F15Rules

Having received a second Morpheus 17.5mm on Thursday, for binoviewing, I was keen to get a first peek with the new pairing in my Revelation binoviewer and FS128 refractor. After a cloudless sky all day on Thursday, I actually thought I would get a first light the day the second Morph arrived, but of course by 10pm or so it had clouded over! So I was pleasantly surprised when I did my customary outside "last thing"check last night, to be greeted by a strong breeze to be sure, but also lots of stars - and Mars rising in the south east!

So I quickly got the scope out, and as it was a warm evening, the scope was almost instantly thermally acclimatised. I did a quick visual alignment with Polaris and slewed across to Mars, just with line of sight and the twin Morphs sitting in the Binoviewer.  Almost immediately, Mars came into view and I fine focused using the very useful individual focusing eyepiece holders that these later Revelations now have (along with compression rings in each ep holder too).

Due to the breeze, there was some initial wobble in the scope and mount, but it damped down after 1.5-2 seconds and I was greeted with a lovely view of the Red planet: although a fairly small image scale, I could instantly see the northern polar cap at c 11 oclock, and significant dark features across the centre/lower centre of the disk. I think, but am not sure, that Syrtis Major was one of the features (please correct me if I'm wrong!) on view at midnight. I should also say that I was JUST able to get sharp focus with the pair of Morpheii with no barlow at all!

I was really pleased to see such obvious detail while Mars was relatively low in the sky - it should get to be almost as high as Betelgeuse in Orion at it's highest point (Opposition is on 13th October), so this bode's well for even better views in a couple of months time.

I only have one pair of binoviewing eyepieces in operation at the moment, but I also have x1.6 WO nosepiece and x2.25 Baader Zoom barlow available. I always struggle to calculate what magnifications these give in binoviewers, but as best as I can estimate it, the 1.6x operates at c x2.8 when in the nosepiece of the binoviewer (as you have to allow for the light path through the viewer), and at perhaps x4 through the Baader zoom (again, do please correct me if you have better knowledge). In my FS128, these combinations would therefore be available in my setup:

Native, no barlow, magnification = x 60

With William Optics 1.6x nosepiece = c2.8 x 60 = 168

With Baader Zoom Barlow 2.25x = c 4 x 60 = x240

What I can say with certainty is that the image scale using the barlows greatly increased, and the image remained sharp with even the highest power. I have recently acquired a microfocuser for the Tak, but have not yet installed it, so that will be my next job in the near future.

The images of Mars I saw last night were by far the best I have yet seen through one of my scopes: sadly, Jupiter and Saturn had sunk below our house roof by the time I was set up, but I will get out a bit earlier to check these out in the next few days too, although with their low elevation, I will need to manage my expectations.

Having gazed at Mars for some 20-25 minutes, I noticed that the Pleiades were rising in the east now, and couldn't resist a peek. Now, M45 is a pretty large object, and 17.5mm is really a medium focal length, so not perhaps best in my scope for wide views: but the 76 degree field is beautiful, and I could see most of the main group, not all, in the field of view. All the stars focused in the binoviewer to nice tight points - always encouraging in a twin view system, suggesting that collimation is spot on - and the field was sharp right out to the edge. I couldn't see any nebulosity tonight, however. 

I then turned to M13 in Hercules, which was now starting to sink into the north west sky - at x 60 it was a nice view, but at x 168 it was stunning: lots of individual stars coming into direct vision, with a dark sky background, real "diamonds on velvet" stuff. I thought just once I glimpsed the Propeller, but I cannot be sure. It is quite tough in only a 5" scope, however good the scope is, plus my eyes are not what they were.

Finally for tonights' 50 minute or so session, I turned up to Albireo in Cygnus. What a lovely sight, with a large field of view, sprinkled with fainter stars, and this beautiful pairing showing off their gorgeous golden and blue components. I never tire of this object, but the sheer comfort of two eyed viewing made it really like looking at everything through hyper powerful binoculars.

I am delighted with the pair of Morpheus eyepieces - I am sure that I am going to have some real fun through this pair this winter!

Clear skies and thanks for reading,😊

Dave

7 hours ago, garryblueboy said:

Just a few scrummy Glasses

Blimey, Garry, you must either have a huge tongue, or a big bucket of water nearby!😱😱😂

Dave

2 hours ago, merlin100 said:

I've never been 100% happy with the supplied Sky-Watcher 9x50 finderscope on my 200P Dobsonian, so I ordered a RACI version from Auntie @FLOearlier in the week. It arrived this morning in a RM van...

The original is okay and accurate enough, but you have to be a contortionist to get full use out of it! 😱

No doubt, I'll have a month of crap weather for buying this! 🙄

Nice finders, I have the same one on my Tak. They just work👍😊..

Dave

54 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

We’re not worried at all, Mike. You’ll soon get fed up with those diffraction spikes. They’ll make you DZzy.

