Sky-searcher

1 hour ago, powerlord said:

Telescope number 7!

Would have been 9, but gave away 2 yesterday.

Nice 200 PDS. and here it is with the rest of its newtonian family.

Now down to 3 newts, 1 SCT, 1 MAK, 2 fracts..and a partridge in a pear tree.

 

Hi, for size comparison, is the TS photon a 6” F5? Thanks Andy 

Second ADM vixen saddle for the Giro Ercole. Can now move my small ADM dual dovetail adapter to my TS AZT6, so no more markings on the dovetail bars. Thanks FLO for your great service as always.

3 clear nights in a row & waxing moon. Turn for the double guns tonight. 

Hi Dave, I have seen a lot of reports & pictures of a new Starlink that has been put in orbit a couple of days ago. The sighting’s are all reported at the same time you took the picture. Hope that helps. Andy. 

ADM dovetail arrived well packaged from @Dean Hale. Thanks again Dean.

Clear skies earlier. Wife out for the evening & Son at youth club, so scope time in peace. Glad I only setup the 80mm as only got 10mins before thin cloud cover came in. Looking like a clear patch is coming though so hopefully not all lost! 🤞

That looks fantastic. Well done. Can’t beat a wooden tripod, but to make your own of that quality 👏

Used the same rifle clamp with a few layers of insulation tape to increase the diameter of the bar on my 20x80’s. 

1 hour ago, badhex said:

I see what you've done there with the counterweight bar and nuts! I have a probably eq2 ish counterweight bar where the male thread fits the female thread on the AZT6 - but if you screw it in all the way it interferes with the ALT clutch and if you don't the bar is too loose... was thinking of popping a nut on the threaded section as a spacer. Looks like you've built some sort of couple for a large counterweight bar? 

Oh and nice tripod BTW 🙂

Hi badhex, I already had a m10 threaded counterweight bar so got a m10-m12 adapter to mount it on the AZT6, but thread on the bar was a lot longer than in the adapter so caused a little movement. Placed the m12 nut over the m10 thread as a spacer to tighten. Mount works really well & now light as a feather with the new tripod. Tripod has brought the usual bad weather with it so not had chance to try it out yet, but expect it to be pretty sturdy 🤞

3 week wait, but worth it. Artcise AS90C carbon fibre tripod from Artcise in China for my lightweight/portable setup. 1st impressions are really good quality & light as a feather. 😃

49 minutes ago, FLO said:

There is a free prize draw that coincides with this Sunday's International Sun-Day 🙂

To enter simply click the photo below then complete the form at the bottom of the page: 

 

Entry completed 🤞

Even though the forecast wasn’t great, I managed the 1st hour with pretty good skies before mist & damp came in. Got a few pics on the phone to keep as memories. 

Finishing touch to my eyepiece collection (for now at least 😉) thanks to @Dean Hale. Posted yesterday afternoon & delivered this morning offshore, brilliant. 

44 minutes ago, Chaz2b said:

Missing it’s top cap hence the temporary milk bottle top..lol.

Good colour match though 😂

Happy birthday to me 🥳. ES 4.7 82 from fellow SGL’er @Size9Hex arrived safe yesterday, thank you Paul. Atlas of the Moon book, looking forward to reading more about my favourite target & a Sega flux planetarium from the wife so I can still stargaze on wet, cloudy & windy days, just like today.

Couple of bits from FLO today. ADM dual clamp for my Ercole, hurricane blower & lens pen. Arrived offshore in 24hrs of ordering 👍

20 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

Well I thought I would start with the 14mm as I have read this is the weakest link in the range.

It may seem like daft logic but really it’s not. If I find it acceptable then the rest will be fine. 

@Dantooine That’s how I started with the so called weakest link, then followed the 9 & 6.5 mm. On the look out for a 17.5mm that will complete my set ( for now at least 🤔). Will be interested to see your thoughts on them as you have tested green & black! 

19 minutes ago, badhex said:

 

That was actually what I was going to ask - I understood that the mount could be set up with a counterweight for heavier loads. Sounds like it works well @Sky-searcher, what brand/model counterweight are you using? Also what tripod? 

Hi badhex, I had a 20mm bar with 10mm thread, so put a 12mm adapter on. I use a IOptron 1.4kg weight. The tripod is a fotomate vt 2900. All makes for a good lightweight grab & go. Thanks Andy 

3 hours ago, Ags said:

I am pushing the limits of the TS travel mount/60C tripod with the setup (a wide, one-sided load of 3.5 kgs). Viewing the Double Double last night at 200x, vibrations took 2 seconds to dampen.

The setup is still functional but I am going to try an AZ5 next month. Hopefully the issue is in the travel mount not the tripod.

Hi Ags, I have the AZT6 also, but use a 1.4 kg counterweight. I mount a 80mm f7 or a MAK127 successfully with binoviewers & other accessories. It’s a very good travel mount especially when balanced.

Thought it would be rude of me to not to purchase at 1/2 price from Amazon.

44 minutes ago, Barry-W-Fenner said:

Just been doing a little lunar viewing. Obviously still very bright but quite enjoyable watching the detail slowly appear.

Can anyone recommend a decent red dot finder for a frac?

Hi Barry, John @Telescope40 has the ideal RDF for sale now in ads section. Use the same myself. 

Turn for the 150p tonight. Misses took the picture at dusk while star testing after collimating. Turned off the garden light pollution as it went dark. Tested the newly acquired ES 24/68 on open clusters, fuzzies & nebula. Impressed with the eyepiece & I had forgotten how good the 150p is as not used for a while. Punches well above its weight.

10 minutes ago, Barry-W-Fenner said:

Great set you have there. I appreciate you have a pair of 18mm EP's for the binos but a 17.5mm Morph would still sit in you set beautifully 🙂 a fantastic low power wide FOV ep.

 

 

Thanks, That is the next eyepiece Barry 👍

Reshuffle of my case today as the Starguider’s have been replaced over the last 2 years. Morpheus 6.5,9 & 14mm. Es 24/68. 2x Hyperflex 7.2-21 zooms, Baader BCO 10 & 18mm pair’s for the binoviewers. Baader 2.25 Barlow & ES 2” 2x focal extender. Some space left for a couple more to complete my set 😉

Thanks John  @Telescope40. ES 24mm 68 arrived today safe & sound. Andy