DAVE AMENDALL

Do you still have it ? Here's my copy, Marvelous little pocket edition...Dave

Yes  Sir Patrick originally got me hooked. I have a large number of the Sky at Night programs on  12 DVD's. The world will never see the likes of him again. Proof that sheer enthusiasm is catching. He knew his way around the sky as if it was his own backyard. He would never have needed Goto or the like..................Dave

Hi Unfortunately The Chicago Tribune Web pages are not available in the UK. We have plenty of light pollution though...Dave

I have recently traded my C8 xlt and 6" Bresser Frac for a new C11xlt OTA to use on a NEQ6 mount permanently cited. I now just have the one scope. I would have gone for the C14 but I don't think the mount or the seeing would have stood it. hope I have done the right thing. Just need some good clear nights to test things out.....Dave

Reminds me of the days of  we make it but you try to get it. I waited about three months for my original Fullerscope  8" Newtonian and mount. In the end Dudley delivered it personally bless him! .

Those white plastic setting circles bring back memories. You could locate objects with them though. A nice suburban discovery.The dome was probably home made. My original one rotated on golf balls.Happy days and nights ...............Dave

On reflection those golf balls offered a smoother and quieter rotation than the fibre glass dome I am using now

Superb Looks like it was taken in Tenerife..............Dave

Hi Dave, I rented a plot of land just outside Romiley (on the way to Glossop) for £15 per week  I had a ROR Obsey on it . It was a quarter acre shared it with two horses nice dark skies lived in Bredbury then. That was 1985 so nowadays you can multiply the £15 by 10. Although you may be lucky and get a small patch cheaper...Dave

Fascinating  to say the least. The discoveries continue................Dave

That's great math I don't think Mr Spock could have done better.....Dave

Each passing hour brings the Solar system 43,000 miles nearer to the M13 Globular Cluster.  Food for thought........Dave

Same problem with my new C11 Used twice on the Moon. We don't have a climate in the UK Just weather.....Dave

I am upgrading my Celestron C8 xlt to C11xlt  and wonder if the rear thread is the same because I have a number of C8 accessories  such as 6.6 reducer and a 2" visual back plus camera adaptors  ect. Any advice would be welcome........Dave

I take it at that price the quote was in Spain and not the UK?..............Dave

I don't think that this is a project for the faint hearted. It requires quite a measure of skill to achieve accuracy in order to make them useful. The astronomers on SGL are to be highly praised for succeeding. here is what could be a useful link on this.......................Dave       Manual Setting Circle for Dobsonian Telescope_ 4 Steps.pdf

Manual Setting Circle for Dobsonian Telescope_ 4 Steps.pdf

I have no idea what happened to this structure...........Dave

The  Wooden Observatory dates back to the Patrick Moore era and was constructed at Severn Oaks and was used for many years by a certain Commander Hatfield. It housed one F8 12" Newtonian And a large photographic Schmitd camera. The rotation system is just below the window. The wheels were squirreled from hospital beds twelve of them in all and run in a heavy duty circular steel runner. The system operated manually by chain and crank. Turns smoothly and easily enough. The shutter opens to the zenith. The shutter rails can be seen on the picture. Very old fashioned at modern standards. I would assume needs constant maintenance and weatherproofing.Fascinating nevertheless....Dave

Points taken I must stand corrected. I did not think it through. Those silo tops look so attractive on top of towers down on the farm. I saw the 10ft plywood dome on your website. Clever construction.Not everyone is handy enough to do it. It's easy to see why the commercial fibreglass domes have become so popular in recent years. Here is a heavy wood construction which has worked well for years.........Dave

Don't think a calf rearing igloo is really the answer. Sort of thing you would find in Finland or Scande Too heavy Too much work on conversion. A silo top would be better      Dave

you are very observant today Gina. now you mention it no it does'nt. Probably needs setting up properly using the Black & Decker orange drive unit and micro switches.............Dave

True Steve They are expensive but so is everything else My Obsy is not available anymore, but there are alternatives, My friend in Tenerife has this one NexDome Complete Observatory 2.2m.pdf...............Dave

Must agree with you Jeremy. Seems if one gets a good Dome that's  lucky, and it can be the best astro purchase of all.  If one is unlucky, then really they should be asking for a refund....Dave

Hi All, Not wanting to hi jack Rogs post,I certainly sympathise with WilsonM's post.That'a a real nightmare when you think of the money involved. I was lucky when I ordered a Pulsar 2.2 metre observatory a couple of years back,they could not supply. Wanting a dome, I looked for alternatives. Mine is shown in the atatched picture.The dome is moulded in one piece. The fibreglass is heavy duty. The door is moulded with heavy duty top and bottom locking system. The shutter runs on tubular steel runners. The dome revolves on a stainless steel ballrace. The price was no more expensive. The building is very strong,and stands up to the elements very well. Top quality. I am delighted with it.Like I say, I was lucky that Pulsar did not supply/They did refund my deposit however..........Dave

All good sound advice on here as usual. If the market is small.All is not lost by any means

That's a very good question.I have a friend who moved from Wales to the Canary Islands two years ago in search of darker skies and better conditions. I remember at the time he searched the web for the very information which you seek. He found nothing and did all the leg work himself. He was helped by the Spanish local property agent and eventually settled on a villa that suited his needs. I would imagine that the market is small,but maybe wrong....Dave

Hi all, Shopped around on Thursday for an NEQ6 Synscan mount. A number of suppliers have no stocks. Managed to locate one at Tring Astronomy which I ordered at 2pm. It was delivered on a next day basis and I received it at 10 0clock this morning by DHL free shipping at a total  cost of £999. You could'nt do better than that. Well done TRING ASTRONOMY................Dave