paulastro

That's fine if you're happy with it Paz. I just wanted to be sure you were aware of a potential problem.

Paz, did you replace the tube clamps on each side? I had a Skytee many years ago and found the tube clamps were an accident waiting to happen. If opened too far they would literally spring apart and drop the telescope! Perhaps the Skytee 2 has better clamps than mine had?

Youre welcome. Yes, that is a bit far to pop across and try it out 😂.

One of the scopes I use mine with is the Tecnosky 102ED F7, and it works very well, MUCH more steady than the AZ5, (which I've also had) and much better engineered. The Mount Zero axis knobs are much easier to use than the small 'screws' on the AZ5. You hardly have to tension the knobs once the scope is balanced on the mount, and it's then easy to push the scope into place or use the slow motions fior the rest of your session without touching the knobs again. I don't know where you live, but if you can get to Oakworth, West Yorkshire you'd be welcome to come and try it for yourself.

I bought one used and its excellent, I use both my 80 and 102 refractors with it and a PST. It's always worked perfectly, I love it. I've used many altaz mounts over the years, and consider it to one of the best . It would have been a bit pricey for me new (as a poor pensioner ☺️) which is why I snapped up the used one when it was advertised. Its well made and a good mount and I would consider it good value if the money isn't a problem. I have read about other people's 'problems', though personaly I think those indicating the two nuts on the axis needing adjusting as being a minor thing. Personally, I wouldn't consider this as a problem, many pieces of new kit arrive needing some minor adjustment. Some pieces of new kit, as reported on SGL, arrive needing what I consider to be unacceptable changes to be made and think this is OK - even occasionally if it needs engineering skills and a workshop to do it! Now, that is a problem. If something is actually faulty with the item, and it's been supplied by FLO or any other reliable supplier, there's no worry about getting a refund or a replacement anyway.

That sounds like a great session Stu, thanks for sharing it.

Thank you Mark. I did put an alert on the Celestial Events Heads Up forum, but it was a bit late I'm afraid. I didn't put it on until around lunch time yesterday. I did mean to put iton earlier.

I managed to observe the event. I've put a post here....

I set the alarm at 5.40am to catch this event and was outside by just turned 6am. A brilliant Venus at m -4.6 was shinning above the SE horizon. 5.25 degrees to the S of Venus was a much dimmer Mars, m +1.3 visible in my 10x50s. Because of the brightening sky I couldn't see Mars with the naked eye. No Moon visible yet. At 6.18 I could just see the N cusp of the crescent Moon peeping over the horizon and watched it and Venus as the sky continued to rapidly brighten. I was pleased to see the conjuction and especially my first Mars view of the apparition! Below is a screen grab ftom SkySafari and some pis of the Moon as it rose, taken between 6.24 and 6.30 through the Altair 80 ED-R and Olympus camera.

I've just worked out that at 6.25 tomorrow (civil dawn), the Moon will only be 1.7 degrees altitude, with the sun rising at 7.00 am. I don't have a perfect E horizon so it may not be high enough to see until its too light. Of course, it improves the further south you go from here in West Yorkshire.

I think I might be the only one trying to observe this. At the moment it's forecast to be clear in down town Oakworth. Go on, prove me wrong! 😊. Graphic below taken from 20022 Night Sky Guide by Dunlop and Tirion.

I put the alarm on at 4.30am to catch the moon just after last quarter, 58.4%, one of my favourite times to observe it. Set up outside by 4.50am with the Altair 80 ED-R, mostly using 26mm Orthos and x2 barlow with the binoviewer. The seeing was not great with the Moon only at an altitude of around 16 degrees. Non the less, Imbrium, the Apennine Mtns and the sun catching the highest peaks of the the Caucasus Mtns was truly spectacular. Further south the Southern Highlands were also very impressive. The single frame and crop below (taken at 4.49am, Olympus E-M5 Mk11), does little justice to the visual feast - but fellow lunarphiles will be well aware of this. I also observed the 34% crescent Venus, m - 4.6, which was at an altitude of only 5.4 degrees at 5.30 am. A lovely sight, and on Feb 27th it will have the 15% crescent moon and Mars for company in the dawn sky.

