MartinHiggins

Hi I use the Williams bino with supplied 1.6 Barlow on my C8 with no trouble at all. T's pretty close to the focus position of wiewing with a single eyepeice.

Hi, check this out, it's from the Netflix series Carbon and made by custom telescope maker Moon Raker who build some really nice stuff: Not sure if this is relevent to this thread as it's being used correctly http://moonrakertelescopes.co.uk/custom-buildsabout.html

Thanks Steve. All the best.

Hi, just wanted to say a big thankyou to all the posters on this wonderful site. I've spent the last month in bed flat on my back due to dire back problems and this site as well as CN and all the terific youtube resources have kept me sane. Of course no observing, haven't even seen Mars! At least I've absorbed a lot astronomy lore from you all: learnt to use Sharpcap, Registax and Autostakkert by plugging ZWO into laptop and imaging an open wardrobe! I've learnt lots about the universe and admired many astro images which really inspire me to get back up ASAP. Cheers All and clear skies!

Hi, I got a pair of Williams Optics binos about 3 years ago for use with a Celestron C8 and in fact I can't recall the last time I observed with a single eyepiece.

Wow that is so cool!

Hi Ted, I've downloaded Sharpcap, Astrostakker and Registax today and also looked at a heap of youtube videos on how to use them. Couldn't find anything about Studio except zwo feeble offering. Cheers

Yup I'll be giving that target a go too.

My viewing site isn't ideal: through a loft window in central Cardiff and no autoguiding! It's south facing so really good for the moon and hopefully Mars too. So I'll be sticking to the (I hope) easier stuff. Cheers

Hi Neil, yup I'm watching a Sharpcap youtube video now and there seems to lots more out there. BTW I've been banged up with sciatica for the last month so I've had all the time to check this stuff out! Cheers

Thanks Peter and Ole. I'll try Sharpcap. As you say there's a lot more advice out there about using it. Clear skies!

Hi All, I've just got an ASI 120MC camera which I plan to use for lunar and planetary imaging. I've successfully downloaded the drivers and Studio and connected the camera to Studio. I'm completely new to imaging so I'm clueless from here on! I've not been able to find much in the way of guidance as to settings in Studio as ZWO don't offer a tutorial (they promise to offer something in the future). The best I've been able to find is a rapid youtube video about ASICAP. Does anyone know if there's anything on the web or on this site which gives guidence on settings in Studio? Cheers

Hi, I was camping at quite a dark sky site above the Wye valley last night. Star gazing with a Vixen SG 2.1x42 for a couple of hours before bedtime. Really awesome compared with central Cardiff! Bladder woke me up in the early hours but rewarded by another session viewing moon, with lovely earthshine, and Venus.

Hi, I'm in a similar situation in a cottage terrace with a tiny back yard and very little panorama. When I moved in some years ago I had a loft space built with two Fakro tilting windows, one facing south and one north. The south facing one is great for lunar observing and as I live centrally in a city it's the most rewarding thing to look at. I've been observing for 3 years or so but having middle tilting windows means that the pane is often as not impinging on the scope. There is a solution though: Fakro do an "escape window" which hinges on the side. either left or right and from your pics the left hinging one would be the type to go for in your view. I'm going for right hinging as my chimney stack is on the right of the window space. See if you can get your housing provider to install a left side hinged window. Cheers

Many thanks for this Steve. Cheers Martin

Just checked out the listing that Ships and Stars pointed out. It looks pretty good and I can almost believe it's just been used a couple of times if the seller was using it with just the neck strap as shown in the photos. You would need a tripod to get the best use out of it but not a particularly heavy duty one.

I've got the 16x70 Lightquest and really love their relative lightness and excellent optics. Mmmm, tempted by those above.

Brilliant drawing! Cheers

Wow! Thanks for this. Martin

Really good images. Haven't seen it myself yet and skies here aren't promising at the moment. Cheers

Wow, having admired your moon and Venus I looked for this sketch. I imagine that sketching really impresses the details in the viewers mind. A great skill to have. Cheers Martin

Beautifully done!

Hi, I was watching the new moon a couple of nights ago about a half hour after sunset when it was low on the horizon to the west. It was an amazing bright golden sliver reflecting the suns rays. Cheers

Hi, as mentioned above one difference between the Apollo and the Lightquest is weight. The former weigh 2.5kg for the 15x70 and the latter 1.9kg as it's made from magnesium which is a bonus for me. Yes the Monfrotto fluid head is very nice and smooth. I replaced the quite long handle with a shortish piece of aluminium tube as the bino is light.

I use a Manfrotto 293C4 tripod and a 128RC head. I bought an additional central pillar and welded a nut onto the bottom which I can screw onto the top of the pillar supplied with the tripod to give a max height of 180cm. My bino is a Helios Lightquest 15x70 so it's a very lightweight set up as I'm usually carrying it all on my bike! If you're getting a heavier binocular you would probably be better served by the suggestions offered above. Cheers