Alan White

I see we have one now for 2024, but a new location as the old one has gone to the PAS that has moved from Kettering.
The IAS is now free entry and free talks, so good as an attendee, hope ist good for the long standing organisers though.

IAS website: https://www.ukastroshow.com/

PAS website: https://practicalastroshow.com/

I cannot comment from any knowledge of either scope, I feel your pain.
But I do also have an inkling what Mr S aka @JeremyS might have to say.
Good luck in making that call my friend, good luck.

Looks a really super set up, very transportable.

I hope you post a review after some use with what you find from prolonged use, perhaps in 2026 or 27 when the cloud passes might be long enough 😉

Delivered yesterday but been too busy to open or show and tell

Another Vixen goodie from the classifieds and @Franklin the covert uk Vixen supplier 😉

For my Solar portable small set up.

I have a Vixen tripod to collect to mount it upon as well.

Thanks for sharing your report,
wonderful that you shared it with your daughter, always nice to share an observation.

I watched the same withouth knowing it was due last night, my seeing was off but all the same enjoyed it.
 

On 26/11/2023 at 21:20, Franklin said:

Is the blocking filter the same as what comes with the current Lunt40?

It looks the same as my 40 one, but the older scope has a helical focuser on the blocking filter, the new one does not as the focuser is before the filter.

Welcome back, I had noticed you were quiet, but then again we all are from time to time

I have had a short and chilly cloud dodging session tonight.
All a bit time constarined too as I am on Taxi duty for Mrs W tonight.

But a Jupiter, Pleiades, some doubles and Lunar managed.
Try out of the new to me DeLites 13 and 7 and my old and trusty 32mm TV Plossl.

All with the ED103 Vixen on my AZ75, lovelly and easy session and greatly pleased to get out tonight.

 

On 20/11/2023 at 18:13, Astroscot2 said:

Love this little book, brings back so many memories.  Robert Aytons artwork is excellent. 

It was and is a much treasured volume for me, bought a used one to replace the long worn one of childhood

I sometimes refer to the book and the images in my Astro Club monthly talks I do.

Enjoy your book.

Dear All, I cannot help myself, I have slipped off the non buying mode and bought a pair of DeLites from @The60mmKid, Siddhesh.

Very plesed with them too, had the same before so knew what to expect.

Oh this is a slippery slope with the @FLO clearance items on offer!

Another 4" ED devotee here. owned a number, varying focal lengths but all super and all so versatile.
All the reasons others have said.
My 4" scope/s would like others be the last scopes to ever be gone, just too versatile and work for me and my location.

 

Love it, garages are most definitely not for cars in my book.

The Guzzi pair look super, how old are they?

Good luck with the Not an Observatory project.

Just one scope is something I think we all try or ponder at some point.
I have done it myself.

What I found was that I cannot control myself when nice kit shows up for sale and I curate kit.
But my most used telescope is my Vixen ED103, so capable and so immediately usable.
If it was truly just 1, then the 103 would be it.

But as I bought a new shed to house mounts etc this year, I must resist this idea to keep harmony at home,
not a case that I am a dedicated collector of nice astro kit at all!
 

36 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

I've probably had more telescopes than Mike.  My problem is that I still have them!    🙂

And that's a problem Peter? 
 

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