JOC

I believe science on the curriculum would be far more interesting for students to study if only the teachers would include the 'why' when they teach something. The numbers of practical science experiments I carried out at secondary school without ever understanding 'why' we had done it, until 10+ years later it dawned on me out in 'industry' why that particular experiment had been important, were many and would surely have added to my enjoyment and perhaps even have captured the imagination of more students. It is a hole that I really try to fill when I go into schools as a STEM ambassador.

I can reinterate the notes given above it is well worth seeing what else you have like barlows which might unscrew to find items that will screw into the T thread and reduce it to the 1.25" needed

I tell you what I've just re-read the OP of this thread and it jolted a thought chain - it looks like something vignetting the field of view. Is that possible within the configuration of the scope and the placement of the EP?

That seems most odd. Have you given the lens a clean and checked it doesn't have anything like a protective sticky layer applied anywhere?

If you still have the old telescope it maybe replaced? You could try it in that?

About the only telescope item I bought new was my 8" Dob. Everything else was secondhand with very few exceptions. I don't think they are a poor investment - surely the Morpheus get such good reviews that if well looked after they will surely always fetch a similar rate if I needed to realise the cash. Esp. as I'd have a whole set to sell! FWIW I don't think I am that bothered by exactly what the pupil size or eye relief is on any EP. I can either see through it and keep it or can't see through it and sell it. I can see through all the Morpheus and so I keep them and am a happy bunny!

I like them. I've got a box of mismatched too - you can see my signature, but I rather coveted a box of matching EP's (having seen all the pictures and I also have a thing about 'sets of things') of decent quality so that when I did decide there was something I wanted to see I had a good experience. Given that I am not as dedicated observer as many of you here, there was no way I was going to run to a box of green and black. I had hands on a G&B plossl at one point, but it had so little eye relief I found it unusable. When I saw the first one (I think it was the 17.5) secondhand I thought 'why not?' then I found out that they were getting a good write up and was pleased with my purchase and the views it got. Then when second one came up I got in quick and after that no-one on SGL got a look in on any I didn't have until I had the lot! I think they are a good to excellent moderate purchase for the casual observer who wants something decent to use, but can't justify the Green and Black prices. TBH, even if I won the lottery I don't think I would change what I have at the moment. I don't use the telescope enough, but it is nice to have a reasonably decent full set of EP's.

I am not a very regular observer and def. not knowledgeable about the intricacies of EP's. All I know is I wear glasses, I have significant short sightedness, very significant astigmatism, and also take a touch of prism in my prescription lenses. I own all the Morpheus EP's and use them in my 200P. I have no problems looking down any of them with my glasses on. FWIW I have also never had problems observing without my glasses on as the focus of the EP seems to do outdo the need for most of the correction I get from my glasses. However, I do tend to keep my specs on at the EP as it saves the faff of removing them. What I have noticed is that are not too heavy. The 200P drive mechanism (I have the star finder drive thingy in mine) doesn't seem to like too much weight and they seem to work well. The cheapest way of buying them is to bide your time with the SGL classifieds. I bought every single one of mine second-hand in mint condition! FWIW they look lovely in a box too!

It looks like it has uploaded twice. Click the three little dots in the top right of the posting in question and click edit from the drop down then check the files uploaded with the posting. You should be able to click the dustbin or X in the uploaded files list on the file itself and delete the second file if it's uploaded twice. If not then I don't know.

You need some sort of T ring on the camera that fits into the lens attaching sockets - take lens off camera and put somewhere safe - you don't need it. Then the attachment now on the front of the camera should screw into the Barlow or directly into the focus unit where you would attach a eyepiece. You may need an additional screw thread adapter to give some extra distance, but some Barlows unscrew to provide a necessary connection. Get the camera body directly attached to the focus unit through an adapter or barlow threads and you should be in business.

I hasten to say that I haven't tried one of these on astro equipment, but FWIW I own one of these and have been impressed so far: https://www.amazon.co.uk/BEAUDENS-Portable-Generator-Phosphate-Emergency/dp/B07MC7TV2G

As far as I know it is possible for things like the ISS to reflect sunlight.

I bought a laser and a Cheshire eyepiece I tried both, I use the Cheshire out of choice if I need to collimate the telescope. I'd say don't waste your cash on a laser when a cheap and cheerful Cheshire does all and is far less prone to it's own foibles (see video above). Whatever you use it is worth checking out how to fit the sight centrally in the eyepiece holder.

Until I joined SGL, I had no idea that the fabulous night sky shots that I too had seen in magazines and calendars could be taken (hypothetically) in my own back yard with the right equipment. I had always assumed that they were shots taken with satellites or huge stellar telescope arrays. I am still amazed at what essentially very keen amateurs can achieve and how professional they appear.

