barkis

Must say I'm more than a bit nostalgic too. It's a while since I've seen people I know well.
and I miss that a lot.
I will most certainly make every effort to attend the next SGL SP.  
Ron.

The above post appeared to have duplicated somehow,
so I've had to edit it, and submit this explanation.

Ron.

Yep Ivo has created a great tool for Astro. Photographers. Regular updates too, and
the price is a  steal. Much has gone into the software, and kept up with the latest Hardware that  enters the marketplace 
too. 
So Well Done that man .

Ron.

Looks like Santa's Grotto in there. Seems to be more telescopes than people . I can only Imagine the amount of drooling In there though.  I wonder how frugal I could be in a place like that after a huge lottery win 😁.  Nice set of pics. Michael. Anyone take in any of the talks ?

Ron.

It would be nice to visit this event, but won't be this year sadly.
Seems to be much more room to move around there, not like Londons Astrofest. I did like the London 
events, but always too crowded.  Anyway, I hope everyone going has a good time perusing all those
eye watering goodies, but beware you don't burn out your Credit Cards 😀.
Ron.

Thanks guys. Much obliged.

Would some kind person who owns the above mount
do me a favour and check their power cable polarity for me.
The input for the mount now uses an Aviation two pin input socket on the mount.
This is keyed to protect the input polarity.  What I would like to know,
is which pin number is the  +ve. They are numbered 1 and 2,  so which is the 
positive. I just need confirmation before I proceed with something.
Thanks in advance.
Ron.

Nice to welcome you home again. Now, keep that password in a safe place
and easy for you to find when your memory lets you down again 😀.
Ron.

21 minutes ago, Raph-in-the-sky said:

I don't think I'm handy enough to build one but the idea of having a big scope you can take on a plane is very appealing. Can you imagine going to the southern hemisphere with a 8'' or 10'' scope! That's definitely making it to my bucket list!

Did that guy in the video build the Strock he demontrated perhaps.?
It looks a compact package for sure. Including a 10" mirror, perhaps the weight wouldn't be prohibitive as hand 
luggage on a plane. Not sure about hand luggage weight requirements  in an aircraft's cabin.

Very interesting Video Ralph, so the Strock is Dob. easily broken down into it's individual components for ease of transportation to an observing site. The Demo Vid. was instructional for sure, and it shows how compact the unit becomes.    I wonder about the reassembly on site though. One would need plenty of daylight time to rebuild it for use. I did like the 18 point suspension arrangement for the mirror. Not sure what size the mirror was for that particular setup. 16" perhaps?.  Many of SGL's 'DOB.MOB' own quite large units that also break down into component parts, but seem rather quicker to rebuild. These guys sometime go off to dark sites as a group for fantastic observational experiences. I think the Isle of Skye was a recent venue, and the reports they posted Indictated a great time was enjoyed by all. Anyway, I'm pleased I now know what a Strock is.  Thanks for the Video I don't know French, but it was self explanetory anyway.

Ron.

I wonder how high the bidding will go?   Doesn't really damage the eye, it could certainly be tidied up with some TLC. I'm sure there will be interested parties within these walls.

Getting it moved out could be a deterrent, but it may come apart easy enough. 

Ron.

44 minutes ago, Raph-in-the-sky said:

So the only information I got is that it's 3.5cm thick, weighs about 2.5Kg and is lambda1 /6.... that doesn't mean much to me. Is that good?

 

I'm not familiar with Strock, I assume you might be indicating an Equatorial mount but It's a wild guess.  .lambda refers to to the mirrors wavefront, and 1/6 is quite good.  The beauty of the .Newtonian pmirror Is, all the colours in the spectrum are all focused at the same point, therefore no chromatic aberrations. Refractors require two or three lenses positioned to eleminate chromatic aberration. 

Often, a mirror maker will engrave his/her name on the back of the disc. I think you would have noticed that though.

Ron.

From the pictures,the mirror certainly looks in a good physical condition Ralph. Probably worth risking the purchase. It will be the major part of your telescope build. Have you given any thought to the type of instrument you wish to make?

The Dobsonian type is very popular, and fairly easy to construct and use in a modest form. There is much help and advice on SGL should you need it. They excel in help and assistance here.  Good luck in your project should you decide to go ahead.

Ron.

What is the f ratio, f5, f6, or f 8 ?  The  mirror need to be a parabola, and of good quality ,
especially the shorter focal ratios. Ask where the mirror came from, and the maker of it too.
Is it Astro Buy sell uk by any chance? Being in Belgium perhaps it's a more local seller.

Many amateurs make Newtonian mirrors, and good ones too, but bad ones can emerge on the market,
It is cheap for an 8" but perhaps it's in need of re aluminising, which is not a cheap outcome.
Ask how thick the mirror is, and is it glass or some other type, such as Pyrex.
Ron.
 

What a lovely sight m13 exhibits when an image such as this is made.  You've done great job on it for sure Steve.

Ron.

