mikeDnight

I observed for years using a Takahashi FS128 mounted high on a GM8 and without ever using a diagonal. The backache it caused created more of a distraction than any of the almost non-existent artefacts potentially introduced by using a good diagonal. I now use a diagonal prism every time, and there is no discernable difference in image quality. With the prism diagonal I can easily exceed 400X in my FC100D without any deterioration of the image caused by any optical component, diagonal included. Having said that, I've always steered clear of amici prisms because of their very nature. No matter how good they are, there will always be some detremental effect caused by the diffraction spike. This may appear to only be a problem on bright objects like Venus, but never the less it is still present on all targets, and will subtract from the scopes definition and contrast. In a hobby where everyone seems to obsess about the finest optical advantage of one scope, eyepiece or diagonal over another, even outlaying thousands of pounds just to obtain a fractional edge in performance; why add a known destructive influence into the equation? On a personal level, I've used mirror and prism diagonals for so long now that I've no trouble interpreting charts or coordinates in the night sky or on planetary surfaces. I know it drives some people nuts, but you can always use a mirror reversed lunar map for the Moon. Or you can draw your own map of Mars mirror reversed, or even mak a globe that can be used as a visual aid alongside a refractor with a diagonal in it. S&T mirror reversed lunar map: Mirror reversed map of Mars made from observations from the 2016 apperition: A mirror reversed Mars globe based on the apperition of 2016:

Everyone has to start somewhere Miguel. I started sketching back in the early 80's by trying to draw every Messier object I found in my 12X60 binoculars. M1 looked like someone had sneezed on the lens. Now, 40 years later, I have a wonderful record of observations, all recorded in sketch form; and each one brings back the memory of the night it was made. It's also interesting when looking through them, just how my sketching ability improved quite naturally as time went by. Yours will too, and if you attempt just one sketch now and then, you'll soon build up a valuable personal record of your observations. Sketching will also make you a more careful observer, helping you to see more than just the superficial detail. ☺

It's starting to take shape very nicely Alan. Your fondness for the nature around you reminds me of the autobiography Starlight Nights, The Adventures of a Stargazer, by Leslie C. Peltier, and particularly the chapter entitled Cowpasture Station. There is something special about having that closeness to nature that can be lost when confined inside a dome. I think the wildlife adds to the whole experience and makes the whole thing magical. Birds singing their hearts out during pre dawn sessions. Bats showing off their aeroBATics, Owels talking to eachother and hedgehogs sharing a slug constantly entertain me. Foxes and even the occasional Deer have paid me a visit. I can't think of a more wonderful hobby.

That's Brilliant Miguel. I really like your sketches, especially M1. It appears you've actually recorded some subtle detail, perhaps without realising it. In your sketch M1 has a subtle bright V slightly off centre. If you study M1 through a telescope with good dark adaption, you'll notice it has a V shaped brightness within its nebulous gas cloud. On occasion this may look like an N rather than a V, and you may even detect spiders veins flitting in and out of view in moments of good seeing. Thanks for posting! ☺

Blimey - That should keep me occupied for quite some time! At least you didn't say " On your marks, get set......" It amazes me that the stars that are both beautiful and obvious, are largely ignored by the majority of observers. Thanks for posting this list of jewels. I'll be sure to return to this list for some time to come, and put my 100mm refractor through its paces.

Think positive, - that Tak will blast through the dust Jeremy!

Absolutely superb! You can put your feet up now for the rest of the year, or at least until autumn. You'd have to spend a lot of money to beat the Astrosystems 8.5" I'd imagine. They used David Hinds mirrors if I remember rightly, and if so, I'd be tempted to keep hold of that one. Shrewsbury - is that near Hawaii? Great report and a real motivator! Lovely pic too!!

You may have overtightened the mirror restraints. They should barely touch the mirror otherwise they deform the figure by twisting the glass.

I agree! Although I loved my FS152, my back gave way one night as I was lifting it onto the G11, which at the time was about 6' 6" high to the dovetail. I slid down the pier in agony, but I didn't let go of the FS152. I thought then that sooner or later I would not be so fortunate, and I don't mind admitting I'd have cried like a baby if I'd dropped a £10,000 refractor. I think I sold it along with the mount and pier very shortly after that, and cheaply too! Part of me misses the FS152 and the FS128, but I have to admit I've never used a scope as much as I used the FC100DC. ☺

I've used the AZ5 at length with an FC100DC, and although it coped, it wasn't good. The AZ4 is better by far, providing its been lubricated properly. It's just a shame the AZ4 doesn't have slow motion controls. Having said that, I never use the short and weak Chinese tripods as they are the weakest link, but instead I use the much stronger Vixen alternatives. I have to admit I could never tolerate the Vixen Porta or Porta ll as they both vibrated like a tuning fork. That was years ago now and may be they've ironed out the vibration issues. I've managed some very high power observations using the AZ4 as a grab and go, but only if I can't get the target from my observatory, where I use a driven Vixen GP. Congratulations on the new DC.

