reezeh

Part two of my FLO book order arrived today!

I might put time in on spring skies as over 30-odd years the number of spring nights I've had under the stars I can count on one hand and have fingers to spare. I know, that's seriously sad.

14 hours ago, Saganite said:

Hope you devour it !

I have volumes 1&2 and they are really quite excellent. 

Volume 2 is due tomorrow as FLO has some in (unless they're all gone again now).

I quite like vol 1, but I don't think I'll devour it as to me paper tastes funny! ?

There is is one question I do have about it: what's the definition of the integrated brightness of galaxies in it: is it by arc second or arc minute? I've seen different standards by internets search!

Just a weedle book today, from First Light Optics.

Wasn't the postman, but DPD this instance.

Only Volume 1; vol 2 is on order but out of stock, looking forward to that as it's what we're moving into.

16 hours ago, Sland said:

RORO Obs?

I'll say you can print a dome!

On 21 December 2018 at 15:56, spillage said:

Have you tried Aldi's own whiskey. Speyside, islay and thier black label are all really good and award winners.

Considering their Highland black is budget, it's astonishing nice. They did an Irish one; Clontarf 1014 which I'd certainly buy again if I see it.

This morning this arrived...

It's a Herschel wedge. A sun thingummybob. A big yellow thing in the sky wotsit...

Gonna pair it with my 152mm refractor... WHEN I GET TO SEE THE SUN!!!

3 hours ago, Gina said:

No offense meant and I hope none taken.  I'm afraid it's my mothering instincts coming out.

I'd much rather see the warnings.

Can't overstress safety. It's a good thing you did; any newbie or inexperienced random browser might see them and stop to think. I'm wise enough to know beforehand it's a great help for others and hopefully will save their vision.

I have an analogy with telescopes pointed at the sun: their potential likelihood to do you permanent damage if you're not careful are the same as sharing a bath with a toaster whilst it's toasting your bread.

12 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Still can't see the problem, I use my 152mm refractor with / without aperture mask for solar so doesn't really matter if it falls off.

Dave

True.

Just that my experience of aperture being more than necessary when seeing won't support it is that you see less of what you want and more of what you don't want.

You'll never see anyone with a 60mm telescope grumbling about bad seeing! ?

And of course this is all just something I've been wondering about and thought I'd ask in a thread about making in a 3D printer.

57 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

I have a similar refractor and made one that simply drops inside the dew shield, as it's not part of the safety system it won't do any harm if it falls out not likely though when aimed at the Sun and invisible to passers by.

Dave

Better than something simply tied to the end that's obviously there, but still I've misgivings about anything that isn't practically locked in place.

True, with precautions taken even full aperture should be as safe as it can be, considering you've got to be ocd about it, a stop would help make things safer.

Besides as I already mentioned earlier; there's no real advantage in using an aperture that doesn't add any more resolution to a seeing-limited situation. There's certainly no need for the extra light gathering ability in that situation either!

Don't worry about it.

You'd have to be pretty old to be my mummy now! ?

And yes, even though I've not been on the forum for long (I still see myself as a new member) I'm not as green as people are tempted to assume from that.

I've long been connected with astronomy - it's work that got in the way a lot and still does. That's why to keep myself with it I'm getting an urge to enjoy it in daytime.

I can't stop up till 5am looking through a telescope if I've got to set off for work at quarter to eight... and before anyone suggests it; noway am I able to sleep from five in the afternoon to 1am.

I do get a fair bit of time off though working for a school! ?

Talking of which, I've mulled over the idea of arranging with the school an observing evening, but considering they're like gremlins (as in the film) I keep dismissing it.

1 minute ago, Gina said:

I get worried when anyone starts mentioning telescopes and the sun particularly when it is suggested or hinted at of putting any sort of plastic within a telescope or at the eyepiece end.  This can be very dangerous. 

Indeed!

The stop I'm discussing is before any optics, that's why I asked if 3D printer materials would be stable to insolation as some plastics aren't.

I wouldn't dream of putting something that's not suitable for that behind the lens and I wouldn't use a reflector telescope like my SCT's with the sun either.

