ScouseSpaceCadet

My grown up offspring buy me these publications for Christmas. I appreciate the gift plus almanacs are inexpensive and are handy toilet reading.

I have one of those bought for <£50 and cannot see myself parting with it.

A beautiful crisp day here in Liverpool, followed by a clear evening and now I'm ready to venture out... cloud... 🙄

Very nice Stu. Btw, if your parents want to adopt a 56 yr old I'm available... 😄

I've not used my 127mm Mak or 102mm f7 refractor since buying the Stellamira 125mm. Being visual only I'd describe the image through the eyepiece as tack sharp, CA free and brighter than the 4". Bear in mind the ota being carbon fibre makes it around 3 kg lighter than an equivalent aluminium scope. The tube seems to cool down at about the same speed as the 4" and is affected by seeing conditions much the same. Maybe this is pure luck or something to do with the carbon tube but the objective lens is yet to dew despite observing without heated dew bands. Even at damp by default Kielder when the SM125 was pointed toward the sky for about 5 hours each night the objective was dry. I'm really looking forward to lunar observing with the Stellamira. Weather and work just haven't aligned. I can imagine I'll be very happy when the time comes!

I was blown away by mine at Kielder Starcamp. Performance was all I could ask for at the price point and aperture. Although due to poor weather and work I've not used the Stellamira since, however the scope's coming out tonight.

Thanks. Kielder does have a very chilled vibe. No phone signal suits me but this time around the camp WiFi did extend the approx. 50m to my tent. A welcome bonus. Being totally cutoff from usual friends and family is not for everyone. To ease potential boredom I took a small cheap radio with ear buds and something to read but they were only needed on Thursday. There were people who only came for a one night or two travelling light with small tents and astrophotography gear. I'm sure they will be happy with the results.

All I can do Neil is confirm white light observing is possible with a Mak. My 127 does have a Baader visual back but otherwise it's unmodified. The sun fits into the fov of 30mm Vixen NPL.

I returned from Kielder camp site this afternoon after a pleasant three night stay. Thursday was cloudy but at least the night time temperature was a very comfortable 7°C. Friday morning's rain gave way to a sunny day with wind gusting around 25mph while the cloud forecast looked perfect. Fish and chips and a pint of craft set me up for Friday evening along with several layers including my new favourite observing garment, my Mountain Warehouse ski pants. The layers kept me warm for six hours observing at around 4°C before I gave in to fatigue at 0230. Once the Celestron AVX was polar aligned out came the newly polished Stellamira 125mm ED f7.8 doublet refractor. Comments from veteran astronomers about the looks, mechanicals and view through the eyepiece of this scope really reassured me I'd done the right thing buying this telescope. Wow was I pleased too! Incidentally a Liverpool Astronomical Society compadre checked sky quality and I was happy with the 21.1 sqm however seeing was not perfect. The planets were wobbling at higher powers however we were there for the deep sky and the sky did not disappoint. Friday night was a mix of old favourites massively enhanced in dark skies. Even the likes of the Pleiades looked spectacular compared to at home. So the deep sky list for Friday was: M13 M94 M92 M45 M42 M34 M31 M32 M110 M15 M36 M37 M38 M35 M27 M103 M81 M82 M33 Double Cluster Hyades NGC 7789 Caroline's Rose The highlight of the night was M33. A definite core and faint structure not observed before and M13 although observed several times was on another level at Kielder with many individual stars apparent in a 12mm eyepiece. NGC 7789 Caroline's Rose I've previously observed as a bright patch in 10x50s. Through my Altair 24mm 65° UFF eyepiece the cluster was magnificent in its detail. The loops of stars and dark lanes clearly visible. I went to bed very happy and slept well. Saturday we woke up to an obviously colder day but the wind had eased somewhat. Between 1200-1600, the talks and a welcome hot cuppa at Kielder Castle were enjoyable followed by an obligatory pint of stout and a burger at the Angler's Arms. The pub was very busy so the bar staff gifted me an extra free pint so it was worth the wait. Tonight was forecast to be colder so an extra layer went on and hand warmers strategically placed. Saturday I revisited some objects from Friday, with the addition of unfamiliar objects or those rarely observed added. NGC 781 M13 M31 M110 M32 M33 NGC6543 Cats Eye Planetary Nebula NGC 6946 Fireworks Galaxy M29 NGC 2403 M101 M15 M2 NGC 6934 M103 M51 I've observed M51 only once before so was happy to see this again. Very faint hints of arms with bright cores. M101 I cannot see from home. Faint but ticked off... All the NGC objects I would never see from home either but all worth the trip. NGC 781 at 154 million light years distant looked just like images I have seen just faint at first but the more you look the more you see... Amazing with this aperture and as far as I know the deepest I've observed. Both nights several meteors kept us entertained too and during breaks from the eyepiece my Opticron T WP 10x50 binoculars wowed me as I cruised the Milky Way. All the open clusters in Casseiopiea alone looked so dense and bright compared to anywhere else I've observed. Saturday I finished just after midnight after around four hours observing. Mindful I had a 160 mile drive home and the night turned blinkin' cold. At 6am I popped my head out the tent I was greeted by a frosty winter wonderland. Interestingly I did not use my dew heater on either night and despite the cold and damp conditions the telescope objective did not show any signs of dew. I don't know if this was because of the carbon tube or pure luck. Eyepieces were certainly dewing, requiring spells in my warm pockets. I've attended five various dedicated astronomy camps over the years and this was undoubtedly the best. Worth the trip. Special thanks to Richard and Lynn. Both made me feel very welcome.

