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AlexB67

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Everything posted by AlexB67

  1. I still got me old Pentax XL 10.5mm, the predecessor of the XW 10mm but got at about half price years ago, it was my first high end ep. I still love it, I vouch for Pentax, the few eyepieces that remind me of ortho likes views but with wider views, comfort and eye relief to boot. It took me a couple of nights to get the adjustment right, but then I never looked back. Keep an eye out on the second hand market, You never know, but I expect XLs may be relics by now, and more likely to score an XW. If you are like me I get a kick out of buying something used at half price when it still works like new.
  2. Congrats, Looks like a very nice scope. the weight of it is even significantly less then my 10 inch Skywatcher Flextube ?. Even got the curved spider vanes design, nice thought, and a friendly F ratio. My only deterrent would be the assembly time if you have to do that each time, taking it out of the house, or fitting it in car. The main reason l love the flextube design is for travel in a small car , yet it is very quick to setup each time. The tube is build like a tank too which make it quite heavy, but you'll not dent it .... unlike the much more expensive Orion UK Dobs I saw last year at a party. ?
  3. Years ago I set out to write a little project learning a little C++ and Qt, coming from a fortran C background already, not a pro developer, but just in the sciences mainly, it was around the same time I got heavily into visual astronomy. As time went by I often saw the same questions asked, about calculating magnification, exit pupils and more advanced things. I Discovered along the way there were several websites aound calculating this, that or the other. which inspired me to put it all in a little calculator application, which kept growing over the years. I then left it and did not develop it further for many years but recently got the courage and time to finish it. I found myself actually using it quite bit and thought, this may actually be quite useful for the community and beginners, both for learning basic concepts in visual astronomy to the more advanced things. To date date it features Magnitude calculator ( extended object visibility calculations a WIP (much more tricky) calculation of various properties. Daw's limit, Magnification exit pupil, to the more obscure things like the diffraction limited field. Database of many known eyepieces and telescopes. Compare two telescopes and eyepiece combination. Spreadsheet feature. Enter your own telescopes and eyepieces. Ocular viewer with a few example objects. Interactive graphs for various telescope properties, with zoom + changing values on the fly (displayed in the graphs in real time via user controls) and more stuff. I was wondering if I can have a volunteer at this point, to just test ( for packaging reasons) that if it will run on another windows machine or if I am missing any dependencies. You do not need to be expert but familiar with basic computer operation. files and folders, how to extract contents from a zip files and just see if it runs. I'll do a proper installer later. Thanks It'll be some time for a proper release, hobbies have no deadlines ?
  4. Personally I am happy with the smaller FOV, the widest I have is 72 degrees, and I have one 2 inch 68 degree Maxvision which I have used a lot (more at darker sites). My policy has been to optimise transmission and FOV and avoid big towers and barlows with extra optical elements and an overall heavy kit . In my case my decision was also driven by having a good quality performance across the entire FOV. At f4.7 I would really want a coma corrector for the ultra wide 2 inch eyepieces to do them justice , and that is extra baggage I rather live without. My mantra has been to keep it simple, keep it light, that way I don't need counter weights, the standard focussers in both of my scopes handle that setup well.
  5. The problem is once you know about them and see them, they'll they never go away ? thanks to my friendly F4.7 ratio. Years ago I dabbled with the idea of coma corrector, I never did, Edge to edge my Delos 14mm is still very decent in that telescope. Once you look through an eyepiece where astigmatism is pretty much eliminated and the remainder is coma, it is not at all bad IMO, I can live with it. I did stay away from the extra wide angle eyepieces. The Delos 72 degree is the max FOV eyepiece I have. I stopped collecting for many years now, but now on the lookout for a 5mm to replace my dead 5mm BGO, but that's for another thread, Neil, congrats on your plossl, I looked through a 25mm TV in Ireland last year under cracking dark skies, very nice. I never owned one.
  6. A 14mm Delos incoming, thanks to the lounge :) Managed to sell two BSTs in the space of 30 minutes and the Delos obtained a few days later. People don't hang about here do they ? :)

    1. jetstream

      jetstream

      congrats Alex!I hope the sky is clear for soon first light

    2. jabeoo1

      jabeoo1

      Too true! The 6mm radian advert I snapped up was 12 mins old ;) That 14mm delos should be an excellent EP. I love my 15mm TV plossl so that should be amazing.

