RT65CB-SWL

Set of replacement silicone rubber pipe/tube end caps for my £20 Meade 2102-AT refractor, (mislaid by the previous owner), via the online warehouse in the far-east.

CLS... city light supression. Basically it is another name for a LPR... light pollution reduction. I don't think it matters which way they go, but to save time, add the CLS first, then add the others as/if needed. I do have a colour filter set, but I tend to use my Baader neodymium, contrast booster or variable polarising filters more when viewing the planets.

Hi @Student B and welcome to SGL. Did you see the word 'precession' in your reading. My guess it is a slight wobble or change in the angle of the Earth's axis, (which is approximately 23.5degrees), due to the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun when they are opposite each other. If anyone knows different, I stand corrected.

I got a 58mm 3D printed one made by @Philippe LECA... http://www.astrokraken.fr/clipsable-bahtinov-mask-for-standard-diameter-dslr-lens-a137731510 I would order through his site as above. His status is showing that he last visited SGL on February 13th 2020.

@Mr Spock Who is this question aimed at?

Even a Baader Neodymium and/or a #23A filters should bring out some details of Mars.

Hi @alfabet & daughter and welcome to SGL. As mentioned here on SGL [and the other forum], the Acuter Maksy 60 is not a bad little 'scope for its size and price. The supplied eyepieces are 0.965" - Most 'scopes sold today are 1.25" so your options to upgrade e/p's are limited. They do exist, usually sold in a set of three which are H20, HR12.5 and SR4 and not particular good in terms of eye relief, field of view, etc. That said, an optional 0.965" to 1.25" adapter does exist on that well known auction site and the online warehouses should you wish to upgrade to 1.25" Plossl's or Ortho's. Below is an image of a 0.965" e/p and a 1.25" for size comparison that are part my collection. As you said, the table top tripod is the weakest part of the set and your camera photo tripod is not much better. Add some extra weight to your existing camera tripod may help, (i.e. a large plastic milk bottle and fill it with water, pea gravel, sand, soil), and tie it to the centre column should reduce any vibrations... 1 litre of water = 1 kilogramme @ 21deg C. The AZ3 tripod and mount adapter you suggested in your third post would/may be an improvement.

If you observe near any civil/military/emergency services aerodrome... forget it!

Hi @TomCrewe and welcome to SGL. I asked my optician whether I should where glasses/spectacles and he said: "Unless your eyesight is extremely bad, then no!" This article... https://televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?return=Advice&id=87 may help. If you think you have astigmatism then this... https://televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=54

I do have not have any BST Starguider e/p's, though I have looked through a few in the past. For those on a budget I recommend them. That said, I could not resist to add my TeleVue e/p list below, sung to the tune of 'The twelve Days of Christmas'... Three TeleVue Plossl's Two TeleVue Radian's Two TeleVue Nagler's and a TeleVue Nagler zoom! 😅😂 ...and today is the twelfth day/end of Twelvetide and the start of Epiphany/Epiphanytide. 😉😆

Not book/paper... Android OS and iOS app's too. I use the following... LunarMap HD - Android OS... https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.omegacentauri.LunarMap.HD&gl=US Moon Globe - iOS... https://apps.apple.com/us/app/moon-globe/id333180321 Available for MS-Windows, MacOS and Linux PC's/Laptops... Virual Moon Atlas [aka VMA] - https://www.ap-i.net/avl/en/start note: VMA v7.0 or higher is not compatible with newer versions of MacOS and/or Linux because of incompatibilities with OpenGL.

Darned if I know! 🤣 The 'Caterpillar' or 'JCB' branded ones I wear/use for work.

Hi @Spaceman18 and welcome to SGL. Another that says: "An 8" Dobsonian!"

If it is on the outside, then Baader Optical Wonder fluid and clean microfibre cloths should be sufficient to clean it. If it is on the inside, then I would contact the reseller for advice.

