FLO

Was in the warehouse this morning and noticed all the cameras listed above are in stock. Genuinely in stock. Physically on our shelves and available for overnight delivery. Just wanted to share that 🙂 Steve

No, that one was ordered before our discussion. Hopefully have something for you on the next one 🙂

You appear to have joined SGL only to bash iOptron? Steve

ZWO are offering 10% discount off their planetary cameras 🙂 Offer ends 25th Aug and is subject to availability. ZWO ASI 120MC-S USB 3.0 Colour Camera £149 £134 (save £15) ZWO ASI 120MM-S USB 3.0 Mono Camera £179 £161 (save £18) ZWO ASI 224MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera £249 £224 (save £25) ZWO ASI 290MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera £299 £269 (save £30) ZWO ASI 178MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera £349 £314 (save £35) ZWO ASI 178MM USB 3.0 Mono Camera £369 £332 (save £37) ZWO ASI 290MM USB 3.0 Mono Camera £369 £332 (save £37) ZWO ASI 385MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera £369 £332 (save £37) ZWO ASI 183MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera £549 £494 (save £55) ZWO ASI 174MM USB 3.0 Mono Camera £599 £539 (save £60) ZWO ASI 183MM USB 3.0 Mono Camera £699 £629 (save £70) ZWO ASI 294MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera £699 £629 (save £70) ZWO ASI 1600MM USB 3.0 Mono Camera £999 £899 (save £100)

Another delivery of iOptron mounts and accessories is incoming 🙂 This was collected from the factory late last week so is probably already here in the UK, working its way through Customs.

Thank-you 🙂 Welcome to SGL. Steve

Is it this one? Steve

I was aware of the oversized primary mirrors but hadn’t heard the effective aperture was reduced. If you and Neil English think it true then so do I. Thank-you 🙂 Steve

Thank-you 🙂 The design does have a distinctly Bosma look... I will make enquiries with a view to FLO stocking it. Steve

Interesting. Are the reviews posted by owners? Steve

I assume they are but I wasn’t aware they previously were not. Did the design include some kind of sub-aperture mask? Steve

You are not comparing like-for-like but it is true that the Maksuov’s success can be largely attributed to its long focal ratio and use of spherical surfaces (all optical surfaces in a Maksutov are spherical). This is not because spherical surfaces are ‘better’ but because they are easier to manufacture to a high surface accuracy, at an affordable price. Steve

It certainly is! My best view to date of Jupiter was achieved one night at Kelling, a few years ago. We had decided the Skymax 180 would be FLO’s ‘planet killer’ but we had arrived late so we’re still unpacking when Jupiter appeared between rain showers. The Mak’ hadn’t had long enough to cool so we quickly setup our old and battered Sky-Watcher 100ED doublet. The view was astounding but it was more a result of unusually good (even for Kelling) seeing conditions than telescope optics. Unfortunately when the Mak was ready to go seeing had deteriorated. Steve

Grant is on holiday this week but I will ask him when he returns. Not sure about your focuser question because, currently, the iOptron telescope shown here is the only RC scope we stock. We can source anything iOptron. Is their Maksutov highly regarded? Steve

So too is the DayStar Quark Gemini 🙂

The DayStar Quark Combo is now in stock for overnight delivery 🙂

Power is back and all hands are on deck 🙂

I have edited my post after discovering we can complete an end-of-day Royal Mail Manifest remotely. Thank-you Grant 👍 So, if you have received an auto-email today saying your order was dispatched then it will be (means we packed it before the power cut). Orders scheduled for dispatch this afternoon will now leave us Monday.

There is currently a power cut affecting a number of businesses on the industrial estate here in Exeter. Unfortunately FLO is one of them! It began earlier this afternoon. They are estimating power will return around 3:30pm. If you have today received an auto-email from FLO saying your delivery was dispatched then it will dispatch as normal when the couriers and Royal Mail collect later this afternoon. Our apologies to everyone affected 🙁 Similarly, if you have emailed us today our response will be delayed. Fortunately I boiled the kettle only minutes before the power went down so we have warm coffee in thermal mugs! ☕️🙂 Steve

There is a certain resemblance... Possibly the receding hairline 🙂 Steve

The discussions went well so I can confirm we (with Ian King) will be at the International Astronomy Show 15th – 16th November 🙂 We will post details in a separate discussion soon. Steve

If not then we have more CEM60 arriving end-of-month 🙂

Will do 🙂

Our first customer-return iOptron mount (a noisy CEM60) should be with us soon. Rob is delighted... 😏

Thank-you for your order 🙂 All the CEM60 mounts from our latest delivery have sold but we have more arriving around the end of this month. HTH, Steve