mark81

Nice one! I've been looking at the Stella ii for a while now .. were you using a tripod or handheld? .. I was looking for the biggest binocular I can hold - even if it's for just a quick sweep of the sky. I enjoy my 10x50s but often want that little bit more..if I have to use a tripod, I may as well take out the scope... Mark

Peter, Can I ask how you would compare the 10x50ed to a standard pair of 10x50s? Thank Mark

Yea Peter, certainly something to think about. I'm sure they would sit well enough on a Fotomate 680 - capable of holding a good 7kg, but of course these are straight through bins - so not great on the old neck. Ideally I would go for an angled set but that's when the price really starts to take off. I just see these as a reasonably priced binocular from a company with a good reputation.... But nobody seems to have a pair... Mark

Hi all, I've been looking at various 100mm bins (just out of interest at the moment) and noticed thar the price of these Helios Stella's have come down even more, making them appear very attractive - I realise that's not the way to go about buying astro equipment - but I couldn't find any real reviews concerning this one and just wondered... Has anyone got any experience with them or opinions of them? https://www.firstlightoptics.com/helios-binoculars/helios-stellar-ii-100mm-wp-binoculars.html I do keep going back to the 100mm Lightquest - but at double the price you do begin to wonder.... Thanks Mark

Another great sketch Mike, so much detail to take in....

Hi Doug, Happy new you to you. A good start to the year by the sound of it ... Too hazy here for anything, but tackling some doubles with a moon in the sky is a good way to go... Mark

Thanks for the info Steve.. I'll have a go at getting my head round that formula (failed physics at school) Yes, with the 50s I can see dimmer than mag 8 but they do begin to fall into a different bracket which eventually ends up being the 'small grey pixel' bracket.. Mark

Hi All, At my location on nights when naked eye seeing is around mag 5, I can see stars of just about mag 8 as pinpoints of light with my 10x50s. Is there a simple formula to estimate what magnitudes I would see under the same conditions with larger binoculars? Thanks Mark

@Mr_Simnock nice session there. Did you use a tripod or were you doing handheld for this session?

Fantastic technique there and a great result...

Thanks Steve, very interesting edition.... I will have a crack at M1 on the next really fine night. I've seen it with 70mm but never the 50s, so I'll give it a go.... Mark

Just a quick update... Had another go at m101 tonight with much crisper skies and m101 was available with averted vision! There was the faintest of stars underneath which could have been 5474 at mag 10.9 .....not sure about that one..

@Ruud Thanks for the info...

Hi All, If i wanted to use my ST80 for a bit of straight through viewing - is it simply a matter of attaching an extension tube? If so, would this do the trick? https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-80mm-125-focus-extension-tube.html Many thanks Mark

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