niallk

Me too: I'm an electronic engineer so should enjoy mucking around with hardware and software, but I just like the "simplicity" of two mirrors, an EP, and a dob mount. Nothing like seeing things with your own eyes, imho! I also just love the peacefulness of being out under the stars, with big skies and low horizons if I go to a spot on the coast to observe - and the sounds of birds on the Marsh and the waves lapping on the shore. Its good for the soul. The last thing I want is wrestling with a dodgy connector or a software error 😂 That said, I did pick up one of those smartphone holders that clamps onto an EP - in a vain attempt to capture something to show to others what the telescope can do. Let's just say Damien Peach needn't be worried 😂

I went up by the same 1.5x diameter factor (from a 10" to 15"), and the extra aperture is really great on DSO's. I'd say chance it! It should be good on planets, and offer more on DSOs. You only live once 😉

Nice one - I have something like this, except it has a plastic tube to hold the glass optics, an f20 system. It is excellent on sunspots Highly recommend these, and I've also used a 250px with baader solar film, and have a LS50DS Ha scope. For the money you really cannot go wrong, and will get a lot of enjoyment, imho!

+1 for the occasional Sky & Telescope... but pretty expensive over here 😕

Super sights on offer - great to see the level of activity! 😎

Looks the job!!

😭😭😭🤬

Superb time-lapse 👍👍

Wow 👍

And @Piero you've done an amazing job on your new scope too!

Jayz for a second I thought you were building another dob 🤣 Great craftsmanship, beaut of a scope!

I got into astronomy because there were darkish skies from my back garden... no more. I now must travel for DSOs... Maybe rose tinted glasses, but the weather / cloud cover seemed much better when I first got my 10" dob!

M81 was one of the first targets on my 1st night with my 15" dob of few yrs back. That was when local LP conditions still allowed me to view from my back garden. I muttered a wow! out loud as M81 appeared so huge compared to M82... it must have been a very nicely transparent night as I was picking up those sweeping outer arms. Absolutely gorgeous sight. It's amazing the difference when you get such a dark transparent night: it's only when they come along that I realise just how much transparency is usually noticeably less where I am, and LP diffusely scatters more. It sure is all about the contrast...!

Over on the other forum which shan't be named, there's always a recommendation to give TV a call, and people often seem to have the privilege of chatting to Al Nagler himself. Could even be worth an email - they might be able to give valuable advice. I once looked through a TV binovue at a solar party - exquisite bit of kit

Ha ha - feels like it much of the time! But when you get a clear night down there in West Cork / Kerry ... man the sky is incredible 😉 Forget 6" frac vs 12" dob: mk1 eyeball gives memorable views!

I wash mine ~ once per year, but if it needed it - eg something unidentified splatted on it, I'd wash if required. I too use finger tips. I was very nervous to do it the first time, but quickly discovered it's not so big a deal. Just have everything prepared, remove any wedding ring and take your time I hope to get my scope under bortle 2 skies in August, so I'll wash it ahead of that trip to the Kerry Gold Tier Dark Sky Reserve to get the best out of it

Great - I really like his programmes - they are very well made imho.

I keep a 15" dob ... assembled ... in our bedroom! 😂

🤣🤣 yes, I'm not cooling a 2" mirror for 2-3 hrs looking for 1/100 ~ perfection! That sentence of course omitted the all important word 'thick'...

🤣🤣 I just can't do it!! I've thought about it, but am too much of a wuss at the moment 😂 It's certainly a low cost feature which would be a welcome addition on Obsession Classics... along with a thinner mirror. What I do is plan during the day if the skies are looking clear & the jetstream forecast looks good, and take a few mins to throw the scope outside and then get on with dinner / kids homework/ getting them to bed. So, the cool down time is just something I work around, without it being a major problem. The 2" mirror does need time to cool though, and the views show it of course. Even for DSOs, where it may not be quite as critical, I tend to try to allow good cooling anyway - I drive to a darker site for DSOs, so want to take advantage of the best views I can get. So I guess I have a 'grab-wait-and-go' setup. The views are worth the wait I even 'cool my car' - wind down the windows to let the inside cool towards ambient for using later on to transport the scope! Probably unnecessary😄

I'm thinking small fans, on bendable metal brackets in the 4 corners angled downwards on to the front of the mirror. I won't attempt to achieve "laminar flow"... just keeping the air moving to aid cool down. With a speed control, I could possibly leave on while observing. Otherwise, I'm thinking to just have a bigger fan on frame I can just place over the front of the mirror box during cool down, removing when observing.

I want to try an air 'stirrer' fan in front of the mirror on my 15" too. I can't bring myself to drill holes in the side walls of the mirror box though! I'll just mount some fans on the inside angled to move the boundary layer, and assist with cooling from the front, in addition to the one I have on the rear. I normally throw the scope out with the fan on for a good 2-3 hrs beforehand if I want to observe planets.

Very nice - congrats! Hope the tracking is straightforward to sort. I had a solid tube 250px (6 clips 😀 ). Great scope! I don't know if you've seen it before, but the Lacerta dual speed focuser upgrade for Skywatchers was the best add-on after a Telrad, imho. Best of luck with it! -Niall

My 50mm aperture Lunt solar scope is small and very, very beautiful to me (But its 60mm bigger brother would be even nicer 😂)

I'm only visual, but I'm delighted with the double stack on my LS50 - luv the big difference it makes. I also went for a focusser upgrade- I went for the Moonlight. Dual speed is crucial for the best experience at the EP imho. I did once look through a 60mm DS, with a TV binovue no less... and it was stunning. But that setup is a multiple of the cost of mine!