paulastro

Used the Seestar S50 to look at this active group this morning.  Well worth taking a  look if you have the chance.  Sunspot Number 116.

Pic below taken with S50 at 10.57am.

Well done on your first light with the S50.  The first of many I hope.

Just click on the button when you have the pic you want  and it stops and sends a jpeg of it to your phone.  Generally the longer exposure the better the picture.

You'll find the jpeg in your gallery if you're phone is an Android.

36 minutes ago, LaurenceT said:

All this talk about community and helping each other has  given me the courage to ask one question.

 

Can someone lend me a fiver until Saturday....................................?

 

 

🤣

Laurence, I'd be glad to lend you a fiver.  You'll just need to collect it from Oakworth, West Yorkshire 😊.

23 minutes ago, jock1958 said:

Hi Paul what’s the FLO version of the Skytee 2 and how does it differ from other versions?
Until an affordable quality replacement comes along I’ll soldier on with my 8 year old ST 2. 

Hi Jock.  From memory, the only differences are it comes with two counterweights and has StellaLyra written on it in a coupleof places.  I think it's also about £30  cheaper.   You can check it out on their website.

7 minutes ago, Elp said:

M33 is quite a difficult one as it is reasonably large and spread out and we're sort of looking at it at an angle near head on so the spirals are quite faint, even with AP equipment it takes a while to gather the data to bring the detail out. I'm sure with some perseverance you'll get a decent result.

Yes, I realise it's a difficult object.  My point was how well the S50 did to bring out what it did in such conditions. In a good dark sky I'm confident it will be quite impressive.

I went out last night desperatel to be able to use the S50 on deep sky for the first night for a month.   Clear at 6pm but cloud forecast by 7.00pm.  At 6pm took a snap of the 72% gibbous Moon, so at least I'd get something..

Then out again at 6.30, still 50 mts until darkness arrives and few stars visible, but still clear.  I started an exposure of M33 about 6.40, despite the lack of stars and bright Moon.  In such conditions I wanted to see how the S50  would perform, if at all.

Anyway not long after starting, it started to miss stacking some frames as clouds were rapidly building up. By the time Ihad accumulated 7 mts of eposture time, M33 was only just visible on the phone. I was surprised I got what I did as by this time I could hardly see any gaps in the cloud. I ended the run.

Inside I just messed about with the phone's software to see what I could get out of it, without much optimism.  Now, of course the processed frame is of very poor quality, but I was surprised it showed up so much.  Comparing it with a photo in the Cambridge Messier Atlas it shows the extent of the arms to some degree, and several of the brighter star forming regions.  Quite amazing really in the conditions I thought.  It should show a lot in a datk sky with an hour or so exposure.  Below is the Moon shot, and the unprocessed and processed M33 exposures.

.

5 hours ago, quasar117 said:

Would the Starfield benefit from being mounted on Skytee2 rather than AZ4? I'm aware I'd be losing the slomo control on the AZ4. I'm just concerned under high magnification vibration might be handled better with the Skytee2.

 

Yes it would.  My Askar 103 apo triplet ( a bit heavier than the Starfield) was not good at higher powers on an my AZ5 or AZ4 which I tried it on - I couldnt use the Askar to its full potential at higher powers, VERY frustrating.  I had a Tecnosky (the Starfield is a rebadged version of it)  which gave the same problem.

I bought the FLO version of the Skytee11 and it really is steady as a rock with either of these scopes.  The slow motions are very good.  

I've posted this in another forum, but thought it may be of interest here also.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/411484-what-did-the-postman-bring-v2/page/37/#comment-4460142

If you're a binocular enthusiast (or thinking of buying a pair) you'll want this book.  I ordered it from Amazon as soon as I saw the review (by Steve Tonkin) in the March edition of the Sky@Night magazine.

I picked it up last night at midnight for a quick browse, and didn't get to bed untill 2.30 am.

