astronymonkey

For me the biggest issues with many dobs is the particle board they are made from and the damage that can be done from damp grass.

Most sheds will do a good job of protecting them from the elements but when you put it outside try to raise it off the ground and give the mount a wipe down when you bring it back in. I have no idea why mass manufacturers make the bases from chipboard these days.

As for a cover, I make sure the end caps are on with a shower hat covering the bottom, and drape a dust sheet over the tube.

Cheers

Spiles image is a good stt up but note a few sensible precautions in the photo.

The filter it attached inside to tube and I expect would be difficult to accidentally knock off. Secondly, note how the finder is covered, this prevents a disaster with a burnt forehead or accidentally looking in the finder by mistake.

Align the scope using the shadow of the tube.

Good call for asking on here O2B3 about how to do this so you can get the right advice on how to do it safely and let others learn from the thread 👍.

Thanks

Something like this is the sort of thing you are after https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15910258/streetwize-12v-hair-15910258

What sort of scope are you planning on using it on as there may be other options that will work that might be better ?

cheers

It's difficult when you first start out know what to expect from your kit and being able to optimise what you have before you spend any more money.

It's good that you have checked the collimation but first I would have a go at low power with the moon and if you get the focus right for a sharp image there then next try Jupiter.  It's not going to be huge but it will give you an idea of where the focus point is for the scope. Do that a few times with the eyepieces you have and you will realise which one seems to give the best balance of magnification versus sharp focus. Let the telescope steady itself first though and look into the eyepiece without touching it.

For me the biggest improvement with a small scope is to get to a dark site at sunset, set things up with the caps on to stop dew , and let it cool for an hour. That way there is less heat shimmer (which would be magnified) and at a dark site the sky is blacker, the stars show more contrast against that black sky, and those objects that struggle in town against a lighter background can stand out more. In addition to this your eyes can truly adapt to the darkness rather than have that ruined by street lights or next doors security light.

These things don't cost any money , apart from some fuel for the car, and will help you understand what the scope can do. The eyepiece you think works best might be the one to upgrade first as you know that seems to give the best balance of magnification and field of view.

Cheers

Pop into a bed shop and get a mattress bag. They have them off their display mattresses or you can get new ones if you get rid of an old mattress.

I've got a 16inch dob and a double mattress bag fits well with a bungee tied around the middle and at the base.

For a smaller scope  a single size would be enough. 

They are thick, completely waterproof and cheap.

The only issue I've had is they aren't breathable so if you cover the scope when you've got loads of dew on it then you need to remember air it off the next day but is suppose that the same for any cover 🤔 

Cheers

Hats off to you for a truely fabulous piece of work, from grinding the mirror to the fantastic woodwork you have done. Im tempted to have a go myself as this has been an inspirational thread  but I know I dont have the patience,, especially with the grind, which makes me even more impressed with what youve achieved.

I was wondering what the final numbers looked like with regard to man hours spent, the strehl ratio of the mirror and the final weight of the various sections ? Well done fella.....

It never ceases to amaze me as to how versatile a router can be, and what a nice finish you can get with one. Keep up with the good work and thanks for sharing the details of the equipment you are using. I have a decent table saw but I must get to swapping the blade as its cutting a bit rough these days.

cheers

Excellent work Damien , and that looks like very good plywood that you are using. Did you have many problems with edge splinters as cutting such shallow mitres along an edge on ply can be a pain ?

I wondered where you got the ply from as well and what you asked for? Cheers

Hi Lee,

I love the carbon wrap it really makes the scope look loads more stylish.  Can you post a link to the ebay supplier you used. Cheers

Wow,

A true story of tenacity winning out in the end and that is a fabulous result. I cant wait to see the finished scope.

I was just wondering what strehl ratio you managed in the end, and what was the beginning and end weight as you must have removed a load of glass over the months to get to f3.4.

That also sounds like a "Feet on the ground" focal length for a 22inch mirror if you get the base design sorted so no need for a step ladder.

Great stuff....

Nice one FD

Totality wont start til much later though and its unlikely that you will notice much difference until 2.07am when the moon begins to enter the umbra but the penumbra stage starts just after 1am.

It is looking nice and clear though so ill be doing a bit of observing from the garden.

Enjoy the trip out though and stay safe.

