cletrac1922

Merlin, I am gold coast hinterland, and have clear skies, when not clouded out My club has a loan LUNT 60mm single stack, and the main issue with that is the pressure tuner, when not used for a while, have to disassemble the pressure tuner, and re-grease with silicon grease I have the Coronado SolarMax11, for the outlay, not very impressed with The Solarmax11 has a single RichView tuner, and can also be fitted with a double stack on the front, have the BF10 blocking filter The other thing do not like about the Solarmax11, have to slide the draw tube in or out to focus, does not have threaded for camera or barlow In front of the draw tube is helical focuser The focuser, is locked in place by 2 nylon screws, which are very flimsy, scared to over tighten, incase snap one The Solarmax111 is a big improvement on the Solarmax11, with either single or double stacked etalons, and improved tuner The attached pic is of my Solarmax11 on a EQ5pro mount John

First of all, welcome from Land Down Under Club field nights, where mounts are set up from 5 - 10 meters apart, I have not noticed the noise from other adjacent mounts I have an ED80 on a EQ5pro mount, and when slewing doing 2 star alignment, have noticed a bit of noise Once tracking, have not noticed any noise John

New geological map of the moon https://www.sciencenews.org/article/moon-map-lunar-surface-geology

First of all, welcome from Land Down Under Have you tried looking at Orion and Pleiades, as almost over head currently John

Welcome from Land Down Under This week you should be able to get a good look at the Lyrids Meteorite shower, even without your bino's John

Hi Buddy The simplest way is to join your local club, once this pandemic is over My own club has several 10 inch collapsible Dobs, Meade LX90, LUNT solar scope, for only $10 a month In my initial response, I enclosed pic of my SW ED80 on a EQ5 Go To mount which I have now had for about 10 years, and been very reliable I also use my SolarMax11 on the same mount I recently purchased WiFi SynScan adapter, and downloaded the SynScan APP The APP takes the guess work out of setting up your SynScan controller, taking GPS, Date/Time from your mobile device We also have the Lyrids Meteorite Shower this week as well, going through to end of April Finally, which side of Melbourne are you I am originally from Nyah, outside Swan Hill, and mum and dad sold the farm in the early 1960's, and we moved to Mt Waverley Take care during the current pandemic John

Hi When you mentioned $AU, assumed you also from Land Down Under For many years I have had a Skywatcher ED80 on a EQ5pro mount Would recommend you go for either a ED100 or ED120 on a HEQ5 mount, and can also get belt drive conversion kits Depending on where you are in OZ, you would not go far wrong from purchasing from Bintel in Sydney Another option is Astroanarchy, located Myer Center in Brisbane Tell the guys at Astroanarchy I sent you Have attached pic of my ED80 taken at a club solar viewing day on the coast The scope in the background is also an ED80 on a HEQ5 mount John

Simon Welcome from Land Down Under You travel the universe in this forum John

Stu Also google Emu in the Sky With Australian Indigenous astronomy, they also look at the dark surrounding the stars I have a contact as well as NASA/JPL had my cubs and joeys, scout movement, also register for Parker Solar Probe, do solar observing when do weekend camps They have also registered for Perseverance, when launches later next year Drop me a message, and will give you my personal email address, definitely stay in touch I am also associated personally with the guys from Gilmore Space, an Australian company doing amazing things with small payload rocketry https://www.gspacetech.com/ If you ever make it to my part of the world, only too happy to introduce you to the guys at Gilmore Space, give you a tour of our night sky Attached pic is my Solarmax11 John

Dr Strange, nice report Sun has just been setting here also, and sun below the western horizon, reflecting off the clouds above the ranges to the west of me Not sure where you are, if you are above or below the equator I am 27 degrees south of the equator Had both Venus and the moon peaking through the clouds as well Not sure if you are able to see The Crux, also known as Southern Cross down under with Centaurus Have Orion and the Seven Sisters overhead currently When do presentation with my club, primary schools, scout groups, enjoy showing them Omega Centaur Both Orion and Seven Sisters are very prominent in Australian Indigenous astronomy which goes back over 40,000 years In women's business, Indigenous astronomy, Orion is chasing the seven sisters to marry one He can't, because Orion belongs to the wrong mob In men's business, Orion is a pack of dingoes, chasing a mob of kangaroos The belt of Orion, is also know as the canoe Another interesting fact, with Indigenous population northern Australia The first time Orion appears above the eastern horizon, just after sunset, it is also the onset of our wet season I hope my info on Indigenous astronomy, which I love to share, and have many more stories, taught to me by the Elders, when growing up on family farm, rural Victoria, passed down by word of mouth from one generation to the next, has brought a bit of happiness into the world, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic John

Tiago First of all welcome from Land Down Under I am not firing rockets any more, like with John's 12" Dob My first scope was a 10" flex Dob, find it easy to transport and store, as sits on back seat of my SUV, when out a couple of times per month doing presentation in schools and scout group, although COVID-19 has put an end to that currently The attached pic is of my 10" flex Dob, taken a while ago, Saturn in the Park public viewing night with my club, scope in background is a 8" flex Dob, with a Meade snuggled in between Would definitely also get a right angle finderscope, as saves laying on the ground in the middle of the night, to spot directly overhead I also put down a small tarp for the base to sit on, as the base been made of chipboard, protects from moisture in the ground Solar viewing The lid has a small detachable cap, and you can sticky tape piece Baader visual solar film underside of the lid, covering the hole, and wack the lid on top of the Dob Remember to leave off your finderscope when solar viewing John

