Mick H

On my 8se I use a TalentCell Rechargeable 36W 12V/6000mAh 5V/12000mAh DC Output Lithium Ion Battery Pack.

I have it attached to the mount via an old Garmin gps bag, and it last for ages.

Found here: https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-12000mAh-Multi-led-indicator/dp/B00ME3ZH7C/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=TalentCell+Rechargeable+36W+12V%2F6000mAh+5V%2F12000mAh+DC+Output+Lithium+Ion+Battery+Pack&qid=1603995224&sr=8-2

11 minutes ago, StarGazingSiouxsie said:

I have grown up with the 7Ps rule as now part of my DNA - Proper Planning & Preparation Prevents P*** Poor Performance. 

Siouxsie, can you buy West Ham and run it probably pleeeeeeeeeeease? 😉

I usually also take my time setting up, just sometimes I just cannot wait and thats when things go wrong.

Leicster 0 West Ham 3 😀

3 minutes ago, globular said:

Does having the tripod well levelled make any difference?

I might have incorrectly convinced myself it does - but I find things are much closer to the centre if I spend a few more seconds making sure the spirit level dot is well centred rather then just getting it roughly level.

Yes you are right globular, but not as critical as location time and date.

Well thats what I have found, but I get my tripod as level as I can.

And some nights are perfect and others not so, maybe I rush to much before the clouds come rolling in. 😉

11 minutes ago, StarGazingSiouxsie said:

So you have this issue, too - Star Sense providing reasonably accurate star & DSO gotos but a bit off on the planets?

Yes I have that sometimes, but I just bring the planets back with the Telrad, maybe I should use up my ten user alignments more.

And yes Telrad or Rigel Quick finders are great, better than the red dot thingy.

1 hour ago, StarGazingSiouxsie said:

My first team is West Ham

I'm with you Siouxsie, come you COYI. 

Claret and Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.😉

I always use my Telrad finder to line up the Planets, even if starsense goto does not get there.

I started in astronomy using binoculars.

When I got my scope after one year I brought my William Optics Binoviewers and have used them ever since, I really like them but..........

I have to sit down when using them for some reason.

58 minutes ago, LeeHore7 said:

excuse me if it's something simple and I'm being thick lol.

Lovely images Lee, I think you have discovered that our Sun is infact a Double Star, which will now be called the LeeHore7 Double. 😉...........or

Clean your windows. 

Brilliant image.

8 minutes ago, Hughsie said:

I have always wanted to capture an image of M27

Hi Hugh, I saw M27 visually last week with my WO binoviewers for the first time and thought wow.

But that is a lovely image well done.

Maybe you can make a spacer to put under your finder scope to help tighten a bit.

For future reference

I had a red dot finder on my NexStar 8se which I ditched for a Terad finder, but this might be to big for your scope.

So maybe consider a Rigel Quick Finder found here:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/rigel-quikfinder-compact-reflex-sight.html

1 hour ago, morimarty said:

Finally finished processing my first mars this season.

Beautiful photo Martyn, well done.

15 minutes ago, NenoVento said:

I think I'm going to wait and see how I go about without the StarSense

Good choice Neno, get all setup and then see how it goes, StarSense is a luxury.

But a nice luxury to have in your tool box.

9 minutes ago, NenoVento said:

so getting a Starsense would actually have no sense, right?...

Hi Neno, I would say for what you are trying to achieve you don't need StarSense.

Polar aligned with wedge plus sky aligned via CPWI, plus you are going hibernate the mount.

I have StarSense and love it, press auto align and away it goes and never fails from my position, plus it is great when you go to different locations. 

20 hours ago, LeeHore7 said:

This upgrade on my imaging equipment arrived today, had the zwo asi120mc-s USB 3 on my wishlist for ages as always been out of stock, so took the plunge and bought it from 365Astronomy great sellers and communications, hopefully some clear skies for a few hours tonight and tomorrow night looking good so far to try out this beauty and hope to get some captures of Mars 

👍

Hi Lee, I have the same it arrived last week. 