This is the definitive guide that SGL normally recommends https://www.astro-baby.com/astrobaby/help/collimation-guide-newtonian-reflector/ It is worth noting that even when perfectly collimated some telescopes still visually appear to be 'off centre' per the description in that guide. Perhaps you are spot on, but don't know it?

Sorry if a bit late to the party, but when walking in the Isle of wight last year I tripped over this lovely camp site https://www.pitchup.com/campsites/England/South_East/Isle_Of_Wight/Freshwater/heathfield-farm-camping/ Although not central the Isle of Wight seems very dark. Or I wonder if a private arrangment could be made with somewhere like this https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/essex/southminster/markfarm/#Facilities they advertise electrical pitches Also here https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/essex/chelmsford/birslodge/ and here http://www.silverroadcaravanpark.co.uk/ The Dengie Hundred must fall into the darker than a lot of places criteria

All six is nice. I collected mine over many months when they came up on SGL classifieds 🙂

You must have some seriously dark skies, we aren't bad here, but I don't see the Milkyway like that at all.

Is this any help https://www.bbcselect.com/watch/sciences-greatest-mysteries/ It seems to be available to USA and Canada specifically and generally Worldwide

Would that be available to someone in Ontario, USA?

I think I've got that ^^^ somewhere

If you do find the scope needs collimating the standard SGL reference is here - https://www.astro-baby.com/astrobaby/help/collimation-guide-newtonian-reflector/ I tried and wasted cash on fancy collimators, but all you need is a cheap £20 Cheshire collimating EP which is was Astrobaby used. However, what you asked was what advice does a newby need. IMO my Dobsonian was never that much out of collimation that it impacted me as a learner. I'd want to start using it if I were you, the lack of pristine collimation won't stop you looking IMO so I think I'd just try using it. I would take it outside during the day and whilst strenuously avoiding the sun - point it away from the sun PLEASE. Then point it at a distant object on a horizon and drop in an Eyepiece with a high value on it, i.e. 25mm not 10mm. Then I'd teach myself how to twist the adjust knobs on finder scope so that the view in the cross-hairs on the finder scope matches the centre of the view through the telescope EP. Thus, it will dawn on you that once the finderscope is pointed at the object of interest so is the scope. Try not to tweak the finderscope adjustment too much when you remove it and it will be easier to just tweak the adjustment when you do it in the dark - you need to tie them into each other when you use it at night by picking a nice bright star or bit of the moon in the sky. Then I'd look for a nice clear night coming along and get it outside nice and early - they work a bit better when they are cool and if you take it outside in the afternoon you can also set up the finderscope whilst you can see what you are doing. Then just leave it sitting there and wait until the night comes along hopefully nice and clear. Then get out there drop in that big numbered EP (which fit's in most sky) and start looking at stuff - see what you can find, point it at the moon and focus (you will spend hours looking at the moon the first time, just practice moving it around, finding things in the sky and learning how to focus those stars to the smallest points of light possible. All the rest comes later, but I'd just get it out there and use it if I were you.

Well I'm not using your kit, but to attach my Canon to a standard telescope focusser I needed to buy something called a T ring - like this one https://www.wexphotovideo.com/celestron-t-ring-for-canon-dslr-cameras-1534225/?cpgnid=17651495694&adext=&account=853-353-2386&campaign=&group=&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=&kword=&match=&plid=&pgrid=&ptaid=&si=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsIejBhDOARIsANYqkD2qr7NaUXkBQeH0SmPAJCF7ol1JSYbJ3-tQAxJQmlnt6U2PlVg6450aAtT_EALw_wcB I found a combination of this, with the adapters from the focus unit (the 1.25" and 2") and, though it sounds daft, some useful bits which unscrewed from a small barlow unit I had successfully attached the camera to my telescope and it got focus. I suspect at the very least you might well need a Canon T ring - even though I appreciate that is entirely different kit to what I use, but you will need something that mates up with the lens locking thread/machanism on the camera and that's a T ring. Then it might be worth a fumble around your 'bits box' (I bet you have one!) to see if anything will usefully take apart to give you what you need prior to buying anything else. Edit - Just had another thought, you only want to attach the lens don't you? You sort of need a reverse T ring if such a thing exists.

Also, it is possible that the earlier problems could have been caused by mirrors and EPs covered with dew/condensation. Condensation wipes out everything really quickly and sometimes you don't spot it. The OP realy should experiment during the daytime with the scope pointed at a distant object a mile or so away away from the sun on the ground. If the above trees could be seen through the EP then I suspect the scope is functional.

@Merlin How do you sort out the precise positioning of the eyeglass lens wrt the position the eye will be above the eyecup. My spectacle lenses are varifical with astigmatism correction and a bit of prism, not only are they way too expensive to destroy a set according to your instructions, but I am convinced it would be impossible to know which bit the lens needed to be positioned where. IME I've never had any problems viewing whilst wearing glasses, but I do find that I get on perfectly OK if I just take my specs off. I think its because you only have to focus one viewing eye *unless you have bino viewers.