Stub Mandrel

makes sure any pump doesn't pull water from too deep in the pond, then if there's a fault it can't pump it dry ?

Make a small bundle of barley straw, about half the size of a brick. Tie it up and weight down with a stone and it will stop algal blooms.

Wildlife garden ?

The elevation of M16 makes it the only one practical for me ?

I bought a similar focuser from Astrobin Astroboot, I'm a making a 60 x 228mm guidescope with it, using a lens from Astromedia. It has the same plastic strips, but benefits from one of them having two adjusting screws plus a locking screw (ideal for a guidescope). What I have taken away from your post is using some aluminium tape to make the drawtube a closer fit. I also put a short bit between the two screws although i don't suppose they will do anything when the screws are tightened.

I visited the centre last year, there was no info on the observatory but it must be a great location.

? I meant buy a roll or two of turf...

What about just using lawn turf?

Split into two layers, use the reddish one as luminance and change the colour balance of the other one.

Well done! It's a challenge here, but I should be able to get an hour and a half on it if I time things right. I could set up on the kitchen's flat roof and get a better view, but I think the neighbours might object to me being level with their landing window...

Clay? No excuse now, dig a huge hole , line with the clay and puddle it by borrowing a neighbours herd of cows and chasing them round and round ? More seriously, good luck and I bet you are pleasantly surprised by how fast the wildlife arrives.

What is it with mosquitos this year? I go outside for a few minutes in et evening and my ankles are covered in midges, the house seems to be a magnet for big mossies. I squashed one and it left a huge splash of MY blood on the wall, I've still got a lump four days later ? It's like being in Scotland.

But avoid the 750D...

Let's be honest, some things are just a matter of taste, not practicality, like the elegant hood ornament on my Jag.

Stick a screw or two in each end of the dovetail as an emergency stop, just like Skywatcher do. Dovetail disasters are vastly more likely than ring/clamshell failure. I'm sure the plastic clamshell on my 70/700 is more than adequate... its (metal) dovetail has cast in cutouts so loosening the clamp screw doesn't cause it to fall out. Good design for a cheap as chips scope!

More than what is needed is poor engineering.

Use oversize cable ties or a jubilee clip or two, they'll do the job just as well ?

Hack-a-Tak ?

That's exactly what I mean, I think previous discussion (which I admit I got a bit het up about) was counter-productive.

I agree 100% believe it or not. But the rules should be as set out in the original announcement (unless there is a genuine error), it's when people start asking for clarifications and exceptions that things seem to deteriorate. Easily solved by saying, "the requirements for entries are as set out in the first post, if you think your work meets them, go ahead and enter". I think this would be in the spirit of a 'challenge' that just happens to have prizes/recognition for outstanding entries, rather than a strict competition. While I like seeing the winners, I enjoy both attempting the challenges and looking at the diversity of entries as well; I don't think anyone really loses if an entry is disqualified on a technicality. My two absolute exceptions would be entries outside the date range, as all entries should be responses to the challenge, and that they shoudl be the work of the entrant. Ironically this are the two things the judges have to take on trust!

Thinking of previous competitions, and the potential upset of excluding entries on unclear grounds, I think that the competitions should be inclusive. MY specific view is that people should be able to enter whatever they think fits the criteria and let the judges decide what is eligible or not when they are judging. That way no-one is barred from having a go (which is surely the point) but if they are seen to have 'bent the rules' they will be marked down and won't win, without any bad blood or argument. My other view is that people who win too many times should be promoted to judges and rendered ineligible ? Obviously I'm not a judge/moderator and their view may be at odds with mine.

Indeed!

Not hugely important, but the 130P-DS isn't listed and '0.9' is missing from the barlow reducer list so i can't get my exact setup (130P-DS with 0.9 CC) 130P with no reducer is close enough, but adding those values makes it into a more useful general porpoise calculator

I was going to suggest that they try Lucy-Richardson deconvolution...