Cheers

I have a feeling it will be clear so should be a good one. As for the umbra its always been quite obvious even with the i.c.i looming in the background ..... as in october 1985 when the full moon rose over teesside, already in full eclipse, in a crystal clear sky. A sight which got me hooked on astronomy as a kid !

I have a feeling that the carpark at the talpole pub at the tees barrage would be good as its elevated and has a decent south west view.

Cheers

To be honest you wont need a dark sky for the eclipse so a trip as far as Osmotherley might not be needed. As long as you have a decent south west view then it should be ok so maybe the far side of ingleby would give a decent view anyway.

Cheers

Hi damian,

Its looking good and I admire your patience so im sure it will finish up fine. As others have said just take your time but I was wondering how many hours have you spent on the mirror so far ?

Cheers

With the industry on teesside light pollution is always an issue but as stockton council is repalcing all street lights with LED ones hopefully the sky glow will improve over the next year as this progresses.

As far as sites for observing I find into teesdale towards barnard castle is good, and also to the south of the moors. Dalby forest is an excellent site and the Scarborough and rydale astro soc hold an annual star camp there which is open to anyone.

The CaDAS meeting at wynyard is also good value as its only £12 for a years membership so worth joining as there are 10 meetings per year.

Cheers

Hi tich,

ive got to say I was impressed with yours at sgl9.

Also served as a great beer tent on the sunday night

Cheers

ian

I managed to starhop to ison at kielder but I think steve missed his chance ..... even with goto the clouds still get in the way now and then!!!!

Cheers

Hi steve,

I think I was camped next to you at kielder in november with my lightbridge.

I was really impressed with the wireles control you had set up and see it working using your phone and its great to see the detailed description of what is needed to get the system working.

its just a shame my lightbridge doesn't have the same option, although im currently fitting a pushto system which will be a reasonable compromise.

great thread by the way,

cheers

Hi, its got me stumped as id need to get my hands on the scope to figure out what's going on. A newtonian is a pretty simple set up so id wait to speak to someone at the society who could look it over for you and either sort it out or recommend it is send back to the dealer.

as the set up is so simple it shouldn't take too long to determine what the issue is once its in the hands of someone in the know.

Hope you get it sorted soon,

Hi olly, great post, but I thought you said you were banned from puting it together in the livig room.... I suppose a new pair of shoes or even a handbag are on order.

what sort of battery life do you expect to get with that sort of setup as theres a lot to move if driven all night and I suppose the backlash indicates that there is some resistance in the design anyway. Do you feel a 7ah pack would last a night or is 17 with daily charging needed?

cheers

I thought the same but i hink the amazon photo shows the scope with the widefield eyepiece as this is much longer than the higher power one on the OPs photo.

id agree with brantuk, the LA society will no doubt be able to have a look and either get it to focus or confirm its got a fault.

Cheers

now here's a thought, get one of the eyepieces and unscrew the bottom silver part, turn it round and screw it back on the other way round...... does this now make the eyepiece focussable ?

A lack of a rubber eyecup wouldn't neccessarily cause a focusing problem, it could be folded back. There are also some eyepieces that don't have eyecups anyway so I doubt this is the problem.

im not sure either about the eyepieces as the wrong eyeoieces may mean a spacer is needed. I have a nagler 12mm which needs a 30mm extension to parfocalise it with my other nags otherwise its onnhe limit of my focusser so fozzie maynhave a point there.

as I mentioned earlier the widefield ep does have a milled tibe suggesting it may only need inserting half way so a pohoto of the two stock eyepieces wouldnbe useful.

cheers

From looking at your pictures and the various others on the web it seems like the scope is set up correctly. Since you say the moon looks like an out of focus blob it suggests you are getting light to the eyepiece but it isnt coming into focus, and since you say you can see your eye then there would appear to be nothing in the way of the light path except the eyepiece. So this seems to be an eyepiece or focus issus.

one thing you could try is to point at the moon, this should be a very bright blob and then foucs the best you can. Once this is done slacken the screws holding the eyepiece and while looking through it slowly slide the eyepiece out about two centimetres to see if that improves the focus. From what I have seen on the web the lower power eyepiece, which is the longer of the two has a milled step half way along on the outside of the tube which got me wonderjng if the eyepiece in meant to be inserted all the way or if it is only meant to be in as far as the milled edge.

hopethis helps

You havent left one of the opaque eyepiece caps on have you ?