Portech7

Hi All Question, has anyone experienced any focusing problems with a 2"-1.25" twist lock adapter? On my SW Explorer 150P I removed the existing 1.25" adapter from the 2" focuser draw tube and replaced it with the new adapter and inserted my eyepiece, but I cannot seem to get focus any where along the travel. If I add a 2" extension I can get focus but then the draw tube goes too far towards the secondary mirror. Is this a common issue? I'm not too worried as it greatly helps centering for collimation, however I do see the benefits if I can get it to work. Any thoughts welcome. Cheers

Think I just seen it pass again. Too faint to catch with my camera, but still amazing to see.

https://www.spacex.com/webcast

I'll be ready, getting the camera for it. Cheers upahill 😀

Yes, exactly that Penelope. The video which is on the link shared by upahill shows it well. The best video is further down the thread.

Wow, I was lucky to see this then. It was an amazing sight.

Hi All I was just looking at Vega and just left of it appeared a long line of bright objects (27/05/19 at around 00.04hrs). It was visible with the naked eye and it looked like a long line of bright dots, some brighter than others but it was travelling west to east. It looked like a flare or possibly something either burning up or skipping on our atmosphere. Any ideas please? Couldn't find anything on Stellarium etc. Wasn't planes etc. Cheers

I found the moon to be extremely bright, almost painful to be honest. I tried the Meade 4000 series Moon filter ND96 and have not looked back. Found it improved surface details too. I think it is a personal thing though as you say. Hope this helps.

Hi all Last night i was viewing M92 which was absolutely beautiful, but it did get me thinking if a UHC filter would prove beneficial. I dabble in a little basic astrophotography, but prefer to spend most my time viewing and learning the beautiful night sky. Any advice or experience with UHC filters is appreciated. Cheers All😀

Just managed to use it. Fantastic, lost for words. Amazing viewing. ???????

So the Astrofilm arrived today and I've made the solar filter using the main tube cap. Its not tightly stressed so should be good. I've sandwiched the film between two pieces of card with holes cut out a little larger that the hole in the cap. I then stuck this sandwich inside the dust cap. Should be well protected as I have the dust cap for the hole. Will check film prior to first use and have made a card to protect the cap as advised. Ignore the tape, its a reminder for me so I don't accidentally damage the film when taking g the cap off? Looking forward to next sunny day and thanks for all the advice ?

Great viewing this evening. I was viewing Arcturus earlier on but at around 21.45hrs, I scanned slightly east and over to the Corona Borealis to look in on Alphekka as it was shinning bright, I also wanted to spend some time looking at Nusakan and the other stars in the group as there's a few pulsating, variable and double stars. I sat viewing for a few minutes when something bright shot speedily across my sight (think this was possibly NORAD 28649, Cartosat-1 looking on Stellarium). I decided to view Corona Borealis on the widest angle eyepiece I currently have (62 degree) as I am still quite new to astronomy and learning what equipment I might need as I go, but I wanted to see what else may pop into sight. I wasn't disappointed as in a very short time it seamed to turn into a shooting gallery. Again, looking at Stellarium, I believe some were artificial satellites etc, but there was one or two which I couldn't identify. They weren't planes crossing my view as I'm familiar with the flight paths near me, so I think they may have been the odd comet etc. Anyway, to cut a story short, I can't explain how great and awe inspiring it is to just sit down patiently, relax, focus my scope on a patch of sky and watch these wondrous and amazing sights unfold before my eyes. What a beautiful hobby to have ?

Cheers John, thought it was a reasonable way to do it, but the confirmation is reassuring. The white card on the outside is a good idea, didn't consider the heat build up. Thanks again John ?

Hi All Quick question, probably been asked many times, so my apologies ?. On my Newtonian, the main tube dust cap has a smaller dust cap and hole in it. Has anyone ever stuck some Baader film on the inside and used this for solar observations? I think it will be fine, but better to check due to me not wanting to go blind ? Cheers All