Greymouser

4 hours ago, Mandy D said:

 If I was after a car to do this I would look at the type of thing that gets converted for wheelchair access, things like the Citroen Berlingo as they have higher roofs than normal cars. It might be worth speaking to your local disability car supplier for advice.

Without a doubt this. I have one such, got from a company in Glasgow, which converts a variety of cars for wheelchair access. My wife is in a wheelchair full time and this makes things just so simple. I would imagine that a large dob would fit in with ease and they come fitted with a very good ramp and winch, which would make getting a large dob in and out a doddle. ( https://www.alliedmobility.com/ ) Ours also allows two other passengers, alongside my wife's wheelchair, but this varies.

I do believe that the motability charity organise auctions for used cars, at the end of their service, which would be five years old for one of these. I would say contacting them about one of these auctions, might be a very good idea. https://www.motability.co.uk/

Believe me I have considered puiting a large dob in the back!

For me it would be light pollution and inconsiderate neighbours. I don't get many chances to observe, due to various things and it is annoying to have those few occasions spoiled. I also do not get the chance to go to a darks site, ever. 

Hi and welcome to this great forum. I suspect you have a lot to offer too, if that pic is anything to go by.

On 02/05/2022 at 12:56, Ags said:

Tried with my humble Super 25 eyepiece today. I much prefer the views over the 30 mm, despite the many shortcomings of the Super 25. I could make out nice detail in the filaments and proms. There's an SLV 25 with my name on it somewhere.

I've posted the picture elsewhere, but just putting it here in case this thread gets googled.

Superb! A great advert for the scope and your skill.

On 26/04/2022 at 09:57, FLO said:

Due to the ongoing Covid situation in China, nobody has a reliable ETA. Retailers can only guess.

We cannot speak for German retailers but here at FLO, like ZWO, we are estimating around June. 

 

I am afraid that the mount will be out of budget reach, ( especially as I have just got an AZ-EQ5, ) but I am interested in the tripod. On the description, it says it is suitable for Skywatcher mounts, shows an AZGTi on one, but would it be possible to put an AZ-EQ5 on one? I have seen an AZ-EQ5 on the Sightron tripod, but that is £ 200 dearer! The light weight really does appeal to make my set up lighter...

20 hours ago, Captain Scarlet said:

Thank you. The view is much of the reason we moved here. The other is the darkness. By coincidence after a long dry spell (in sunset terms) this vista presented itself just this evening...

 

I am afraid with a view like that out my window, I doubt I would ever get much else done, other than looking outside.

Excellent job. Yes I am jealous of the lovely scopes, your skill, but most importantly that view from your window!

Hello and welcome to the forum. I doubt you will come even close to the views you had from the ocean, but then again, a 10" newt may have been frowned on in the navy!

Hi welcome to this wonderful forum.  Like the pic too, though it does it embarrass me at my lack of effort in that direction... ( Astrophotography that is. ) 

Hello and welcome, good images there, with similar equipment to my own. Hmmmm.

I cannot comment on the Skymax 127, ( though have been considering the Bresser variant... ) but I can on the Skywatcher 80ED. Mine is an excellent scope, gave me the best view of Jupiter last year that I have had for ages. Thing is it may be going, because I also have a Altair 72EDF, which is perhaps an even better scope, high quality with a good test report, maybe worth considering. I will have to have both side by side soon, to see which is better, because I am not sure I can justify both.

I also have a Celestron C5, which may also be worth considering, because mine is an excellent scope. ( Though some claim there are bad examples out there. ) It is very versatile too, with the F6.3 reducer flattener, giving virtually two scopes in one.

All the above are very light easy to manage scopes too, though I feel the ED80 is a bit much for my AZGTi. I too have a hernia, so know where you are coming from there, as well as several other health issues. Part of the reason I have been considering getting rid of several scopes. I just have too many now. ( ) Getting older and falling apart now, which sucks bad.

Got to say I use my C5 the most now, it is just so light and easy to use.

21 hours ago, Louis D said:

How about the Svbony SV170 10-30mm zoom eyepiece? 

I have the Svbony 8 - 24 eyepiece, which is good and improves with the use of a  barlow. ( Baader 2.25x ) I would also say the Hyperflex is better, though I am unsure yet, as to how it will be with a Barlow.

I have it and so far like it. Of course, I have not had enough use to come to a proper conclusion, but so far, so good.

As circumstance allows, ( Which is not all too often... ) I will use more and try to remember to report on it.

