Stu1smartcookie

As above , the ST102 is a tried and trusted Achromat that shows star clusters and bright dso's very well ... but of course there is no substitute for aperture and the Dob also excels on planetary viewing . With NO chromatic aberation . I have a 127 Mak ( bresser ... true 127 mm ) that shows stunning planetary and luna views so i do get where Jules is coming from . The Maks do have their own issues though of narrow FOV and longer cool down times . Remember the saying .... No one scope excels at everything .

I have an 8" Dob , which i honestly love ( hope wife doesn't read this ) ... and ive had an 80mm APO ... the 80mm is a fine scope but the Dob is so much more , in fact i have a 150mm frac but the dob still gets more use at present . Mind you if i was to give advice on what Dob to get then i would certainly say that the StellaLyra dobs offer the best "extras" in the package . Dual focuser , Fan , nice bearings on the base and a decent 30mm EP .

I certainly used a 130 pds on the AZ-GTi without any issues, ive also had an evostar 120 on it !!!!( although it was only to see if it could carry a long scope ) ... it worked but i would not recomend long scopes on that mount ! The counterweight system does indeed take the strain . I also bought a weight arm from TS optics ( Germany ) which sat the scope above the mount , with a counterweight underneath ... it seemed to work fine . But , there is a reason why the mount is listed as a 5KG payload ... I think we all want to believe these little mounts can carry more but if you look at the construction and , lets face it fairly weak motors , reality kicks in .

Hi Francis ... this has got me very interested ... especially as flo are now selling the 80mm at a reduction of £44 ... i have a couple of scopes on a skytee but also use an 8" dob ... so interchangeble starsense unit would be perfect . and , it seems a fairly simple mod . ( luckily i have an engineering place opposite where i work , who are very keen to help in such matters as i am completely useles at DIY) thank you for the post .. very helpful Stu

I hope the OP is following all the above , or , doesn't think he's reading an exert from a topic on Cloudy Nights ! ... all getting a bit heavy , isn't it ? Pretty simple question of a suitably widefield EP wuithout breaking the bank ! two suggestions , Nirvana or Explore Scientific , both proven . Just personal choice ! Reviews can be gleaned on this forum , somewhere , i imagine .

Hi Marc , i am hopefully giving the Mak its first light tonight , although we have a hundred mile round trip and a chinese buffet to negotiate first , so i wont be home until after 8 ... who knows what the sky will be like then lol ... message to everyone , leave a bit of clear sky for me pleeeeease ... report to come on both the Mak and the 152 Starwave

So the postman has been busy again ( got to get in before the next strike ) Actually it was the DPD man who made me wait right until the end of the working day before delivering an ADM clamp for my skytee 2 and a nice little Bresser 127 Mak which I have been busy upgrading with a 2"baader clicklock and a decent red dot finder of course the obligatory clouds were present in the box zzzzz

seems like you are losing your head in one of those photos Magnus

So like others I have been conscripted to a restaurant where I have spent precious astro money on , admittedly, a decent meal .. I was desperate to get the new scope (starwave 6" ) out but as we know , rushing stuff isn't advisable in this hobby so I contented myself with just a quick peek . Almost stumbled on the Beehive which looked fantastic , a couple of bright stars did show a bit of CA but it's expected . Can't wait to see how it fares with globs. As with all purchases it looks like clouds are guaranteed for the next few nights zzzz I need to upgrade the saddles on the skytee as although it held the scope , I am a bit nervous with the stock saddles . . Can anyone tell me if there is a knack in removing the slow motion knobs , after removing the grub screws they still feel like they are welded !!!! Looking forward to a proper nights viewing .

So , let’s see what arrived this morning ! DHL , thank you ! Altair Astro , many many thanks for your help . A bit of a beast but a beauty at the same time 152 mm Starwave … and a small bag of Haribo … a lovely sweetener .

Nice report , Lee …. I’ve been clouded out all weekend zzzz . The ST80 is a great little scope isn’t it . I rate all the ST “gang” … really great value . Stu

So. , trip to Widescreen Centre , and a delivery from Altair Astro ( although a few niggles to sort out ) has got me a new scope and mount . A 6” Classical Cassegrain and a skytee 2 mount ! Of course the skies are cloudy … and I think the scope has arrived slightly out of collimation , plus I am waiting to hear back from Altair regarding a rather annoying dust spot on the primary and some rather rough areas around the edge of the mirror . But all things being equal it will hopefully have 1st light tomorrow evening . 🙏 EDIT ** Altair Astro , take a bow ... after emailing yesterday , Ian from Altair emailed back , great service ... and on a sunday too . In the end and from a discussion this morning Altair are taking the scope back and replacing it with another ... although if i can add , watch this space for what turns up . In an era when companies very often do not care about customer satisfaction and service , i have to say Altair Astro have addressed a problem and rectified it , no arguments , no issues , just good old helpfulness and positive action . 2nd EDIT** So , New scope arrived , 6" CC , will be returned today .

Nice , Lee …. Glad you have clear skies too… very cloudy in Cambridgeshire… which is my fault .. details soon .

So , despite the advice I have gone with a skytee 2 … as I indicated I am very much visual only and like the idea of having 2 scopes on show . But , watch this space … the Dwarf Labs 2 scope is due out soon .

I would t be allowed home if I spent there 😂

Yes I agree , and it makes perfect sense as the 6”cc ‘s forte is planetary .

Many thanks and to be honest my thoughts really , I kind of want the skytee as it’s a really solid piece of kit but as you write the EQ5 with motors , NOT goto, is probably the best choice overall .. I must add though , weight is an issue as I am trying to keep things as practical and light as possible ( not easy with the scopes I have as they demand stability and that usually means weight ) , the EQ5 is fairly manageable as I remember .

So I have just purchased a 6” classical cassegrain (6kg) ,( lovely scope) and I have my ED80(5kg) but I do not have a mount for them . I am 90% visual so generally speaking tracking isn’t required. What mount do I get ? Now I am not a newcomer here but the choice , although restrained a bit by finances , makes it difficult to decide . My options EQ5 , manual ( which can be upgraded) Skytee 2 , with steel tripod Az-GTix the new dual saddled mount from SW ( yes I know the two scopes weigh around 11kgs) but it can be used with just one scope . The trusty AZ4 ! An EQ3-2 goto , lightweight, convenience of goto bit just about on the limits for weight . Also the way those mounts “scream” when moving in the dead of night may be a problem as our neighbour has two small kids . anyway , thoughts please on the above much appreciated kind regards Stu

Ok so I took your advice ! 1 Ed80 2 6” class cass 3 8” dob not quite mirrored your three but , hey , they all “work” 😂

There is something very satisfying just putting a scope an a mount and relaxing ,taking in the views

HAPPY CHRISTMAS , Jeremy

So , the 8”Dob was out nice and early … I had a glance at Orion and then found the comet … took a crude but nonetheless decent shot of it with the phone hovering over my 30mm EP

Hi Greg , welcome to SGL

The Google phones currently exel in night time photography although Samsung are catching up ... alas the iphone seems to be a bit behind . i run with a sony 1 iv which basically is a dslr in a phone but the google spits all over it . In fact the google phones have been great at this since series 5 was released . Amazing what software can do .

Hi , Tezz , Welcome to the hobby . And congratulations on your purchase . Everyone has their own opinions but i'm sure we all wish you well with your chosen scope. It seems like you have a clear objective . One thing is certain , you will not be short of friendly and invaluable advice . Clear Skies