Dark Vader

Possibly, I tried last week with an ND 0.9 but the seeing was pretty shaky and it kept throwing the phone's AF off. Got another camera app to try with manual control and focus lock. 🤞

Landed in the sea off North West France apparently...

The reports I've seen were posted between 11 & midnight but it's possible. That's social media for you...🙄 Unfortunately I didn't manage to get out at all last night.

Lots of reports on Facebook etc. about a green fireball allegedly heading west across the south of England between 11pm and midnight. Didn't see it personally - anybody manage to get anything?

+1 for this: Consider getting it with the dedicated 2.25x Barlow lens. It's tiny and very good quality and when used with the Hyperion Zoom . It's great in the zoom - It also fits the filter threads on my BSTs, and I imagine other eyepieces too, although I've not tried it personally. I mainly use it with the 15mm BST giving me a nice clear 180x in the 200p.

Took some shots of Saturn through the 200p. Samsung A6, Celestron NEXYZ mount, FV-5 camera app at ISO 320 1/15 sec. Still overexposed....cropped, rotated and generally processed with the phone. This was the best of the bunch.

Strewth, now That's good... 👍

Thanks, I've had some (lucky) good results with it so far, except for a failed attempt at planetary...overexposed white blobs. Try having a play around cropping closer around the terminator away from the brighter areas. As long as your focus is good this sort of thing is possible.

Nice shot. Looks pretty good to me, first attempt or not, and way better than my first attempt was. I think you're right about the direct light and lack of detail. If you over do the contrast I've found it's easy to lose detail around the terminator. I use a mounted smartphone through an 8" dob and got this 2 nights ago. Single shot on auto through a 15mm BST eyepiece. All processing on the smartphone app, brightness and exposure down, and contrast and saturation up a bit. Similar to yours, there is a lack of detail in the direct lit areas. Hope that helps a bit.

I'll be well happy if I get anything half as good as that. I took a few 30 sec smartphone videos through the Dob on Thursday, downloaded Registax 6 yesterday and am just about to watch my first tutorial. I'm not very technical and frankly I haven't got a clue if it'll even work with a smartphone. I don't think I'll have the patience either if I'm honest 🤪

Thanks, Yes, a Celestron Nexyz

Best effort from last night. Moon just clear of the trees at 11° and thin, high cloud. Single shot on Samsung A6 through the 200p. BST 15mm. A bit of basic phone processing, brightness, contrast, saturation etc. Andy

I also have the SW 8" Dob, your views through it are completely normal and the more you use it, the more used to it you will become. My advice - save your money and get a RACI (right angled correct image) finder, a Cheshire eyepiece and a collimation cap. Andy

I managed 3, 2 of them quite good uns but I had my back to the action looking at Jupiter and Saturn. I was under orders to wake Mrs V and my boy if it was still clear at midnight and they were lying under a blanket in an empty paddling pool on the grass looking upwards. I'd have taken a photo for comedy reasons if it hadn't meant destroying any night adaptation with camera flash. 🤣 Mrs V said she spotted 5 between midnight and 0050 when the clouds rolled in.

^^^ I caught the same 4 moons last night in my 200p, checked at the eyepiece with Sky Safari 6plus. Some nice planetary detail visible too when the seeing settled. Jupiter looked good at times too, with the GRS showing nicely. I was waiting for the Io shadow transit when the clouds rolled in 2 minutes before Sky Safari said it was due to start. 🙄

Probably atmospheric conditions with it being at a low altitude. Could also be exceeding useful magnification if you barlowed the 5mm BST. I can't see it being collimation but still worth a star test or pop in a Cheshire if you're in any doubt.

Just got back in after spending nearly 4 hours on the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter. It's my first time out since the 2nd week of May due to the appalling weather, and life getting in the way of the odd clear nights. I put the Dob out around 9ish after checking for cobwebs, watched a bit of telly then went out around 10. The moon looked lovely and clear with the Hyperion IV zoom at 150x. Had a look around the Appenines, Hadley and Rupes recta. Copernicus was just past the terminator and showed great detail on one wall with the other wall and floor in shadow. Saturn was just clearing the trees so I switched to the BST 15mm with the 2.25x Barlow and caught my first look since last year's conjunction. The seeing was coming and going but during the better spells the Cassini division was clear and a couple of faint bands visible, and I'm certain I caught 3 moons - Titan was a definite and flickering in and out were Dione and Rhea exactly where Sky Safari said they were. Jupiter was up now but wasn't taking the 180x Saturn was. Going back to the Hyperion zoom some reasonable views were had at 120x then the seeing settled briefly again so I went back to the Barlowed BST 15mm and got some nice details around the SEB and some faint banding around the North Temperate area. A few easy wins but was just nice to get back out again.

^^^ Brilliant, would be even better if you didn't have a dog 🤣🤣

I've got 6plus and it's great. I'd check the following: Lat/ long/ elevation coordinates are accurate Your phone's compass is calibrated Your phone's cover doesn't have a magnetic fastener. Sometimes that can interfere with it. Hope that helps Andy

I've only used mine on the moon so haven't really encountered glare like that. I'm a long way from expert in this. For what it's worth, here's what I would check: The eyepiece 'surround', for want of the correct term, seems quite bright. Could the glare be reflection from the lens coatings at the eyepiece end? How close is your phone camera lens from the eyepiece? Can you adjust the Z axis any more to bring the phone lens close to touching the eye cup? Have you tried using the camera zoom on 2x? Any or all of these could help cut down any stray light from the camera end, but as I say I'm no expert... Andy

I use an old plywood thing I that I used for shifting heavy guitar amps around a few years ago. My dob base sits nicely on it. A modern version could be of use, although I personally wouldn't trust a tripod on it. Check your measurements and look for something like this. https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Universal-Equipment-Dolly-by-Gear4music/1MA1

A neighbour taking down 2 x house sized trees was what encouraged me to get a scope. Decent views from NE to SW now, houses and streetlights permitting.

Hope that helps... Ask away, part of what makes this the best forum is there's no such thing as a silly question and no matter how obscure the query, somebody with years of experience will know an answer to it.

I got an 8" Dob last August. I'm 6'5" and can report so far no issues (apart from operator error 😄) Get yourself an adjustable chair/ stool and a water butt stand and you've covered pretty much all height related viewing situations.

Couldn't resist... I'll get my coat...