First of all welcome from Land Down Under 250mm collapsible Dob was my initial purchase, and still my weapon of choice I also have a ED80 on a EQ5Pro Go To mount My Solarmax11, also fits on the EQ5 mount I am out a couple of times per month with my club, doing presentations in primary schools, scout groups Both the Dob and mount sit on the backseat of my SUV Also recommend get a right angle finderscope, as saves having to lay on the ground, when sighting DSO's, planets overhead I also put the mount on a small tarp, as the base been made from chipboard, stops the base from getting damaged from moisture in the ground Have attached pic of both my Dob and ED80 The Dob in the background, is a 200mm The Dob was taken at a recent club public viewing night, and the ED80 club solar day day John

Chris Welcome from Land Down Under You travel the universe in this forum Both sides of my family are also from Scotland, immigrated in the early 1800's Mum's side is from the lowlands, English border, and my dad' side from Isle Of Argyle John

Welcome first of all from Land Down Under I would go for Skywatcher 250mm Flex Dob Easy to store and transport I am out a couple times per month with my club, doing presentations in primary schools an scout groups I use wideangle 15mm and 17mm eyepieces as well, and ideal for Saturn, Jupiter, Orion Nebula and other DSO Attached pic taken at a recent club public viewing day/night I also use a right angle finderscope, as saves having to lay on the ground to align what is overhead With the lid, there is a small detachable cap, and sticky tape Baader visual film to underside of the lid, over the hole, can then use for solar viewing John

Alan You can download an APP for Starlink, and shows each launch, and get notification exactly same as ISS Detector APP on Android Have not seen them yet, as every time they due to fly over, been clouded out John

I also have a ED80 on a EQ5Pro mount, and running the WiFi adapter and SynScan APP Pic taken at a recent club solar viewing day, in a park, foreshore Goldcoast Members of the public walking pass, where also invited to view the sun Unfortunately was no sunspots Scope in background with camera attached, is also a ED80 on a HEQ5 mount John

Craig Welcome from Land Down Under You travel the universe in this forum John

If you going to get a complete new outfit, then go for SW 250 flex dob Easy to transport, and both dob and mount fit nicely on back seat of my SUV,when doing presentations in primary schools, scout groups with my club Have attached pic of my dob taken at a recent public viewing club night In background is 200 flex dob with shroud John

First of all welcome from Land Down Under I have the WiFi adapter and using the SynScan APP as well What I have found, is that after doing first star alignment, using Sirius, I usually use Canopus as my second choice with my SynScan Controller With the APP, it gives a list of stars it thinks you should be selecting for second alignment, not what I want Not sure anyone else having same issue I am with the APP, when doing first star alignment, instructions is up and right to save Not been able to get the APP to do that I am west and south facing with Bortle 4 John

Welcome from across the other ditch, Pacific Ocean John

Rob First of all, welcome from Land Down Under I have 10" flex dob, and attached pic of my Dob taken at a recent public viewing night with my club Finderscope, you have right angle or straight through I use right angle, as do not have to lay on the ground, when viewing objects overhead With finderscope, there is also two adjusting screws which are used to align the finderscope with the eyepiece Best to do this in daylight, and pick out an object several kilometers away, such as mobile tower, church spire, even a tree on a hill Aim finderscope to object you going to use Then view through the 25mm eyepiece and adjust mount so viewing same object through the eyepiece Then go back to finderscope, and adjust the two screws, so the same object is located center of cross hairs of finderscope You should then be able to see the object you are viewing through both the finderscope and eyepiece Last couple nights, have nice clear skies and view Orion Nebula, Omega Centaur, Jewel Box in The Crux Have a Bortle 4 as well where I am John

Tony First question, did you try and do a collimation and why The scope should had been set correctly when took delivery Is it solid tube or flex tube Attached pic is my flex tube taken at a recently public viewing night with my club As mention, use the 1.25" adapter Under the tuning knob, is also a locking screw, always leave my loosened slightly to allow the focuser to move in and out The scope comes with 2 eyepieces 25mm and 10mm Which eyepiece have you tried Start with the 25mm, I very rarely use the 10mm, and have 15mm and 17mm which use when doing presentations in primary schools and scout groups Finderscope, you have right angle or straight through I use right angle, as do not have to lay on the ground, when viewing objects overhead With finderscope, there is also two adjusting screws which are used to align the finderscope with the eyepiece Best to do this in daylight, and pick out an object several kilometers away, such as mobile tower, church spire, even a tree on a hill Aim finderscope to object you going to use Then view through the 25mm eyepiece and adjust mount so viewing same object through the eyepiece Then go back to finderscope, and adjust the two screws, so the same object is located center of cross hairs of finderscope I also use a laser pointer at night to locate object I want view, by laying the laser pointer along the mount of the tuner mount, then find tune through the finderscope Where I am, have to be a financial member of an astronomy club to use laser pointer for public presentations under the Fire Arms and Offensive Weapons Act If you still not have resolve your issues, rock up to your local astronomy club, members there only too happy to assist you Where I am, currently not able to hold club meets due to coronavirus, think you guys are in lock-down, same as we are John

Hi Dan Welcome from Land Down Under I am running a ED80 on an EQ5Pro mount, now also now have the SynScan WiFi adapter, and downloaded the SynScan App The mount also takes my SolarMax11 as well Attached pic was taken at a recent club solar viewing day, on the foreshore, Goldcoast Members of the public walking past, were also invited to view Sol, our sun Unfortunately that day was no sunspots, but several nice prominence's were visible Have also included pic of the WiFi adapter, and screen print SynScan APP John

Simon First of all welcome from Land Down Under I am now also using SynScan WiFi adapter on my EQ5Pro, and makes life lot easier controlling my mount Download the SynScan APP to mobile phone, tablet or PC The APP automatically sets your GPS location, date/time from our device John

First of all welcome from Land Down Under I have been looking as well, and my local astronomy shop also advise to run with the ZWO ASIAir WiFi unit John