🙂

 

That's a bit spikefull Jeremy!🙃☺️

Dave

49 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Bad luck Dave. You’ll just have to content yourself by running your finger along those kerfs

🙂

 

I'll have to be much more kerful about predicting a clear night in future...

Dave

Just been outside... gutted - wall to wall cloud! Been pristine blue skies all day..😱🥴

Dave

Thanks Steve, as I type the FS128 is cooling down...👍😊

Dave

4 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

A nice little addition to the scope stable. I've yet to have first light with this 8" reflector, but the colimation looks good and the aluminizing is in top notch condition, so I'm hopeful.  Should be nice for fuzzy finding!

 

Mike,

I thought for a minute this was a wind up from the refractor king! Have you been unwell recently??😁😂

Below is the nearest I'm likely to get to a Newt...🤭

Hi Graham,

I'm sorry to hear of your problems..if you were previously getting great images with your equipment, it begs the question "What has changed?"..

So, firstly, can you actually see any signs of dust, dirt or grease on the eyepieces or your scope optics? In my experience it takes a LOT of soiling to degrade your images noticeably. Also, you mention noticing this more to the edges of the field? It does sound odd as I'd expect dirt related soiling to affect all of the field, assuming that the soiling is evenly spread around?

Secondly, I hate to ask this, but could it be your own eyesight that is changing/has changed? I ask this, as I myself have had noticeable degrading of the sight in my right eye in the last couple of years, to the point that my former main observing eye (my right) cannot usually give me the very sharp focus it used to give - and I have had to retrain my left eye, which is noticeably better than my right, to be my main observing eye.. so worth considering an eyesight check, if only to eliminate that as a possible cause?

Usually, cleaning a lens is not a difficult process, and if you search on the telescope or eyepiece forums on SGL, I'm sure you will find lots of good advice as to how to do it yourself..just a bit of care and attention with good quality materials such as Baader Wonder Fluid and Cleaning cloth being used.

Good luck and I hope you can get to the bottom of the problem.

Dave

Mr Postie called today with a parcel containing a pristine 17.5mm Morpheus bought new in June this year. Sadly, the owner is having to give up Astro due to health issues, and I was able to sell a few things to fund this ep.

It now joins my other 17.5mm Morpheus for binoviewing, and the pics show first the new arrival, next the pair together, and finally with my Revelation Binoviewers.

I was able to have a really quick evening look at our church tower, and got lovely views of a Jackdaw preening on one of the steeples, with close up multicoloured views of lichens and moss growing on the stonework.

And....it looks as if it could be really clear here tonight! (I do hope I don't live to regret that in a couple of hours).

Clear skies, fingers crossed..😊👍

Dave

An interesting looking feature  ..

Jeremy, I'd try to spot the spot but doubt if I'd be able to get a handle on it..

Seriously, why does it always seem that features like this appear at the worst time for the UK?? Comet Neowise was all but invisible from my poor northern horizon, Jupiter is just low and too unsteady to see the main belts lately, never mind this new spot, and Saturn is equally poorly placed at the moment.

I'm pinning all my planetary hopes for this year on Mars in a couple of months! 

How about a Baader Morpheus 12.5mm?

Beautiful wide angle eyepiece (76 degrees but much better eye relief than the T6 13mm (which was one of the few Tele Vue EPs I've owned, and a very good one).

The Morpheus 12.5mm would be around £190 new, or c £120 or so used. Think Pentax XW or TV Delos optical quality.

HTH,

Dave

29 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

What, you've got David Tennant in there too?

🙂

 

David WHO???

Thanks for that, sadly I will need to wait a year or two and hope for a used one..🙂

Dave

What a poetic epitaph for this great range Mike😏.

I still plan to re-acquire a 3.4mm at some point..

Dave

On 15/08/2020 at 09:00, Deadlake said:

The HR range where built for the AX100S

Says who??

I was always under the impression that the AX series were primarily imaging scopes? If so, I cant see that Vixen ever designed them primarily for such scopes ..

I think it far more likely that Vixen built the HR range for all high end optic users, Tak, Vixen, Tec, Lzos etc, a much bigger market collectively than the comparatively few AX owners.

Sadly, I think their global marketing is what let's down their excellent products. Perhaps they are just too focused on the Japanese market, where I believe they are clear market leaders?

On 15/08/2020 at 09:00, Deadlake said:

I should send my SD103S back and get the matching AX103S

The AX is a good deal more expensive and also weighs around 15% more than the SD/ED103s.

Like the Tak100 fluorite doublets, these scopes will show little to no CA at all in visual use. Period.

Plenty of user testimonial to be found on the US site confirming these facts. If I couldn't own a Tak I would take an SD or ED103s as a substitute in a heartbeat.

Dave

Great images @Pryce👍!!

