joe aguiar

I would not buy the filter nor the dielectric. U mentioned the filter will be as much as the whole scope. When using lp filters or nebula filters it will dim the view, and the more the bandwidth the more it darkens it.

So I'm not sure I would used a filter on a small scope like a 70mm.

The same with the diagonal if u will spend 2x the cost ad the scope then dont buy those 2 items upgrade to a much bigger scope like 100mm refractor.

I think that will help u more than a 70mm and filter

Joejaguar 

Get a manual scope mount,learn sky get bigger scope like 6 inch f5 relector on eq3 or eq4 mount

Joejaguar 

Y not both lol I do 

My tak TSA 102 weight is 14 lbs compare I think to a skywatcher 100f9 apo which I think is 7.

But now I added the large format dual speed moon light focuser and the focuser is heavy and big. Its probably closer to 16 lbs now.

I also have a skywatcher pro ed gold version model with dual speed focuser. If I want lighter for quick view 80 is fine but views in 102 is better. 

If I had none and had to choose 1 then I would buy skywatcher 100 f9 ed evostar 

Joejaguar 

Agree with guy above wont affect anything. It could be from dew or since dobs r really close to the ground was there tall grass there that could have touch the bottom?

30 minutes ago, Lozscott1971 said:

Hi Joe:- do you mean the heritage 130p and if so am I asking the impossible to get a decent portable that is able to be taken on a plane ?

Again my clothes I am able to take on as hand luggage (7kg allowance) so I could use a large case to put the scope in cargo (high risk) and I would rather it be the other way round.

Yes the 130 is not portable. I think a better fit is 5 or 6 sct.

But your other part if it's just planets I think apo is better but that also probably will be bit longish.

The wo does sell I think 103 f6 apo with sliding dewcap and its short but it's not cheap

Joejaguar 

3 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

That would be a shame as you'd be wasting those wonderful dark skies! You can see the planets from literally anywhere, so if you do get something to take with you to dark skies you might want to focus on the DSOs that you'd never ever see from home. 

I agree with Craig here even in a white zone which is the worst. The planets look the same. If your interest are mainly planets then I say get a apo refractor.

Those small reflectors give ok views on that but something like a skywatcher evostar 4 inch f9 apo is sheepish and I think will put up a better view than a 130mm short tube reflector could.but this scope is not portable.  Unless u cut it half way and scew it together.

I would look at dso if it was me but not only that but as much as I can in the southern skies cause ince I cone back to the mid northern skies, I will never see those items again.

I probably wouldn't even look at northern dso cause that would be easier. Just get to any dark skies here

Joejaguar 

I dont think that scope is very portable at all the base is pretty big as far as taking it on a plane.

Maybe some may consider it portable just going to the backyard and back in. Or in the cat trunk. But not on a plane.

Most compact scope and decent big is a 6 or 5 inch sct.put that on a good camera tripod add a camera slow motion controls and that's big yet portable 

I agree it will work if u get that tripod. It will be more solid.

If u want a lighter weight I find the aluminium tripod ok if u live in an apt or condo and carry it downstairs and outside.

A eq2 could hold a 2.8 refractor if u want more a eq3_2 or cg4

In cdn its 1500 plus tax

First for me what I did since I'm from a huge white zone theres a conservation park about 90 min away but that's maybe on the boarder red orange zone which is not a huge improvement. I only did that once a month cause weekdays would be too hard since getting up at 6am to work mon to fri. I also didnt want to bother wife too much at that time so once a month was agreed on.

Take into account almost 90 min each way 2 .5 hrs there that can be 4 to 5 hrs which is alot for same day.if we tried this on weekday i would get to bed by230 maybe wake up 3 hrs later so that's y it wont work.

it only gets dark by 1030 in summer.

The park closes winter about mid Nov I would say till may.

In the summer months on a clear weekend u can see a dozen people with scopes.

Later on once a month i also went camping one weekend a month that took 3hrs by go busses carry all camping gear and scope and scope gear. Wasn't easy cheap and no garrenty of being clear.

U could buy a cheap PC land even half acre in the colour zone u want. Either tent on it or see if the county will let u put a shed 8×12ft insulated etc which will be much better than a tent and be more of a permanent thing where u could stay the night if u choose to.

U would think that even if u bought small empty land u could just build anything but norm u cant there r still rules in most countys.

I saw a half acre for cheap $5000. That was several years ago not it's more in the 10k to 15k but maybe u can look wait till u see one.

Or talk to realtor they may know someone who may have something cheap land.

I rather buy my own land verses going to a field asking for permission, the back and forth all the time. Not to mention if I have your own land u can put an outhouse u can't if your just in a field somewhere.

Joe 

I never tried this size but there isn't a size between 145 to 150?

Worse case is get the 150 and put more felt on rings. I did have to do this on a 6 inch size one time so yours can also work if u do.

