RT65CB-SWL

Hi @DPF & wife and welcome to SGL. If you have an unlimited data plan, some internet sites you can down load star charts, Lunar/Moon atlas, Messier, Caldwell, Herschel objects, etc. Though I do not own a copy 'Turn Left at Orion' (a.k.a 'TLAO') is a good reference book for 'newbies'. I have a .PDF preview on a laptop.

Hi @DaveDiamond and welcome to SGL. The best EQ mount I have owned was the Vixen GP, (images below). I believe this is/was the start of the popular EQ3/2 clones. I have since sold it and now gone manual alt/az. My opinion is: "Where do I see myself in a few years?... bigger 'scope? what eyepieces, accessories, etc?" - these need to be taken into account. My advice would be to future proof yourself and and your investment and what you can comfortably afford. Prices will increase in the future and any mount is the solid foundation for pending future OTA upgrades, etc.

Hi @FireNIceFly/Adz & @AstroM1/Marc and welcome to SGL.

The max. I use in my C6/SCT is a 6mm TeleVue 'Radian', [now discontinued and superseded by the 'DeLite' series] and if conditions allow, my 3-6mm Nagler zoom. If you are on a tight budget, then these may be just the thing... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html

Hi @wastedyears1981 & @Isaac 49 and welcome to SGL. I am not a great fan of filters, but the one I use most is the Baader Planetarium Neodymium. It does tease out some detail on DSO's, etc., though an UHC or Olll will tease more.

I have two zoom e/p's. One is an Astroboot bargain... 7-21mm... does ok and if I travel light and/or 'grab & go'... nothing special! ...or there is my TeleVue 3-6mm Nagler zoom... ...at 6mm (left) and at 3mm (right). .

Hi @Lynchy & wife and welcome to SGL. Did you remember to remove the objective cover/cap? ...it is surprising how often you forget something so simple. Best to setup during daylight hours, so you know 'what does what' and 'what goes where' and align the finder scope or RDF on a distant non-moving target.

Here is the full range... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html Being 60deg., as opposed to 50deg. and long eye relief [16mm] will be an improvement.

My thoughts is that 'permanent ink' marker pen may smudge or wear off eventually when you clean it... or you purchase a ready made Bahtinov Mask. I got a 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.

Hi @varius21 and welcome to SGL. 300x is way to much, especially under GB/UK skies. Ideally your best bet is to go for an e/p that gives you up to 200-250x maximum. You may want to purchase some e/p's that give a wider view than the supplied ones, such as these... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html or these... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html... avoid the so-called eyepiece & filter set. My most used filter is, as @johninderby says is the Baader Neodymium... it is my 'Swiss-Army knife' filter. Then a variable polarising filter when viewing the Moon or the brighter planets, (i.e. Jupiter & Venus), and for viewing 'fuzzy' objects, a UHC or O-lll.

Hi @Mogra and welcome to SGL. Agree with what @Second Time Around says above. My TeleVue Ranger will not come into focus if I do not use the star diagonal. You will/should find the image right way up and left/right or east/west are reversed. This is 'normal'. Some telescopes, i.e. 'Newtonian' reflectors, South is up.

I guess it does, but by how much is any ones guess... maybe a few millimetres. As we know, the Moon is moving further away from Earth at about 3.8cms per year... kind of puts it into perspective.

I was just setting up yesterday evening and rain stopped play... and now wall-to-wall cloud and for the next few days. + =

Here is what is I use for 82deg AFOV... TeleVue 13mm Nagler type 1 & 6. The type 1 is a heavy e/p and the OTA does require re-balancing. It can be used with either a 1.25" & 2" nosepiece, whereas the type 6 is 1.25". For size comparison, my Nagler's alongside my TeleVue 13mm Plossl... (as shown on left).

Thank you @johninderby. I am/was thinking of utilising the 1/4" threads from the dovetail, hence the reason for the screwheads being inside the tube. Forgot to mention that if I do proceed, that I will be using 'Allen'/hex machine screws!

Hi everyone. Below are some images of my 're-modded' ETX105. I am thinking [and taking a risk], of attaching the dovetail bar by drilling into the tube a securing with some 1/4" BSW countersunk screws/bolts with the countersunk head being on the inside of tube or using the four machine screws that are supplied at the ends, (again with the head being inside the tube), and doing away with the Jubilee/hose rings. What do you guys and girls think? I know it means removing the the mirror and meniscus cell before I proceed. I have the tools, but do not have a workshop/shed to carry out such a task. Any ideas most welcome... or do you think I should leave it as it is?

As per what @Louis D said.

Same here! - It is my second favourite e/p.

Hi @12green and welcome to SGL. If you can find one, then may I suggest a TeleVue Radian. This was the predecesscor to the DeLite. I have the TeleVue 8mm Plossl. Though it is a nice eyepiece, I sometimes find the eye relief a bit tight at 6mm. The DeLite's and Radian's both have the 'instajust' or adjustable eyeguard feature [as do the Delos] to give max. eye relief of 20mm. BTW - I have 6mm Radian as well.

Mmm! tough decision... Something mystical and magical about them... apart from the physical size... my TeleVue 13mm Nagler's [type1 & 6].

Hi @Grwmp and welcome to SGL. I had my 'scopes out more times whilst I was on furlough, then I did during the past two years. Having cloudy skies is part of the initiation ceremony.

Hi @mrsbuzzy/Dawn & husband and welcome to SGL. As per what @NGC 1502 suggests as it is one of the most popular type of 'scope here in GB/UK. One of my work colleagues has the SkyWatcher 200 Dobsonian and is very pleased with it. He originally purchased for his then six year old son a few years ago and dad gets more use from it. The son now somewhat older has now got other interests, but occasionally looks through it. The one you have shown, I think is what is referred to as a 'Bird-Jones' design. Basically they have a built-in Barlow lens in the eyepiece tube/holder, which can be a cause of grief when it needs collimating. They are best avoided... unless you know what you are doing. I myself have a TeleVue 70mm refractor, a 're-modded' ETX105 and a Celestron C6/SCT-xlt.

Hi @Milzy/Mike and welcome to SGL. I have the ETX105. Optically they are super... mechanically* they are rubbish... customer/after sales support... awful. Below are some images of my ‘re-modded’ ETX105. *the gears in the drives are nylon or other plastic.

Objective cell/body is from a 50mm binocular with a short [50mm] delrin tube to accept a 1/4” BSW fitting and 1.25” mirror diagonal, topped off with my TeleVue 13mm Nagler (type 1 & 6). 🤪 I made it for a bit of fun, but will eventually end up as a finderscope. Works out to be about f4 or thereabouts.

I posted these earlier in the year, in another section of SGL, whilst I was on furlough... ...and "yes!" It does work. 😜