Louis D

12 hours ago, johninderby said:

Macca = McCartney

Used like Mac is used in the US and Canada for someone with a name that starts with Mc.

We just affectionately refer to him as Sir Paul.

Or ditch Crayfords altogether and get a Bellerophon Clement focuser for the C14.  It is well reviewed here on a C11.

Since the Newtonian's field of view is flipped and reversed, it's a 180 degree rotation if your head's major axis is perpendicular to the tube.  As I always like to point out, if you walk around to the other side of the tube and look over it into the eyepiece with the crown of your head pointing to the ground, the view is correctly oriented, assuming the tube is parallel to the ground.  Thus, if you rotate your head 180 degrees, you counteract the 180 degree image rotation.

If you were observing at zenith with your head rotated 90 degrees to the eyepiece, you'd have counteracted 90 degrees of the rotation.  So, simply subtract the number of degrees your head is from being completely perpendicular to the tube from 180 to figure out how much the image is still rotated.  For instance, at 45 degrees altitude, you'd be 45 degrees from perpendicular, so 180-45=135 degrees of image rotation.  At 60 degrees altitude you're still 30 degrees from parallel to the tube as at zenith, so 180-60=120 degrees rotation.  Only observing at the horizon will you truly be 180 degrees rotated.  I'll let you work out whether the rotation is clockwise or counter-clockwise.

And then you'll think, "Hey, I'll just ATM a telescope from this objective lens!":

14 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

It's associated with the construction of the filter, the glass is hygroscopic, similar to the older photometric green V filters.

https://glassfab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/schott_filter_catalog.pdf

(see sect 5.5)

 

In that case, it looks a bit like copper sulfate pentahydrate.

I use the same tripod as the OP from 11 years ago did/does, a Manfrotto 475/475B or 058/058B.  I picked them up used for $75 and $150, respectively.  Check for the older Bogen numbers as well, 3036/3236 and 3051/3251, respectively, to save even more money.  You might save a bundle on them.  The black versions are cooler looking, but the silver versions are generally cheaper on the used market.

I like the variable angle spreaders on them so I can level them without extending the leg sections.  I always observe sitting down, so height isn't an issue.  I also like the cranked elevator for changing eyepiece height between horizon and zenith observing.  The 26 pound capacity is nice when I have my DSV-2B, 90mm APO, and 127 Mak all together on it.  Add in 2" diagonals and either ES-92 eyepieces or binoviewers, and the weight adds up pretty quickly.  I'm pushing the limit of what that elevator can handle.

I'd like to get a Bogen 3058/3258 or Manfrotto 161MK2/161MK2B for their 44 pound capacity.  I have no idea how today's flimsy photo tripods can claim 33 pound capacity as in the case of the Sirui AM 284.  That's 7 pounds more than the Manfrotto 475.  Can a 3.5 pound carbon fiber tripod really be that much stronger than a 9.5 pound aluminum tripod?

Just a guess, but the blue film is probably caused by oxidation (rusting) of whatever element was used to coat the glass for whatever filter effect they were going after.  It kind of looks like cobalt blue mixed with copper green.

2 hours ago, niallk said:

I'll either have to fashion a tool, or purchase one to remove the glass.

I bought a version of this lens spanner wrench for such jobs.

5 hours ago, Marc1964 said:

Looking forward to a linger session in a darker aree to really test it out, but initial thoughts are positive enough to put the 18mm amd the 25mm on my wishlist... 

The 18mm and 25mm are not as well corrected to the edge as the 12mm; so you'll need to temper your expectations with them or risk disappointment, especially with an f5.5 achro.

Okay, I did so sleuthing on the Levenhuk Ra version of the 68° Long Perng LER eyepieces.  I came up with the following:

Review of 14.5mm on CN

Ernest in Russia's testing/review of the entire line.

Both seem to agree that the 12mm and 14.5mm were the standout performers of the line.

They were also sold as the Omegon Super LE and Altair Astro Lightwave Premium LER.

My daughter is the main recipient of my gift giving.  However, they're given with the understanding that if she doesn't want to use them anymore, they come back to me since many of the items are impossible to find nowadays.

1 hour ago, OK Apricot said:

I could, but it's more faffing about than I'd like at my newbie stage. I also think it would struggle to show on the dimmer DSOs anyway. 

Just reading FLOs page and it says the 40mm might be better for afocal photography - that's a bit more interesting 🤔 I do like to snap a picture here or there with my phone after all. 

Using a smartphone camera, the 40mm would yield a circular image with most wide angle cameras.  You'd have to use a telephoto camera to fill the frame.  A 32mm Plossl would work just as well and yield both more image scale and a larger image circle.

My favorite for afocal photography is a 22mm 70 degree AT AF70 which is the same as the Omegon Redline SW.  However, it is 2" only.  The long eye relief, wide field of view, and good image scale really come together in it.

Older coatings, but still excellent lens polish.  I've read about many folks raving about the 7mm NT1 for planetary observing.  Both will have short eye relief.  Try them out and report back here on your impressions of them.

Could you mount an 8x50 RACI finder scope on your OTA?  That might help you see the object in a wider field after goto and make centering easier.

You'll have to see what affect the FR has on planetary details at high powers when some planets are better positioned.

Did you try looking for the E and F Trapezium components with and without the FR?  That would also be a good test.