Beautiful pic Paul. It looks like a Malteeser with the chocolate sucked off.

You may have started one of those threads that becomes addictive here Helen. The "I Blame Stu" thread. It sounds great to me as its always nice to blame someone else just to deflect attention from ourselves. I'm just going to have to think hard what I can blame Stu for? There must be something but at the moment I can't think what it could be. Beautiful refractor by the way!

I bought one of these Skywatcher controllers about a year ago Mike, and it worked ok until December when the on/off switch failed. I bought it from RVO but instead of contacting them, I decided to open the controller to see what the problem was. I removed the red plastic cover that hides the screws holding the box together. I found that the on/off switch was held on track by two springs but one was missing. I decided to bypass the switch, but removing it meant I now only have an RA drive, which is ok for my needs, but very disappointing. These Chinese controls are poorly made and really not worth the money in my view. I'll certainly avoid them in future.

No hard and fast rules for me. If the Moon is on show I'll observe it. If the planet's are on view, I'll observe those also. Sometimes when neither the Moon or planets are on show I'll hunt down a few deep sky fuzzies. At other times I'll aimlessly hunt double stars and admire their contrasting colours. But I do like to sketch what I see, and so I'll try to sketch something during an observing session, as I find it helps me to pick out the more subtle detail, and is a great way to record observations. I rarely ever go out with the intention of observing for several hours, although sometimes the time does seem to fly by. Even half an hour can be enough to satisfy me, especially if its below zero. I'm a creature of comfort!

Lovely scopes John, but there's just one thing missing, - the pretty girl. I really liked those old Celestron advertisements and until now I couldn't remember why!

I was lucky enough to own one of the Vixen F13 achromats back in the mid 80's, and stupidly sell it in 1993. It's fork mount was pretty poor as it struggled to hold the scope steady enough for me. It was a stunning deep sky scope! It's view of M82 is still emblazoned in my mind as being the best I've ever seen it. As a lunar and planetary scope it was superb and let down only by my minimal selection of eyepieces. I couldn't afford much back then, so not much has changed. I bought the scope from Peter Drew who sold it to me for £400, and i found out only a couple of years ago that it previously belonged to a superb lunar and planetary observer, Nigel Longshaw. Talking to Nigel a while ago, he spoke very fondly of it and said it was a scope he deeply regretted letting go. Years later I bought an Antarese 105mm, but it didn't give me the wow factor that the Vixen F13 did.

I had a look early in the evening while the planet was still against a brightish blue sky. The seeing was steady and the image sharp. It was a much nicer night than the one previous, which was bitterly cold and windy. Tonight was mild, and the birds were singing their socks off, like extras from Rhubarb & Custard. (If you remember that you're knocking on a bit). Then I've got a pair of wood pigeons who are practicing to be cuckoo's. It's a lovely way to end a lovely day.

You could arrange for UPS to collect and deliver it. I find it hard to believe RVO can't arrange for delivery. May be they're not too bothered about your custom! You could always simply sink a steel tube into a couple of feet of postcrete and save the cost!

I got Spider Diffraction for my birthday. Oh, and plenty of nice galaxies. 😊

The pop will definitely improve the seeing. I should have done that myself! I've just come in after a 20minute session with the 10" thing with mirrors. Bitterly cold and a gritter drove past twice while I obseved. The seeing wasn't good, and trying to battle with a stupid Dobson mount while holding a sketch book and pencil and a biting cold wind blowing up my kilt, really isn't fun. Did I mention, that Frac looks gorgeous by the way!

That's a shame. The longer focallength's seem to get snapped up quickly when available.

Hi Dave, I've no idea about the eyepieces you mention, but I have plenty of experience with simpler designs in a binoviewer. The 24mm and 16.8mm Super Abbe Orthoscopics sold by 365 Astronomy are fantastic in a binoviewer. For lunar and planetary binoviewing they will give views equal to some of the finest single planetary eyepieces. And they aren't expensive!

Thanks Stu, Would you believe it was all done with mirrors?

Hi Mike, Yes, it is quite a smooth papered sketch pad. I used cotton buds for softening the edges rather than a blending stump for this sketch. I don't do enough lunar sketching and need much more practice!