Louis D

4 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

The LVW has a 48mm field stop and is as wide as you get.

Is the field stop well above the insertion barrel requiring lots of in focus?  48mm is the outside diameter of the insertion barrel, so it must be quite a trick to make the insertion barrel wall as thick as foil.

The 40mm Pentax XW has a measured 46.3mm to 46.5mm field stop, so also about as wide as possible with the field stop within the insertion barrel.  It's not quite as sharp to the edge as the 40mm ES-68/Maxvision/Meade 5000 SWA, but's it's a lot lighter and more ergonomic for both eyeglass wearers and non-eyeglass wearers.

Why do you want to go up to a 50mm eyepiece?  Are you planning on using it in a slow scope like an SCT?

7 hours ago, sorrimen said:

I think I was using far too much pressure, but didn’t seem to damage anything I hope. That last tip I was considering but figured it was bad to do after cleaning. Next time I’ll try it.

Just huff upward holding the eyepiece above your mouth, so you're less likely to get saliva on it.

Post images of the lenses and spacers.  A lot of times, there's only one order that works, and it comes down to which way to flip individual lenses that are nearly symmetrical.  You end up trying both ways to see which orientation provides the better image.

On 08/06/2022 at 12:50, sorrimen said:

if Louis tells me our friends across the pond call this anything other than an F-clamp, there's going to be trouble

Also known as bar clamps. 🤨  I'm not sure what the preferred name is here.

Back on topic, I usually try new eyepieces with at least one of my Barlows to see if it works at all.  Widest true field eyepieces for a given barrel diameter tend to vignette somewhat with non-telecentric Barlows.  Long focal length Barlows tend to outperform short focal length Barlows, given the same number of elements.

An advantage of Barlowing standard long focal length eyepieces over using a standard short focal length eyepiece by itself is the better eye relief in the former relative to the latter.

Never heard it called a G-clamp.  Everyone in the US refers to them as C-clamps.  I guess we just ignore the threaded rod part and focus on the casting part.

Do you Brits call the curved drain pipe under a sink a P-trap or a U-trap or maybe a J-trap or something else entirely?  I'm not talking about an S-trap either.  See below:

I was just pointing out that all is not lost even if it is an FPL-51 triplet.  Yes, it was certainly misleading when it was labelled as an FPL-53 triplet, but FPL-51 triplets can be pretty decent performers.

5 hours ago, JOC said:

Given this ease and speed of use I see no earthly reason to have to deploy a laser and risk a chance of causing a mishap when the risk can be eliminated entirely by not using one.

20 hours ago, woldsman said:

Why would a laser pointer be better than a red dot finder?

Because you don't have to contort your neck, back, and knees to look up and through anything with a laser sight (which work better for me than laser pointers).  I suppose if you could mount the RDP about 7 or 8 feet high or more so you don't have to crouch, that would work as well, but it would be in the way on that long of an arm, and the window would be tiny at that distance.

Wait until you've had multiple neck and back injuries along with arthritis, and we'll discuss again the merits of unit power finders over laser sights/pointers.  Until then, I'll take my near zero chances of lighting up an aircraft cockpit momentarily with a GLS/GLP over struggling to get my scope in the general vicinity of the target with an RDP.

Has no one on SGL ordered one of these?

Looks like stupid laser pointer use isn't limited to this side of the pond:

On 05/06/2022 at 13:47, Icesheet said:

I emailed SVBONY to ask about this scope as I was genuinely interested. Amongst other things I asked for confirmation that they were using FPL-53. I received no response and when I was back checking I noticed they have updated their website to state that the ED element is actually FPL-51! Thought I would post here in case anyone was thinking of, or maybe had already ordered. I notice some third party vendors still show it as FPL-53. 

So, it should give color correction similar to an FPL-53 doublet, but with longer cool down time.  Compare lines 63 ad 64 along with 42 and 44 below.

Markus confirms sub-70 degree AFOV and has removed the 75 degree claim from the website.  He has offered refunds to those who pre-paid their pre-orders if they want to go that route.  Markus's mea culpa.

Based on CN report so far, aside from the nearly constant ~67° AFOV, the main negatives found are its RD (which is great for terrestrial viewing) instead of having AMD and EOFB (which even high end zooms suffer from).  Eye relief seems good for eyeglass wearers, it's sharp to the edge even in fast scopes, very nearly parfocal throughout its range, and it's comfortable to use with no appreciable SAEP.  1.25" usage may be limited by available in-focus on a particular scope.  This is not an issue in 2" usage.  The zoom motion is apparently quite stiff.  Still no confirmation on Dioptrx compatibility.

It sounds like a winner for spotting scope usage (apparently what it was designed for).  It might be a bit less of a winner for astro usage.