3 minutes ago, JamesF said:

That was my initial thought, too.  Use one of those compass circle cutter things to cut the plastic and it should be a doddle.

James

For night scope use I'll go along with that but for something like solar I'd not trust some simple oversized piece of poo stuck on the end of the dewcap. I'd want something that can't just drop off anytime...

29 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Easier / quicker / cheaper to make one from a bit of 3mm plasticard.

Dave

I'd much prefer something that is like the proper end cap, with a removable central section AND grips into the dewcap rather than a botch-job that can fall off or be potentially pulled  casually off by a passing idiot.

5 minutes ago, Gina said:

Finder-scopes can blind you if pointed at the sun.  PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL!!

Thank you for the concern Gina. A good chunk of my posts on here have been exactly what you're saying. I've no intention of having the finder anywhere near when I do that; I'll probably leave it in the house ?

I've long perfected shadow-aiming refractors at the sun and I'm thinking that safest way would be to assess the situation from a few feet away once everything is in place before eye goes to eyepiece.

The Altair model is one that's rated safe up to six inch, with ND filters and a variable polariser on the eyepiece side of the prism plus has a ceramic heat dispersion plate and air vents.

The reason for stopping down is to increase safety and to take into account that daytime seeing is never more than what that stop will give.

3 minutes ago, reezeh said:

Altair Herschel wedge in the arsenal... ?

Which means there's a piccie or two of it I'll have to post up as it arrived today.

I'll just need to take piccies and email them to myself so I can put them up here (didn't I mention that I am seriously starting to hate Apple and iPads somewhere else yesterday?)

1 minute ago, Gina said:

Don't even think about it!  There is very great danger unless you really know what you're doing with solar.

Altair Herschel wedge in the arsenal... ?

Whilst on the subject of 3D printing and astronomy, I'm wondering if someone can print a good, viable aperture stop of about 100 - 116mm for a 152mm refractor, centre hole for solar use. Material and construction opaque, especially to visible and infrared of course. Obviously, it'll be more economical to ask someone to do it than purchase a setup for a single job.

By viable, I mean worthwhile, will stand up to the ultraviolet onslaught of exposure to sunlight for hours at a time and not soften and deform from sun's heat.

It's something I'm mulling over and even if it happens I'm in no rush atm.

Thoughts anyone?

On 16 September 2018 at 14:19, Gina said:

Yes, I'm afraid cheap 3D printers are an illusion.  They are cheap for a reason!

I guess that's like a lot of things; you get what you pay for.

On 9 November 2018 at 16:25, Highburymark said:

One very small bit of American aluminium with one very big function - the final link in my new night vision set up. Cue three nights of cloud and rain.

Isn't it "aloominum" if it's American?

On 21 November 2018 at 21:43, tooth_dr said:

Meteor camera - first piece of puzzle

Smaller than a kiwi. 

 

 

I'm still looking for the long beak! ?

15 hours ago, Ags said:

Not exactly the postman, but my partner did spot a council worker on top of a cherry picker, doing something to my street light. Could it be connected to my complaint about glare from the light, which somehow got much worse a few weeks ago? Indeed it was! Tonight the I can see the worst of the glare has gone and while the light still makes its presence known, it is tolerable. For the first time in a few weeks I felt inclined to spend some time under the stars, just doing some naked-eye observing. Very relaxing - do we really need all this equipment?

Swap local lighting?

Don't worry about not being able to see; you'll be able to to read black writing on very very very dark grey paper at night from 20km further out from it than I am!

Apologies for not adding pics to my post yesterday, but I'm still getting over a horrible chest infection.

Taken some not long ago, so I've got no excuse...

Here you go Celestron XLT diagonal and Vixen SLV 15mm eyepiece 

A Celestron 2" XLT SCT star diagonal and a Vixen SLV 15mm eyepiece.

I got the diagonal for £70 inc postage from EBay; been wanting one for quite a while and it's immaculate.

The Vix was £99 from Tring Astro.

Can't be bothered to take pics right now; just too tired. 

Posted pics below just now...