kevenh

Why not a power pack?https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0713T4XT9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A week or so I good I did some preliminary research for a decent 32mm eyepiece. Looking at my results today I went for budget but decent. I have ended up with a shortlist of: - Revelation 32.0mm Plossl Eyepiece 1.25" Celestron 93323 1-1/4-32 mm Omni Series Eyepiece Baader Planetarium 32 mm Classic Ortho Eyepiece My query today as I recheck my findings is the Revelation one. That is coming up at almost half the price of the other two (at www.telescopehouse.com) But this eyepiece made my shortlist due to positive comments about the GSO build. So, finally, my question, does the purchase price suggest this 32mm isn't a GSO? No rush here. It's a wish list not a need list - as I remind myself... lol

There was some PICNIC In today's Sun viewing my kit 25mm Plössl eyepiece could show a full sun disk (sunspot 2776 seen ✅ ) So now I am where I wanted to be Wednesday: How to get my 760D DSLR able to see a full disk sun? I'll get my hands dirty with a little bit of my own research... Thanks for the feedback my earlier posts gained👍 edit: OK, a f/6.3 focal reducer looks like the extra bit of kit needed: -

Sorry the question was unclear. I found this post while looking for help with how a Focal Reducer could help my observations. The FOV calc shows my two eyepieces should have full views of the Sun. In real life the Sun is too large viewed by either. I asked if I was making a mistake in my FOV calc setup. astrotim suggests I am not making a mistake but that I should allow for how my focuser is adjusted/positioned - and that I had not done.

Still on topic as a rookie looking at the need for a focal reducer. But I can't match my real views with the FOV calc. In the image above, the Sun is shown as fully visible on my SE8, but I came to SGL to see how a focal reducer would help me get to that point i.e. I have only part of the Sun in view as there is too much zoom. I have two EP, the Celestron supplied 25mm and a Hyperflex 7.2mm-21.5mm Eyepiece (hence what I setup in the FOV Calc) Missing from the equipment entry list is the 90 degree adaptor but that is 1:1 and only flips the image. What mistake am I making?

My ready made solar filter arrived so I've some practical feedback for these questions: - On my Nexstar HC I used the Menu options to remove the block on the Sun as a GoTo target. Now the Sun can be displayed as a Solar System alignment option AND a sky object. But each time it is chosen as either, there is a 2nd check to "Enter" through that reminds you of the danger of sun observations.

Oh! A dew shield AND insulation? Hmm! Not got dew shield yet. Might have to wait for the next credit card cycle But something like this looks like what others are using as insulation. I'm confused tho. It's early in my checks so I haven't look at the SGL DIY section yet, but how/where are we putting the radiator backing? Is it important to get self adhesive stuff or actually worse?

Thanks for more feedback. My head now knows that Nexstar can align if not dead level but I'll still try for that My alignment needs improving elsewhere. The best I had it was via a Skyalign using two unknown bright stars as #1 & #2 and Mars as bright object #3. With that I had a 'success' from the HC and could Goto Uranus & Saturn. Then back to Mars. Which was in my 22mm EP but not dead centre.

Thanks for feedback 👍🏻 It helped me find this discussion. But that was not a clear defence of not levelling. I own a metre long spirit level. I’ll add a decent smaller spirit level and use that for astronomy while I learn about my nee scope’s foibles. edit. I’d like the nexstar GPS add on. Maybe later when I’ve got the basics working/learnt. No short cuts - well, except one coming up in the Prime sale this week 😱

So the little circular bubble level is weak. But how to improve the levelling stage a head of the alignment stage? A traditional level like this one Or a simple multi purpose one like this one? And we do this on the tripod before adding the mount & OTA? The mount looks gently curved. How do we check that for level or do we trust the ‘fit’?

