Alan White

That’s a difficult one, it feels like it changes daily 😂 Main use case has 6 at present, but 2 gaps, Bino case has a fair few, Other places have more…… Sadly it’s a addiction, but to be honest a lot of the time I use just 1 or 2 in a night.

Indeed they can, 😊, hence why we still have gaps, mind you not having gaps can be expensive as well!

Problem was the box had a hole, so it let the clouds in! 🤣

Thank you Peter, that all makes sense and explains it’s how it is. The collimating is just out enough to bother me, but not a new astronomer, so I may just leave alone. The aluminising on my one still at first look is spot on as well on the Primary. Until I acess the Secondary better, I am unsure. You made a fine scope, that has stood the test of time.

I recently aquired a fine looking Astro Systems built by @Peter Drew I believe. Have changed the cast rail and made up with some engineering aka shed tinkering a normal vixen rail. THis now sits on my mounts easily. Anyway, checked collimation with my cap, looks ok, did a star test and its a bit off, not a full circular ring, and here the challenge begins. No obvious means of adjusting either mirror? The Primary is flat on the back plate, not obvious screws or access. The Secondary can be moved up and down, but how do you alter its inclination? The scope and new rail. The secondary. Can anyone shed some light on this please? I am hoping to use this as my take to my Astro Club and use with starters in the hobby as and when I can.

The 'of the moment' EP case, but I do have other EP stashed away presently. But this is my 'in use' case. Deciding what to put in the spaces marked ? And which ones not 'of the moment' to assign to the Classifieds section...

Nice Grab and Go scope Garry 😉 That is quite some instrument, I hope it serves you well and was worth the long wait

Lucky you Dave, you got the cloud gaps and 90 good minutes. I was due to lead a club darker site session last night, but forecast was so off I cancelled it, then watched the sky closely. We had nearly solid cloud and only small clear bit was later to the SE.

Peter, that sounds like you did indeed have a moment of good fortune in observing this. With that 150mm it must have been quite a view.

You always liked your 10.5 XL Dave, nice to see one returning.

That made me chuckle, and a very true comment in my view. Smudges are rewarding and how much of a smudge you see can be most variable indeed.

Thanks, that is a great link, more online resource is always good 👍

Hi Ed I agree with you on Magazines for Visual Only, but they do offer insight into the Science and Space exploration that goes on as well as talking about the Dark Art of Astro Imaging etc. Until this year I was a regular to Sky at Night and Astronomy Now, both subscriptions have now lapsed. Due mainly to the fuller focus on imaging and imaging equipment, but an indicator of the times I think. I will say you still got the Binocular Tour and Other observing parts of Sky at Night, but I wanted more and that more are now online, the many online resources are now my point of reference, but if it was on paper, well that would be wonderful. Alan

That’s looking great, and wow what a location.

Having recently again bought a Vixen GP all manual mount in a fit of nostalgia and comparing eq manual tracking to nudges on alt az, this thread hits all the points, oh and adds in @Stu’s brain to jelly comment as well 🤣 I cut my Astro teeth on a very wobbly, poorly mounted Bresser EQ back in the late 80’s or very early 90’s. I used it how Michael @Mr Spock describes and that is how I use the GP now. But I do find star hopping a slight challenge, but so far my brains have not liquified and leaked from my ears… Perhaps they did years ago and nowts left to leak! On Observed targets the tracking was nice, but I am unsure it’s worth the back and knee pain due to my non rotating focused and finder on my Vixen 103 scope. So guess what’s now back on the observing pad? This is the test AZ75, not a production model for record.

Indeed it is and marked so on my one I own, silly me not wearing my readers when posting🤣

Is this the 32mm 82 degree one at over £300 your talking about @Westmoorland? Why not look at the APM UFF 30mm, very flat field, same 2" fitting and from my experience and others super, Its a 65 degree field, but feels wider and plays nicely with Morpheus etc. Oh and just over £200 as well. https://www.widescreen-centre.co.uk/apm-ultra-flat-field-eyepieces-65.html

Respect to all who manage such late nights or early mornings. I observed between 8.30 and 11.30 but as others have said, it was challenging with the jet stream, but with many careful targets had a great time. Jupiter was not in the best location for me at that time, but in the good moments was amazing for the conditions. More nights with a more stable atmosphere ahead I hope.

I will send you a Eyepeice-O-Holic Anonymous link straight away, it always start with that line...

Never truer word spoken Don 👍

I would love an observatory with an AZ100 with drives and a very nice Vixen or Similar 150mm Refractor on it and a Nice 80mm Ha cope alongside. But presently all but a dream for now. Oh and the real impossible one, Clear skies on my demand and availability to observe, yes I know that's a stretch too far!

Rob, Louis has it bad, real bad..... But I do like the eyepiece trumps idea.

I am guilty of being an eyepiece-o-holic, I just cannot help myself, so many have passed through my paws. BUT Often on a target chosen night, I will only use two eyepieces and sometimes even just the one, BUT having a number to choose from allows me to use that choice of 1 or 2. Not getting into eyepieces, well its good for your wallet and mental health perhaps. and nothing wrong in not indulging.

I know your temptation, I kept looking at a used one listed on Fleabay a month ago, the distance away and needing collecting, fule prices and not least saving funds for other things stopped the itch, well for now. So I encourage you to be tempted, but and its a definate but, is it too niche?

Thank you @JeremyS for the sad emoji, perhaps I should start a go fund me and solve the situation 😉