    3. AlexB67

      AlexB67

      Never tried a TV plossl as yet, not doubt lovely the only thing you'd be missing I suspect is the extra FOV. The 6mm Radian is super isn't it, got one too :) TBH honest had a generous offer of a 14mm Radian for rather a lot less and was strongly tempted, but since it is my birthday this month felt a bit of extra extravagance was in order with the Delos, I always wanted one anyway. Since both my 10mm Pentax and the delos are in the of 2 - 3 mm exit pupil sweet spot I like to use a lot...

  7. Alan did a review of the 14mm pentax versus delos at one time if I recall, it is somewhere in this subforum, or perhaps it was a 10, not sure. One of the man criticisms of the longer focal length pentax range is field curvature in faster Newts getting quite noticeable, though the paracorr does a very good job of removing most of that from what I gather that it is hardly visible, which wil be added to my stable at some point anyway so not too worried. My next purchase is a 14mm and likely will be the Delos, but I've not decided a 100 percent. perhaps it may be a XW or if an older XL tuned up. Often the second pentaxes can be got a bit cheaper too wich is another consideration for me as well. I am firmly stuck into that second hand buying though for those premium eyepieces, as Michael said in another thread there are many happy enough to shift stuff along on a frequent basis, and I'll happily grab a bargain and wait a bit for something to turn up
  8. I can see why I only have the 5mm BGO and love it, so even if I did have a pentax XW5 I would not sell the BGO, they are great on doubles too and I've been be using it for that too a lot lately, and in my 10 inch Dob the 5mm delivers 240x on saturn it is a marriage made in heaven, sharp contrast laden views, as crunchy as crisps. I can dig the ortho experience after owning one and it is a very pleasant one even if the eye relief is tight and FOV small. I can only imagine how good some of those real top end orthos must be like, but I am hapy with the BGO, I may even get a few more atsro hutechs or second hand BGO in time, since they are not that expensive. When I look through a pentax though it is the nearest thing that reminds me of an ortho in how it renders things, even if I haven't got one in the same focal length to compare that's the feeling I get looking through them, there is that next to no glass feeling when you look through them, yet pentaxes are full of glass. sorry for the OT.
  9. Very interesting read Alan. I have yet to sample that Delos range. Having looked through a couple of pentaxes though they are my favourites in the case as overall performers considering ease of use, wide FOV,eyerelief as well. I can dig why RikM ended up with a set of them, I am not jealous ......Who am I kidding The only downside of such eyepiece once you have looked through them is I want more of them, and they ain't cheap, but worth the money and saving for IMHO. I don't every see myself ending up with the 3.5 anytime soon, but the 5mm some day perhaps if I am getting too lazy for my beloved 5mm BGO.
  10. 4 nights observing last week. Looks clear again. The nights may be short, but I love the mild temps and actually getting some observing done these days. :)

    1. emadmoussa

      emadmoussa

      I'm not sure why, the moment I cleared out, the more clear nights took place... probably for everybody's sakes, I should stay telescope-less

    2. Daniel-K

      Daniel-K

      jezze alax thats some going! ENJOY IT while it lasts

  11. A golden oldie tv radian 8mm arrived in post, to kepe my 6mm company. Came with box, eyeguard and all this time. Looks mint. Can't wait to give it a run.

    1. Luke

      Luke

      Congrats on the 8mm Radian :) Mine is going nowhere, after nearly being sold a few months ago.

    2. michael.h.f.wilkinson

      michael.h.f.wilkinson

      Very nice EP, have fun!

    3. Sarah

      Sarah

      As Luke says, ours is going nowhere. It is my favourite eyepiece for solar viewing.

  12. Enough to open your own telescope house, we know where to go when items are out of stock
  13. Nice and compact, and even the BGO colour mixes well with the TV, not that it matters. Imagine the same amount of ethos and delos, the case would be weigh like a concrete block
  14. Righto, expensive month, The pentax XW 7mm was hard to resist, and one huge fridge freezer for the kitchen, that's it for this month.

    1. Show previous comments  9 more
    2. jetstream

      jetstream

      Okulars,Okulars-Mr Ernst Leitz perhaps!LOL! Close Mike?

