DaveL59

Just curiosity here, but the opening where the solar filter goes, anyone able to measure the diameter and is it threaded? I know it ain't for planetary etc, but I wonder if that old Jessops fisheye/tele/macro lens I have (screws onto an existing camera lens) might give the S50 a little extra reach with it configured as 2x tele. I'll likely give it a go if I can find a way to get it to stay in place, just to see what happens - well if I remember in a couple months time that is 😉

bear in mind also, all the extras they can convince you to buy like the eyepiece set etc. Best to get the same brand as you know it'll work properly etc 😉

It does, since it plate solves rather than relying on just the phone sensors. It seems to use those to track your movement of the OTA as directed then will solve again to home in closer to the target. I had a play with Skyeye and it worked pretty well in the main but then most of my scopes aren't magnetic other than the TAL100RS but there I was using a stand-off arm which helped. Getting things well aligned is a faff tho where the starsense is fairly simple, just drag your finger on the screen to line up the target during setup and away you go.

Will it run when plugged in to such an external power source, so it doesn't discharge or extends the run-time? I vaguely recall seeing that being a possibility on one of the various vids tho can't exactly recall now.

Very nice, I'd have been happy with that esp as I don't image so won't be looking much at "improving", at least initially. For sure my daughter and kids would be wowed to see something like this materialising on the screen. I can see mine being on long term loan or buying one for them to use in my future 😄

we're using the taller tripod that the EQ5 or other mount goes on, not attaching it to the mount and making it EQ.

Handy to know re the app, I wonder if its available on google play yet as I didn't see it last I looked? I was also thinking to get a EQ5 plate adaptor to mount it onto one of my taller tripods, would help with the fences in my small garden so will go look at that idea again 🙂 edit - OK looking about, seems its not yet on the play store but download and installed it on the Lenovo P11 tablet from ZWO directly. Wondering if this'd fit OK on the EQ5 tripods I have, being the older versions

Nice 🙂 I'll have a much longer wait given I only ordered one recently, but it'd have been hard to resist snapping the sun since it can. Good to prove its working and get some testing time in daylight after all, I did the same when I got the EQ5 SynScan, much easier than fumbling about in the dark. Hope you get some clear-ish nights to give it a test run against the stars too.

one on solar put up not long ago too I can see that being useful for me, since looking at very bright targets isn't something I'd ever do normally, too much chance of poking the migraine bear when its as bright as the sun.

He did mention that he'd heard a mosaic function may be in the plans which may be handy for some. Like you I'd not be wanting to spend an hour or more on one target, esp if I was using it for EEA, tho getting some images would be a bonus. I'm sure the grandkids would be bored after 10 mins on the same target too lol. On the moon I did wonder given its not that wide a FoV could we maybe add some form of lens hood to cut the off-axis interference, tho if tis atmospheric glow it wouldn't help much. I recall a comment earlier in the thread about humidity and I've been wondering on that too, as it's rarely been below 70% here lately. Hopefully it'll cope OK 🙂

I see a new vid has been put on the tube just 30 mins ago

I decided to throw in an order to FLO for one of these today. Sounds good from the reviews on youtube tho time will tell IRL once it arrives, whenever that'll be. For me I'm visual but not-so-dark skies, aging eyes and a day working on a screen leaves the eyes a bit jaded these days, so it'll be a handy EEVA tool perhaps and some fun for my daughter and grandkids to be able to see stuff they'd not manage on the Starsense LT70 etc., esp from SE London.

perhaps the wrong section there, old chap? 🙂

In one of my domes I use some ceramic resistors that are fed 12v, can't recall the spec I went with now but it should be on the el-cheapo sky cam thread. The camera itself is a USB webcam innards and other than snowy nights the dome has been kept clear of fogging up without using lots of heat. I do have it fed via a temp and dawn/dusk controller that's external so its only on either at night or below a set temp. One day I may replace the camera part with either a spare Logitech C720 or stump up for a proper astro unit, but the way the skies here are more grey than black now I'm not sure its worth doing any more.

Is there a particular reason you want the goto kit, or would a push-to suffice? There's a couple ways to do that with an android phone on a cradle mounted to the scope that would get you close to or on target. Then a simple RA motor would keep the object in the eyepiece view.

we can all breathe a sigh of relief now, ET has phoned home and NASA is back in control 🙂 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66408851

Given we're talking one of the founders of an outfit that ignored all warnings and advice re their carbon fibre sub that imploded at the Titanic... what could possibly go wrong? 😄 methinks I'll pass, thanks 🙂

Depending on age, canada balsam and there is an issue with lens separation but usually looks quite different and starts at the edge. Doesn't usually affect the view at least. Here's a pic of one of my TAL finderscopes that shows it. The pics shown by the OP tho do look a little filament-like so quite possibly fungus. Of course by now it may well have etched the coatings and glass but if cleaned up may not impair the view. In fact it probably doesn't even now so just killing will be a good thing. If it gets really bad then sure, loss of contrast etc esp looking at bright objects will be the effect as well as worse damage to the glass. Will of course hit resale value

A couple hours on a sunny window ledge should do it, perhaps repeat a couple times if you feel the need.

I'll raise you...

thankfully it's still alive and well and being picked up again 🙂 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-66371569

As David's said, try killing the fungus using sunlight but don't point them directly at the sun and then leave them unattended - you don't want to overheat the glass too much nor start a fire. You can use a UV light if you have one, usual precautions re looking at the light etc apply. Also add a desiccant sachet into whatever you store them in to keep humidity down. For cleaning, well that'd be nice but depends on your skills to dismantle and reassemble as it may well have found its way between the lenses in the eyepieces, on the prisms as well as the objectives. Then you'd really need to remove all grease etc and clean the casings. Finally you'll have to reassemble it all and then re-collimate so they are usable once again. Without the right equipment, collimating them won't be easy nor technically correct so you could end up with a nice clean bino that isn't usable at all other than as 2 monoscopes if you split them at the central hinge...

Ahh I did something similar, tho I bought some nylon penny washers to do the padding (no 3D printer here). Makes a great combo too, nice and stable plus a more classical look about it 🙂

worth taking a look via the objective end to see if there's any damage to the prisms too, would show if looking at a bright source like the moon or a lightbulb. Fingers crossed it's just a little battle scarred but hopefully fully functional 🙂

ahh so the technique has moved on significantly since I last messed about with one then, sounds very interesting. Wonder if we'll be able to get a nice, light 36-inch frac made with one of those... 😉 probably not so good for the solar observers here tho depending on what its made from unless you want one of those wobbly fairground mirror effects as it melts under the heat.