Peter Drew

Any age limit? 🙂

I would recommend a grease like superlube, you need a fairly heavy/sticky grease on these movements to impart a good solid feel to the movement. I have my late father's Kershaw 12x40 "Monarch" binocular. A good glass in its day. 🙂

I think I would try red loctite in the first instance, less chance of damaging the wheels. 🙂

I'd give away all my telescopes rather than lose a long term good friend. 🙂

In general, Tasco telescopes are "not that bad", it's their mounts and accessories that let them down. The mounts/tripods are usually inadequate and the eyepieces are low quality. Addressing this involves a level of expenditure that would have bought a better system in the first place. I would expect the deficiencies would result in frustration in use for you and your 5 year old. Finally, ignore the high magnifications advertised for this and similar size telescopes in this price bracket, they are unrealistic. Alternatives?, difficult to advise but always require a higher investment unless lucky with a secondhand purchase of something better. 🙂

Despite 100% overcast at 9am, by the time the eclipse started patches of thinner cloud revealed the eclipse. Varying cloud density and occasional clear patches allowed a view of the entire sequence both visually and via camera images displayed on a large screen. Interestingly, at times the image was too bright for comfortable naked eye but not bright enough to penetrate eclipse "glasses". Telescopes in use were a Vixen FL102 with Lunt wedge and a SW150ED with full aperture Baader film filter. 😎

You can use almost any telescope at any aperture provided that the entrance aperture, full or restricted, is completely covered by solar film of glass solar filter. This gives a better image than projection and is safe to the components and the observer. The slight drawback is that this just serves one individual at a time unless a camera is attached and the image fed on to a monitor screen. Small Maks and SCT's can be used for traditional projection but you need to be aware that some secondaries and some secondary baffles are glued on and could separate if overheated. 🙂

I caught a "surge" just before 11am today that originated from the active area just beyond the limb. It extended quite some distance at best and looked like the forked tongue of a snake. My attention was raised on seeing a very bright point at this position, always something to keep an eye on as it is often the precursor of a dramatic event. 🙂

The description suggests some form of eccentricity, either on the drive shaft or one of the faces of the operating thumbwheels, I have experienced both in the past. Eccentricity of a drive shaft can be caused by overtightening the pressure on the bearings in an attempt to cure slippage, that of a thumbwheel by having too little clearance from its face. Has this always been a problem or a recent issue?

I replaced the stock 1.25" diagonal on my C8se with a TV dielectric similar fit. Can't say I saw a noticeable difference but at least I know it's a good one and I'm still the only weak link in the optical train. 🙂

Probably anything up to 50k. The tracking won't be up to the same standard as a premium mount for astrophotography but for sheer carrying power, the best at the price. I have one, but not for sale! 🙂

I gave up on PTFE as a primary bearing for large Dobsonians years ago after my 30" eventually needed a rugby scrum to turn it in azimuth. I now use 6 stainless and shielded ballrace bearings set vertically running against a stainless steel disc. 3 of the bearings have adjustable PTFE pressure pads to control the ease of movement, a similar principle is applied to the altitude axis. The ability to adjust the motion makes it possible to dial in the movement to make the effort identical in both axes, a requirement for good Dobsonian operation. 🙂

The Hyperstar compatible SCT series can operate at F2 for imaging.

Any time after a hot Vindaloo. 🙀

Just a hunch, I wasn't there at the time! 🙂

If rilles are collapsed lava tubes this rille might have been formed first and then impacted. Subsequently the area could have further collapsed revealing part of the original rille again. It does look to be of different depth. ?

Not quite what I meant but it would have that benefit, my suggestion was mainly to prevent any binding whilst the roof was sliding. End stops would prevent the support rollers coming off the ends. 🙂

These are horizontal rollers that act on the vertical edge of the rail. Without them, if the moving component moves from side to side, the support rollers can rub against the sides and spoil the movement. They dont have to be a tight fit, just enough to touch the sides before the support rollers do. 🙂

Your suggested C section plan should be fine as long as the gauge is adequate, I use aluminium of suitable composition to be weather resistant. Make sure to have some lateral rollers as well to make sure the support rollers can't foul the sides. 🙂

Managed a short session today at around 6pm and glad that I did. After my usual initial pan round the disc showed nothing unusual apart from AR2824 I decided to set up my seat for a more protracted view. In the minute or so that it took me to do this all hell had broken out on the AR. It was just like a major volcanic eruption with white hot lava appearing to flow from a vent close to the main sunspot. This gradually developed until there was a ring of fire surrounding the area, by far my best catch for some considerable time. It was all over after about 10 minutes but quite exciting at the time. 150mm PST mod x150. 🙂

Always good to be back in your comfort zone. 🙂

No, it's not just you, Jeremy S is just the same! 🙂 Are you sure it's not a Tasco, they used to advertise such magnifications for a 60mm. 🙂

I couldn't bash a paper bag!, just a flippant comment based on the constant AP woes featuring on astro forums. 🙂

Steer clear and enjoy astronomy. 🙂

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