I warn you though, by the time I had put the book down, I had already found three binoculars I'd like to buy - and I already have six or seven pairs!  The book is good value in my view despite the cost (it's a hardback) - but it could end up costing you quite a bit more 😊.

16 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I read this over Christmas. Very interesting.
Only problem is all the typos, often several on the same page and many dozens in total. It looks like they skipped proofreading. I found that a bit offputting.

I did notice this but there's not that much available about the great man, so I was willing to overlook this.  😊.

I think you're right though, that these days typos and mistakes are far more common-place than they used to be years ago.

Well, I'm a bit late with this.  A close friend sent it to me last Christmas as a present.

W.F. Denning is one of my astronomical hero's, and if you are a fan of Telescopic Work for Starlight Evenings (still available in various editions)  you are likely to be interested in this.

Available from Amazon.

9 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Not seen this guide book in person before. Nice and compact. Bought used.

You're lucky to find a copy Jeremy.  I bought the latest edition from Canada a year or so ago.  Up till then I had used the first edition for many years. Also have the pdf version.  

Its the only guide I ever use at the telescope.  Since Ive had the Starsense Dob it's been even better as I just have to look up the designation of any object and less than a minute  later it's in the eyepuece!

I thoroughly recommend it, it's just a shame it's not more easily available in the UK, postage from Canada is VERY expensive.  Everyone should have a copy.

9 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Here you go Paul. Inc video. Sorry about the traffic noise. Its not normally so noisy round here!

The APZ can be motorised and can use star book according to instructions. I don't need either. Very little damping time needed, even on my Vixen AL tripod. ~2seconds!

The counterweight can be removed and a counterweight arm can be attached to balance heavier scopes if needed.

 

 

Many thanks Mike, much appreciated, your pics look a lot better with the lights on 🙂.  The mount looks good with your Tak.

I can't see Takahashi giving you anything for nothing, not even a Newtons ring.  They are hardly known for supplying anything but the bare minimum with their tube assemblies.

12 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

When letting the pooch out into the garden I noticed there were stars in the sky. Excitedly I carried my new mount outside, a Vixen APZ, and attached the FC100D. Then rushed back in for my eyepieces. I had a couple of new eyepieces to play with tonight, the first a 3.5mm XW and the second a 4mm Tak TOE, and so couldn't miss this opportunity. 

 Once everything was ready the clouds moved over, but there were suckered holes to look through and I still managed to have a great time.  I first used mt 30mm Ultraflat to take a peek at M42. I love this eyepiece as its a jewel, giving exactly what it claims, a flat field across the field.  I then aimed at Sirius and swapped to the 3.5mm XW. Yuck! The star danced in a rainbow of colours. Obviously the scope hadn't cooled sufficiently. A few minutes passed and everything settled down, and a perfect Airy disc stared back at me. Unfortunately a telegraph wire cut through my field of view and created an annoying spike across the field. The seeing still wasn't great and no pup was visible to me.

Then I suddenly remembered I had a 4mm TOE to play with. I grabbed the eyepiece, attached it to the scope and aimed at Jupiter, which at this point was not only tickled by cloud, but also nearing the tree tops and the edge of my roof line. Despite this terrible situation,  I brought the scope to focus and was very impressed by the intricately detailed view of the belts.  The 4mm should be excellent when the planet is better placed.

Now a quick comment about the mount. The Vixen APZ was an absolute joy to use. It glides when pushed and its slow motion controls are precise and effortless. I really enjoyed this mount, in fact I think I love it!

Just to give you an idea of how poor the sky actually was I've included a few pic's. Never the less, I had a great time star hopping. 

Nice write up Mike.

Any chance of dome pics taken in the daytime?  I could hardly see them on my phone they are so dark.

On 04/02/2024 at 20:46, F15Rules said:

Well... please bear with me, as the story that follows is true, and illustrates just how,  sometimes, a small event can lead to something very unexpected!

