Alien 13

I have had other older relatives with similar experiences, this was before TV so was not something they had seen elsewhere and imagined. My Gran was also very insistent that you have your doors open during a thunderstorm just in case..... Alan

I have a feeling that ball lightening was much more common years ago, I would expect the internet to be full of mobile phone captures with todays increased population and available technology but it isn't... The other thing my gran would say is that it wasn't floating around but levitating at a constant distance from the floor as though it had anti gravity properties... The event lasted several minutes too. Alan

There have been a lot of thunderstorms recently and it got me thinking about the strange phenomena of ball lightening, from what I gather there is no conscientious as to what it might be, theory's range from some sort of plasma to elemental micro black holes... I wonder what the latest view is?, I remember my Grandmother encountering one over 50 years ago about the size of a football that entered her home and moved through it and exited via the back door with no damage to anything. Alan

Just binged watched the first three episodes on i player, brilliant stuff from Jim AK. I also noticed an horizon program on the i player "how to build a time machine" so watched that too..... Alan

I found that most old M42 lenses had a back that had three screws too, I did swap out a old lens using a donor one that fitted with no mods so worth taking some measurements and a visit to a few charity shops..... Alan

That would be good but not impossible, I can just remember a company in the far east that could swap out the back end of any camera lens (mechanical bits not the glass) to any fitting... Alan

Sounds good, as to price a similar Canon version would be 6K+ so its a bargain...... I also suspect most scope manufacturers like TAK would run and hide if they had to get anywhere near f/2 at any price Alan

The 80D is a bit of an oddball in the Canon range as its more like a Nikon camera, the theory suggests that an ISO less camera suffers no image degradation when shooting at say ISO 200 and applying post processing gain than if it was shot at a higher ISO in the first place. The gain applied however is slightly different, the camera ISO control is effectively analogue gain like a volume control and post processing purely digital in that it multiplies the values. I expect there is a compromise between the two methods although its probably best to stick to low ISO values but still worth experimenting. Alan

Skywatcher AZ GTI mount or even the SW Star adventurer, best mounts ever made... Alan

Dont have the HEQ5 but with my EQ3 fitted with a dovetail and ball head can get 3 mins unguided with short fl camera lenses. The addition of the ball head allows for better framing of an object.. Alan

If the "one" scope was for visual then it would be my C90 Mak as I only look at the Moon, the choice for imaging however would be my 70-200 f/4 L lens. Alan

I dont know how much testing they do but they seem to check the lens mechanical functionality as well as looking for dust/scratches and fungus.. Alan

MPB and WEX are the main retailers for all my camera kit, new or used and never been disappointed... Alan

Lens Pen... Alan

I have a Redsnapper tripod https://redsnapperuk.com/product/rsf-284m-alloy-4-section-tripod/ but there are plenty of similar ones on Amazon from Zomei/Neewer. I would say its not the lightest tripod in the world and for a bit more you can get similar specked carbon fiber ones. Alan

I can get by with my C90 Mak on a photo tripod, the tripod also has a leg that unscrews for use as a monopod (common feature on a lot of tripods), I even use the monopod as a walking stick with a DIY handle fitted.......... Alan

Most modern camera lenses with AF are designed to go to infinity and beyond for video use so that the motors dont hit a solid end stop. Alan

The thing about Maks (and SCT) is the strength of the "focusser assembly" you could hang 10Kgs of camera or eyepiece off it and it wouldn't sag at all plus the spherical mirrors can achieve far greater accuracy than any parabolic one. Another factor is that a Mak will make even a cheap eyepiece perform like a Teleview, well almost... Alan

You are right that a widefield scope using low powers will fit it in but still feel that some observers under estimate its size and start looking "through" it with to much magnification.... Alan

Andromeda is huge, it spans a distance greater than 6 moon widths so you are only ever going to get it all in low power binoculars... Alan

Dont think so, it used phase detection for video and live view (I think) rather than the hybrid system with its extra rows of detectors that caused all the banding issue, the later dual pixel models are fine. Alan

Correct the banding problem was due to the hybrid AF system used on models after the 600D. Have a look at MPB photographic for good used cameras. Alan

I agree with others that a tilt screen is very useful but not sure that the rest of the 600D is enough of an upgrade, a 60D would be far better. Alan

Is this a recent change? and does it now mean that particles with mass can achieve the speed of light.... Alan

I must admit that I have never liked the term "speed of light" which suggests distance /time when its mostly used as an absolute limit as in C..... Alan