For solar, then I would recommend a refractor and a Hershel Solar Wedge... <--- an image my TeleVue Ranger with a Hershel Solar Wedge. ...simple reason is [and my opinon] is that a is much safer than a solar film or glass filter covering the front element. Reasons why are... solar film filters have to be checked every time before use for tears to the fabric film. glass filters also have to checked every time before use for scratches on its surface. less chance of it falling off or being blown off if not secured to the telescope. a Herschel Solar Wedge is suitable for refractors only not Petsval type telescopes or camera lenses. Below are a few images from my iPhone using the above setup... The cheaper option is a solar film filter and they will give a pale-blue to white image of the Sun. You can make your own or purchase the ready made. If you make your own solar filter, remember to make one for the finderscope, or remove it before use. Glass solar filters are more expensive and they give an orange/yellow image. Should you decide on a Hershel Solar Wedge then please make sure it has a ND3 built in. For better results a Solar Continuum filter and a polarising filter will enhance the viewing and give a green image of the Sun. Reference to the 'mod'... Many years ago, I was tightening up the retaining screw on my mount and the dovetail bar snapped and the ETX105 crashed to the ground. Fortunately it was grass, but the ETX series has a lot of plastic, so it damaged two of three mounting points on the plastic rear end. I politely enquired at a local engineering workshop if they could make/fabricate a replacement back for it. Armed with a rough sketch/plan and using the damaged one as a template to align the mounting points, etc., they made the one as shown in my earlier reply from a billet of aluminium. As I lost provision for attaching a replacement dovetail bar, I secured it to the OTA with a couple of Jubillee hose rings, lined with neoprene strips.

Hi @spacedobsonian and welcome to SGL.

Hi @v1ks and welcome to SGL. What do you wish to view? - the moon, planets, solar, DSO's, etc. Do you wish travel with it? - i.e. take it on weekends away or holidays with you and/or family. You said that you are primarily interested in viewing the planets, then a refractor of no less than 70mm aperture, a Maksutov or SCT would be a good start. Being short/stubby, with a long focal length, a Maksutov or SCT do not take up a lot of space. Below I have attached an image an image of my TeleVue Ranger and 're-modded' Meade ETX105 in 'grab & go' mode, mounted on a photo tripod and small/lightweight alt-az mount. Below... same 'scopes, but on a heavier duty alt-az mount...

Hi @Denise7665 and welcome to SGL.

Hi @AurigaDoug and a belated welcome to SGL.

My thoughts exactly! For those of you that have never seen a solar eclipse, no media, whether it be analogue or digital, can reproduce the exquisite details of the sun's corona. I was to be able to view the 1999 solar eclipse from the northeast coast town/village of Krapets, Bulgaria 🇧🇬 I have 35mm photos/slides of it, but what I did see visually will remain with me forever too.

Hi @kelly324 and welcome to SGL. Another that says: "Forget about an eyepiece kit/set!" 42deg FOV is not a lot. Generally Plossl are 50deg, Ortho's are 46deg. As previously mentioned above by other SGL'ers, BST Starguider's... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html - They are quite generous in the AFOV and eye-relief departments. Slightly cheaper are the Vixen NPL's... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html If you want to push the 'boat out' then there is no harm in getting a zoom e/p. SVBONY do zoom e/p's too and the 8-24mm is not to bad apparently. I think it is model number: SV171. At the time of writing, I purchased the SVBONY SV215, a 3-8mm zoom at the end of October [2022] and was delivered at the beginning of December [2022]. I have not yet had chance to use due to work, cloudy skies, etc. It is going to be interesting to see how it compares against my TeleVue Nagler 3-6mm zoom and I shall and will look forward to using them. All I am going to say at this point is the SV215 zoom is going to give the Nagler zoom some serious competition.

Beautiful colours in the middle image. Took me a few minutes to find Mercury in the image too!

I see 'Monarch of the Glen Moon'...

Hi @Stu1smartcookie I was going to suggest the same too! That said, wishing you and family a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, etc., and enjoy your Xmas pressie to yourself. 🎄🎅🥳

I use a Manfrotto 055PROB or one of three monopods that I own and a pistol/trigger grip, as shown in @michael.h.f.wilkinson first reply. User guide on how to use/maintain a pistol/trigger grip here... TG-manual.pdf