Alan White

7 minutes ago, jock1958 said:

Love the Alt Az mounts - ie no messing around and more or less instant star gazing. 

My Giro Ercole is back in its box just now whilst I play around with the Skytee 2! 

I replaced my Ercole with a Skytee 2 and instantly regretted it, very different levels of engineering I thought.
You may of course think differently.

11 minutes ago, Stu said:

Been there, done that, bought another 🤣🤣

I am always tempted to Stu, but I also hanker for an AYO as well.
The Grass is always Greener!

Orion is back Dave, but about 5am!
 

Another Alt-Az user here, really enjoy using them.
I once owned a new Giro Ercole and stupidly sold it on in a fit of madness.
As you can tell I wish I still had one.

Good luck with it, enjoy it in use.
 

I too have the same Fever going on, but already have a C8 SCT and a 10" OOUK Dob, but....
Well I do fancy a larger Refractor myself as somehow the Refractor 'does it' for me a lot of the time.
The 152 f6.9 has a siren call for me, I thinks it is the red paint job.
I know why you like your F11 4" if for no other reason, it looks the part.
 

At present having a Daughter at Uni and just replaced her car that is needed (Paramedic Science),
so this limits my hankering to just that at present.

Looks very interesting indeed.
It says 8Kg but then says recommend the SW EQ8 Mount?
I take it that its due to the length.

So are you hankering for Aperture?

31 minutes ago, Moonshane said:

Great thread telling if overcoming lighting adversity 👍

Your thoughts echoed my own re lights. I got so fed up of idiots leaving lights on all night I almost stopped too. Getting my mojo back a bit now with my own build ☺

Shane,
I was not going to let them grind me down or kill my hobby.
Started looking observing away from home more, but it was a chore at times getting out.
The Observing Area has helped make things work better from home,
keeps me under the Star-light and not the Spot-Lights!

Very nice scope, looks great on that AYO.

I love my ED103s, so your SD81s should be as well put together as my scope, 
Is the tube oversized as with the 103?

That dovetail looks rather smart, improvement on the old ones.

Also note you have an Argo Navis now on your mount.

Enjoy using your new scope, I bet it will be wonderful.
 

So ticket purchase is open for the IAS.
Who is going and when?

I am attending on the Saturday and going to the Paul Monet and Patrick Gilliland talks.
If you see me say hello.
 

Cheaper in advance,
if you want to attend talks, book in advance as some sell out.

So it was you Garry who brought this cloud upon us!

Nice Scope, very nice Scope.

I saw the advert and your response Fozzie.
As you say Astro Fate, sometimes it is just meant to be.
I hope the lad enjoys your hard work when the time comes.
Nothing like parent child Astro time.

2 hours ago, JamesF said:

Ooooh, crab apples.  It must be about time to pick them.  Crab apple jelly is a lovely thing.

James

Something I look forward too JamesF, but as you can see no apples for a couple of years yet perhaps.

 

Well final installment for 2019.
The final gardening has happened, top soil in and levelled for a seed bed,
grass seed sown after a wait and its now germinating and a bed of green.
The single small Crab Apple is in the corner, awaits a small Cherry to join it on the opposite corner.

As for 2020, well, I have ideas but need funds to do this as well as the Domestic Managers approval.
I will update this thread in 2020 I hope.

Best thing I have done in a long time, very pleased, makes me a happy camper indeed.

Thanks for your kind comments and encouragement over time in this and previous threads. 

Time to get measuring I think.

Looks a super project, very neat finish too.
As JamesF says above, video of opening would be interesting to watch.

Funny how stripping things back makes things easy and enjoyable.

I with my terrestrial photography often take camera and one lens fitted and work with it rather than fussing over which lens to use etc, makes it challenging but great fun.

With Astronomy, when many start, it’s simply two or three eyepieces at most, things are simple, it’s just when the want monster strikes and you find a case full of nice eyepieces and things and start to fuss over what to use. At this point it can become challenging.

4 hours ago, baggywrinkle said:

Just remember...there is always great weather and clear skies....above the clouds

So true.
What we need is an observing area above the cloud 😀

If it's clear and it fits with me I observe.
If it's clear and it does not fit with me I don't observe.

Do I worry about this, in all honesty, yes sometimes,
but not for 90% of the time as the sky will wait.
 

Very nice indeed.
I would love a nice watch like this, but cannot be trusted with one.

Thanks Paul
Let's hope it is as forecast.

That was quite some story with a very fine ending.

The scope looks wonderful, wish you many many happy nights observing with it.

Seeing was great, placement of Jupiter in middle of trees not so hot,

but between limbs got a good look at the GRS, great stuff.

Nice one Gus, looks great.

Your heads up had me struggling as the view is via tress, but I got a peep at the GRS. 👍

.

I have been out using the Observing Area while it has been clear.
Very happy indeed, brought many targets onto the menu, that I just was unable to find due to the light.

One downside to having a hedge in front of the fence line, as it's new and it is very dry,
constant flipping watering twice a day!   
I bet no one else has to water the observatory 😂

I am now so in love with my 10" OOUK Dobsonian, which was an away from home scope only.
So much so it may become 'THE' scope!