..after a somewhat stressed, hectic and overall exhilarating past week, the deals are done. Trinity, the Tak FS128 has now gone to her new keeper, someone who owned one 20 years ago and has regretted it ever since ( no, not @MikeDnight!😂..), and Superfox, formerly Tim's (@Franklin) wonderful Vixen SD115S, has today come to Lincolnshire..🤩

I had been contemplating the unthinkable (ie selling the FS128) for around 6 months, due to a combination of truly awful autumn and winter weather, slow but definite deterioration of eyesight, lack of "Mojo", and physical bulk of the FS128 setup. 

I've mentioned more on this in the recent thread about the sale of the Tak, but suffice to say, I had by Christmas more or less decided to downsize a bit, it was just a question of when.. I just needed that "nudge" to get on and do it. 

As far back as last March, when Tim (@Franklin) revealed his lovely new Vixen SD115S, I had decided that for me, I could only move from a Tak to another Tak..or to a big Vixen.. I've owned 2 fabulous 4" ED103S's, one of which, Foxy, is now lovingly owned by my good friend Steve (@Saganite).

The decision as to which way to go wasn't too difficult, as Takahashi only do the TSA 120 which is too expensive new, and quite heavy, and a Triplet (I've always been wary of Triplets, probably unnecessarily so) due to the 3 elements, possible expensive misalignments, etc..and not much if any of a weight saving versus the FS128.

The 100mm Tak doublets are optically superb, but I didn't want to drop down from a full 5" apo to a skinny 4 incher, (NO offence to owners, I just like a somewhat larger tube such as the oversized, but quite lightweight tubes the older Vixens and FS Taks had).

Takahashi make lovely 4" scopes but I've always loved Vixens, right back to the 1970s/80s when I drooled over their legendary SP102 F10 achromats on equally legendary GP mounts - good quality astro gear for the masses!

The problem was, the SD115S (the largest Vixen refractor they currently offer), was and is as rare as hen's teeth in the UK, (rarer, it seems than FS128s!) and very expensive new (not far short of £3k)..at which point many buyers would automatically go for a Tak, as much for the resale values as much as the optical quality.

Anyway, whizz forward to last Monday 29th January..Steve messaged me to say that Tim (@Franklin) had put up for sale his Vixen LVW set..still highly rated oculars (rightly so).. so, Steve knew that I'd wanted for some years to get some more LVWs, especially the 22mm, and he wanted a 3.5mm, so he said I should contact Tim asap before someone bought the set!

I pondered for a short while then asked Tim by message if the set was still available, and if so, would he would hold it for me for a few days while I put my FS128 up for sale. Tim very kindly said yes, but that Steve had offered first on the 3.5mm, so he felt he should have first refusal. I was very happy with that, since without Steve's heads up I'd never have even known they were available!

Moving on. On Monday I took the plunge and put the FS128 up for sale on SGL. In the meantime I remembered I'd actually seen an SD115S for sale on UKABS a few weeks back...but in Italy, so I hadnt then pursued it.

I found the advert and opened a message dialogue with the seller to confirm if it was still available.. I must he say is a lovely guy and has a longstanding history of problem free sales to the UK. He confirmed it was/is still for sale, and that he would offer  free shipping to the UK, too.

Anyway, just as I was convincing myself that the Italian SD115S was worth taking the risk of shipping from Italy, I had a message via SGL from Tim..

To my astonishment, Tim said he'd been thinking a lot about his plans for this year, and that, if I was interested, he would offer to sell me his SD115S (11 months old!), and his LVW set (minus the 3.5mm going to Steve).. and he would deliver them all in person to my home !! I was genuinely shocked..and delighted!

I was fortunate enough to have 2 firm offers to buy the FS128, plus another seriously interested party, within c 7 or 8 hours of advertising, so I was able to properly accept Tim's offer..

I also contacted the Italian seller in fairness to him..he was superb, and said that the newer scope, located in the UK, was too good a chance to miss, and he positively encouraged me to proceed!

So, there it is. I have now wound up with, for me, probably the best possible replacement for my Tak that I could have hoped for. And I will always be grateful to Steve for that heads up, and to Tim for selling me such a wonderful bundle of astro kit!