The 150pl  is a fine instrument. At f8 you will get some excellent results on some deep sky visuals.
Globular clusters such as M13  will resolve well. The Moon in it's different phases must give you a buzz in the eyepiece.
The scope is designed to render good results from many extended objects. Planets especially the large gas giants, Mars too are good targets.
You should persevere with scope, and get the best out of it  these coming winter skies, there is much to go for.

Astro. Photography Is always a desirable progression for many amateur Astronomer. I'm sill plodding my way through
my own ambitions in that area.   It can be done without spending too much money, if you trawl   the
used Astro. gear  markets.  A decent f5 reflector or a Refractor can be found at a fair price.
The most important requirement will be  a good quality equatorial mount, Preferably one that can support a
larger telescope, as the liklihood is, you would acquire aperture fever, and seek a larger scope later on.
Do lots of research before you commit your money, and seek advice here on SGL too, there will be 
many options available, and the guys here will guide you on the best way forward.
Best Wishes .
Ron.
 

Welcome to the SGL phenomena. You are in a good place now, and if it's encouragement you need, you will get lots of it here . Cold weather is a deterrent to the observer, but as stated, it can be bearable with the proper clothing. I don't see the type of telescope you own, is it a reflector, or refractor? What interests you most in the night sky. Your type of instrument will be suitable for many targets, but it can depend on type and size of objective.   However, Hope you settle in here, and improve your knowledge. It's a great source of help and knowledge at your disposal here. Enjoy your stay.

Ron.

I can echo the advice regarding being too intent on perfection.
Nothing is ever perfect. I know nowt about Cone Error, or how to remedy it, but I 
would hazard a guess that perfect alignment is rarely achievable. 
A good mount can cope with imperfect polar alignment, so Crack on with using the setup 
on some targets, and see where you really are. I used to make reflecting telescopes, and was so engrossed in it
I completely forgot about observing altogether. Just plain stupid  really.
Enjoy your setup, it's a damned good one.

Ron.
 

I would like to express my condolences to all the folks who were eagerly looking forward
to the SGL gathering for what is always a fantastic experience. 
Mother Nature has been rather vicious this year with almost Biblical flooding  in many areas of the UK.
I  could not attend the November Party because of  medical procedures I have done. Nothing serious, but they were scheduled for
October. A small bladder tumour removal, and my second cataract Op.  The journey to Hereford is a rather long one, which 
rather prevented doing anything silly.
I would hope a Spring alternative to the cancelled Autumn one might be  possible, but I know that might prove very difficult.
for the guys who put these things together.
I was looking forward to the happy reports coming in, and the images captured from Lucksalls skies.

Sorry once again guys and gals, you must all be feeling pretty sad.

Ron.
 

An splendid bit of imaging is what I'd call it Dave. A combined Earth and Sky is always complimentary, and you've displayed some deft skills in creating this. If it was a competition entry, It would have got my vote for sure.  Well done Matey. 👍

Ron.

A warm welcome to you TM.          SGL hosts many international members, and we embrace all of them. Astronomy has a worldwide attraction, which is a fantastic link between people of many nations.   You are in great company here, and help and advice is readily available to all.  

Best Wishes, and I hope you enjoy your stay and make many friends.       Ron.

Use to get some weird noises from the the surrounding forest at Dalby star parties 
during the late/early morning nights. One's imagination could run amok if allowed to.
Tree rustlings,  low growls, snorting. Could get really scary 😬. No such worries at Lucksall.
Ron. 

1 hour ago, Rusted said:

Great advice on the oil drum.
Though I never found one with my name on it.
I got into making grinding and polishing machines far too early.
Working by hand on a solid base is much quicker and probably much better than a machine.
The random stroke lengths and rotations of hand working must be beneficial to a smoother curve.
I did some hand grinding and polishing using my last machine as a 24" turntable.
I had no room in my shed for a drum or "going round in circles."

👍

Before I constructed my Grinding machine, I employed the use of an Oil drum
I partially filled it with water to keep it stable on the ground
I fixed a wooden base in the central area on the top. Drilled a few holes it the top
around the wooden platform. placed three wooden cleats at three points around the tool disc.
Not too tight as to prevent manual rotating of the tool  occasionally. 
When you have completed work with the first Grit, the sludge  can be sluice away down into
the barrel. The whole area thoroughly cleaned to prevent any remaining large particles being a pest.
You get to walk around the barrel too, so no need to rotate the tool yourself. 
The old barrel makes a good steady work top.  
You need a place to do this outside the home, as it's not a suitable method indoors.
Ron.
 

You'll get a great deal of satisfaction out of this project. As N.E. Howard said in his telescope making book.
It is very rewarding fashioning  a lump of glass into a precise Optical aid. Or words to that effect.
I don't wish to comment in the thread, as you have others experienced in mirror making advising you.
I might be wrong, but the work top your video shows, seems to be flexing somewhat. Might be my imagination,
so apologies if I'm wrong. Probably won't matter in the rough grinding, but could in the polishing/figuring stages.
Best wishes on your journey.
Ron.