paulastro

I have some medical issues and discovered this on FLO. I bought it, and to my amazement it really helps in moving my 10inch Starsense around. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescope-bags-cases-storage/oklop_61395.html

FLO are not listing the 12 inch Dobsonian at the moment. However, for anyone who buys it, they have to install the primary mirror cell and the mirror into the tube themselves! Celestron posted a video on u-tube yesterday showing potential buyers how to do this.

I just noticed that the Celestron Starsense Explorer 114mm, 130mm and 150mm smart phone enabled table - top dobsonians are now in stock at FLO.

Thank you Nigella 🙂.

Look forward to seeing your images Nigella.

I wouldn't have a clue Mark, especially since I posted it before the event had taken place 😂. In fact I did manage to observe it, and it looked better in 'real life' 🙂.

IO SHADOW 11.01- 1.12 GRS TRANSIT CM 00.54

I chose to do this as I needed a more manageable Dob to use as a 'buddy' to my 10 inch Starsense Explorer Dob. I have a minor heart procedure and hip replacement to undertake and at times I am unable to use the 10 inch until both procedures are completed. The SW was delivered Tuesday and modded on Wednesday ready for first light Wed evening. The pics below show the modded scope. A multi-foot finder device is used to mount both the Starsense phone holder and finder on the single Vixen finder base on the telescope. The orange ' T ' adapter was made by another SGL member. Four weights I made from four Neodymium Magnetic Bases with an M6 thread and four plastic knobs with a female M6 thread screwed onto them. These are partly to make up for the weight of the Starsense phone holder, smart phone, finder, multi-finder foot adapter and an eyepiece that are at the other end of the tube when the scope is in use. In practice, it was useable by tightening the two handle tighteners on each axis, but there were limits. No problems with a medium size single eyepiece, but very awkward with a Maxbright 1 binoviewer, two Ortho eyepieces and a barlow lens at low altitudes - unless you have the grip of Desperate Dan! Of course, Celestron take this into account when designing their Starsense Explorer range of telescopes, positioning the phone holder more toward the middle of the tubes so it will all balance. Be aware of this if you are planning on modding a scope. In this case, I can make some more weights, depending how much I use the binoviewer with it. With the 10 inch Celestron Starsense Dob, there are no such problems of course. First light was on Wednesday night from 11.00 pm to 00.50 am. In summary, it all worked well in practice, the Starsense system pointing me, without any problem, to all my targets - as it always does. Optically the scope performs extremely well. It had arrived with the secondary perfectly aligned with the mirror a tad off. This was easily fixed before I went out. I have had several 150P Dobs over the years and to my eyes none of them ever had any issues. I used an ES 24/68, Morpheus 17.5, Celestron x2 X-Cel LX barlow. the Maxbright binoviewer and 24 and 16.8 Orthos. Objects observed inclued M13, M27, M57; M11 M45, Double Cluster, ET Cluster and a few double stars plus Jupiter and Saturn. The transparency was quite good though the seeing was poor, so it wasn't really a good night for doubles and planetary. None the less, in my view the scope performed as I expected from a good six inch scope in the prevailng conditions. It did pass another test I hadn't planned for. I was observing one of my favourite objects - Caroline's Rose/NGC 7789 at 12.45 when it started to be dimmed by some cloud arriving. Looked over my shoulder to see some alarmingly large, dark clouds racing toward me. Got the endcap on and my phone removed from the holder just as the rain came down. I managed to get all the kit into the observatory (garage) before anything was really soaked. I wouldn't have been so lucky, with my lessened physical prowess if I had been using my 10 inch Dob. Good choice!

Paul. The seeing was as bad as its been for a while last night here, not as bad as you had by the sound of it, but it certainly sounds like seeing. If you keep the scope indoors before observing, that won't help either.

I also hear people ask "why do the planets look so much bigger, brighter and colourful in this telescope (when using a medium Newtonian) than through one of those small pointy telescopes over there " ( small refractors) 😉 😂 Can you see any colour in the GRS with your 100mm pointy thing Mike? 🙂

I've used this one when it was on loan to another TAC member. I agree, it performed very well.

You could advertise for one, some people end up remounting dob scopes onto some other mount leaving the dob base unused in the garage.

Well, I can't believe it. It was cloudy last night, but I went out anyway to see what the new lights were like. No orange light anywhere, and overall it looked clearly darker than it ever had before! I wondered if perhaps they weren't all on yet, but the lights I could see were on. The orange glow over the main road in front of the house that is easily seen from round the back where I observe had vanished. I put my thumb over a single light and no glare was visible leaking round the edges. Instead of orange the sky was a sort of grey, but you vould see variation in the cloud. It was drizzling as well, which I thought would have made it worse. A very unexpected result, can't quite believe it. The real test will be when there is a clear sky. Watch this space.

In terms of aperture, I've always found that, assuming good optical quality, that the colours in stars (and other objects) are more saturated and better seen in larger apertures, irrespective of the type of telescope. I currently use scopes of 80mm, 130mm, 125mm and 250mm aperture, and I dont see anything to contradict this. For sharpness, the reverse is often true, unless the seeing is exceptionally good.

Yes I have. I'm a 'gusher' too. Better than sliced bread 😊.

Thanks Alan, good advice. When I went to bed last night the lights hadn't come on, but they haven't finished fitting them yet. I will post again when they are finished, and when the sky has been clear as well. I will certainly take your advice if I get 'bedroom light spillage'. Thanks again.

Many thanks Zermelo, it sounds like a little hope there. My hope is that it won't be much worse than it was before - Bortle 5 I think, but I've never measured it myself. Its not only street lights of course. Like for many of us , so called neighbours of mine don't desist from putting bright lights on when it suits them, even if I'm observing. I always put a dark hood over my head when observing and its possible to almost forget I'm not under a more reasonable sky at times. This is helped by having a ten inch scope which is big enough to give me access to much better views than when I had a maximum aperture of four inches at home up to about eighteen months ago. Years ago I used bigger scopes scopes but then had a long mostly refractor phase before seeing the light and having larger aperture scopes once more 🙂. Nothing against refractors, but the older I've got I've needed bigger scopes to give me better views - just the aging process. I've never really used broadband visual filters, only UHC and O111 when they are helpful. Anyway, I'm rambling, that's an age thing too 🙂. I will post up how the new lighting affects the sky when I've had some clear skies. This could be a few days as I'm posdibly away from home for a few days soon.

I suppose its not only the type of light, but the design of the housing? In my pic the light panel looks to be recessed a little which may help, and it looks to be shaded from the rear. Or am I being overly hopeful?

Many thanks. I'll suppose I'll know the difference it makes around here soon enough.

Blimey, they are fabulous pics Stu, who needs a Dwarf 11 ! Your 6 pro could be the perfect phone for me - if it runs Starsense Explorer with no problems of course? 🙂

Many thanks for that, it's useful information. The previous lights spilled light everywhere so hopefully they may be an improvement!

Thanks for that. Is the light grey worse or preferable than what went before for astronomy?

I'm very sorry about this Paul and hope it comes out well for your son. If it's any help, I have a relative who developed epilepsy some years ago, and with the aid of regular medication is leading a very full and active life.