F15Rules

14 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

My home built AstroShed set up, dual Taks on an EQ8 mount, and steel pier 

 

..will that be stable enough though, Stuart??🤔😂😂😂

18 minutes ago, markse68 said:

My new alt-az mount. It’s integrated with the tripod and collapse down nice and compact.

Mark

Very clever setup, Mark!👍

Tak EM2s mount, built in 1998.

Similar weight and heft to the Vixen GPDX, and has one simple RA drive which tracks superbly with just a simple manual alignment through the polar finder.

Great build, even the polar scope finder cover is threaded aluminium!

Takes my FS128 beautifully for my visual only needs👍😊.

Dave

On 31/03/2022 at 12:46, IB20 said:

Have just had a bumper delivery today. Apologies for the snow!

 

Probably the two best in the XW range, IMHO👍😊.

Enjoy!

Dave

12 hours ago, IB20 said:

I do find it strange that Takahashi use katakana for their logo which is a more western friendly alphabet than hiragana. Like that will sell it to us more?! タカハシ vs たかはし… I’m sold!

Where Taks are concerned, I just prefer the term Nirvana...

Dave

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

You are speaking my language 😊👍🏻

Turning Japanese? - I really think so!!🎌

Dave-San

PS..Takahashi is a very common surname in Japan...the third most common in fact😊

40 minutes ago, Franklin said:

Doh. I thought I'd found something new and interesting.🤣

Never mind...maybe you'll be the first to spot a new Vixen ED/SD125 apo?...

Wishful thinking!!😂😂

Dave

Looks just the job, Tim!😊👍

Dave

3 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

No AZ 75 for you then Dave

🤣

Actually, I did see both the AZ100 and 75 at the recent show in Kettering, and the Rowan guys seem very approachable.. @Saganite (aka Steve) was chatting to them about his AZ100. The build on both mounts looks superb..and made in the UK too!👍👍

I didn't mention the AZ75 on stand, as I wouldn't be likely to buy one anyway (I'm very happy with my Vixen SP in Altaz mode and my Tak mount for EQ mode)..

Much as I like long slow motion cables, they don't of course have to be long - or cables..they can be simple rotary knurled knobs closely affixed to the mount body, and can work very effectively so long as the scope in use isn't too long a tube..so not suitable for many of the scopes in this thread, then!

Dave

2 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

No AZ 75 for you then Dave

🤣

Er..Take the Fifth..

On 21/12/2021 at 11:33, Debo said:

It's great to see all these telescopes, especially the old classics.

This thread prompted me to dig out my old Towa 80mm F15 and spend some time giving it a bit of TLC (even got the little light working 😊)

I had forgotten how good it looks.

Lovely..

When I had one of these, I just loved those super long Slow Motion handles..😊👍

Dave

1 hour ago, SuburbanMak said:

I guess it had to happen eventually…
Excited to be picking up this Revelation/GSO 10” f5 on Saturday. 

Anyone used one of these? 

Hi Mark,

I believe the Titanic used 4 of them??

Hope you enjoy yours..👍🤭😂

Dave

On 28/03/2022 at 08:11, Paz said:

Yes I think it is to get the lowest magnification or widest true field of view.

I have to use at least 1.25x correction to get my refractors to focus with my binoviewer (and I have to use a corrector if I want to fix the abberations caused by my binoviewer).

However I think there are some binoviewers that don't need correction and that have shorter light paths and wider field stops so you can attain lower powers and wider views.

Agreed, Chris.

That's why I like the T2 Baader system so much..good, secure connections with the shortest possible light path👍.

Dave

Option 2 for me.

I'd want to use the pristine conditions to rediscover old favourites and see them in a new light (literally).

I'm not really interested in faint grey fuzzies that would be a little less faint, but still grey and fuzzy in my scopes, however good the conditions..

Dave

Hi Malcolm, 

From your's and Jock's comments I'd say there's a very good chance you caught the Pup!

When I last saw it for sure, a good number of weeks back, it was more like the 1 o'clock position..however, this "apparent" position is subject to slight changes even for a low altitude double like Sirius, as the pair describe an arc as they apparently move across the sky (of course, it's actually the Earth moving (rotating), not the stars).

So, with Sirius now being "on the way down" towards setting in the west, then the Pup would indeed be likely to look to be in more of a 2 o'clock rather than a 1 o'clock orientation..

