RT65CB-SWL

@alexwolf may assist/help if all else fails.

Hi @Angus_1963 and welcome to SGL ...from South GB/UK 🇬🇧.

Love it!

Super!

I have SkEye and SkySafari on my old Android/Samsung S6 SIM-free phone that I use as a tablet. The only thing you have to be aware of is that it may display: "Warning: Extremely strange Magnetic field!" - Just wave it about in a 'figure of eight' a few times whilst phone/tablet is in your hand soon clears it. IMHO it is just as good as SkySafari.

I use either an AOK-AYO or Tele-Optic Giro... Unfortunately they do not/or is no provision for 'slo-mo' controls on either. Both are designed and made in Europe and available from many European astro-dealers.

Hi @ShellyL and welcome to SGL. I use a Manfrotto 055PROB tripod, [sometimes a monopod... I have three], and a joystick/trigger ballhead with my 20x80's or 7x50's. (images below). <--- Revelation ASTRO 20x80's <--- SONY 7x50's

Hi @Carl Au and welcome to SGL.

Agreed! I can even split the ‘Trapezium’ in M42 with a UHC.

I have both a UHC and Olll filters. The filter I use the most often is the Baader Neodymium. It is my ‘Swiss-army knife’ filter. BTW - all my filters are 1.25” and I use a 2”-1.25” adapter ring for my one and only 2” e/p.

Pessimist... 😱 Optimist... 😇

Hi @damienh and welcome to SGL.

I ordered a 'slim' M42 T-ring for Nikon DSLR at the end of November [2020] via an online warehouse to use with my Photax/Paragon 400mm telephoto lens and 'scopes... description and images as per link... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32885381935.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.41cc4c4dKexnvf

I have ordered some parts from them in the past and I will recommend them... though I cannot remember what was... something to do with either one of my two digital compact cameras at the time or for my ETX105.

Hi @Plymouthwelshboy/Steve and welcome to SGL. All the 'scopes you have referred to I believe are on alt-az mounts, i.e. you will need to move/track the OTA in two directions, (up/down & left/right), to keep on target. For short exposures this is not a problem, but for longer exposures it may cause some, especially for DSO's. If you can afford to go for an OTA with an GEM/EQ mount the OTA you will only have one drive tracking once you are polar aligned, etc. Catadioptric telescopes, (i.e. Maksutov's and SCT's), are good for planetary viewing and imaging, but require 30-60 minutes cooldown to acclimatise to the air temperature outside before use. A dew shield is a 'must have' accessory. Also an SCT may require a field flattener/focal reducer to shorten the exposure time. As far as I am aware. very few, if any, a field flattener/focal reducer for a Maksutov exist or commercially available.

Have you considered an eyepiece projection unit (i.e. EPU)? Just remove the rubber eye guard and insert the eyepiece. Below is mine shown in the centre and right of the images and made by Beacon Hill Telescopes. Other types are 'variable' so you can get the top eyepiece lens closer to the DSLR sensor or camera lens if using a digital compact camera. This image of the Montes Appeninus region of the Moon was taken with my ETX105 using the adapter with a Meade 20mm Plossl inserted and a digital compact camera.

Hi @Gazereths and welcome to SGL.

To get a Panasonic ToughBook CF-19 with a good spec. and running Windows 10, you are looking at least a minimum £1000 for refurbished. As the CF-19's do not include a built-in optical drive, you may need to consider buying an external one as well, unless you already have access to one. I have a CF-19 Mkll running Windows Vista (Business) and two Linux distro's on the HDD, though I am planning on getting a larger capacity HDD and RAM in the next few weeks/months. Mine has survived a one metre drop onto a solid surface a few years ago. It is still working OK, including the LCD screen and HDD. <--- Panasonic ToughBook CF-19

I got my Celestron C6/SCT-xlt soon after a mishap/an accident with my Meade ETX105 as a replacement for it, as I was looking for a replacement ETX rear cell to replace the damaged one. Unable to get one from Meade or secondhand. A few years elapsed and I drew up a sketch/plan and asked a few local engineering workshops to fabricate a replacement backplate from aluminium. Luckily one workshop accepted and was ready in two weeks. Years later, both the C6 and ETX105 are still in use by me.

Hi @Craig F and welocme to SGL. Whilst you are waiting for your 'scope to arrive, there are sites where you can download star charts & finder charts for Messier, Caldwell, Herschel, other DSO's etc., as well as popular planetarium programs, i.e. Stellarium, Celestia, etc., and lunar/Moon maps for free.

Upside: I saw Comet NEOWISE. Downside: I could not see the 'super conjunction of 2020'.

My definition of "niggles" is... slightly annoying behaviour. Isn't the 'English' language wonderful! - It has been said to be one of the most difficult languages to learn for non-English speakers.

From my experience of being the owner of a C6/SCT and an ETX105 Mak., is collimation. With the SCT they are on the front of the corrector plate and there are three collimation screws. With the ETX series* you have to remove the flip-mirror housing on the rear to access them and it has the two sets of collimation screws, (as on the classic 'Newtonian' reflector), i.e. one for adjustment and one for locking. As my ETX105 has been since re-modded with a solid backplate following an accident after the ABS flip mirror housing got damaged and broke two of three mounting points. I have to remove it to gain access to the collimation screws. (images below). The three blue countersunk/motorcycle/go-kart fairing washers hold the backplate of my 're-modded' ETX105 to the OTA. This has to be removed before I get access to the collimation screws. Link here with images of what a Meade ETX Mak., should look like... http://spottingscopes.name/meade-etx-105-105mm-maksutov-optical-tube-spotting-scope-telescope-with-uhtc.htm * not sure about other brands of Maksutov OTA other than 'Sky-Watcher', as the collimation screws can be accessed without having to disassemble the backend from what I have seen.

BTW - you mention your mothers binoculars are 'weak'. Can you give us an idea of what they are? - if she likes binocular observing then there is nothing wrong in 'upgrading' to a bigger pair and there are books dedicated to binocular astronomy. 7x50's are OK for for wide views and handheld, but do not show much detail of the Moon's surface or the planets that are visible to the naked eye. Anything bigger would need a tripod or monopod for steady viewing. I use a pair of 7x50's and a pair of 20x80's.

Hi @SPACEIBIZALAD & mother, and welcome to SGL. These are popular https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html or https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/sky-watcher-heritage-150p-flextube-dobsonian-telescope.html though the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving EU, etc., is causing supply and demand issues with resellers restocking the shelves. This article may help whet your and your mothers appetite.... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html - please feel free to ask as many questions before purchase. I personally would advise that you purchase from a dedicated reseller that specialises in selling astronomy equipment, rather than the many online auction sites, online warehouses or high street department stores. I myself have and use a 70mm refractor, a 105mm Maksutov and a 150mm/6" SCT and manual alt-az mounts; visual observing of solar (with a Herschel wedge and/or full aperture solar filter), lunar and planetary viewing at present.