1. It will be safe if checked for pinholes & other damage before each use. I’ve found that a modern bright LED bike light can be used to look for “leakage” 2. Yes but I’m sure the film will be double sided so scratches need to be on both sides or of penetrated through. 3. Never say never but the chance of it occurring during an actual observation is very low. When you’re not observing do move the scope well away from where the sun is or will be. 4. I think 3 applies. 5 & 6. By default, yes, there is a block on aligning the Nexstsr scope to the sun. Easily altered in the HC menu. No warning for the setting change as you’ll be expected to know the result of your actions. 7. I couldn’t ignore the sun or moon as local light pollution makes these easy observations. I think lots of us fit in solar viewing. 8. It is possible to damage a scope during solar observation. But simple care and sense removes the risk. Be alert & don’t be distracted. Keep the filter attached until the scope is pointing well away from the sun. Move the scope if something else needs your attention. You’ve mentioned awareness of the finder scope “challenge” so I think you’re all set. I’ve bumped an old post but I saw some unanswered questions and I’m about to start Eclipsmart solar viewing on my new Nexstsr 8SE My previous experience is with a Baader solar film homemade card box box filter on a refractor 👍🏻

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. It sounds like I have to persist with the harsh lesson I learned about assembling the mount & OTA on the garage carpet. NOT the tripod. As well as watch how I enter date & time values, for the alignment I could take the time two learn the names of two stars for the "Two Star Alignment" method. For this part of the 6/8SE manual Press UNDO to display the names of the three bright objects you aligned to, or press ENTER to accept these three objects for alignment I have only seen the Hand Controller mention 'custom 1', etc. for my chosen objects. Never a name. I'll look out for real names - maybe when I looked it was for the unsuccessful alignment. Anyway, it looks like I'll be persisting & not putting the scope back in the box. Except when I head to the darker skies of campsites.... Thanks again.

Monday 5th Oct: un-boxing & 1st View During the day outside I unboxed a Nexstar 8SE (25mm EP) and did a course alignment of the red dot finder. I'm using a TalentCell power bank & that worked well. I planned to leave the scope outside but rain arrived. In the evening I attempted to setup the scope in the dark. I misplaced the camping and the OTA fell into the luckily soft lawn. So that's the metal Shell christened 🤔 I did get to see a glorious moon surface. More detail than from my 80EQ firstscope. Evening 2: Tuesday 6th Mars was tonight's planned view. I didn't get on with a skylight so did a solar align on Mars. Compared to my old scope I've made Mars a brighter White disc with some greyed areas. (25mm & zoom EP) The worst thing was mars drifted and when I tried Goto the scope went further away. Looking at my setup I found North America rather than U.K. 🤔 Eve 3 Friday 9th Last night i.used a GPS to add my garden's Long & Lat as well as a time entry using seconds with my iPhone as the visual time aid. I failed again at the 1st skyalign. The solar planet align was used again. Mars was the target and my viewing. It was a bright disc again but with maybe more obvious slightly darker areas. Mars drifted again even though the scope's Motors could be heard. I retired a 3 bright object alignment and this time the Nexstar was happy. I could choose over planets and Goto back to Mars. It wasn't central in the eyepiece but OK Tl,Dr How similar to novice backyard astronomers is my early experience? I am surprised at the drift in a goto.but hope.that I just need to be better at Skyalign. The focus setup looks good as Mars out of focus is two perfect circles looking like a doughnut. I didn't observe how an OOF star looked. ****** Bottom line, when the scope fell out of the clamp that 1st day, have I damaged it's function and not just good looks? ****** ****** Is drift a sign of inaccurate alignment? ********* ps Not mentioned is my garden is poor for light pollution and with the old scope it became just viewing the moon & Sun I relied on for interest. Mars did look ok ~2000 we saw a polar cap with the old scope.

Oh!! Good idea for a thread. I'm another TalentCell purchaser Plus longer DC-DC cable.

Still 'trying' to do more. Not done a lot in the 10+ years. (still in same house next to a School's security lights - tbf they go off at 10pm) I did migrate from the cardboard Solarscope to a DIY Sun filter made with Baader’s AstroSolar film to watch & photo sunspots with the refractor. Recently bought a motorhome & ended up seeing Neowise, meteorite showers, Jupiter & moons while camping and that gave me the idea of letting my little sis have the Celestron firstscope 80eq and buying a Nexstatr 8SE. That's a portable scope

Huge thanks for the prompt feedback 👍🏻 I’ll also go for the more compact sized 36W version.

Hi. How well is the Talentcell working out for you? Did you get new cables? Amazon have a bigger Talentcell, a 72W one With how you got on with the 36W would you change anything? Thanks in advance. I hate burning through alkaline batteries & think standard AA nimh will be too low in the volts area