2 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

Sadly overt security measures can in fact mark your house as being worth investigating. Bought a nice detached 4-bed house in 1/3 acre in SE London many years back. Formerly owned by a little old lady who passed. Her kids had arranged to have those roll-down security shutters fitted on the rear windows to keep her secure, ye olde metal crittal windows behind them (pity they didn't just get better windows fitted really). Anyhoo, we bought it, moved in and started doing the place up after a decade or more of neglect, sort a kitchen, rewire etc.

Then after replacing some of the downstairs rear and side windows with new uPVC, someone decided to try breaking in. They popped the beads out on the small side window and tried to remove the glass. Luckily the ones I fitted you bonded the glass to the inner side of the frame, so instead of coming out the external pane shattered but the inner was fine and the glass unit remained in place. They then tried another of my new windows and bent the frame on it but again didn't get it. OK so police duly called next day, no evidence of fingerprints etc but some advice on security etc. I started to look into alarm systems I could fit and while deciding  wouldn't you know it but a couple days later they came back. This time they tried to force one of the casements on the huge crittal window (1.5m x1.5m huge), bent the frame and cracked the glass. Police again visited and again nothing. Joke was that the huge window had a secondary glazing panel on the inside so they'd not have got far anyway lol.

So, I've decided on an alarm and just need to go get it when... third try, this time the side door into the kitchen, removing the cat flap and breaking out the panel then helping themselves to my HiFi and various other bits, even my daughter's school bag - probably to cart stuff off in. All the while on all these we were asleep upstairs, that was the scariest part of it all. Thankfully they didn't come upstairs!

Of course, police came, fingerprinted all over and nothing but we then had the task of trying to clean up their special powder that really doesn't want to come off even glazed tiles. That was 3 visits in a 2 week period which made us and the police suspicious but no evidence to go anywhere with. We were also advised that they often leave it 6 months for insurance to have replaced the items then come back for the latest models, how comforting! Police also advised that while those security screens can work, they also advertise that you have something worth stealing so they'd come and try anyway. If they can't get in via the window they'll try a door and even the wall.

 

Then some months later we had a much better idea of who it might have been, not that we could prove anything, a neighbour a couple doors down the hill or his associates. Seems they went on holiday and while away they were 'broken into'. Strange that the small glass panel in their back door was carefully placed against the wall next to the door on the outside when the glazing beads were on the inside. Even more so when a while later a friend brought them over items that were exactly what had been reported stolen and their car had been at the house during their holiday. We also noted that there was sometimes someone hanging about in the alley that ran alongside our garden but if they noticed us they retreated back into said neighbours garden.

A few months later and I was woken by noises out front, car doors closing etc. Peek out of the window to see a car parked at the roadside and a group of youths looking under the bonnet of that neighbours car. Next thing they've pushed it back out onto the road and then both cars drive off up the hill. Now being a good neighbour I'd of course already called the police and was describing in detail the 2 cars and number of people. 10 mins later they called to let me know the fools had stopped at the top of the hill to sort something and they got them all 😄 Things went quiet after that, no further troubles, perhaps because they were doing time 😉 

So for me, definitely worth getting a feel of who your neighbours are and those who overlook your property. Easy for them to spot a routine or possible valuables and tip of their mates etc. Round here I'm defo not planning to leave gear out unattended, been trouble free, so far but there's some less than trustable characters that pass thru and 2 adult kitties ain't gonna do much protection duty, I'd need my daughter's husky for that 😉 

 

House break-ins seem quite rare around here.  I wonder if it's because Texans are so heavily armed, and the Castle Doctrine gives them carte-blanche to shoot to kill anyone in their house who doesn't belong there?  Outside the house, it's a lot more fuzzy if you can shoot to kill to protect property or even lives, so burglars are unlikely to get shot burglarizing cars or sheds, so cars get broken into all the time around here.  Burglars also hitch up to cargo trailers and steal them all the time as well.  I've lost track of the number of Boy Scout trailers that have been stolen along with all their camping gear from storage on church grounds.  They can be hitched up and gone in well under a minute.

On 01/06/2022 at 06:33, AstroMuni said:

Have you had a look at this http://binocularsky.com/

The author @BinocularSky is on this forum

Can you post a direct link to the review related to these ultra low power binos?  I couldn't find it on that website.

On 01/06/2022 at 01:51, IB20 said:

I absolutely love the XWs, I think next purchase is the 3.5 rather than the 3.3 TOE but I really want to get them on the Jupiter and Saturn which may give a different result!