Do you mean the eye lens end?  I believe it is the top with the angled dashed lines implying sightlines from the eye.  Additionally, the little triangles at the bottom represent a cross section of the physical field stop ring which is generally beveled in shape.  The lens above it is called the field lens.  The field stop faces the objective lens or mirror.

Try stacking the lenses on a short dowel or tube, and then slide the barrel over them.  Dropping the lenses down into the barrel can cause them to tip, jam, and chip.

Get out a pair of binoculars and look at Orion's Belt.  You'll suddenly realize there's a rich open cluster surrounding them, Collinder 70.  You'll wonder why you never noticed it before.

Collinder 70 is all of those smaller, bright blue stars as well as the three belt stars as seen below:

God I'd feel so pressured to give a good review if I was loaned eyepieces by y'all.  After all, if I ripped them, I'd probably be cutoff from getting any more shiny new playthings without cost. 😆  Thankfully, I'm on the other side of the pond, so I don't have to worry about such things.

Since I'm an equipment hoarder, I don't have to worry about destroying resale value with my unbiased reviews.  For instance, I pretty much trashed the 26mm Meade MWA (along with Ernest), so I can pretty much forget about recouping my sunk costs on it.

I keep my 60mm finder wrapped in two or three layers of bubble wrap in a duffle bag's side pocket with my daughter's 127mm camping Mak in the main compartment.  The illuminated eyepiece is in a pick-n-pluck eyepiece case (actually a Plano four pistol case) with the rest of her camping eyepieces.  I say "my finder" because I wasn't using it and am loaning it out to her long term.  She just can't sell it or give it away.

43 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

You'll certainly find my review unbiased, if not necessarily well informed! 😛

Edit: it'll be compared with Pentax XWs, a BST Starguider and a Vixen NPL

Sounds good.  The only way to become more experienced is to get outside with your equipment and compare the views with different eyepieces (and telescopes in the future).

I avoided the WO BVs because they don't use self-centering collets.  I went with the Arcturus branding instead.  Even with those SC collets, I have to be careful with eyepiece undercuts causing eyepiece tipping.  Also, the images won't merge if I spin either diopter adjuster, so I have to keep them both all the way down.  As long as I pay attention to these details, I don't have image merger issues with them.

3 hours ago, FLO said:

They were released in the UK less than a week ago but are all covered by our 30-day return policy so buying one is risk free.

Not if you're overseas.  I wanted to return an eyepiece to Germany once, but we couldn't figure out how to get a refund of my US import duty and avoid German import duty and VAT, so I beggared off doing a return.  Perhaps the retailer I was working with was mistaken and there is a simple process involved.

Too bad you don't have someone like Bill Paolini over there to run your new lines through their paces like he did for the Paradigms when they were introduced.  After that report, they sold like hotcakes under all brandings (a rising tide lifts all boats).  @John used to do a bunch of reviews using eyepieces loaned to him by you, but he retired from doing that some time ago.

3 hours ago, FLO said:

@Louis D by his own admission has not used StellaLyra eyepieces and has not seen a review of them. 

Do you know of any comprehensive reviews or reports on these Long Perng lines?  Their ED and APO refractors are terrific, so there is great promise for their eyepiece lines.

If these were $60 eyepieces like the BST Starguiders and LP's 55º LERs (such as your StellaLyra version), buyers would be more likely to take the plunge on an unknown, but the 68° and 80° LER lines are much more expensive than that.  Once you get up into the price range of new ES, APM, and Baader eyepieces and used Vixen, Pentax, Nikon, and Tele Vue eyepieces, deep pocketed buyers become much more discriminating.  It would be interesting to see these go head to head with Pentax XW, Baader Morpheus and Hyperions and Omegon Redline eyepieces as well as TV NT4s and the various 100° eyepieces that produce a 70° view when wearing eyeglasses.  That way, buyers would be better informed about where they slot in quality and ergonomics wise to make a balanced decision with their money when buying LER eyepieces.

I wish you luck with these new lines.  Competition is always good to improve the hobby.  I'm sure you had to outlay a bunch of cash to stock these eyepieces, and we all appreciate the risk inherent in that choice.

Here's a photo of the above bracket holding a phone on an actual telescope with a 3-way finder bracket.

As far as the StellaLyra 68º line goes, the only other branding I've ever seen them marketed under was Levenhuk Ra ER20 WA.  I can't recall anyone ever reporting on them, let alone writing a comprehensive review of them.  Maybe you can turn up something with some deep diving internet searches on the brand name.

I know they're made by Long Perng in Taiwan.  They also make the 80º and 55º LER lines of eyepieces sold under various brand names.  The latter is well regarded in the 12.5mm and shorter focal lengths across many brand names.

You're right, the new price is relatively high and resale value is iffy at best for them.  Caveat emptor.

I went with a Hercules Herschel Wedge.  It works quite well and doesn't heat up the back finder/heat dissipation plate with my 90mm APO.  I also put a Daystar/Thousand Oaks solar filter on my 9x50 RACI and added a solar peephole finder.

Here's the wedge and solar finder in action:

The front view:

A closeup of the finder/heat dissipation plate in action:

A closeup of the solar finder in action:

The view through the solar filtered RACI on a partly cloudy day:

And a view through the eyepiece of the sun using the Hercules wedge: