ScouseSpaceCadet

Same here. Right before the live feed finished I took note of the cabin crew flight trajectory panel and waited with 10x50s. At 22:58 I definitely picked up an object and followed its course. I checked the Orbitrack app and although Starlinks were in the vicinity they were not quite on the same path.

Using sheds regularly and keep them relatively uncluttered keeps a lot of things out. I learnt my lesson while removing our last two old unused sheds. One had a ceiling carpet of thick web and some rather aggressive looking spiders. I felt faint just typing that! Also when I opened the door, a good sized mummy (we found her nest later) rat dived out at chest height! We're just about to have installed a new 12ft long shed to be used as a mini gym space and bike storage so hopefully the critters will keep out. Peter the obsy is great. Small but perfectly formed. 👍

I'm not here just for the comedy... 🙄😀😉 Seriously I pinched the daylight tip from S@N contributor and B.A.A. Venus section Dir. Dr Paul G. Abel. I rarely bother with Venus once dark arrives. Visual observations when the planet is well placed are much easier and reveal more detail in twilight before the sun sets.

Good work. The scrubbed out shopping list really adds a down to earth touch. 👍 If you haven't already, try observing Venus during daylight. There's very little glare so polarising filters are not required.

Up to now a lovely sunset as the tide rolls in, accompanied by a Lunar and Venus conjunction. Fingers are crossed the clouds stay away for possible aurora and the Lyrids peak tonight.

It's like that here... and too windy to set up! 🙄

Mike you really need a new avatar... 😂

I am the future! We all are good at something. Even in my short time, mini goto mounts have arrived, EEA popularity increased, smart telescopes are becoming smarter & cheaper and smartphone apps more powerful. I'm looking forward to all the future new gadgets I can't afford. Will light pollution be tackled though and what about those rain soaked clouds. I'm only four years in and the last year I've really noticed my light pollution increase and less cloud free nights. 🤔

To reduce the weight further I'd be tempted to downsize the diagonal to 1.25" and use a red dot finder. That should shave off around 400g. It all counts when you only have 6kg to play with. Hopefully none of that will matter. I'm looking forward to your first light report. 😀

A very comprehensive review Mike. Thanks. 👍 These alternative to APM branded ultraflats are imho nice for the price. The Altair UFF 24mm 65° is my goto wide field eyepiece. I can't say I've noticed any shiny metal but then I've not noted any internal reflections so haven't looked... I also picked up the 15mm used but the performance was too close to the Nirvana ES 16mm so moved it on. The Svbony 10mm UFF bought during an Amazon sale is used every time out and works well paired with the Skymaz 127 too. I don't know about these eyepieces being ultraflat but they're certainly very flat 😉 and the view through them is very 'contrasty'.

Solar white light observing gets boring very quickly, so to get the most from solar observation one needs to spend a mint. To observe the moon in great detail all one needs is a relatively cheap small telescope, a couple of inexpensive plossl eyepieces and a map. Also living on the outskirts of a light polluted city, the moon is one object that never disappoints. The more one observes our nearest neighbour, the more the intricate detail of the lunar landscape is revealed. So although the moon is a nuisance when near to, or full, just about any other time I find it's worth a look. During the brighter summer months lunar observing and photography keeps the hobby alive for me too.

My refractor is not a Starfield however the dimensions are near identical. For the last two years it's been stored and transported to star camps in this: https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk/hard-cases-protective-storage/flight-cases/roc-cases-long-silver-storage-case-l850-x-w295-x-h270mm-with-foam-insert

They're great little mounts when they work... 🙄 If the cloud keeps away later tonight I'll just pick the lot up, move it to my dark(er) corner, remove the filter, change the finder and carry on...

I've not used the AZGTI for many months since I replaced a missing washer inside the alt clutch. So making the most of a sunny afternoon.... Freshly cut grass, a couple of lines of washing out and white light solar with the Skymax 127. A lovely day and so nice to feel the warm sun again. Spring really felt like it arrived this afternoon. Dandelions sprouting, pansies partying in the pots and massive bumble bees feasting. The cat even caught her first rat of the year and dropped it off for me.... 🫣 The AZGTI worked fine, keeping the sun in the centre of the 30mm Vixen NPL for around 45 minutes.

Party pooper. 😄

According to several sources you will lose consciousness at around 11-15 seconds and be dead at 30 seconds or so. Keeping a towel handy may keep you alive slightly longer. Most importantly, remember pics or it didn't happen. Goodbye in advance. 🫡

Not very exciting or expensive... Light reading courtesy of WoB..£11.90 for two hard backs in good nick:

It's the handles I don't like. One member mentions these unnecessary luxury carbunkles in 74.6% of his posts! I'm convinced he's trying to brainwash me but I am resisting. Thanks for the comparison thread. It's good to know I don't need to sell a kidney to own a decent telescope.

I should have waited before posting above because I managed a first telescopic view of Mercury. I've observed the planet previously with binoculars but this was a proper "Woo!" moment. 🥳 Mercury was just over the garden fence and scraping down a neighbour's wall but at 150x it was an obvious planetary disc with a hint of a phase with (bear in mind I'm colour blind) yellow/orange tinge. 👍

Clear skies!!!!!!!!! I popped out the Ascent 102ED early to acclimatise for Venus daylight observing and wasn't disappointed. As demonstrated above astronomy attracts a broad church of intellect and talent. 😂

The Starwave has not been out of the case since around Chrimbo... Tonight I get to test the used TS-Optics 2" diagonal I bought six weeks ago... I've just had a quick look at the moon in daylight and no complaints up to now...

Jammy git I would've bit his hand off but checked the forums too late. 🙄 Enjoy. 😀

This is only my fourth winter in the hobby but definitely the worst. Clouds and more clouds since Christmas up here in the damp northwest. I don't have my log book to hand but during Jan, Feb and March I've probably had a scope out once and binoculars twice. 🙄

I am about to sign. Bright LED security & street lights offer no extra security. They just light the way for scrotes. For example I had a wing mirror cover stolen during the early hours of last week despite the cul de sac being lit up like daylight almost. 🙄

Yesterday as expected, a clear evening coincided with full moon and so for the first time in several weeks a scope came out. During daylight I set up the 127mm Mak on the AZ5 for a few snatched Venus observations in-between washing dishes and cooking the tea. Grilled gammon steaks topped with fried eggs and a side of baked beans accompanied by a mug of tea each. Yes, call me Cinders... I digress... Venus showed a distinct phase but unfortunately due to the latter domestic commitments I missed the opportunity to observe during early dusk so the disk was too brilliant in the darkening sky to notice much else... 🙄