Stub Mandrel

I spent a few nights camping a week ago. It was heavily overcast but there was still enough moonlight that I didn't need a torch.

I remember one night at a true dark site  camping by a lake in snowdonia. The only time I have ever seen the stars reflected in water, and I was able to read teh label of a baked bean can by starlight alone. Didn't need a scope to appreciate the stars that night!

Here

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/clearance/hubble-cassegrain-reflector-telescope.html

I tried one of those. Initial results were really disappointing with some awful spherical abberation and it was a mission to get it sorted out, but the final results ain't too bad.

Still trying to find a 2.4 meter solar filter on eBay so i can do some sunspot pics.

Sounds like a 'Browser Helper Object' -  a nasty that pops in advertising links on certain keywords.

This is exactly what I have been looking for. Much more usable than the MET Office's cloud forexcast map.

> most galaxies are of about the same surface brightness as the Milky Way. So if you want to see galaxies well, you need to be able to see the Milky Way with the naked eye.

That comment has saved me an awful lot of chasing my own tail!

This is genuinely helpful. But...

If it was easy, I wouldn't  be interested! Anyone can browse hubble photos on the Nasa website. If I can get a view of Uranus as a small, blue-green bead I will be delighted.

Neil