Dark Vader

Just the 2 for me - Skywatcher 200P and the Orion Optics UK VX12L with the upgraded mirror. Needs only 3 strong people to lift it!

For now, I'm hanging on to the 200P for outreach. I really don't have the space for any more 😄

+1 for the Svbony 3-8 zoom. I've only used it a couple of times but last time out on Jupiter, albeit with dodgy seeing, it gave views very comparable to my Pentax XW7. The eye relief and FOV isn't great, but it's a nice bit of kit for the money.

I've recently had an Orion Optics UK 12" Dob delivered, the VX12L. I'm 60, bad knees, back can be a bit iffy, etc. Weight wise, moving it isn't that bad. Take the OTA off the base, move the base, come back for the OTA, and repeat when you finish. The OTA is big and awkward to move but not that heavy. 

I can't speak for OOUK's "normal" service as I went for the better mirror option. I'm guessing they had to make most of the scope from scratch as I ordered it in June and it arrived, completely unannounced, in December. An email to say it had been dispatched would have been useful, as would some progress contact from them during the 6 months from order to arrival. 

1st impressions - seems well made, some nice views of Jupiter and Orion. Collimation needed tweaking a bit, but I think it's pretty good now. Just need a clear night for a star test. Storing it vertically with OTA in the mount it stands 67 inches (1m70) high, the OTA alone is 1m55. The base is solid, and has a smaller footprint than my 200P.

Ordered with a RACI finder, friction brake, primary fan, and a 1/10pv primary mirror. Mirror came with a Zygo test report. I have no idea what any of it means 😀 but googling Strehl = 0.996 it seems pretty good.

Hope that helps

Andy

I went back out until just before 9 but that cold wind bouncing the scope around, and the seeing deteriorating from earlier... 

Had another look at Jupiter but nowhere near as clear as earlier, did a quick tour of Orion, Rigel B, Sigma Orionis showing 4 stars, Trapezium E & F faint but visible when the wind dropped and M42 showing some detail.

Back in now warming up with a medicinal one🥃.

Been out watching the Io transit. I joined it as the moon was on the limb appearing as a small lump, and it's shadow in the middle of the SEB. Quite nicely defined in the 12" Dob at 150 - 214x although the gusting wind bounced things around a bit. Very cold...in for tea and a warm up 😀

3 minutes ago, John said:

Lovely scope Andy 

Hope your clear skies last a bit longer - mine have been replaced by fine rain now 🙄

Thanks John, clouded over here just after 9 so I gave up. Not raining yet but I'm sure it won't be long... hoping the forecast turns out to be accurate so I can finish the set up.

Just a quick session for me tonight for the purpose of finder alignment, but managed 30 mins on Jupiter before the clouds rolled in. I'll need to fine tune the finder as I had to use Jupiter for a ball park alignment. Polaris isn't visible from the patio, and the lawn is currently a no go without scuba gear. 

The Orion Optics VX12L I ordered back in June turned up on December 23rd, but I had to wait until today to put it together (working from home, honest boss 😀) as I don't have the space for that, the 200P and Christmas decorations. 

1st impression: Jupiter looked very nice and detailed, once I've finished tweaking collimation and finder alignment it should be a beauty.

A 14mm Morpheus and a Svbony 3-8mm planetary zoom 😀 now watch it cloud over...

From memory I think the locking screws are 2.5mm hex. I ordered few of them recently for my 200P. The scope generally holds collimation quite well so you could just undo them unless you plan on moving the scope around a bit. 

Andy

Neither did I John, but the forecast said it wouldn't rain so I chanced it - ready to put the scope back in if they were wrong. Occasional 20 second or so gaps in the cloud were the most I had. 

This was the best I could manage through the occasional gaps in the cloud. 

Skywatcher 200P, Televue 24 Panoptic & Samsung S21 phone camera. 

I use one of these, weight limit of 200kg roughly 31 stone. Plenty solid and stable, and adjustable height.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-MT-300-BK-Musicians-Throneith/dp/B005GQI2V2

Andy

Here one I've just started using. Seems pretty good so far...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/red-light-astronomy-torches/david-chandler-night-reader-pro-led-torch.html

It sounds like you've put both adapters in. The supplied eyepieces are 1.25" so take out the 2" one. Your focusser should look like this...

4 hours ago, Dave scutt said:

I was looking at those are they very stable at full height 

Very stable, Dave. Being tall I find the high back useful too. The only gripe, if that's the word, is that to adjust the height you need to unscrew a threaded bolt, lift the seat post to the correct height then screw the bolt back in. Doesn't take long but lining the holes up in darkness can take a minute or 2. Max. design weight is 200kg.

Andy 

I use one of these, and can recommend them. Comfy and adjustable.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-MT-300-BK-Musicians-Throneith/dp/B005GQI2V2

Nothing at all wrong with that. My first attempt was shocking. In Snapseed, in the Tools - Tune image bit, try dropping the highlights a fair bit. Should even out nicely.

On 15/04/2022 at 11:04, Paul_Sussex said:

On a side note, one of the sites I may be using has (variable length) grass - a small green space just up the road. I've seen some people suggest a groundsheet/tarp to protect a Dobsonian mount, but I wondered whether a sacrificial ground board would work? Something cheap like MDF or OSB, cut slightly larger than the base with holes to take the feet. Could be painted or epoxied for additional protection. Has anyone done this before?

A lot of people, myself included, have used a water butt stand for a Dob. Just measure the diameter of the base and cut some holes to fit the feet with a Dremel. 

Just use the adapter in the middle of the photo you took. Should look like this before the eyepiece goes in.

Very nice! 

Just a quick half hour session for me on the moon around 8pm. It was looking really nice, but so bright everything else was washed out. Set the mount up for a couple of shots.

SW 200P, Pentax XW20, Baader Neutral Density filter, Samsung A6, touch of phone zoom. 1/100th sec, ISO40. Processed in Snapseed

I've just got in from the local Aldi and they've got a rectangular 4 wheel platform for £9.99. Come in handy for shifting large heavy objects! Measurements and spec on bottom picture.

Very unusual looking, interesting.

Took a few shots just before 8pm. 200P Dob,  Celestron NeXYZ, Samsung A6 with camera FV-5 app, processing in Snapseed.

Theophilus looking very nice, just picking out the top of the central peak on the terminator. And a strange looking crater called Riccius I've not spotted before...

They should be able to fit shielding to reduce the light on your property while not affecting the road junction. Using terms like "light trespass" "light intrusion" and "my garden is bright orange during the hours of darkness" may help. 

If any of these lights shine into your bedrooms, complain about that too. Take photographs, make a nuisance of yourself until they give in. 😄

Good luck

Andy