Well excitement over, the second umbral region is in fact a new AR, AR2955, not part of AR2954 as I thought it was before it was named. Next time perhaps?

I used to have this catalogue delivered Mark, it's amazing isn't it. The range of optical products they can supply is stunning.

Mark, had a brief opportunity to observe AR2954 this morning, and the umbral region has been joined by a second one which has just come onto the disc. So, there may be more to come yet. As you say, we'll worth keeping an eye on. Pic a single frame taken at 10.34 with the Altair 80-EDR and Olympus camera.

Had a look this morning, and now a second umbral region has come into view. Perhaps not the 'monster' predicted, but there may be more to come. Difficult conditions, but took this single frame at 10.34 am with the Altair 80- EDR and Oympus camera. UPDATE FEB 22ND. As its turned out, the new umbral spot in the pic is a new group, AR2955, it's not part of AR2953. Excitement over I'm afraid.

Looks like we might be disappointed. I'll take a look later to check, if the strong winds ease and there is some clear sky.

Today's update from spaceweather.com. It's still looking good 🙂.

Saganite, you do realise that following your post, some unscrupulous people will be looking to buy a 24mm Ultima to sell to you for a 'kings ransome' 🤭.

Well, I suppose I should mention the 35mm Eudiascopic (Ultima etc) before anyone else mentions it - kindly passed to me by Mike - and more special as I l know how much Mike valued it. (Mike still has the Ultima version). I also have recently obtained a second 28mm RKE. I must confess at this time Peter, I bought it to go with the one I already had on loan from you to use in my binoviewer. I'm rather hoping now I've reminded you that I can keep it fior the forseeable future 👍 🙏 😊.

It could do Paz, it depends on how active it still is. I'll certainly be looking out on the limb before it rotates into view.

Update from today's spaceweather.com

Just had this notification from spaceweather.com Looking at the size of the explosion, that could be quite some sunspot. 😊. Fingers crossed that it is!

Nice sketches Mike. As you'll recall, I was lucky enough to be observing with you on the night of the Jupiter observation, with my DL at the time. As you say though, it was a night of exceptional seeing, and not what you can see every night. Secondly, not everyone has your good eye and excellent artistic talent. The latter point also applies to the night that you did the Mars drawings of course. It could mislead less experienced and talented observers if they expected to see, and sketch, what you were able to do on both of these nights.

A few thoughts. Telescopes are relatively far cheaper than when my mum bought me my first scope in around 1967/68, a very basic 60mm refractor. People rarely buy only what they actually need, rather than what they want, and stick with it. This isn't helped by telescope retailers and books/magazines referring to scopes such as 6 inch reflectors and achromatic refractors up to 3/4 inches as being starter scopes - that need 'upgrading' barely before the owner has learned how to use it. Alas, too many people on various forums are too keen to tell beginners that they need to spend far more than is actually true. Of course, many experienced observers give very helpful advice, but if you are a beginner, how do you know who to believe? It's actually not essential that people 'progress' from being a visual observer to an imager - honestly! Some, might think it a backward step 🙂. Apart from some imagers, apparantly, no one needs a goto mount, or in fact anything electrical except torch batteries. No one needs more than two or three eyepieces and a barlow. Non of the eyepices need to have a field of more than 76 degrees, since you can't see the whole field all in one go anyway. Nearly all of the most spectacular events I have observed over the years have not needed any optical aid at all. Just a matter of being at the right place, at the right time and having skies clear enough to see the event. The rest could have been seen in a three inch telescope, probably smaller. There are many active astronomical societies that have events or regular sessions where you can go along and use their equipment. Star parties are also great places to use different types of equipment.m Astronomy is open to everyone.