paulastro

Many thanks Mike, I'll check out bench and chair covers, though Im not sure if they still make them in canvas? I've only seen plastic ones - though I do shop at the £ shop 🙂

Many thanks Eddy. Looks interesting, I'll check the measurements to see if it will do the trick. The fabric sounds as if it's up to the job. Thanks again.

I want a telescope cover for my 8 inch Newt on an EQ mount. I want it to be able to withstand a night or two set up outside, and sometimes a bit longer. I'm not bothered if it's a commercial telescope cover, it can be for garden furniture or anything else as long as it does the job. Please let me know what you have and how it works for you - or doesn't if there's anything to avoid! I will consider commercial telescope covers, but I'm not willing to spend something which costs a high proportion of the price of what it's going to be used for! Hence my comment - 'anything but Tele Gizmos'. As good as they might be, I really don't want to spend nearly £200. I've used many things over the years and still do, but if there is a ready available option I may not have considered, I'd be grateful to hear about it. Many thanks.

Nice drawing Mike. You were lucky to have such good seeing. I was using the 120ED at 8.30pm to watch the GRS transit on Jupiter and the seeing was awful. I could see the GRS only intermitiently, though in better moments you could see flashes of good detail in the EBs. Back to Mars. Using the 203/F1200 Bresser in the observatory from around 00.30am, the seeing was initially very good, nice sharp disk, well defined detail and lovely colours (using Baader Contast Booster filter). The S Polar Cap has indeed been shrinking over the last few weeks, and was very striking, it seemed even smaller than my last obs a few days ago. I was also struck by the darker southern albedo areas of the planet looking like a pattern of adjacent circular features, reminiscent (to me at least) of adjoining impact areas. Your drawing has captured this effect very well. There was a lot of detail, in these areas, but alas the seeing rapidly worserned as the plant got higher! I persisted until just after 2.00am by which time the seeing was very poor. Still, a very enjoyable session, Mars has so much to offer.

Good sketch Chris, I particularly like the colour. I'm delighted you had some good seeing. Regards, Paul

This is a significant time in this years opposition. Mars will remain at least 20 arcseconds or more in diam until November 1st. There isn't a better Mars opposition until 2035, so make the most it.

Kelling has been fully open since early July. Lets hope nothing happens to change this. I know it's sad, but it's the highlight of my year! (I don't get about much!).

Yes that's correct. I tighten it until the slow motion works, though not so tight that I cant also just push the mount up and down if I want to. The same for azimuth. My experience with this mount is the same as Mike's. 'Fine-tuned', both axis can be adjusted so that you can use both slow motion or just push the mount into position on either axis. In the manufacturers defence, I can forgive any variation on adjustment upon delivery. In terms of value, the only mount I know that equals it is the AZ4. I admit a bias, as the happy owner of 1 x AZ5 and 2 x AZ4s 🙂.

My experience with this mount is the same as Mike's. 'Fine-tuned', both axis can be adjusted so that you can use both slow motion or just push the mount into position on either axis. In the manufacturers defence, I can forgive any variation on adjustment upon delivery. In terms of value, the only mount I know that equals it is the AZ4. I admit a bias, as the happy owner of 1 x AZ5 and 2 x AZ4s 🙂.

It wasn't as bad as that Mike! The front baffle had some deep scratches etched into it though showing the metal underneath. Not mangled though. I probably have the pics somewhere that I took before sending it back 😁. Never had that problem with a SkyWatcher 🙂

Sounds great Peter, I wish I could have seen it.

You'll have to be careful if you meet up to observe with Mike. He uses his on a GP mount and you may get mixed up and take the wrong scope home 😄. Like Mike's it looks fabulous on that mount. A lovely setup, some great observing adventures on the way 😃

You're very welcome, but thanks must go to Ade for bringing it up to date - I wouldn't have a clue how to go about it myself 🌝.

I agree with this. Some good issues, and some issues with one or two things of interest. Not worth over £5.00 to me. This is why I took out a sub a month or two ago and now get it delivered for around £3.50 or so per issue !!! Now come on you chaps, less than the price of a pint or a coffee per issue in most places. And, a yearly sub at a price many people are happy to spend on a meal out or to watch a football match etc etc ......... If astronomy is one of your main interests it doesn't seem a lot to me. And of course you dont have to read the bits you aren't interested in. If the bits you might read aren't worth the price to you, you're not compelled to buy it. You can always go out for a meal or a pint or two instead. Cheers.

I'm delighted it's agood optic Mike. It certainly looked good in the back of your car. By the way, I take it that Mrs Hezzlewood hasnt caught sight of it yet, otherwise you wouldn't be posting on SGL this morning 🙂. I think it will complement your Tak really well, a bargain 👍. PS I may have a finder you can have, I'll have a rummage and see what I have.

Just noticed, Jeremy got there first! 😄

Well Mike, you're clearly a reflector type of guy now. Reflectors 2 Refractors 1 How on earth are you going to cope with those 'awful' diffraction spikes you are always talking about? 🙂

Thanks again, veryl information.

John. My tube assembly arrived today. Cant take it out side to take any pics, heavy rain today. In due course I'll do a review when I've put some time in with it. There are a couple of differences, including the cell. In your pics it looks like yours has a black back plate behind most of the mirror, with only a small part of the mirror visible in the centre? Mine looks like most of the mirror is visible, with some sort of thin black material on the back of the mirror. Anyway ill take a pick when I can. Also, I dont think the inside of the tube has a rubberised coating, it, if you hadnt mentioned it I wouldn't have any doubt. It also has that paint smell like the interior of new SW reflectors. Also I was very surprised to find a full aperture solar filter inside the box. The filter material is some sort of film, but it doesn't look like any film I have seen. It's much duller looking. It doesn't indicate what its made from. Did you get one with your scope? Anyway, it all looks and feels well made as you said, very nicely put together. One thing John, can you tell me what the two screws are on top of the focuser nearest the tube? I wandered if the focuser rotates, but havent touched them just in case they are something else adjusted at the factory. Best regards, Paul

Another location? Bigger telescope? (Tak of course Mike 🤗)

In a similar way, tak owners challenge our understanding of psychology 🙂.

So, it's not true then? Fluorite lenses dont melt if the sun shines on them? 🤭.

I'm really pleased for you Peter, but I'd have been an awful lot more pleased if I had been there with you! 🤢

I'm mainly a planetary/lunar man, and though a dim white light can be ok, I prefer red and rather hope that using white lights doesnt catch on. Ok at home if you must, but not when you are at a club event or at a star party. Trying to get away with it at Kelling would be very inconsiderate and put your well being at risk!

Thank you Chris. I ordered the optical tube assembley today from Telescope House. Thanks to John and others who have posted about the scope on SGL previously, I feel very confident it will meet my needs. Alas, this means the troublesome weather we had had recently will probably continue for a while 🙂.