LukeSkywatcher

I'll hazard a guess that between 2007 and now, I've probably spent 20K. 

I could be way off. My 8Se and Quark Chromosphere alone cost 3K. 

Yep, I think I've spent more than I think. 

I need a lie down.

When I did buy astro mags, I found Astronomy Now, the best. The Sky At Night has basically become an advert for buying astro gear.

On 13/08/2022 at 17:46, Dave scutt said:

Not the postman my wife found this in a charity shop. 

Is she trying to give me a hint.

She wants a new kitchen conversion.

I don't watch the show since SPM passed, but I did set the DVR, to remind me. I forgot about it because I was otherwise occupied. It sounded interesting considering how new the JWT is. 

JWT used to be a travel company here in Ireland.

Ironic.

I recognised the SW extention tube. I have one for my AZ5 tripod and mount but never use it.

On 07/08/2022 at 09:39, Simon128D said:

Here in Ireland we had a mighty heat wave in July last year. For a few weeks it was in the mid to high 20C and then went up to 32c for three to four days. I remember on the hottest day of them all - near the end of July - it was clear and I set the C11 up at 22:30 for some imaging of Jupiter and Saturn, anyway when I went out at midnight I was literally only wearing my underpants and slippers and the outside thermometer was showing 27c, being almost naked, at the scope and feeling perfectly comfortable was a fabulous experience for me. 

Seeing was useless but I still got okay results on Jupiter and Saturn was passable enough to not get Shift+Del 

I'm in Ireland and I don't remember a heatwave last year. The last one I remember was in 2018. It was about 30C for a good few weeks maybe.

Then again, I can't remember what I had for breakfast today.

A few yrs ago, I got the permission from a small holdings farmer to observe from his field. The field was very dark and just beside a road which was not a busy or well lit road (think of a secondary or thersury road). In the field were two donkies and 20 sheep. The donkies would always be with me, curious as to what I was doing. I'd often have late night pub goers passing by asking me if I was allowed to be there.

My simple answer was:"Would the donkies be here with me, by my side, if I wasn't".

Those were well fed donkies. I always went prepared with a few bags of carrots 🥕. 

Sadly now, the field,donkies and sheep are gone and houses have been built on the land.

I was surprised to learn recently that all of the different coloured filters and filter wheel for the JWT were built here in Ireland, and delivered to the USA.......9 yrs ago.

They were designed in a place in Dublin.

It's nice to know the Irish contribute to space exploration. Parts of the ISS were even designed and built by the Maynooth University, in my own local town.

Drum stools are great.

I'm loving the advances in exo-skeletal technology over the last few years. It brings a lot of hope to people with spinal injuries. Maybe one day soon, wheelchairs will be obsolete, and this kind of technology will be the norm.

I am a wheelchair user, but a couple of yrs off 50, so I personally wouldn't be interested.

I believe that certain countries are developing exo-skelatal body "armour", to create a stronger more powerful soldier. 

Yesterday here in Maynooth was 32c. The hottest temperature in Ireland on record Yesterday was 33c in the Pheonix Park (about 20 mins drive away).  Today was 27c, which was managable.

Way too hot for solar.

A satellite. 10 to a dozen in the night sky. They are nowhere near as bright as the ISS. Perhaps an Iridium satellite.

I wear glasses 24/7, I have a slight astigmatism in my left eye. 

I have been using bins for over 40 yrs (I have many of various sizes). I don't wear my glasses while observing with bins OR telescopes. 

I can't offer any advice beyond this. All bins of any size/budget work for me.

I was going to suggest a 10x50 bins, but for birdwatching in the garden, you don't need that much aperture. 8,10x30 will be plenty.

I'll Google him, because I have no idea.

4 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

Is that Matt Damon?

no wait, he was the Martian wasn't he... 😉 

Good movie.

On 10/07/2022 at 20:29, dweller25 said:

@Giles_B
 

Mars shows quite a lot of features at closest approach, but that is 5 months away yet 😕
 

Here is how it looked close to opposition in 2020 through a 4” refractor, so you will see more in your 10” 👍🙂

I wish Mars looked like that in my first scope (4 inch Celestron refrac). 

On 08/07/2022 at 17:37, Zermelo said:

I am so glad that I wasn't the only one to think that.

SECURITY!!!.

My best guesstimate is that I have a 90mm Celestron refractor on an EQ1 tripod (hate EQ), a 102 Bresser refractor AR-xs on an Az5+Quark Chromosphere filter (my solar scope), Skywatcher Heritage 130P (mini Dob) and a Celestron 8Se.

I'm sure I'm forgetting one.

Binoculars.....don't get me started.

18 hours ago, ONIKKINEN said:

Postman brought a Lunt 1.25'' Herschel wedge:

Sadly, what was not included was the Baader solar continuum filter, or the scope to put the wedge in😬.

The solar continuum filter seems to be out of stock everywhere so will have to make do without it. I have a red #25 filter and a #80A filter, along with some neutral density filters to try with. Some combination of these should cull chromatic aberration and dim the image to safer viewing. Or the scope is in post long enough for the filter to arrive, who knows!

I bought mine from Germany EuroAstro (or something similar). It was sold with NO filters. I had to buy an ND, variable polarised and continuum.

The 3 filters cost the same as the wedge.

I didn't use it much, before I moved onto a Quark Chromosphere. I probably should sell the wedge and filters.

It's the right colour for Jupiter, and I can make out two darker bands. 

I'd say Jupiter.

I'm absolutely loving Rory (Astrobuscuit) vids. I've watched most of them now, and DARE I say that he is making me have a second thought about astrophotography. Currently, I'm purely visual, but I do have the bits and bobs for basic entry level AP.

I have some (a lot) of gear that I haven't used since I bought it. I also have gear that really hasn't been used much. I'll never sell any of it. I'll get round to it in time.

It will be a nice surprise when I do.

Another possibility is the flash was internal in your eye. It happens. Astronauts have reported similar flashes when in space.

I've even experienced it myself (not that I've been to space).

It could have been a head on meteor strike. I've seen a few.