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The scopes I've had are: 130p, 250px, 15" dob, and a 50mm Lunt Ha. I've given the 250px away, and I don't use the 130p. The LS50 for Ha solar is my most used scope, but the one I'd keep is the 15" dob for DSOs and everything else bar solar. So I've kinda already whittled it down to one scope for night, one scope for daytime - but I'm tempted to try a frac! 🙊
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Sounds fabulous- hope to do it sometime! 👍👍
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I too have the Moonlight - replacing the stock helical is a great upgrade for the LS50! I find the 2-speed focusser invaluable: it really takes the fine adjustment facility to eek out the finest surface details (running double stacked). I'm always amazed at how subtle structure resolves with the slight adjustment of focus. I love my lil' LS50DS 😍
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With a short drive, I can get to a darker spot, maybe Bortle 4 bordering on 3. I've noticed nights of exceptional transparency - I'm guessing less back scatter of light pollution being an important factor (?) - and wow: noticeably much better contrast on DSOs. Unfortunately, such nights have been rare for me, but the memories of what can be possible locally keep me trying!! One needs a helluva lot of patience & tenacity in this hobby for so many factors & conditions to align for the best views - some of which we can influence, most we can't. But that thrill when you know things are looking much better than usual... 😎
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Advice on an Ethos for high power observing
niallk replied to Nicola Fletcher's topic in Discussions - Eyepieces
The 10E was my first Ethos in my 15" f4.5. I followed with a 6E ... then a 17E 🙈 I do leave a P2 in the focuser at the cost of weight. Great EPs - enjoy! -
Maximum viewing pleasure
niallk replied to Flame Nebula's topic in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups
I went from a 250px to a 15" Obsession Classic, and the beautifully smooth movements in alt & az really made the experience at the eyepiece so much more pleasurable: being able to adjust position by a fraction of the fov when manually tracking without backlash and flexing causing the target to shoot out of view is wonderful. But discovering the night sky with the 250px - my first scope - was special! Even without a scope just naked eye in a bortle 2 site in late August is spectacular. -
'Dobwebs' 😂😂🤣
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Sorry to hear this - I've drooled over his telescopes on-line many, many times. Sincere condolences to his family.
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Awaiting the arrival of the Beast!
niallk replied to Stu's topic in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups
Very cool! 😎😎 -
Great report! It's fantastic to get good seeing on Jupiter 👍👍 Nice sketch too - and interesting to compare to an image on the same night - I always go browsing for images to see how much I saw
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As others have said, cooling, collimation, avoiding thermals from roofs etc... One resource I find useful is the jetstream forecast: I won't bother setting up for planets if it doesn't look good: https://www.netweather.tv/charts-and-data/jetstream Definitely you get rewarded for being patient- some nights it can be pure mush, but oh when seeing is good... wow!!!
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Great vid @powerlord & many thanks for posting!!
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Well I've only got 2 scopes - a Lunt LS50DS for daytime (gets great use for a brief few min peep on a sunny day), and a 15" dob - sadly underused of late, life getting in the way...
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For my 250px, the stock base was fine in azimuth (I did adjust the tension in the central bolt). For me alt axis was more troublesome!!
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I want one too!! 😍 Sooo cute. Wonder how much 'Shrouds by Heather' would charge 😄