paulastro

Many thanks Stu, just saw an alert for this sunspot on spaceweather.com Alas cloudy here, supposed to be sunny all day. Hopefully the spot will develope nicely over the next few days. 😊

Everyone who has contributed to this thread seems to be assuming that SGL contributors are somehow typical of the larger astronomical community. I would think there are far more astronomers out there who have never even heard about SGL, or if they have, never contribute to it. There are clearly many telescope owners who will be casual telescope users, but they are still astronomers none the less. It is also probably true that more casual telescope users haven't the time or the inclination to become images. Likewise, I know some enthusiastic astronomers, mostly visual, who don't feel the need to use SGL. And of course, many people are not exclusively visual observers or imagers but are both to some degree. Believe it or not, SGL members are a small minority of the telescope using community. And imagers will be a small percentage of this larger community. Visual astronomers are alive and kicking, no need to worry about us 🙂.

Robert, I was told about £540 - £570, and availability perhaps in four weeks. These are not set in stone though of course and we're only the current estimates. The price is just the mount head only of course. The quality of manufacture is as Stu and other testers have said, really quality engineering.

I went to the astronomy show at Kettering and saw the AZ75 myself in the flesh myself today and can honestly say I have no intention of ever buying one. No, really, I mean it, I don't want one at all, I don't, I really don't......sigh

Some nice scopes on show - plenty to keep any refractor enthusiast happy 11😊

Dave, It was really nice to meet your self and Steve. A great show as well.

Many thanks Stu. I have a Tecnosky 102ED F7 aka the Stellaview version as you probably know - perhaps it will be kinder thant the DC re focus with a binoviewer. Though my binoviewer is the Maxbright so has a T2 fit. If I need any more info, can I pm you - to save hijacking this thread? Thanks again Stu

Stu, do you have the V or P version of the Baader Coolwedge? Also, what is the orientation of the image when you look through it? Mm, you've got me thinking now £😱£

You're more likely to get discount with cash than a credit card - if at all. 🙂

I'm sure you will have a very memorable day, all the best to all three of you 😊.

Yes Alan, I'm sure the new cycle will bring us a few monster rspots 😊.

Thank you Stu. It was a real tease today with the variable seeing but still enjoyable of course.. Its just a shame that none of the three larger spots in AR2965 became larger than they did.

I was out before 7am to catch AR2965 straddling the CM, and hoping the seeing would be good. It was fairly poor and I could only see glimpses of the numerous tiny umbral spots, which came and went with the seeing. I had several sessions up to 11.00am and it was fun trying to see how many I could see, at any one time. I tried some single frames with the Tecnosky 102ED F7 and Olympus, and the one below shows about the most of these small spots, or pores, I caught on any single frame. It was taken at 10.30am. It also shows AR2967, AR2970 and AR2960 which is shortly to exit the disk on the W limb.

It is impressive Pete. I was out early this morning observing it with the Altaire 80 ED-R. I took a single frame at 7.19am with the Olympus. Below is the pic with a crop. Low-res, but it gives an idea of what's going on. Fingers crossed its clear tomorrow when it should be close to the CM.

AR2965 now on its 5th day crossing the sun, also AR2967 to E, and AR2960 approaching the W limb. AR2965 has a bete-gamma magnetic field which harbours energy for M-class solar flares. Two single frames below taken with the Altair 80 ED-R and Olympus camera. The first taken on the 12th, and the second on 13th.

I must admit, I have a soft spot for Baader. The Baader items I have, are well- made and thought out and do what they are supposed to do very well. Their catalogue is astonishing in its breadth.

I'm not trying to be contradictory Mike, but you did have trouble with the focuser on your 100DC. I know you managed to take it apart and fettle it, but only after contacting the supplier to get advice on how to fix it, if I remember correctly. My memory is that out of the box it was pretty awful. Also, if you recall, I bought a new Tak DF, and out of the box there were deep scratches in the first baffle when you looked into the lens! Absolutely astonishing, and I wonder to this day how it ever got through quality control. The supplier couldn't believe it until I sent some photos, but they quickly sent aa refund. I'm no Tak hater, and believe their fluorite doublets are the best of their type. I do think though, that we shouldn't look through rose tinted glasses however besotted we are by a particular make. They can all have a bad day.

Mike, didn't you tell me that some of the Tak eyepieces are not very good, I dont recall which ones? 🙂

I managed to o serve these two briefly early this morning and yesterday after AR2965 came round d the E limb on 9th. They are still well worth observing in WL and HA. According to spaceweather.com AR2965 is currently the most active sunspot, crackling with C-class solar flares. The two single frames below in WL were taken at 7.59 on 10th and 7.49 on 11th. Both taken with the 102ED F7 and Olympus camera.

There you go again Mike, posting up a picture of yourself. By the way, you forgot to mention your clogs, cloth cap and that smelly ferret you used to keep in a cage in the back garden. And you're one of the more 'normal' friends I have 😁.

Moi, I've never hogged an eyepiece in my life! 😅

There's always a choice with any interest or hobby as to if you share it with other people or not. Just about any interest will have societies, chat rooms, exhibitions, facebook groups etc etc. If not, you can start your own. It's entirely the individuals decission if they want to follow any of these up. If there are any 'lonely' astronomers out there, it's probably because they choose to be. I have several friends who are long standing astronomers of at least 20 years who don't belong to any astro group of any kind - not even SGL !!! In fact, I'm not a social media enthusiast myself, and managed to ignore SGL for ages before I (against my better judgement) joined. I have to say though, I'm glad I did 😊.

I was lucky to have some clearish skies this morning for a while. AR2960 nicely centred on the disk and new AR2965 coming over the E limb with some nice faculae looks promising. In total six ARs on show, the others being AR2963, AR2964, AR2957 and AR2962. My single frame taken below (10.13 am) with the Tecnosky 102ED F7 and Olympus E-M5 Mk11 shows all six. Though you'll have to look VERY carefully to spot the single spot that us AR2962 in my pic.

Thank you Alan. Yes a PST does give a full disk view with the right eywpiece. I generally use a EF 19mm and a x2 barlow. If I want a higher mag I use my Baader zoom. I think it's supplied with a 12mm eyepiece, but a larger image enables you to see more detail.

Great posts Stu. I had some views about 2 to 2.30pm today with the PST. The GONG pic below was grabbed when I came indoors. Very spectacular and a wonderfully 'busy' surface. What time did you take your first pics?