Alan White

Interesting and pleasing that it is not me touched by this fine read and the Astronomer behind the pen and telescope. I have since looked about and found what I believe was his last book, that looks to have been a deliberate legacy.

Jeremy, the main thing variable at the moment is clear skies 🤪 I do ponder variables, but that feels scientific to me…. And as a true Luddite I am torn, but as I am unlikely to discover my own Comet from my light pollution, then perhaps variable may be a sensible option after all.

It is always saddening to read of people’s passing. David was a very well known figure in our little world and his absence will be felt, however his creations will live on.

Been at my Astro club tonight, it was cloudy at the start so we had a talk on observing, then it cleared and we observed with some newer members and introduces them to Orion and more. My only problem was I forgot my gloves and froze my bits off, so now home and warming through. Fun though.

I should wear my reading glasses. My initial thought was wow that’s a lot of wiring for a simple observing set up!

I was fortunate to get a copy of the Leslie Peltier book Starlight Nights for Christmas. I have read it at my normal slow pace each night and then reread it in the day as I nodded off reading, no reflection on the book or author. What a really nice story, of quite an astronomers life, in his own words. This has really charmed me and reflects some facets of my own observing journey in many ways. Not that I was born in the US on a farm and I have discovered no Comets as yet. The book really shows why he did and I do observe and I am equally sure many of us on here will feel the same. I sometimes find books very hard work, this was anything but hard work. In fact it was an utter joy to read, His closing remarks on the high number of satellites and space debris becoming an issue in the late 1960’s made me grin, he was right in his prediction it would get far worse. In the text he talks about one particular satellite as ‘our satellite’ that made me chuckle, if only we could do so now. I know many others will have been equally moved by this well known book as it’s been talked about before. Perhaps I need to plant Strawberries or keep Cows near the Observing Pad and Khazi!

Yet Just helping 😀

Have you made any progress since you last posting? The base has piqued my interest, last time I looked the Guzzis got my attention.

I tried to fill the original survey, it fell over, for once TV accepted an email about it. I completed the survey once fixed. The undercuts was an interesting question to ask, so show the message has been received, perhaps not liked but received. David Nagler get quite upset at an Astrofest about me not liking undercuts, I sold my TV kit in a huff and regretted it of course, so bought things back again. Still dislike the undercuts though. Country of manufacture was an interesting one, but TV being all American made in Taiwan and Japan by I expect a third party made me smile, at the end of the day, the design, build quality and just as important quality control that matters. Watch this space if feedback on the survey is forthcoming?

FedEx rather than postie with a parcel from the Land of the Rising Sun. Purchase from More Blue and imported to allow safe mounting of Lazarus my Vixen ED103 who returns slowly from the dead. 280mm More Blue Vixen rail, with all important stop screws!!

Fingers crossed for you both, that once this supposed snow blows through, you will get your wish. All nice kit by the way, enjoy.

I have been sat with the family watching a very odd film, but family time, which was great. Just locking up and it’s clear, so had a quick 20 mins with the binos, wonderful, glad I did.

😉

Sorry to see this happen, nothing shocks you more than when Mother Nature gives you a good shake. I hope you have managed to literally pick up the pieces.

A little @FLO delivery today. This allows me to go mainly 1.25" with my refractors, I may go all 1.25" in fact, pondering it for now. The clamp makes things very solid indeed. The other item is a t2 extension, used with my Baader Prism Diagonal 32mm item, it had a short insert fitted, this was to get the light path short with my bino-viewers, now gone. But it could allow an ep to touch the prism if careless. Extension fitted, potential issue now gone and looks very neat. I like the Baader build quality. Sat on my Oklop Eyepiece Bag, which I really still enjoy, small and very useful. Nearly purchased a third one with this little splurge, but held off as it would have had me filling it up with more glass!

Have you looked at RVO and the Geoptik options, sometimes they do shorter bags than others.

I agree with the concern. As Nik says above, the artist impression will likely be nowt like the final lander. The lift and bits feels like Musk promo fantasy, but who knows.

Looks better, but I do hope those are reflections of lights and not remaining marks.

I like padded bags for scopes and understand your wish But a 12” is getting long for in a car, but you only say about a bag for the tube or are you asking to cover a dob mount to? My 10” sits on its mount in the shed, only covers are on the tube ends, no bag in sight. The Oklop bags are good as are the Geoptik and others, just consider how much of a lump a larger tube is and then getting into said bag as well.

I didn’t have the issue with the first seat, but the fit was slightly slacker, this one has always been tighter from the start, but it worked until put in the Astro Shed, which although dry is at ambient temperature and humidity.

TeleVue has a good range of eyepieces, I need longer eyerelief due to astigmatism, so as much as I liked the Panoptics, they were not for me with glasses. I have DeLites and Delos and Pentax XW and Morpheus, each has positives and each has its issues to me. Of them all the DeLites just work. The friend mentioned above with DeLites was probably myself and I have used Ed’s Radians and agree they are more similar than not. Delites to me do have easier eye placement than the Radians at shorter fl. But that’s me, my face shape and eye socket depth and shape. We all latch onto differing issues with eyepieces, they are so personal, it’s impossible to say this works for me, so it will work for you here. You need to work out what you didn’t like about the Radians and consider that when looking at others. Eyepieces are a journey for many, me included, the ones that just work are the ones to keep.

As an update to this review from 2016 (how time flies). I replaced the first one that I sold on and still have it in 2023. I stand by my review but will add something that has come to light with a change of store location. The wood swells slightly and due to the tight tolerance on the seat to back slots etc. after storage in a dry shed, in these damper winter months you cannot slide the seat into the slots. Move it indoors and let it dry for a few days and all is good. I know this has been an issue for several others on here as I have read the posts. I do wonder if other wooden items suffer the same fate, the chair is sealed. Would I buy one again, yes for simplicity and price, but store place has to be in an environment of 'normal' household humidity.

I think the Barbie doll was a far higher achievement to be honest.

Observing Jupiter, it’s clear and why not GRS at 8.29 tonight I believe, it’s coming and going seeing wise but when it’s good it’s good 😊 Tonight is just what I need right now

It must be that time of year and this topic comes up. I have missed as many observing opportunities due to other commitments and life in general this year as much as any other. I have had a number of great observing sessions and will not grumble.