I hope the diagram below might help a bit..you are the observer and the "altitude" shows the movement of in this case Sirius..but in this example the arrow would point down as the star moves towards setting in the west.

At least, I think that's correct!

And if I'm right, then congratulations to you!👍😊.

Dave

Mk1 eyeballs, eq RA drive only (or Altaz) mount, and comfy seat..KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid!!

Dave

1 hour ago, Louis D said:

How low can you set a Berlebach tripod for seated use?  

 

I use a Takahashi extendable  tripod with my 5" F8 Tak apo..it's lowest height is c32".

I bought this recently as I am observing while seated  more and more, and my excellent but fixed height wooden homemade tripod is a bit too high for lower placed targets.

As with most extendable tripods, the lower the height, the more stable they are. I am finding that having mine set at between 38" and 45" depending on the elevation of the object I'm observing works well, and gives the best stability.

The photo below shows the tripod at probably it's maximum height for the best combination of seated observing and maximum stability with my FS128 onboard (right hand side of the photo).

I also use a Geoptic Nadira adjustable observing chair which gives me additional options. 

Dave

Hi Badhex,

I can't speak for carbon fibre tripods from personal experience, but I can say without a doubt that a wooden tripod of a similar size and nominal capacity will always outperform a steel equivalent.

As you're in Germany, looking for a used Berlebach in Germany seems a  logical step?

Wood naturally absorbs vibrations, whereas steel tends to transmit them. It looks great, is durable, and feels less cold to the touch than steel in cold weather, as well as normally weighing less than steel👍.

Good luck with your search.😊

Dave

On 10/02/2022 at 18:07, Paz said:

Burnham's celestial handbooks

+1👍😊

Dave

Just seen your report Stu👍.

I must try these out soon..thanks for the selection.

If your Lzos couldn't split some of them though, I wouldn't expect my FS128 to fare any better..unless the slightly longer F8 focal length makes any difference?🤔

Dave

17 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

The sky did seem to have some glow last night as someone mentioned, although the moon wasn’t up?

The seeing here was very good last night, but the  transparency was poor. I find that often you get one or the other, but rarely both - at least where I live.

So, however much I might plan a session and it's targets, in the end the actual conditions on a given night determine what I can go after, more often than not.

Last night it was almost as though there was a thin "film" across the sky, blocking out faint stars etc..but the air was very steady, and so stellar images were great.

It's just a pity that there were no major planets available last night!

Dave

11 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Did you get any shots of the handle stand, Dave?

No handle stand, Jeremy..and not a Tak in sight anywhere either😓..

Here are several short videos I recorded at the show..the sharp eyed among you might spot the great Mr Es Reid as he flashed past us!😂..

Dave

Here in the Linclnshire Wolds, tonight is much better than Wednesday night.. transparency is no better (see phone shot of Orion, not easy to see the Belt, although easier with the naked eye), but seeing is very good.

I've just come in after a nice hour with the Vixen SP102 F10 achromat on Super Polaris mount in altazimuth mode.

The stellar airy disks were very steady tonight, ideal for doubles in particular.

The Vixen is absolutely rock solid on my old wooden tripod..I couldn't make it vibrate for even one second! I had a minimalist session with just the scope and 4 eyepieces.. Axiom LX 82 Deg 23m, Morpheus 17.5mm, Nagler T2 12mm and Baader Genuine ortho 6mm.

Highlights:

Sirius: Pup suspected but not confirmed.. using the BGO and moon filter, two or more diffraction rings were clearly seen (rather than the more usual mush)..

Theta Aurigae: not the easiest pair to split, this was a superb sight at 166x, with the faint close companion sparkling just outside a single, steady diffraction ring, and averted vision showing the very faint (mag c11?) 3rd component with averted vision.

M42: I couldn't resist one more look, given that Orion will be lost in the twilight once the clocks go forward on Sunday🥴. Not transparent enough to see E or F, but the good seeing meant a lovely, sharply defined Trapezium.

An enjoyable, "back to basics" hour of fun - with a noisy fox barking not far away for most of that time..two nights ago it was frogs croaking-and today I found a huge mass of frogspawn in our small pond!

Dave

10 minutes ago, Franklin said:

What about the lawn feed n weed application? That's work!

Tell that to Mrs F15, Tim!! She thinks it's a "normal retirement activity"!!😝😂

Dave