    3. Mike73

      Mike73

      You got it Jerry, its all about the Okulars lol. Big FoV's arent my thing but I like the sound of very small EP cases. :)

    4. AlexB67

      AlexB67

      I can identify with that Mike I know I just bought one, and like a few high mag ones close in focal length, but looking at a much smaller collection in the longer focal lengths, but with good quality, hence I think I'll probably skip the 14mm, the 17.3 Delos will be enough.

  15. Gave a couple of my oldie 2nd hand eyepieces a bit of the Baader wonder fluid treatment, now the eye lenses look pristine again. Good stuff that is :D

    1. Daniel-K

      Daniel-K

      aye sure is

    2. jabeoo1

      jabeoo1

      I got a sealed bottle of that on emergency standby. Great to know the reviews are true :)

  16. Orderd some of that Baader wonderfluid plus microfibre cloth, then forgot to order the lens pen. Should I get the pen as well ? Got an existing cleanign kit that worked well anyway, but thought to get the best. I Doubt a lens pen would even be able to touch the tiny lens on the Baader BGO 5mm anyway.

    1. Show previous comments  1 more
    2. Qualia

      Qualia

      I wouldn't bother, Alex. It's probably a unique experience but my own really made a mess of an old X-Cel EP. Better a pear shaped blower and a little liquid and gentle rub. Incidentally, I've had my own BGOs for a number of years now and they have never needed a clean. You eyelashes will do that very well :-)

    3. cotterless45

      cotterless45

      The spray fluid is ace.

    4. AlexB67

      AlexB67

      Thank you for the info chaps. Rob, already got one of those blowers from my other cleaning kit, it is the fluid I did not like that came with it. I like the spray nozzle idea on the baader so I don't fall into the danger of applying too much of it on the lens.

  17. BGO orthos rock, Good conditions for moon and Jupiter tonight. Never sees as much detail on Jupiter bands in little 5 inch scope like the Heritage 130p as with the 5mm BGO Ortho. Happy man :D Less glass is more I say :)

  18. Finally, It was clear, got up around 4, good time to bag SN2014J in M82, near zenith. Good views. :)

    1. emadmoussa

      emadmoussa

      I always felt self-conscious about setting up at dawn..my neighbors will have thought I was such a weirdo :D :D

    2. AndyWB

      AndyWB

      Well done, mornings are hard work...

  19. scoping out some small clusters around cassiopiea, then dew. Some marvelous views of the dragonfly, but also sailboat, and some smaller NGCs and Caldwells, heaven for the rigel circles to find stuff :D

  20. A small break in clouds for a few hours this evening ... allegedly. Two new toys to try, surely cannot be ? I live in hope :)

  21. What's new this month ? One 68 degrees 20mm maxvision at a bargain 60 quid, plus a UHC ordered, plenty to keep me busy :)

  22. Suddenly clear skies here, righto .. I am out with scope :)

    1. AlexB67

      AlexB67

      Very productive last night, perhaps it was a bit of calmness after the storm, but good skies, a little windy but I had my sheltered spot in garden.

    2. emadmoussa

      emadmoussa

      Cool stuff. I wanted to take the scope out, but it was a bit windy..and the patio was full of leaves and twigs...tonight looking good though.

    3. AlexB67

      AlexB67

      When you get your Dob, not to worry, these things can take a bit of wind ( no pun intended). I had no issue with mine even when there were a few whirl winds around the patio, the thing took no notice, mind you open flextube, less for the wind to get hold :)

  23. Righto. Ordering a 1.25 inc UHC for the Heritage, and for the time being can be used in the 10 inch too. That's me done for a while now. Start saving again for the ep wear. < 6 weeks, ~ £ 600 gone. Darn, this hobby sucks ..... money :D

  24. Only ordered a Rigel reflex from FLO yesterday lunchtime, it was here this morning using the standard delivery option. Now that is fast. Is that even possible ?? I guess it must be :D

    1. Naemeth

      Naemeth

      It's how fast everywhere should be, FLO are doing what they do best - their job :D.

    2. AlexB67

      AlexB67

      +1 on FLO. Rigel looks and feels more solid compared to what I thought it would be, and it weighs like a feather, even compared to the RDF:). I'll doubt I'll be dropping it on the patio though to test solidity :0). Clouds are clearing, may be this evening ...

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