Paul73

Hi Folks

Is this site dark enough for great visual observing?

I see that there is a pub within spitting distance in the unlikely event of clouds ?

Paul

A middle of of the road reading for me. Dark enough to enjoy myself!

NELM@Zenith is 5.5 on a good night.

I wish that my gear was more portable....

Paul

It looks very lonely in the corner. 

Nice to see you back buying again. The UK Astro industry can breath a sigh or relief.

Paul

@garryblueboy you may find that you don’t need the 12mm as you have the 14mm and the 10mm.

Maybe spend the cash on a couple of in- travel adaptors to make the 14 & 17.3mm Delos parfocal with the rest of the range and the 24mm Panoptic.

Paul

No sympathy required Stu. But, thanks all the same. A case full of Televue is better than money in the bank. ?. I’ll enjoy rebuilding my collection.

Some of Gary’s nice new bix full of Green & Black look really familiar! He’ll enjoy the move from the excellent SLV range. The viewing experience is similar in style. But, everything that the little SLV’s do, the Delos does just a little bit better and noticeably wider.

Paul

Hope that is what I think it is. Thought that you would be waiting ages.

Open the box! Open the box!!!

Paul

☹️☹️☹️This is it folks☹️☹️☹️

‘Lean Observing’ 

Bank of Televue properly raided! You only realise how good Delos are when you use primitive Plossls (Ethos ain’t bad either). But, they do have a certain charm. Rather like driving a good classic car compared to its modern counterpart. ?.

Also, only 3 Dobs now (and solar gear - obviously).

Paul

10” is a great Veil scope. The whole complex on one view!!! I’d buy the OIII just for that one view.

Next time. Try identifying the different elements, and also try upping the mag. As with a lot of nebulae, it will take a lot of magnification. 

Enjoy.

Paul

Yep, Stu’s finderscope might look a bit rubbish, especially with all that stuf hanging off the focuser. But, if that is all that you have...... Yes, I am still jealous and too poor.

Why can’t people realise that each type of scope gives you a different observing experience? 

Paul

Splendid. The dust lanes really jump out.

Paul

The SLV may only have 50°, but it is a really good 50° (Very near Delos quality which i’m Told is similar to the XW).

Very comfy to use. They are also very light.

And, very cheap.....

I’ve not tried the XF range. Believe that @John has explored both models.

Paul

That was deeply impressive!

Putting the car into space. What great marketing.

Paul

???????????

Thanks for the advice guys.

Paul

Thanks guys. I’ll try the ZWO ASI120MM. For an extra £30, I may as well get the USB 3!?

Our old laptop died. So my wife (the technical brains of the team) replaced it with a quad core gourmet version. I was properly unhappy about the outlay. Was thinking £350 ish. She spent a lot more. So I’m due a present just to highlight that her profligacy does have real consequences.

Paul

Thanks Charl. You seem to get some decent results!

The two cameras seem well priced. Pros/cons? Colour or mono?

Paul

Possibly a really stupid question..... 

Given that solar images are generally made by selectively stacking many short exposure images, is it possible to get good results without a tracking mount?

If it is. What would be a good camara to stick in the back of a 100mm f10 PST stage 1 mod? It is parked atop a SkyT II on a very solid ash tripod.

Paul

Congratulations Paul. 

I’m not sure about your ‘first step’. A ‘great big jump’ more like. You’ll love it!

re. Finding the sun.

I have a 6” long chunk of standard copper pipe (normal home water pipes) held onto the scope on the tube rings with an elastic band. Point at sun. Pop hand behind the pipe. When the shadow of the pipe forms a perfect circle. It is straight. Simples!

I’ll post a pic on Thursday. There is no need to spend money. Solar viewing is quite expensive enough already.

Paul

I was wondering similar. 

Do you have to stick a filter over the big end of the scope. Or, is it just a case of taking a refractor in standard night time viewing guise and sticking a Quark unit between the focused and the eyepiece?

I’ve always been really impressed with Quark views at star parties.

Paul

Good post. 

Sounds fun. I’ll have a look.

Paul

I wondered what that was for. Mine is rubbish. Can’t see a thing through it! 

My Baader diagonal shows the undersides of clouds much better than the Lunt, day or night.

Paul

Yes. The BSTs are great for the money. I’d pop the 24mm ES 82° in as your Wide eyepiece.?

Paul

PS. The wider view helps you find targets!!

To echo Ben’s point. The ED80 is a chunky little wide field wonder. It’s strength is showing vast tracts of sky. Why constrain it with 50° Plossles. I’ve got a few TV Plossles and had a full set of the BCO’s. Both are exceptionally clear eyepieces. But they never really got used in the ED80.

The ES 82° Range does well in that scope. Or, there are several great performers for sensible money at the 68° interval.

Paul

Open ended budget????? 

I’m was a happy PSTer. They do have a tendency to grow a layer of something over the ITF. It is fairly easily sorted though.

Then I became a delighted PST plus Double Stack owner. Masses of detail that outstripped the Lunt 50 SS.

Then I was so happy that I chopped the PST and a perfectly good Bresser 100mm frack in half, stuck them together and can view outrageous proms!???

I haven’t seen a quark used in a scope like yours.

Paul

Filter space! 

Good plan. Wish I’d thought of that. Would have saved a small fortune.

Paul 

So what is going to fill all of that spare space?

Eyepice cases abhor a vacuum....

Paul