RT65CB-SWL

Wow... that is nice!

Below are two 'experienced' Mak and SCT website contributors... Mike Weasner... http://www.weasner.com/etx/menu.html - useful for all things ETX related and other stuff on his other sites. 'Uncle' Rod Mollise... https://uncle-rods.blogspot.com/ - this guy covers all things Mak & SCT related. Many magazine and online articles published.

If you are on a budget, you could try these... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces.html or these... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html or maybe these... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/celestron-eyepieces/celestron-x-cel-lx-eyepiece.html

Apologies for the confusion @chiltonstar I have just re-read your post and now realised you are wanting a 'solid' end cap.

Nothing wrong with that!

Having tried the Baader 8-24mm zoom at the end of February [2020] from a member at my local astro. soc./club for one hour, I was very impressed with it. Though nothing compares to using eyepieces of a 'fixed' focal length... unless it is the TeleVue Nagler zoom.

Same comments as I mentioned yesterday, as above... and equally or nearly as good as a Maksutov in my opinion. Useful tip should you purchase a Maksutov or SCT #1: When not in use, store it in an upright position: i.e. visual back pointing down. Simple reason is that if stored in a room which gets extremely hot during the daytime, it may result in the grease on baffle tube 'melting' or 'dripping' onto the meniscus cell (Mak.) or corrector plate (SCT). Useful tip should you purchase a Maksutov or SCT #2: fully rotate the focus wheel/knob so the primary mirror glides/slides on the baffle tube smoothly in and out a few times to 'evenly spread' the grease if it has not been used after a long period. I normally do this to my ETX105 & C6/SCT-xlt every two months.

I used to have a mount similar to the SkyWatcher Pronto and like you I was put off by the telescope mounting point/plate/saddle above the centre of rotation and after a few moths I sold it/gave it away. Have you considered the Tele-Optic Mini Giro GR-2? - (mount weight: 1.9kgs / max. payload: 2.5kgs unbalanced / 4kgs per side/ balanced) - so you can mount your 'scopes side-by-side if you wish - should fit any camera/video tripod with 3/8" thread mounting point. I have its bigger sibling... the Tele-Optic Giro GR-DX ll... (it's the one on the right - the other is the AOK-AYO) and recently acquired Universal Astronomics DwarfStar (not shown); but shown elsewhere on SGL - all can be fitted to my Manfrotto PROB tripod.

Got to be my TeleVue 3-6mm zoom at the 3mm end for lunar or planetary viewing... and if conditions allow... I will add an AstroEngineering 1.6x Magni-Max.

Hi @Pro and welcome to SGL. Bear in mind that some DSO's will appear as 'fuzzy grey blobs' as the human eye is not really adapted for night use. If you invest in a UHC or O-lll filter, it will help with enhancing some of the finer structure/detail. M42, the Orion Nebula is the obvious target to practice on, but add one of these filters, it will show so much more. A very useful filter for many uses is the Baader Neodymium. I often refer to it as my 'Swiss-Army knife filter' and often called the 'Marmite filter' by some. It is one you either like it or hate it filters. It is expensive for what it is; (many 'specialist' filters are anyway). I use it a lot, especially when viewing Mars, Jupiter, & Saturn too.

If you make a 'V-block'; (i.e. piece of timber and four long nails at an angle); rest the collimator on that. Then with a sheet of paper on the wall, place marker on it where the 'dot' is, then rotate the collimator a few degrees and check its position. If it is off centre from the first 'dot' the collimator may/will need collimating. If you can go further back, better still.

I think I got mine it was from these guys... https://store.mocap.co.uk/mocap_uk/a.html?Item=A152.0S50.8B&Inside_Diameter=5.98425&Length=50.800&Material=BLACK&_ga=2.139120113.372164547.1595690709-734244330.1595690709 I had mislaid my 'screw-on' endcap during a temporary house move a few years ago. The nearest size to 124mm external diameter of the ETX105 is 123mm; (it looks like they no longer make/stock this size); so I clicked and requested a 'sample' which duly processed and posted via Royal Mail/Snail Mail... and no 'Spanish Inquisition' / "Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Say no more!" - Monty Python. BTW - it makes a handy storage container for endcaps for your e/p's and other optical accessories, etc., whilst the scope is in use.

How about a 'small' Maksutov or SCT? The downsides are is... the long focal length; (I have an ETX105 and is f/14 or thereabouts). dew magnets - a dew shield is a must have accessory and is not included. cooling time of thirty minutes [minimum] if used for astronomy; (visual and imaging). narrow field of view. (not yet tried with an FF/FR reducer from my C6/SCT-xlt). expensive as are dedicated photographic mirror lenses. left/right - east/west is reversed. The upsides is that they... compact size. are excellent lunar and planetary 'scopes. hardly require collimation. can be attached to photo/video tripod and suitable head. up/down - north/south is right way up.