Joejaguar 

I would use the one comes with then

Joejaguar 

I think any scope store should

Joejaguar 

If could just blow off I would just do that I dont think it's anything to worry about. If something was cracked broken missing etc then ok

Joejaguar 

That's a 100mm not 102 

Sorry for being picky but just  case u didnt know

100f9

On 06/10/2019 at 15:03, estwing said:

Tank of petrol is the best way of blocking street lights....

Altho not everyone drives nor has a license. My city stats says 1 million people take ttc a day.

Just saying i know lots people who dont drive that's y they live in cities where u have everything u need

Joejaguar 

Yes mine says celestron but cane with 2 different mount plates in case the mount is slightly different.

Mine fits eq2 and eq4 there is one for the eq2 

Having owned maybe 60 to 70 scopes total since 93 I probably owned least 1 or several of each since then.

I have owned the sw 127 mak and the images were really bad sold it.

U can get a mak that compares to a good refractor but mak norm need to be bit larger and very good quality. I'm not sure the general mass produced ones will beat a apo maybe generally close but not beat or equal.

7 inch mak can compare to 6 inch refractor if it's good quality.

My last good mak that I had from 2009 to 2013 was 178mm f 15 meade lx200 mak ota. Since was the ota version and not sct version it had no extra counter weight near the mirror to counter balance for the fork mounted act.

Anyway it was their last model b4 they stopped making large maks.

It was uhtc coating 

Dual bar that fit Vienna and Los mandy rail. That spanned front to rear not just the middle part of the sct.

Mirror locking for ap or just holding it there once focused.

Powered fan vent and an in take air for cool down and a real 2inch rear for diagonal.

Even with fans etc it took 1 to 2 hrs cooldown for good views but sometimes perfect views was 2 to 3 hrs.

And yes comparing to my 6 inch refractor was pretty much a match. But that's a very good mak that's bit bigger to abit small refractor.

Each has its plus and minus but I probably if I were u I would buy the new sw 150ed evostar refracror or if that's too big long how about meade 6000 130mm triplet apo I have both.

If u look at my bio where's its info about me it says what scopes I have right now,about 11 scopes

The problem for me with the Orion sw 180 maks are

Both have the vixen rail on the inside thinner part of the sct instead of the thicher cast part of the front and rear part of the sct. I dont trust that thin part to hold a 22 lbs scope.

Both dont have any venting or air holes making cooldown time 3 hrs for this size.

Someone said 30 min for the 127 mak which is alot smaller but I bet even that wasn't good enough cooldown. Only acceptable.

The first generation models of sw ones back in 06 or 08 if I remember didnt have a true 2 inch visual back like a 8 inch sct. It was abit smaller like the 5 or 6 inch sct

I'm not sure I would buy either 

Joejaguar 

U can get the Crawford focuser for sct types but it's pretty bulky and big if u got the fork mark scts, and by time u put 2 "diagonal it may bump the base.

Best bet is get the feather touch micro focuser. It replaces the oringinal with a dual speed. Every size and model sct has a specific model that will fit.

It's easy to install costs about 250 USA but worth it instead of doing a big bukly rear sct Crawford

Look it up and u will see 

Joejaguar 

I am able to give me YouTube channel that I just started helping new people with telescope helps videos?

Agree with his answer

Maybe look at a video

This is a common question from new people they dont understand eq scopes will have some weird angles. Another suggestion get a good book like night watch. Theres alot of other good topics. 

My opinion would be get the 8 inch eq version.  It has manual tracking via 2 slow motion controls.  It's a much better height position then the don where u either need a table to raise the scope and astronomers chair that's goes up down or both.

The eq version u can later add a drive so it keeps all objects in fov and u can do some ap too.

Ok I did something similar in 90s.

My backyard over looked houses on all 3 sides. And all the the houses were 2 story plus attics then roof. I guess similar to your house but boxed in all around so sky views were 100x worse 

What I did is open up the attic up. It had no opening. Put stairs going up. Re support the joist since they were only 2x4 supporting just the under side ceiling.then plywood then vinyl flooring

The roof was a peak like a frame. Hire contractor took one side of the peak off make  it flat then a wall.

Only floor was insulated since it wanted liveable space so now insulate all4 walls drywall mud tape prime paint baseboards, lighting new outlets switches.

Then put a door going on to flat part of the roof. Make a wood deck 14x14 ft and  wood fence 6ft tall blocking any stray light.

View was 1000% better and no street lights since now I was above them, the deck blocked rest.

Doing this cost alot. I didnt get a permit for any of this. And the deck being wooden and on top of a wood frame flat roof had medium vibrations. 

I had that for 5 years untill my neighbor complained after we no longer were friends.

I had to take down whole deck. Tear down the roof that I made flat re put a frame to oringinal way and take out door leading outside.

I was able to keep the room but since it was only 7 ft tall a frame only middle part was walkable. The rest area u had to bend down. So room basically a storage rm.

So u decide if that happen to u.

Or just move your scope 10 or 20 feet over to see other part if the sky cost nothing cept lighting power.