Thanks for staying with my ramblings..here are more photos of Superfox, and I"ll post much more on the scope as I get used to it in the coming weeks...Weather permitting!!😊

Dave

I'm delighted it's all worked out well for you Dave.  I've always loved happy endings 🙂.

I has some opportunities between cloud this morning, used the Seestar S50 for a few snaps as it was quicker than getting one of the refractors out.

3 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I'm a Dob fan! The big one's - temporarily at least - attract the crowds at star parties, which leaves me alone with my refractor. Until some Wandering Walter with too much curiosity finds me hiding in the dark; then after one look through the refractor gives me away and loudly invites his friends to look through "the best scope here!" And  my quiet observing is over for the night.

And then Mike wakes up, as the sunlight filters through his bedroom window........🤣

4 hours ago, The60mmKid said:

Be careful... There are people out there who would be tempted to take full advantage of such an opportunity 😇

Really?  Still don't care.

With respect to all those who have contributed to this thread, does it all really matter?

Personally, I don't care what anyone calls me.  I'm not going to change what I do astronomy-wise whatever anyone calls  me, or folks who have similiar interests.

12 hours ago, Martin Meredith said:

Thanks Paul for these tips and observations.

I was pretty happy with getting the object into the FOV, and indeed I aligned by zooming right in each time. The mirror itself is clean, pristine almost. It might be that my phone camera lens wasn't...

One thing I noticed during the initial setup was that when centering the camera over the mirror I always had a dark edge at top and bottom, while in their demo video I see a nice clear centred image.

I also selected to have the advanced camera controls (exposure/gain/iso) on the menu but I'm not sure whether they're needed. It seems they're they're just available for the setup stage when centering the mirror since that's done in daylight I guess.

I'm sure it will be a game changer for me too. I was really happy with the actual results, just surprised by how often it reported not being able to find itself.

Thanks Martin.  It sounds as if you are already doing pretty well with it, the longer you use it the better it becomes as you learn all the the things it's capable of doing.

Don't worry about the dark edges, you mention when setting up, it happens to mine too. I think it's because it is on a wide angle setting at this time and operates in portrait mode.  At night it's not really noticeable.  Just ensure you can see as much sky as possible.

I would avoid using the advanced controls, they aren't necessary if the setup is right.  If it's also telling you that it needs to take longer exposures to find it's position this indicates all is not well.  I came across these only when I first had it and it turned out the phone I was trying to use was not compatable.  

Its much easier to do the setup in daylight, though you can do it at night.  If it's done properly in the day, it will work at night time.  Then when you take it outside at night just turn the app on, press the flashing symbol on the bottom line,  and check the box indicating it is 'still aligned' when it asks you to choose from some options.  You're then good to go.  The whole procedure only takes a couple of minutes.  Unless you've knocked the phone holder this should be all you need to do every time you set it up.  You don't have to go through the entire initial setup procedure again every time you use it, but I guess you know this already.

Having reflections from the back of the case seems unlikely to me I must say.  I always use my phone without the case on when using SS.  This is because a couple of times I found one edge of the phone wasn't pushed all the way into the holder, causing there to be a constant error in  the pointing till i noticed what it was!  If you have a thin case this probably won't be an issue.

It's  easily dark enough to use SS about an hour after sunsiet and you should get 100% success.  Rarely something will happen so it won't work, but this is usually something very simple such as you've knocked the phone holder or aligned it at night and tried to aligne the phone with a different star to that which is in the scopes field of view!  Sounds silly?  I've done it a couple of times myself!  (If you do this you'll have a constant error when you try to point to something)

Here's a link to something I posted some time ago that might possibly have something of use to you I haven't mentioned

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/402088-celestron-starsense-explorer-8-inch-dobsonian-review/#comment-4309136

Martin.