Would you mind explaining to a very simple person like me, how you achieve all the annotations?

Images like this inspire me to enter the dark arts and bankrupt myself...

24 minutes ago, Ags said:

You'd be surprised how cheap the holiday cottages are to rent here!

Oh, I don't doubt it! Don't worry, I was only joking about camping in your potential future garden, there are plenty of other softer options. Not that my situation will allow such travel any time soon.

As an aside, there was a fella on another forum, who lives on La Palma, whose home was only about 150 metres from the first volcano vent! He was home and ready to grab and go at the time, but picked up the wrong hard drive, so lost a lot of work, but at least he had home insurance, which many of his neighbours didn't. Reading between the lines, it was very scary and may have entailed a change of trousers soon after! 
He is, ( or at least was, ) an astro imager too and lost a lot of equipment. I don't think he uses this forum, will have to ask if he reappears on the other forum. He is very busy sorting out a new home though, which he said that demand far out stripped supply.

That link doesn't work for me...

20 hours ago, Ags said:

We've thought about it a lot. We have been viewing properties on this trip, but we've decided to rent holiday cottages instead. I will negotiate workation trips with my employer (my work is entirely online anyway).

Oh, now I am very envious, sorry. You are lucky for two reasons then: Firstly you work online so can earn a living pretty much anywhere; secondly, you live in an EU country, so that includes anywhere in the EU! Win, win if you ask me. 

Just one question: If you end up moving out there, have a home with a garden, would you mind if I came out there with my tent and camped in your garden?

( It's OK, they would never let me in...  )

Good luck with the viewing, hope the weather stays good. I have to say we would love to move out there, not least because of the volcano, it's all fascinating. As for the weather, well I would love to leave frost behind, never mind much lower rainfall. Just a shame we will probably never manage it. Ah well, as Del Boy would say: " This time next year Rodney... "

Always good to expand a range.

However, I have a couple of questions:
1) Why does no one seem to do a 6" F8 with a dual speed focuser as standard? I would be interested if it was a dual speed focuser.
2) Why does no one seem to do a 8" F8 any more? ( An itch from the past needs to scratched here I think... )

On 05/03/2022 at 20:42, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

I almost forgot due to the poor weather... however tonight is clear, so before Orion disappeared behind neighbouring trees, the count was completed at 20:30. This year the grand total was a surprising 12. Seeing is good but the sky looks obviously washed out by light up to around 60°.

12? Lucky you. I did it a few nights ago, only managed 8, though the conditions were poor. At least I was dark adapted then, what with the neighbour's light and the school illuminating their field, out the back, like a football stadium, tonight I only managed six.

Just thought I would have a little session tonight, even though Mr. Richard Head next door decided to have his bright bedroom light on, with the blinds open, without curtains!

Sorry for the poor photo, just from my cheapo phone.

First time under the sky, for the AZ EQ5-GT, many lessons learned, not least that I need to get some sort of screen sorted to block the delightful neighbours. I have tried talking to them, to no avail. To make it worse, I think he did it deliberately! Dark adapted, what's that?  

I was a little disappointed, though not really surprised, that the AR-102L took about 2-3 seconds to settle after focussing, at high power, but I guess that even though it only weighs a little over 5KG, it is five feet long. The SkyTee 2 holds it firmer.  Not sure I needed the extension, probably would have been better without, as well as a better tripod. Lots of things to think about, but at least the SkyTee gets a stay of execution. The AZ EQ5, tracked very well but the goto was out, think I need to balance better and align more accurately. Got to say as well that the Synscan system is no where near as good, or intuitive as the Celestron option. Odd considering it is the same firm really.

Just to chip in here with a little extra: Whilst I don't have the scope you are tempted with, ( though I am tempted too, ) I do have a Skytee. I have had both a AR127L ( F 9.4 ) and a AR102L ( F13.2 ) on it, at the same time and it handled it fine. Again with the saddle upgrade.

That is just bizarre behaviour. I mean why?

It seems to me that the world is getting more and more odd, not just with this sort of thing, but many things. It always makes me wonder if more and more people have severe mental health difficulties, many border line personality disorders. I cannot see it getting better either any time soon, if what I see resulting from the pandemic is anything to go by...

Hi and welcome to the best astro forum.

Hi and welcome to SGL. Out of idle curiosity, do you have it all set up permanently? Only I can imagine that being a pain to set up and tear down each night.