I'd go so far as to say you could have a Stellar future career ahead of you, so long as you have plenty of Space at home to work in?

Really Cosmic images, man✌️🤘😎

Dave

18 hours ago, Deadlake said:

I've gone for the 3.4 mm HR planetary, hopefully I'll be able to get hold of one. Thanks for the advice.

It's a wonderful eyepiece. I hope you can get one. If you do, be sure to let us know what you think, but make sure you keep it at least until you've viewed Mars a few times..this year's opposition should be the best for some years, and it will be a great test for your new HR😊👍.

Dave

Mark,

I can't claim to understand most or even much of the above in terms of calculating which combinations give which magnifications - and, to be honest, some of the "stacks" being used seem distinctly unwieldy to me?

In fact, at one point it seemed to me to be so complicated that I almost gave up on binoviewing.

Thankfully, I didn't give up, but instead decided to go back to basics and try to keep everything as simple as possible. So I determined to see if I could find a way to use binoviewers just with eyepieces at native magnifications, without the need for Barlows or GPCs: (just as an aside, regarding GPCs, when I had a pair of Maxbrights, I used both ordinary Barlows and GPCs (not both at the same time), and found no difference in the levels of CA or any other aberrations as between barlows or GPCs).

I may have been just lucky, but with help from a couple of other kind members, I was able to find a combination of parts that enabled me to get my FS128 (F8 1040mm) scope to focus natively (chopping a few inches off the tube was never a consideration!).

I put up a thread on SGL which detailed how I did it, see link below if of interest..

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/316218-binoviewing-with-a-tak-fs128/

This approach does need to be based on the T2 system and a Baader prism, as these components use up the least amount of back focus. I don't know if it will work with other Taks or not, or with other scope brands, but may be worth a try? 

Even if a Barlow or GPC is needed, it may avoid needing to mix and match other components and creating "big stacks"?😊

Dave

19 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

She's gorgeous, and the lemons add that fruity zest to the pic. 

Lovely scope, Sunshine..but is that a finder or a handle it's carrying? Or a combination of both..a fandle??😁

Dave

Get the 7mm and a decent used Barlow lens like Baader x2.25 or similar. Then you can turn your 7mm into a 3-3.5mm for exceptional nights, and much cheaper than buying both EPs👍🌝

Dave

Thanks Mike (and what a lovely display box!).

I've only been lucky enough to use/own the 3.4mm and it was simply the best high power eyepiece I've ever looked through, period.

It has exemplary build (real engraving, (no stick-on screen printing here!), but what really struck me was the comfortable eye relief and viewing experience, and the fantastic contrast, scatter control and sharpness.

I predict these will become sought after in the future, and prices will likely rise, as these were never thick on the ground anyway.

Thanks for sharing, and I'm really looking forward to reading your reports on Mars with these beauties this Opposition!👍😊.

Dave

It depends on the quality of the Barlow you use.

I use a Baader Hyperion Zoom 2.25x barlow.which is excellent and I cannot usually see any difference between an eyepiece barlowed versus a shorter one at native focal length (assuming decent quality of all components).

The cheaper Baader Q Turret Barlow is also excellent, but has a set screw rather than a compression ring. The Hyperion zoom Barlow also has a T2 thread.

Dave

Have a look at this..

Search eBay for this advert.. "SWIFT Trilyte Model 805 MK III, binoculars, 8X30,  GOOD condition"

Asking £85, so I think you got a bargain!

I am pretty sure that "Chinon" was a house brand name used by Dixon's Photographic back in the 1970s for their higher end range.

Yours look almost more like roof prisms rather than porros..

Dave

I agree with John regarding the 7mm Nirvana. That would give you c x171, which should easily be comfortable for your Dob.

My scope is also F8 (1040mm, 128mm refractor), and I could not separate two equal stars at 1" separation at 133x (which is what your 9mm is giving you at 1200 FL), so if you can separate 2 similarly bright stars at x133 there can't be much wrong with either your eyes or your optics!

That said,my eyes are not what they used to be. Even so, and allowing for your secondary obstruction (quite small at F8), your reflector should comfortably go up to x200 plus on steady nights.

The big issue, if collimation is spot on, might be the speed with which objects move through your field of view, necessitating frequent nudging of your Dob.

That's why I use a tracking equatorial to be honest - for doubles, I personally don't think you can beat an accurate tracking mount. Mine has just a simple RA drive, but even with rough visual alignment with Polaris I can keep an object centred for 20-30 minutes, even at 150-200x. That really gives me time to watch an object and wait for the steadiest moments of seeing to "get" those elusive tight splits.

Even an undriven equatorial with manual slow motions is, I find, easier than nudging, but of course you may find that not to be the case at all.

And a Nirvana at least has a wide field of view, which should minimise the nudgings a bit..😊

Dave