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Crossway

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Everything posted by Crossway

  1. Thank you Guys, for very useful replies. There is a lot to think about here , all the options you mention are interesting and all would obviously improve my system . I have been looking at the specialist websites including FLO . As I mentioned , I am on a budget (hopefully of shortish duration !! ) and am initially interested in FLO's advertised 2X Barlow at £25. I think that would do the trick for me. Alternative suggestions are nevertheless tempting but going into a zoom eyepiece would be, for me, far too ambitious. My Astromaster 76, " kit " included an erecting lens which I have sometimes used with the 20mm eyepiece but I never found it absolutely necessary. Many thanks to you again. Pete
  2. Perhaps I could ask for some advice about the following I use a Celestron Astromaster 76 reflector and although pretty modest indeed for night sky use , it is ideal for observation of near distance coastal wild life.. I use the Celestron standard 20mm eyepiece and sometimes used to use the 10 mm but this was largely unsatisfactory because of poor eye relief.. I bought a budget 2 X Barlow and dispensed with the 10mm eyepiece and this largely improved matters., My query is about upgrading......... I rather thought that to replace the Barlow with one of decent quality would perhaps be the better option as the 20mm eyepiece seems to be OK. But having said that I have never been able to compare it with any other. The obvious alternative of course is to replace both but cannot do this !! Any help much appreciated Pete
  3. Thanks bryand and Ruud, I have just been looking on line and I just had no idea that there were so many books available in this particular field of observing .....a case of being spoilt for choice I think.
  4. Very positive replies, thanks HollyHound ......think I'll put the book on" wants" list. Sounds an interesting and popular volume just to have in one's kit.
  5. Thanks for reply, Tomatobro, No, not interested in photos of objects but otherwise very helpful and particularly regarding use of finders, telescopes and binoculars. I don't use Stellarium though.......not yet !.
  6. My main bino observing guide is James O'meara;s book "Observing Night Sky with Binoculars" Excellent it is , although I do find his information on celestial mythology a trifle distracting. The book also supports the use of a small telescope which I use sometimes. I am not at all familiar with the contents of "Turn Left at Orion" but note that the the original publication was intended for the small scope user and which is still available via the 2nd hand book trade. I have read such a lot of high praise about this book that I wondered if it would be of any benefit to me. If anyone happens to own both books would they have an opinion about this.
  7. Ricochet, I wasn't aware that Celestron had introduced a new design finder for the Astromasters....... I have been looking at the adverts and the finder looks greatly improved no doubt influenced by the poor response to the previous one........the one I have . I won't refit it to the scope but will probably hang on to it for the time being. Crossway.
  8. Cosmic Geoff, Unfortunately I cannot illustrate the finder with a pic but Steve's link 3 posts up is the one in question. Must say the news so far is not very encouraging is it !!! Crossway
  9. Yes Steve, that's the one and note that you are familiar with it from years back.......did you ever have any success with it at all?. My 76 AZ is mainly used on short range terrestrial stuff like sea birds and ships but when required I use it with a small finder scope and right angled eyepiece. The small Celestron red spot finder was obviously designed to work and I'm therefore reluctant to dump it in case it is my technique which is at fault.
  10. Thank you for replying Ricochet.......my query was unfortunately not explained all that well and I apologise for perhaps wasting your time. The Celestron "Astromaster 76" has a very small red dot finder tacked on to a permanent mounting at the very end of the tube just above the spider . The initial exercise of aligning scope and finder using a terrestrial feature I always found to be hit or miss and subsequent aiming of the scope onto the intended target was inaccurate. I think that the problem with the finder is something to do with its small size and the narrow separation between the two reticules, one of which is roughly adjustable.
  11. I have a Celestron 76mm newtonian which I intend giving to my grandson ,........It was used mainly for bird and ship spotting at the coast and I imagine it would continue to be used likewise. Despite a somewhat flimsy tripod the scope works very well but I am a bit dubious about re- attaching the small red dot finder which I could never get the hang of. Could I ask if anyone has any experience of this gadget as a useful aid. Thanks. Crossway
  12. I think it might have been 10 or more years ago when I was invited to attend a lecture at the University of Newcastle 's observatory which was then located at Close House , Wylam Northumberland. They had a large reflecting telescope . perhaps of the order of 14 imches or more which they were proud to show to us visitors. The mirror, I thought, was very grubby indeed and I mentioned this to our host who told me that the performance of the mirror was not un duly affected by this and that they would only clean it as a last resort..........he didn't explain where this last resort lay. I think that I have heard elsewhere that primaries can look a lot worse than they would appear to be. Pete
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