paulastro

Many thanks for all those lovely pics from FLO and everyone else who posted any - really appreciated as I couldn't travel down. Not quite as good as actually being there myself, but pretty darn good (and cheaper!)

AKB - Frosty up here in Yorkshire for us tonight, and in fact just about most places in the UK - no excuse for not having 2nd light tonight, and there's a last quarter Moon!

Many thanks Dave.

Thanks Daved, will they appear somewhere on SGL do you know?

Excellent Reggie, it's obvious you don't live in Yorkshire!

I wasn't able to attend the show myself as I had an operation at the end of October and probably won't be able to drive until well into January. I would be grateful is people who went could post some pictures they took. Anything that shows what gear was on show - and being selfish, anything particularly regarding refractors 👍.

I actually managed to get a view from 7.10 - 7.30, I also managed to get Aldebaran in the same field as the Moon. I used a 32mm/70degree eyepiece and 2inch erecting present to get a 'right way round' view with my SW 72ED. I'm not sure I'll be up to look out again at 3.08 in the morning though Stu .

Hasn''t worked for me, since I last posted here it's clouded over completely, can't see where the Moon even is

Hope it clears up for you John, I think they forecast frost up here - it certainly feels cold enough at the moment.

It'll still look quite nice though Peter - don't be such a killjoy. Grab your 15x70s and get yourself out there!! 🤣

PPS The Moon doesn't move away as soon as I thought it does, should look quite nice later than I thought.

PS Moon rises at 5.04pm in sunny Oakworth, blimey, it's actually clear outside!!

Sorry about the short notice, I'd forgotten about this! May be worth a look if you have a clear horizon as soon as the Moon is up despite the Moon being only just past full - best in binoculars or small refractor with wide field. Look asap as the Moon will be moving further away.

Cheers Stu 👍

Many thanks Rob. I must admit I did overdo it a bit yesterday and had to rest up today - well worth it though! I'm glad you had a good transit, though at least I wasn't likely to get heat stroke .

Many thanks James. The weather was very dire, even worse than the poor forecast indicated. It was good fun though despite the conditions and we did manage to drag victory from the jaws of defeat .

Many thanks JOC, it was rather nice to arrive at the 'Snooty' and find a nice warm fire, as you can see in the pic I hadn't thawed out yet .

Mike took me and Derek to Penistone Hill outside Haworth for the transit. I'm most grateful to Mike as following a foot operation a couple of weeks ago I can't drive or walk very far so I would have been stuck at home otherwise. In summary, the weather was truly atrocious the whole time: fierce winds, rain and hail. I had to continuously wipe rain from the solar filter and my scope (72ED) was turning round on its tripod in the rain. We frequently had to shelter in the car along with the scopes, my tripod was blown over twice as well as chairs and anything else we weren't holding onto. I On arrival at the summit of the hill it was so ferocious we couldn't find anywhere safe to set up so we had to retreat further down the hill. Just after the start we had glimpses of the sun through cloud but we did see Mercury and I took some pics - all awful pics but over the moon we saw it, and delighted to have a memento. We left the site at around 2.30 but stopped on the way home to set up when there was a glimmer in the sky and we saw Mercury again nearly at maximum transit at 2.55pm. Despite the conditions, we thoroughly enjoyed the event, and very lucky to see what we did. Battling the elements on the summit of Penistone Hill. Derek and me with the 72ED and Mikes 100mm Tak. Sheltering from the tempest outside. Photo above taken at 12.40pm, SW 72ED Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 1/100 sec, 200 asa. Mike's Tak. Celebrating and warming up in the 'Snooty Fox' back in Oakworth.

10.15 now and completely cloudy with light rain. The sun has been out, and hopefully will come out again during the transit at some time. About 11.30 I'm heading up to Penistone Hill country park with my observing buddies Mike and Derek. It is only about 10mts drive away. It has a great 360 degree horizon with splendid views. We will be able to to observe it t until the sun sets if there is a break - so still hopefull. It's kind of Mike to come and pick me up as I had a foot operation just over two weeks ago, need crutches (or at least one!) and won't be able to drive for some weeks. Good luck to everyone 👍

Keep the faith folks, someone will certainly see it - if you don't buy a ticket........... NEVER give up until it really is too late. Good luck everyone

Unless it's a different scope, ENS has one of the Bresser Messier AR-102 F13.2 Hexafocus Optical Tubes for sale in hardly used condition for £170. From the comments made previously in this thread, it should be sold within two minutes max of this post going live! Link below. http://ensoptical.co.uk/telescopes/bresser-messier-ar-102

Excellent Stu, thanks for posting. Cloudy here, but couldn't go out anyway even if it was clear - incapacitated from an operation I had last Friday. Only my foot, but difficult to get out with a surgical boot on and using crutches. Hoping to be more ambulant on November 11th for the Mercury transit

I should think if it was dark green he may have got away with it. I wouldn't mind it overlooking my garden - as long as I was allowed to use it as well 😊.

Also a big thumbs up for the AZ4 from me. It comfortably takes my SW 120ED, I can use it at over x200 with the AZ4 - as long as it's not too windy. For me, except for very short scopes, the AZ5 is very much in the second division. Here's a couple of pics of the 120 on the AZ4 on a Pentax theodolite tripod - the tripod being a £10 bargain snapped up at Kelling. It's a vey substantial tripod and very easy to use the scope even at the zenith.

Mmm, I seem to recall that the last time I came to visit you Mike your wife banned us to the observatory - I didn't feel we had any choice but to leave your lounge! 🤣 Also you're wife accused me of trying to sell you the tripod I brought along that you were going to do a mod on for me, her actual words were 'he's not trying to sell you that pile of junk is he'. As if I ever would! By the way, that equatorial mount I offered to sell you at a great bargain price is still yours if you want to buy it . I have to admit though, your good lady does have an awful lot to put up with, she should be made a saint! By the way, the modified tripod works a treat - thank you my friend 👍.