+1 for alt-az mounts... less faffing about... more viewing time... My 're-modded' ETX105, star diagonal, and 7-21mm zoom e/p., on a Universal Astronomics DwarfStar mount and Manfrotto 055PROB tripod... "Probably the best lightweight visual 'grab & go' setup in the world!" - "Vorsprung durch non-tecnik!"

Hi @Gummy and welcome to SGL. Assuming your 'scope/OTA is not a 'Bird-Jones'* type... then that looks OK to me! If it is... there is a video showing you what to do and also how to collimate your collimator on YouTube. Sorry I cannot help much more. * 'Bird-Jones' is a type of reflector that has a magnifying element somewhere within the focus/drawtube assembly.

Hi @Jeremiah and welcome to SGL. Snap - you have almost the same equipment as me! yours... Nikon D80 & ETX90. mine... Nikon D80 + D40x & ETX105 (albeit 're-modded'). Below is an afocal image of the Montes Apenninus region of the Moon I took several years ago using a Meade 20mm Plossl series 4000, Olympus C2040, and an eyepiece projection unit attached to my ETX105... Later that same evening the 'cheap & nasty' dovetail mounting plate snapped and the ETX hit the ground/grass and damaged the ABS plastic rear cell assembly damaging two of the three mounting points. Some images of my 're-modded' ETX105...

Hi @Sillabub and welcome to SGL. First thing to remember when purchasing your 'first' telescope... buy from a dedicated astro-retailer/outlet... not the high street or online auction sites or warehouses. The Skymax 127... this is a Maksutov (catadioptric) telescope. They are often referred to as planet killers. (I have a 're-modded' ETX105). They do have a few upsides and downsides, but nothing serious. These are... the eyepiece end is always at a convenient position. long focal length means it is not to fussy about eyepieces. the view is right way up, but left/right - east/west are reversed. hardly requires collimation. compact size means less storage space and highly portable. notorious dew magnets - a dew shield is a must have accessory. need at least thirty minutes cool down [minimum] to cool off and let the trapped warm air escape - I mount mine with the visual back pointing up to the sky during this time and pray that there are no low-flying bats or birds about. narrow field of view for some DSO's. The Explorer 130... this is the Newtonian design that many people think of when you say reflector telescope. Almost the all rounder for viewing many celestial targets; (although no telescope design does all). These too have a few upside and downsides. I will give you a few downsides... the eyepiece and finder will get in to some odd angles if the OTA mounted an EQ mount. views are upside down i.e. south is at the top - north is at the bottom. will require collimation every now and again. at f/7 or thereabouts it maybe a bit fussy about eyepieces. IMHO - the spider that holds the secondary is a bit on the 'thick' side for my liking - downside is/may cause diffraction spikes... it's a Marmite thing!

It happens... you are not the first one!

Hi @Alphacentauri and welcome to SGL. Another for Venus.

Hi @DroneSaif and welcome to SGL. There are a few SGL'ers that are expats or are employed in the Middle East and a few nationals from the neighbouring states/countries.

Hi @AstroNovice and welcome to SGL. Solar filters can be ready made or DIY. Ready made ones can be glass or a solar safety film. Glass solar filters are expensive. Solar safety film filters are the cheaper alternative. Cheaper still are DIY. To make one you will need a sheet of Baader Safety Solar film: (available at most astro-resellers); stout card and sticky tape; (i.e. duct tape), and... some sticky back foam/draught excluder. If you do DIY, don't worry if it is wrinkly when you have made it. This is perfectly normal. Make sure it is a snug fit and does not easily come off when you move the OTA or a gust of wind. The last pieces of advice are... Make a filter for your finder scope. Before each and every use, check the filter for defects; i.e. pin holes, tears, scratches, etc. by holding up to a bright light source whilst it is not on the 'scope itself. This applies to ready made glass and solar film filters too. If you suspect anything DO NOT USE! - bin it.

Hi @Ionlylookup and welcome to SGL. My guess for the mount is that it is a SkyWatcher EQ3/2, which is clone of the Vixen GP. Has the seller given/hinted at a price? - you should be looking to pay about 2/3rds of 'new' as a guide; assuming it has been looked after. Ask the seller to demonstrate it in use.

If you have a camera tripod and ballhead, that too would work. I myself use a Manfrotto 055PROB with a ballhead and a recently acquired Univesral Astronmics* DwarfStar mount. Images below of my TeleVue Ranger attached to the mentioned mounts. I also use them with my 're-modded' ETX105 (not shown). * I have just looked at the Universal Optics website and it says; quote: "...Been a long time coming, but UA is slowly closing its doors. My thanks to those who supported our products over the past 20 years." etc.

Hi @Hillside + daughters and welcome to SGL.