I didn't arrive until Thurs which turned out to be pleasantly mild but cloudly bar a couple of tantalising five minute spells. Fri and Sat were clear all night. I believe Weds was too.

Just a list for now but on my return from a windy, cold and clear Kielder Forest I'll likely add a full observing report... Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, M13, M94, M92, M45, M42, M34, M31, M32, M110, M15, M36, M37, M38, M35, M27, M103, M81, M82, Double Cluster, NGC 751, Hyades, NGC 7789 and for the first time M33. There's more but the late night has wobbled my head! All observed using the Stellamira 125ED mounted on a Celestron AVX. M33 was also observed with a Skywatcher 10" dob and Meade 12" SCT. I also cruised the Milky Way with 10x50s and enjoyed a clutch of meteors. 👍 A brilliant night last night and hopefully the same tonight.

Unfortunately due to staff sickness I have had to work overtime today thus won't be travelling up until tomorrow. ☹️ I've emailed Lynn.

Reading the varying opinions is interesting... I sold my Nirvana 4mm as it was a bit soft. The Vixen SLV 4mm is my high power choice. The Nirvana 16mm on the other hand is one of my most used eyepieces. Nice for lunar with the Mak 127 and great at deep sky with the refractors. The Nirvana 7mm combined with the f7 and f7.8 refractors is a good lunar eyepiece too.

A fun read Paz thanks. I wish I could get out with the SM125. The weather has been dire since I bought it! Are you happy with yours?

Enough of you may agree? Worth a go?

There's plenty of info here for you to reach that goal... Makes sense to me. If the climate suddenly changes for the better and half the city lights start to be switched off then I'll reinvest... 🙄

Clouds; The reason why I've decided to cut down to one do-it-all quality refractor and binoculars. Not being a collector of things (or very well off) a house cluttered with astro gear worth a few quid when the stuff is hardly used doesn't make sense. If the sky looks OK then I'm out but I give up obsessing over forecasts unless I'm planning on going away to a dark site.

I have a Celestron AVX swinging the OTA around with a gay abandon but the scope has hit the tripod legs once, so I'm likely going alt az next year once Christmas is paid off... 🙄

I think so. I previously owned a 120mm widefield refractor and the 102 despite being a lovely scope to use, does not quite have the same punch in the light pollution on those dimmer, just within reach targets. Under dark skies I don't believe the difference is so apparent. The weight and cost of other ED/Apo 120-125s have put me off buying but the Stellamira's carbon tube and the huge early adopter discount was too tempting. All the right boxes were ticked... When I can get around to taking a load of equipment pics, I'll be selling my ED102, Mak 127 and a couple of mounts, as the SM125 becomes my jack of all trades.

FLO returned my Stellamira ED125 polished to perfection and very shiny. 😎

Great Noel. I'm camping in a very green tent. Fingers crossed for decent weather. Thanks for replying.

Thanks, so do I... I haven't booked into the obsy although I may buy one of their beanies to support the cause. If the nights turn out that good, I want as much time behind the 125mm refractor as possible. 🙂

I've visited Kielder campsite before but not attended an astro gathering so I'm looking forward to the trip. Autumn Astrocamp at Brecon this year was a disappointing washout so here's hoping we have some chilly clear days and nights instead for this one! Any SGL members going?

Brilliant pics. You've whet my appetite for my Kielder trip next week!

I was hoping to go but work have put me on a 12-8pm shift... 🙄