Re aligning the 'virtual' retincal on your phones screen with a distant object ( if aligning in daytime ) or a distant bright star at night. The accuracy is better the higher the magnification you use and also then magnifying the star you are aligning to on the phone's screen by pinching the screen with your thumb and finger to make it even bigger.  Using this method it's easily possible to centre objects even with a mag of x100 plus.  I must say though, it should still be easy to put objects nearr the centre of the bullseye every time using your  19mm eyepiece.

Re the mushiness you experienced at the end of your session.  It could possibly be dew on the phone holders mirror, though this has never happened to me, even when there is ice on the scope or high humidity when the tube is running with water.  One SS user also reported when he was having intermittent pointing success, it turned out that his phone camera lenses had many smudges from fingerprints, and when he wiped them the problem went away!  

Another cause of inaccuracy is if you move the position of the phone holder when putting the phone in place.

Ive found it still to be accurate even if your target is near a bright moon.  I have found it to work successfully when finding an object less than 5 degrees from the full moon. ( zI tested it when I first had it!)

You are right in saying that as you accumulate more experience with SS you will get better accuracy and also achieve success on virtually every time you  try and find an object.  On most of my sessions I very rarely have any failures.  And if I do, it's because l make a silly error, more likely if you are tired.

Have fun with it, it's been a game changer for me and I make far better use of any available observing time.

Best wishes, Paul

16 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Paul, I never thought I'd  "Like" a Ship's Funnel photo, but your description of your ideal scope combination of Wants, Needs, Finances, Health etc at this time nailed the OP's question. Thank you for your post.

In the past 10 years I have owned 3 main scopes, each of which met all the above criteria for me at that particular time..

2014 -Beautiful D&G USA 5" F15 achromat, customised by Moonraker, London, and fitted with a Moonlite 2" focuser and tube optimised for Binoviewers. Completely undermounted as I had no funds left for an upgrade after the scope was done. Still got some amazing views though!

2017

I fulfilled a lifetime ambition to own one of the finest 5" refractors ever built..the Tak FS128. Owned her for 7 years.

2024 February

Vixen SD115S 

Sadly I had to recognise that deteriorating eyesight, especially in my right eye, plus the significant bulk and weight of the Tak setup and awful recent weather was working against my getting out under the stars so often..and I was probably not able to detect the very best images that the Tak could deliver.

My new setup is significantly smaller, lighter and less bulky. With the proceeds of the Tak sale I've been able to acquire this lovely and still premium quality and powerful refractor, plus an almost complete set of Vixen LVW eyepieces. So I hope this is now my personal ultimate setup for the observing time I still have to look forward to..

Dave😊

Many thanks Dave, that's very kind  of you. You've had some great scopes, and still have!  I had followed your thread on selling the FS128 with interest - I used Mike's quite a few times before he sold it so I know what a great telescope it was.   Your 'new' Vixen SD115S looks fabulous, especially on the Tak mount.  I've never had the pleasure of using one, but I'm sure it performs every bit as good as it looks.  I can see many pleasureable observing adventures await you with it.  Great to have the LVWs to use with it too.

I have had more scopes than I can remember over the years, and have enjoyed using every single one.  I don't regret selling any of them though, I've simply sold them on whenever my personal circumstances, or my observing priorities, have changed and I've  bought something which has met my new needs.   My enthusiasm for observing has never changed- the scopes just change now and again.

The weather has been, largely, particularly poor up here since Semptember, I then had to have a heart procedure in early December and a hip replacement three weeks ago, but I expect to be back at it to make up for lost time shortly when the weather improves.

I 'll look forward to reading  about how you're getting on with the Vixen Dave, by all accounts it's a fine scope.

My ultimate visual telescope is the telescope which allows me to see the amount of detail I want to see, in the objects I like to observe which is commensurate with my current age, fitness and finances.

At the current time this is a a Celestron 10 inch Dobsonian Starsense Explorer.  The Starsense Explorer push-to app based location system allows me to find any object I want quickly, easily, accurately, silently and  without any pain, WiFi connection. or an electricity supply - other than my phones battery!

Luckily for me, I already have one 😊.