At least on Mars during the last opposition, the 3.5mm XW and 5.2mm XL Pentaxes produced overly bright and washed out images that lacked detail in monovision.  Before packing up and declaring it a bust, I popped in my Arcturus binoviewers with 40+ year old Bausch & Lomb wide field 15x microscope eyepieces and a 2x Meade 140 Barlow optical nose piece operating at 3x to reach focus.  Suddenly, Mars had an almost photographic look to it.  There was no overwhelming brightness, just insane levels of fine detail visible.  I switched back to the Pentaxes, but the view was the same as before.  Needless to say, I spent the rest of the night soaking in the BV views.  I get similar results with the full moon.  Jupiter benefits  some as well.  I haven't tried the BVs on Saturn much if at all.  It may be too dim to benefit.

My point is, the view may not improve in monovision no matter how good the eyepiece is.

48 minutes ago, Carbon Brush said:

When trying to predict how a villain will approach a 'job' it doesn't help to think like an honest person.
It also helps to remember these people sleep about 8 hours, like the rest of us, which leaves 16 hours for their 'activity'.
We tend to put limited time into work, family and hobby. Little time into security matters.

Here are just three examples of one burglars behaviour, from a place where I lived 20 years ago.
His activities made him well known and recognised by many. He became known to the locals as Burglar Bill.
It shows (to me) how these people (insert other term) have a different way of thinking to many of us.

Incident 1. Homeowner (a large old farmhouse) returned to find Bill trying the back garden gate.
When challenged. 'I'm looking for work - with horses' and then left after being told there was no work - or horses.
A call to local plod with a description was met with 'Yes we know him - he is a burglar'.
But he hadn't done anything that day.

Incident 2. Bill was walking down the road between two villages, very early morning, carrying a load of garden tools.
PC Plod was passing and grabbed his collar - figuratively speaking as it could be assault.
Bill was ready. Glad you were passing. I found these at the side of the road. Reckon they are stolen and dumped.
Taking them home to be safe and let you guys know.
So although the loot was recovered. Bill had been ready with the excuse, so had not committed any crime.

Incident 3. Someone saw Bill walking along the road carrying (in his arms not in a bag) various frozen food items including gateaux.
This was several miles from the nearest supermarket. The person thought it strange but didn't do anything.
Next day the village telegraph had 'Did you hear about xxx had their shed burgled. They took a load of stuff out of the freezer'.
So Bill didn't need an excuse. Though I'm sure he was ready.

He did get his just desserts (definitely not gateaux) after a few months.

 

Guys like that are lucky you have strong gun laws over there.  Rightly or wrongly, Burglar Bill might very well have been shot doing that here in Texas.

Do you have a 25mm or so eyepiece you could try in the 3x Barlow first to rule out simply pushing your optics too far?

In our neighborhood, thieves generally go for the quick, easy targets, cars and trucks parked in driveways and on the street.  I can't recall any backyard break-ins.

I had the catalytic converter stolen from my parked van by an armed gang (they shot another homeowner that challenged them) that used an angle grinder to quickly saw through the exhaust pipes at either end.  I'm sure one could be used to go through tripod legs or tie-downs in short order as well to get the OTA/mount head.  However, telescopes are much harder to move on the black market than CCs.

8 hours ago, Franklin said:

I was of the impression that single circle V optics were coated and double circle V optics were multicoated ie. both sides of each lens.

Coated generally refers to singly coated, usually with MgF2 (magnesium fluoride).  You can recognize it because the only reflection color is violet/purple.

Multicoated generally refers to two or more coating layers of differing compositions.  You can recognize them because you'll see a range of reflected colors such as red, green, yellow, and blue, depending on the angle of incidence.

Often, only non-cemented surfaces are coated.  Higher end optics will sometimes coat even the cemented surfaces.

You could try putting it on a wheeled platform and rolling it into a locked shed.  Out of sight, out of mind.

I assume you already read this thread on here.  There are more threads on these bins on both SGL and CN.

3 hours ago, Don Pensack said:

The "not sharp at the edge" could be coma, and the eyepiece has a tiny bit of unresolved astigmatism near the edge as well.

I've noticed the red and blue ends of the spectrum don't focus at the same point radially in my 30mm ES-82.  On Jupiter, I could literally see fully separated red and blue versions at the edge.  I was mystified why there were no other color versions in between, though.  The 30mm APM UFF does not suffer from this artifact.

8 hours ago, badhex said:

Do you know if the blue bloat was present for visual observation?

I've never see blue bloat in my AT72ED equipped with FPL-51.  In fact, at large to middling exit pupils, there's no significant color to speak of.  At small to tiny exit pupils, there's plenty of obvious violet and red flaring around bright stars and planets.  I guess it depends on what you like to observe with an ~80mm ED refractor.