RT65CB-SWL

Another satisfied Celestron SCT user... albeit mine is the C6/xlt. Alongside it is my 're-modded' Meade ETX105.

Very nice!

Hi again @Andy55 Upon a closer look at the second image, I think you have a type of single-speed Crayford focusser. As previously mentioned, I think the black thumbscrew adjusts the tension of the drawtube. If you cannot see the drawtube move up/down, then you will need to turn the thumbscrew a few turns until it does. Once you see it move, then tighten to a position where you think it is comfortable and will not slip.

Hi @Andy55 and welcome to SGL. Couple of things spring to mind... being a Schmitt/Newtoinan it may have dew forming on the corrector plate. - do you have dew-shield? do you notice any change of the shape of what you are seeing? - you may need to keep turning the focus knob anti-clockwise or clockwise [in/out] before the object comes into focus. what type of focusser is it? - i.e. rack & pinion or Crayford? - looking at your image, I am thinking the black thumbscrew under the the focusser may be an adjuster to adjust the friction of the drawtube - can you turn it? what eyepieces do you have? it maybe out of collimation, so will need to be collimated.

The TeleVue Nagler 3-6mm zoom is a cracking e/p for its size and excels when conditions allow for it. I use fixed length e/p's otherwise. But as you said, quote: "...is that worth it when I already have some cracking, tip-top Orthos?..." - some have said using the Nagler brand name for the 3-6mm zoom was misleading, because they have an AFOV of 50deg., whereas the Nagler e/p has an AFOV of 82deg., (my take on that argument is that Al Nagler designed it - can you think of a better name?).

I use my Tele-Optic Giro a lot more than my Vixen GP.

I own a C6/SCT XLT, but without motorised drives or goto mount. (images below, shown with my 're-modded' Meade ETX105 mounted on a Vixen GP (1) and Tele-Optic Giro (2)). It is good enough for my needs, which is mainly lunar and planetary observing. (1) (2) The downsides with owning any catadioptric OTA are... notorious dew-magnets - a dew shield is a must have accessory. need time to acclimatise to the ambient outside temperature... i.e. up to 60 minutes. slow f/ratio if planning on astrophotography, unless adding a focal reducer/field flattener - should take from f10 to f6.3 large secondary mirror, (about 1/3rd), and narrow field of view rules out some DSO's. The upsides are... compact. easily setup by one person. give outstanding performance on lunar and planetary views. hardly require any collimation. convenient position of eyepiece. Just my 2p's worth.

Not au-fait with the southern hemisphere, but I think the Small Magellanic Cloud & Large Magellanic Cloud are easy[ish] targets.

@Criermike - just a follow up from my earlier post this evening... TG-manual.pdf by SGL's @BinocularSky and an edited screenshot of a posting by him from 2014. BTW - I have just noticed the title. Did you mean Manfrotto?

No. They should not need any lubrication. When you have attached the binoculars it should move easier. There should be some screws for adjustment... just don’t over slacken them if you think they need it.

That looks a bit safer!

Brilliant idea! 🇬🇧 / Genialy pomysl! 🇵🇱 My only concern though is the exposed 240V mains supply and equipment... are you planning to enclose them in something? ...water [plus other liquids] and electricity makes for a shocking cocktail!

'Turn Left at Orion: A hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope - and How to Find Them' by Guy Consolmagno & Dan Davies... ...often shortened to 'Turn Left at Orion' or abbreviated to 'TLAO'.

Hi @LILYDENISE/Lily and welcome to SGL. Depends on what your interpretation of deep sky is. Reflectors, mainly SCT's & Mak's do require time to cool down to acclimatise to the surrounding air. Also they can be fairly bulky and heavy if you are relying on travelling light and may not be airline friendly. A lighter reflector would be a Sky-Watcher Heritage 130P Flextube, as shown below. Small refractors, (i.e. upto 60-80mm), are good for most astro-targets, but as aperture increases ...so does the length of the OTA and the price. You would need a steady mount too. As @Knighty2112 suggests, a pair of binoculars, but avoid zoom binoculars. Cheaper option all round and can be used for other outdoor pursuits during the day-time hours too. The only accessories you need for binoculars is a camera tripod & head or monopod and possibly an 'L' bracket to mount them on, (if not included with the binoculars).

As per @johninderby said. Image above showing my Celestron C6/SCT, (the OTA in the foreground is my 're-modded' Meade ETX105), and attached to it is a single-speed Crayford focusser.

G'day @Seanasaurus and welcome to SGL. I don't know if this type ---> of variable polarising filter is available 'down-under' 🇦🇺 / 🇳🇿 I screw one of the filters on the eyepiece holder nosepiece, and the other on the nosepiece of the eyepiece or other accessory. Then rotate either the either eyepiece holder or eyepiece or other accessory and holding the non-rotating part until I get a comfortable view. Then tighten/pinch up the thumbscrews to hold everything in place. The only downside is that it is only available in 1.25" FWIW - I purchased it from a well known internet auction site. Another very useful filter is the Neodymium. I call it my 'Swiss-Army knife' filter. It almost does anything and everything.

They are called 'compass spanners'... https://www.adrianololli.com/listino.asp?CAT=UTE&SUB=D

Are referring to me? 'Brown Dwarf', that is my status! ...everyone does at some point... some sort of SGL induction process. The Tele-Optic Giro mounts are very smooth to use in both axes, (i.e. altitude and declinatation). I also use a Vixen GP.

Hi @Dov1962/David, and welcome to SGL. At least I am not the only one that has an ETX that hit the floor. Below are images of my TeleVue Ranger and 're-modded' ETX105.

I don't do DSO's... sorry!, (excluding M42 & Trapezium). I only got the neodymimum for planetary when sodium streetlights ruled, (now got one to many LED ones). Should be ok, I would think.

Another vote for the neodymium filter. It is my 'Swiss-Army knife' filter... it does almost anything!

Anything that says or spells out T e l e V u e... My TeleVue eyepices are... 13mm, 11mm & 8mm Plossl 13mm Nagler / Type 1 & Type 6 3-6mm Nagler zoom 6mm Radian I have and use these other banded e/p's as well... Meade 26mm & 20mm Plossl Meade 8.8mm UWA (series 4000) SkyWatcher Apex 28mm Circle-T 12.5mm & 6mm Ortho Fullerscopes 6mm Ortho (0.965" with 1.25" adaptor) ...and these unbranded e/p's, (via AstroBoot)... 18mm WA 7-21mm zoom Most are used with a TeleVue Ranger, Celestron C6 & 're-modded' Meade ETX105. note: exclude the TV Ranger/SW Apex combination... ...the TV Ranger only accepts 1.25" e/p's & accessories and the SW Apex is 2"

Hi @MimasDeathStar, apologies for being late for the party, but have or had you considered this? ---> https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

A pair of frames for a pair of 52mm lens convertors, to make a cheap pair of low power/wide angle binoculars... <--- mine are all black!! 😜 ...and a 3D-printed Batinov mask... via www.astrokraken.fr 🇫🇷