But sadly it has been cloudy with lots of rain, only tried the all sky camera so far.

Looking forward to trying it on Moon/Planets soon. 🙏

Hi Siouxsie, glad you are happy with your Celestron's Lthium Power Tanks.

 I use TalentCent Rechargeable 12000mAh Lithium battery pack seen here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0713T4XT9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I placed it in a Garmin gps bag and hung around the mount, so no more cord wrap. 🥳

Very pleased with it, and has lasted three sessions without a recharge.

Bortle 4 here in Wroxham/Norfolk. 

Even better when the pub across the river turns their lights off at around 11.30pm, but a great big grey shed sort of East helps.

9 minutes ago, John said:

Deep sky filters such as UHC and O-III  don't really help with galaxies and clusters. Nebulae are the targets that they enhance, some more than others.

Agree John, I used it for M27 and it was lovely, pulled it right out.

Can't wait for M42

1 hour ago, Andy38416 said:

My scope is a Nexstar 8se and I only use 1.25 inch eyepieces. I mostly look at planets but not completely limited to this area.

Hi Andy, I also have Nexstar 8se.

For future reference you maybe should be looking at some Messier objects with your scope.

I have just acquired a Astronomik UHC filter, and last Saturday manage to see M27 Dumbbell Nebula which stood right out.

Also M13 Globular Cluster and the Double Cluster, I'm starting to go through the list.

Grüezi, das ist wunderbar.

Sorry I could not resist, I lived in Baden Aargau for a few years.

Thanks for sharing.

Hi Bloom, lovely pics well done.

Looking forward to you Mars pics

If I can achieve something like that with my new ASI camera i would be very happy.

BS269, Just trying to help and found another bit of info:

There are two types of vignetting to

consider -- vignetting at the center of

the field, and vignetting at the edge of

the field. For planetary work you only

care about the field center, but for other

stuff you care about both.

Vignetting at the field center does not

depend on the eyepiece focal length / field

size. It only depends on the scopes F ratio

and the size of the prisms. Most of the binoviewers

add about 5 inches to the optical path. So a

unit with say one inch prisms should be OK

with focal ratio 5" / 1" = F5 or slower.

For one of the binoviewers with small

prisms its 5" / (1/2") = F10 or slower.

Vignetting at the field edge is more complex.

It depends on the scope light cone, the size of

prisms in the binoviewer, and the size of the

eyepiece field stop. If the binoviewer is one of the

microscope derived units with 12mm prisms, and

you use an eyepiece with a 27mm field stop,

the field edges are going to be completely

vignetted (dark) no matter what the

scopes focal ratio is. Fast scopes will probably

have some vignetting at the field edge, even

with large prisms -- maybe 50% light loss at the

edge -- detectable but not terrible.

3 hours ago, BS269 said:

Is there anyway to calculate how much I would lose?

Hi, I cannot help with your question but this might help:

https://agenaastro.com/articles/guides/eyepieces-binoviewers/choosing-astronomy-eyepieces-for-binoviewers.html

I have the WO binoviewer, but wished I had gone for the Baader MaxBright's to pair up with the Baader T2 diagonal which would make shortening the light path easier like in the pic below.

I love my NexStar 8se goto.

I added StarSense Auto align once I have added my location it stays in the mount, and can be setup in five minutes.

I bring scope out plug in set date/time and away it goes, I don't like staring at laptop/iPhone so don't use wifi anymore as I have learnt so much about the sky.

So for me using hand control, I Sky tour or tap in Messier objects and just sit there studying those for quite some time.

If portability is what your after then as banjaxed stated a 127 Mak would be ideal.

One of my favourite Aunties sent me a ZWO Camera (no not the Devonshire Abbey one the other one) today along with a Astronomik UHC filter.

Thanks Mike, I look into that reducer/corrector, I love seeing the whole of the Moon.