Alan White

From our favourite Japanese site I presume?

Just now, Franklin said:

 

For it to match you should have bought my GP2 when you had the chance Alan😁

Indeed I should have done, kick myself on that missed opportunity each time I see the green one and it’s white weight!

Just a shot of my GP all manual on the new to me Vixen tripod with correct boss from @Franklin. 

Other than colour, a match made well 😀

Parcel Force been with another treasure care of Tim @Franklin

A much wanted Vixen tripod and boy is it a solid bit of kit 👍

All I would say is folks store optics and expensive cameras in Observatories, that are often shed type structures.
My 10" Dob has sat in sheds for sevsrl years with no issues.
The shed spaces do have ventilation grilles fitted though.

My refractors live indoors for security.

I would expect that to be Starlink, I have seen similar before.
After launch they look like Morse Code across the sky, I watched this recently from home about a month ago.

Visually interesting curiosity, no doubt for an imager extremely annoying though.

I am pleased that things are improved for you Michael.

3 hours ago, bosun21 said:

It’s performance is excellent Peter. You will be happy with it, of this i am sure.

Love my APM uff 30 and the SL one is the same unit, different badge, I too am sure you should like it.

9 hours ago, NGC 1502 said:

I had exactly the same problem with my OO Dob mount.  
It would have worked fine on their smooth factory floor😊

Nice neat solution Alan 👍

I know that we have solved the issue before Ed, this was a new version for the new mount.

As you say, why the original is anything other than suitable for a flat concrete floor is beyond me. 
 

3 hours ago, Zermelo said:

Courtesy of @Astro_Dad , a barely-used 12.5mm:

I'm now in serious danger of completing a set.

 

Nice ep that

One of my favourites 

18 minutes ago, Franklin said:

I'm seriously thinking of blocking Buyee from my laptop!😁

 

 

Nice little scope, as is the ED102.

I do agree that Buyee needs locking away from you though 😉
You must be the biggest UK customer by far!

Perhaps you should be the founder of Vixen Owners Annoymous, for those so afflicted such as you and I?

I hope that you have now seen the light in action Paul @paulastro and that it was not an issue.
If you get spill and you need it shielded, a  call to the council responsible may resolve.
The magic words are .... 'Light spill into a Bedroom' only mention Astronomy as a second item.

Let us know how it goes.

I do believe the real light issue is all the private LED's that folks have fitted due to lights off policies and
the general belief (wrongly) that lighting improves security on your home. 

1 hour ago, Mutley said:

This is the sunk cost fallacy. Sell my friend.

Dictionary

Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more

 

noun

noun: sunk-cost fallacy

1. the phenomenon whereby a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it, even when it is clear that abandonment would be more beneficial.

   "the sunk-cost fallacy creeps into a lot of major financial decisions"

17 minutes ago, badhex said:

Indeed! My partner and I have been chatting occasionally about this for a few weeks and she is generally of the opinion that right now I'm essentially £1400 down with nothing to show, and should take the hit and put money towards a mount that I actually definitely want!

I think the advice given and the discussion with your partner are both good advice that I would agree with.
 

I as a former camper van owner would add a couple more bits to ponder,
The van we had was based on a high roof long wheel based Renault Master.

Firstly, what Sean has said is bang on.

The van size also has an issue with parking and car parks (Barrier and bays sizes) some places have no where to park when you visit.
We drove along the coast in Kent for miles, all parking too small, or it had a height barrier.

Big is great from a facilities point of view, but comes with some issues as well.

 

As owners of OOUK metal Dob mounts know, they sit very low on plastic feet, if the ground has any stones or bumps,
well the scope gets stuck.

So many fols build risers etc. I did on my last one, but this time wanted a neat and factory look.

I found some bonnet risers (Hood) for our cousins over the pond. Aluminium, 30mm tall with a hole for an m6 thread.
eBay was my friend on this one.

So fitted 3 of the 4 with new 50mm S/S screws, looks nice and works well.

1 minute ago, John said:

I thought XW's were, generally, glasses-friendly eyepieces ?

They are John, I read that oddly first read as well.

As a glasses wearer in longer FL eyepieces, I need longer FL eyepieces that as John says influences my feeling.
But love the APM UFF 30, Vixen LVW 22, Delos 17,5, Morpheus 12.5, XW 10-5.
But scope choice, target choice etc. changes this as well.

Do bear in mind whether you sit or stand to observe.
Uni 18 would be nice sitting, the Uni 28 may be just a touch tall for many.

Interesting that you are going through these thoughts at present,
I was mulling over similar for the Vixen 103, but its on hold just for the minute.

Good luck in whichever way you go.
 

@The60mmKid, Now that's a pair of Binoculars, wonderful.
Look forwards to a first light report.

Funny old world at times, so often something is right under your nose but unseen.

Wish you well with your recovery.

Good luck with the build, looking forward to seeing your fruit of your labours.

Always nice to get out after a gap. 👍
I bet that was the best Saturn you have seen this Summer 😉

The fact it went left and behind the post, well made me chuckle and think, of all the luck.

Plenty more Space X to come of course.

Better luck next time.

Sorry you have had a tough time health wise and emotionally, something many of us will empathise with.

Glad to see even through this, that you have fond it in you to make tweaks.

Always admired your full on landscaping to make Astro work for you.

I expect you will update this again in years to come, just as I have with my Observing Area thread.

You take care now.

26 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I need an adapter before I can test, thought 

You will need a clear sky as well @JeremyS, good luck on that one 😉