GordonD

I don't think there is any such thing as PC (as in Windows) version of Sky Safari is there?

It is available for MacOS but it looks like an iOS purchase is separate - from their FAQ

I already bought your iOS version of SkySafari for my iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. Can I get a free copy of (or discount on) the macOS version?

No. SkySafari for macOS is a complete rewrite of our iOS app, running on a computer with a different kind of processor, under a separate operating system with a very different user interface. Our Mac and iOS apps are sold through different app stores. Even if we could offer you discount, Apple won't let us.

From  https://skysafariastronomy.com/support/faq/skysafari_mac.html

I spent quite some time on Thursday and Friday evenings trying to get the pup with my 12" dob in reasonably good skies, but I am afraid I just could not see it. A hint of something perhaps, but never anything certain. Rigel B was clear bright and well separated at the same times. Anyway a good one to keep trying for over the next month or so. Determined to bag this one now! I have deliberately avoided looking up where it should be, to avoid imagination taking over.

Yep want one even more now ......

Thanks for sharing the video!

Thanks for this - a lovely report.

I had a brief first look this year at M42 a coupe of days before Christmas with a new 12 inch dob and I too managed to get the F star for the first time! Previously have picked up the E fairly regularly in a SW 120ED, but never had a definite yes on F before. Visibility for the pair does seem to be very dependent on the conditions, doesn't it?

Anyway glad someone has had some clear skies! 

Great! I just came in from grabbing a brief look between trees with the ED120 at 51x  too, before the clouds wiped it away. I reckoned about 10' apart. Little detail of course but at least I got to see it.

Wow that's brave. Look forward to hearing how it works out. Really interested to hear how much of a difference the Orion mirror makes - I have wondered about that upgrade myself before.

Gordon

No that's not it. Freedom Find DOES mean you can manually point to another part of the sky and then continue using GoTo from there, or continuing to manually slew as you choose. At no point do you have to tell Synscan where it is pointing - it already knows -  that is where you are I think you may be missing the point. Just tell it where you want to go next. You don't have to re-sync or anything - just carry on using it.

Hope that helps and it becomes clearer if you get a chance to try it out.

Good luck!

Gordon

Yes agree with Gfamily - once you have carried out the alignment you don't need to tell it where you move it to when you push it manually. The whole point is it already knows where the scope is pointing even after a manual slew, and will track correctly. And you definitely should be releasing or easing the clutches before moving it manually too (so as not to damage the motors). Freedom Find is SkyWatcher's name for encoders - devices on the axes that measure any movement of the scope so it knows where it is pointing now. You rightly have identified that you need to enable the auxiliary decoders (which annoyingly always turns itself off in the Synscan Mobile App when you  start it up or lose connection).

So you should be good to go once you are aligned and be able to move the scope manually and combine that with GoTo at any point - mix and match.

It is not always 100% reliable on my set ups, to be honest, but mostly it works and then it is really very clever and very helpful.

This review might help as well. It is of a Synscan Dob with Freedom Find.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG8nOMGb3q4&ab_channel=AstronomyandNatureTV

Super view of Mars this evening. Using a 300mm Dob but very contrasty and sharp right up to 333x. I don't recall ever seeing as much detail before.

Does it always look like this in locations away from the jet stream I wonder? 

Wow 22Ah for 70 quid is bit of a bargain!

Brilliant sketch.

I am amazed at how much detail you are able to see. Do you find sketching helps pick it out - taking the time to be sure of what you see, I guess?

Gordon

I think those images are first rate, especially the veil - really great!

I do have sympathy. I am finding higher powers difficult on my 120mm because of exactly what you describe. It is very frustrating as it is a lovely scope. So I have just invested in a large newt again. Only had one chance to use it so far, but happened to hit lucky with the seeing and yes, the big exit pupil helped enormously - nearly 2mm at 166x. No floaters really at all. But of course it comes with a big cost in terms of practicality.

My floaters have got considerably worse over the last few years, particularly following some eye issues, and although you kind of compensate in normal light, a bright point of light against darkness in a very narrow beam is very demanding and I guess is  going to show the issue at its worst. I live in hope they may fade, but sadly I suspect not.

I understand binoviewers can help as the brain merges the images and irons out anomalies, as Rob has said above. But I also completely understand they are not going to work for everyone - I feel I would find them awkward, too.

So no help I'm afraid, but at least you are not alone.

Yes me too - great view of Jupiter with more detail than I can ever recall seeing before. Wasn't expecting such good views with my new 300p dob, but I must have got very lucky with the seeing. This is the tracking version, which makes it much more relaxing. Best views at around 160x very sharp in the steady moments. I am finding the large exit pupil this scope provides easier to use than my 120mm refractor with higher powers.

I love this photo - well done! (from another Bristolian)

Great shots Craig - that is the view I had out of a bedroom window over East Bristol at 3 am as well. The pictures have captured it beautifully.

The great thing about such a well regarded and popular eyepiece is that you can try it, and if it doesn't suit you then should be able to sell it on easily with little or no loss - it's free! (kind of ...). And if you do prefer it, then the ES82 8.8mm (one of which I owned and thought very highly of) should also prove east to sell.

Gordon

And a non rotating focuser, which is an improvement on my otherwise excellent older small Lunt which has a rotating helical focuser that is perfectly good for visual, but not when using a camera.

All good stuff.

Hi Steve

I  use mine without power sometimes, as a kind of grab and go, although it (well, mine anyway) is not very smooth to push around that way.

With regards to tracking without alignment, yes. When I am just going to use it visually on the moon say, I don't always bother to go through an alignment process. As long as it is turned on whilst pointing in pretty much north and level ( in alt-az mode) you cam use the go-to to get near the target and once homed in, it will track well enough for visual use.

 I confess I don't use mine much in alt-az mode because of the slop in azimuth - at least in eq mode you overcome that a bit by being slightly out of balance.

Hope that helps.

Gordon

Excellent! Shows it very well with good colours,too

No, sorry, Gina - I meant the glass cover that forms part of the camera front, which I also managed to get dirty, held in place and away from the sensor by a rubber grommet. I guess that normally provides a fairly sealed dust free  zone over the sensor (unless you remove it ...)   When I say the sensor, if that has glass directly on it, then that glass was what I had clean the streak off, and then dust spots - many times. Need a better blower and brush. So not too terrible.

Gordon

I have that camera too and when I went to try some solar photos a couple of weeks ago I rather carelessly unscrewed the nose piece .... only when it came off did I realise I had unscrewed the front off the camera .. and must even have touched the sensor as there was a long streak on the first photo I tried. Spent the next hour removing the front, gently cleaning the sensor, (and the protective cover) screwing it back together, taking a photo ... loads of new dust spots ... try again ... and again ... and again.

Sigh. What fun that was. Not perfect even now, but good enough!

Gordon

Almost snap. Though not as neat, obviously! Lots of Morpheus (any idea what the plural would be?) and the XW5. The Pentax is a fine eyepiece but I was wondering whether the 4.5 Morpheus would be as good. It would 'fit' the collection better and on a practical note, since I use the 2" fitting it would have a focus point closer to the rest. I would love to hear your thoughts on comparing the XW5 and the M4.5.

Thanks,

Gordon

Spectacular detail, Rob - great stuff.

Gordon

Breathtaking! I also love the coloured shot. Thanks for sharing this.