SS and it covers my 4000 chip fine.

Hi folks, does anyone have any opinions on the TS 100mm quadruplet? http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p6478_TS-100mm-f-5-8-Quadruplet-APO-Astrograph---FPL-53-APO-Objektiv---100-580mm.html The 65mm counterpart seems to get rave reviews from owners, albeit after issues with pinched optics in earlier models, but I am struggling to find any impartial comment whatsoever on the 100mm. Am I right in thinking 'TS Optics' are made by APM, or is that wishful thinking on my part? thanks DD

Many thanks to you all for your replies. I get a sense that for image quality inch for inch the apo is a no brainer but the jury is out on the light grab issue.The issue of mirror degradation is an interesting one, are we referring to deterioration of the silvering or general build up of grime?