Bruce Leeroy

Theres some good info on this website.

This error generally means one of the files in the hand control is corrupt.  The fix is to reload the hand control firmware following these instructions:

How to Upgrade Hand Control Firmware - NexStar+ and StarSense

https://www.nexstarsite.com/OddsNEnds/HCFirmwareUpgradeHowToNexStarPlus.htm

https://www.nexstarsite.com/OddsNEnds/HCInvalidPackageError.htm

Could it be an optical cement failure?

There may be a repeat tonight.

I get the same from a Celestron SE mount.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11842575/Star-gazers-DIY-telescope-snaps-photo-Milky-Way-rivalling-NASAs-16bn-Hubble-telescope.html

Well done on making the Daily Mail 👍

1 hour ago, Shimrod said:

might consider a trip to Formby or Southport

Might do the same.

https://www.nexstarsite.com/ There's a lot of info/tips on this website for SE scopes and mounts. HTH

https://www.nexstarsite.com/download/Nexstar8GPSAltitudeRepair.pdf

1 hour ago, jjohnson3803 said:

assuming I can find a reasonable quality front-surface mirror that isn't crazy expensive

I salvaged a mirror from a "JVC telecine adapter TA-P55U" I had lying around, the mirror is coated on both sides but the best side was facing out as I removed it, the other side seems tinted, using a lazer pointer and looking at the reflected dot it's quite apparent that 1 surface is better than the other. My mirror is 200mm x 140mm and was a charity shop find at around £3. There are a couple on ebay atm but there from America.

Stock image.

1 hour ago, DaveL59 said:

the centre column on that tripod ain't really long enough

Agreed, I had an old alt/az tripod doing nothing so I attached the monopod straight to the saddle using heavy duty cable ties, the monopod fully extended is just long enough to use standing or seated/reclined, it's currently dissasembled and waiting for me to machine a piece of hardwood as there was just a little too much flexure, ideally the pole should be squared over the saddle to stop slippage. It's quite fun to throw the binos round and have another pair greet you when you counterbalance with another pair of differing mag binos. Eveything works quite fluidly once you get the tension correct on the alt nut and the binos just sit wherever you place them.

10 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

I do have an older Velbon tripod where you can tilt the column over, never tried that with bino's mounted, would likely need to put a counterweight on the bottom of the column tho

You can counterweight that with another pair of binoculars👍🙂, I've tried most ways of mounting binoculars and for me the hands down winner is a mirror mount it's like sitting at a microscope and if you like to have a drink or smoke while your viewing then it's no problem the downside is you get a mirrored/upside down view....galileo type binoculars work best, a telescopic mobile phone selfie stick can also be useful to suspend binos but you need a stiff selfie stick similary you can use the stick to rest on your belly/chair to take the weight off your hands, works best on a swivel chair.

If you want to lie on a reclined lounger I would go with the setup Dave is mentioning above just make sure the fluid head has a tilt option I use a manfrotto monopod attached to an old alt/az tripod with 20x80's one end and 8x40 at the other end the pole does flex a little (I need to make a hardwood pole) but you have the convenience of spinning the pole and using 2 pairs of binos without getting up. The pros are hands free viewing upto the zenith.

With a tripod viewing the zenith isn't going to be easy and your going to be sat at a chair or standing. The pros are this setup is a little easier to store and setup.

The mirror mount is very compact and quick to setup. I use mine on an old fork mount, viewing from horizon to zenith is very easy-you can even view whats behind you. You would need a 1st surface mirror I got my mirror from an old video transfer unit.

HTH

Night vision equipment 👍🙄

17 minutes ago, TheycallmeRiver said:

What's the object coming in from the top middle from 20:05:40 onwards

Not sure, I would guess a sattelite reflecting sunlight then slowly rotating to deflect the sunlight👍🙄.

Nice little meteor at 20:16.30.

I think it's for an illuminated reticle.

Could it be your eyepiece that is dewing up? Very easy to exhale/talk at the wrong time and mist up your eyepiece.

Could it be done using "irfanview"?

Thanks for looking 👍.

I'll conclude it was a ground sourced electrical event or unusual lightning event as there are no reports. I can't emphasise how bright it was, I even have a camera facing that direction but it's for live view not recording👍🙄

Hi Jonk, anything on your all sky cam  23:55 03/10/21?

No idea what I saw as I only caught what seemed like a very bright flash in the sky towards the plough but it was bright enough to light up the surrounding area, I only caught it in my periphal vision by the time I looked in the correct direction I saw what initialy looked like a small lightning bolt then a flash, no noise at all. This could well have been a ground event and close to my house it lasted no more than a second, I did stare in the direction for a little time but didn't really think to look hard for a smoke trail 👍😬.

So if your in my area and have an all sky cam check your data.

25 minutes ago, benzomobile said:

I am afraid that the seat where the mirror is glued has deep edges ...

I did see that but I thought the 45 degree angle of the mirror may have drawn it down and under 👍🤓.

I've never removed a secondary mirror but from memory I think I've read about using a guitar string or fishing line to saw/rasp behind the mirror....take that advice with caution👍😬

On 09/01/2021 at 18:38, johnbaz said:

I had a go and they were still doing it with the shaft out!!, I put a small amount of oil on the tube and it seemed to do the job! For five minutes!!, It needs the whole tube taking apart!

Where that tiny grub screw is on the focus wheel in BinocularSky's images!!....I'm currently working on a pair very similar but I have 2 grub screws on the focus wheel, 1 is close to the objectives like the images above and the 2nd is closer to the occulars, if the grub screws have slipped you may have a similar problem to mine, it seems as though when foccusing they slip and expand until they bind up, try releasing the grub screw-s and see if you can wind the inner part back in.

Looking at your 2nd posted image suggests the same have happened to yours.

Hope you don't mind I had a little go with your image in Gimp. Duplicated the image and set the top layer to Multiply. Not a great difference but a little more colour and slightly reduced contrast/exposure.