brantuk

Hi P52 - you might want to check out this link:

CPRE - Light pollution

Scroll down the page for a light pollution map of your area

Hi Paul and welcome from me too

Hi Revs and welcome to the group

"I was going to encourage others to try and get a look through a binoscope, or binoviewers, but thinking about it, it might not be such a good idea after all, if you know what I mean"

It's a great idea - but it'll double the cost of eypieces. Just got my W/O binoviewers going properly on an sct - and as you say - the difference is amazing

Hi Pozdrav and welcome to the group

You just gotta bring that down to EMS dark site - early and in the daylight before sunset.

I think I joined around Oct/Nov time last year - so still "sorta" new.

Apart from all the good and friendly advice I've received, that people have mentioned above and with which I am in total agreement, a particularly nice feature of the forum is the "Communities" section.

My local astro soc - whilst brilliant for talks and theory etc - are a bit poor on observing, which is what it's all about when you get a new scope.

Through the Communities section here, I joined a local group of SGL'rs, we all searched for a month or two and eventually found a dark(ish) site and all chipped in to rent it during the night (£25pa each).

This has given me the opportunity to make new friends and share the hobby with local like minded folk and as such, has been invaluable. We have regular sessions when the weather permits, and are arranging to meet up at star parties on group pitches, and attend other astro events.

Conclusion - Terrific forum - really promotes the hobby very nicely - and has saved me a packet in the "For Sale" section too.

Sounds like a slipping clutch to me - is it worn? Do you know what condition the bearings are in? Maybe something wants tightening up or replacing. Or alternatively a chip may be blown if you had any recent "electrical anomolies".

I'd phone the supplier or manufacturer in the first instance to find out if there are any known issues (unless someone here has had a similar problem).

Sorry I can only give general ideas at this point.