Barry-W-Fenner

I two am a big fan of the 15mm, the 12 & 18mm seem to get all the love but I find the 15mm gives a really nice power in the 200p and a great view. I understand that a lot of people prefer the more natural jump in power from the 18mm to the 12mm, I feel that the 15mm gives a nice middle ground. I only wish the BST range did something around 6 or 7mm as the jump between 5 & 8 is to large, again in my humble opinion 😀 Baz

Actually I have two chimney sweeps in there. My youngest daughter was hidden away in the smaller box at the time 😂 Baz

300p shipping boxes, I mean play houses, I mean sports cars! I don't know what they are anymore.. 😁 Baz

I finally managed to see this stunning comet last night. What a sight. The tail was huge! A couple of the old "phone to the eye piece" shots attached! Nothing like the stunning images above of course! Baz

I was also looking at the comet at 10.30pm here is a quick shot down the focus tube with my phone.

Just looking at this comet now in the 12"dob amazing greenish ball, the tail is starting to show now its getting dark What's the best mag to view targets such as comets? my 1st one! What an experience baz

I dream of owning such a box. unfortunately the only Tak I own is "cheap Tak" 😁

Thanks for the heads up John. I really enjoyed catching Uranus last Autumn in the 8" and it is a target I intend to come back to, Not a huge amount to see but the round Green disc was really rewarding for me. I spent quite a bit of time just watching it drift through my FOV at about x240 - I didn't realise that you could theoretically see up to 4 of its moons! I will have to have to look up which are viewable and try to spot them in the 12" Neptune will be a 1st for me and is the only planet I haven't been lucky enough to see yet. I am really keen to see it. Again I tried to find it last Autumn but it was very low and there always seemed to be cloud in the way, so I didn't have much joy. Regards Baz

Very impressive haul there John! A real productive session! were Uranus & Neptune easy to spot? The sky is beautiful this morning here, crystal clear and blue. Typical I didn't get out viewing this morning as I have work today. 😕 Baz

Mars looked beautiful at 4am, very clear phase and some dark patches on the center, is that cloud? Or maybe shadow? The southern ice caps makes for some lovely contrast in colour, white on copper red! great to see this detail. is it possible to see both of Mars moons?? Baz

The cycle of life unfortunately 😂

Best get that 5mm on order before it's to late 😂

Nope, just wanted to buy some for my 200p as I put the bobs knobs in my 300p. I will source some M4x35 from fleebay 😁

Thank you Ricochet, I will check all of the above when I set up tonight. I did some viewing from 10pm to 12am last night, I let the scope cool for a good two hours before use. Stars looked much better than previously. I had a look at a number of targets and they were all very clear in the 8 & 12mm bst,s I got back out at 4am after a few hours kip to see Mars. It looked amazing with my 5mm & 8mm bst,s a very clear phase with different shade of colour to the planet. The southern ice caps stood out extremely well. They are a very appealing characteristic of Mars to view. regards Baz

Hi all. Just thought I would give my opinion Baader click lock. Firstly thank you @djpaul it was you who suggested purchasing one. I went for the 2" to 1.25" version as I primary have 1.25" eye pieces. For this particular lock you will need to use your 2" standard adapter that comes as an accessory with the skywatcher scopes. I really recommend one of these click locks, changing eye piece has never been easier in the dark. Slot in the eye piece a Quarter turn clockwise and your eye piece is locked securely and central in the focuser tube. To release just turn anticlockwise and the eye piece is unlocked. Simple! No more messing about with the two tiny thumb screws in the dark. From a focuse perspective this adapter only adds an additional 9.5mm to the overall length of the focuser build up. My eye pieces come to focus quicker now with less outward focus required. The build is excellent, a nice quality product with a nice positive "click & lock" 😁 action that gives confidence your eye pieces are safe and secure. Price wise this model was £47 from memory from FLO. I ordered at 3pm on a Friday and received by 11am on the Saturday. Service with a smile! I wouldn't be without this click lock now. aesthetically it also looks the part. My eye pieces look very smart sitting in this product and it gives a real smart looking finish. Thanks barry

Morning all, Can anyone tell me the gauge of the thumb screws that collimate the secondary mirror in both the 200 & 300p please. I know they are 35mm long and think they are M4 Regards baz

I found mine kept falling off the 200p with the tape also. I have now used 4 blobs of clear silicone to stick my finder bases to both the 200 and 300p scopes. This has worked very well and is neat and tidy.

I now have all but the 25mm, great performing eye pieces and value for money.

Coming back to collimation with a Cheshire, just wanted to run through it to make sure I am not being a total lemon and doing it incorrectly. I put the cheshire in the focuser with the 45 degree angle facing down towards the primary. after this I have got all 3 primary clips roughly equal when viewing down the Cheshire, note I do this with the focuser fully in. once this is done I have got the little spot centered in the ring on the primary mirror. my main question is, what is the purpose of the crosshairs? In my 300p they are very faint and slightly off center. Would this be correct or should they be dead center. Thanks again for being patient with me folks, as I said I can be a bit of a lemon 😁😁 Baz

Sky is looking promising aswell so hopefully you get to use it Merlin! The 8,12 and for me 15mm are the sweet spot of the range and give some brilliant views 👍

Hi Steve, Thanks for this info, I have been a bit stuck trying to decide which will be the best size to go for out of the 3 mid power focal lengths. Unfortunately which ever way I go I am going to overlap slightly somewhere. As you say though the 14mm will give me a 7mm also and drop in just below my 15mm & 8mm BST range. @John mentioned that the [removed word] in the armour of the BST range was no eye piece in the 6-7mm region and he is correct, I have been lacking an eye piece that gives me around x200 and your advice on the 14mm Morpheus should cover now cover this. Providing of course my BST x2 barlow is up to the challenge! You are probably correct, In time I may consider purchasing more of the Morpheus range which would suit both my 300 & 200p Thanks Steve 🙂 Baz

This is great news. I hope we can get outside any view these. How amazing would it be to see the lot of them in one go. Altitude is going to be an issue though. I assume we would need to start with Jupiter & Saturn then Jump over to Mercury before the sun pop up. Maybe then Uranus & Neptune before its to light to locate them? Then Venus & finally Mars! Might as well chuck Pluto in for good measure 🙂🙂 Joking aside, to see all them would be some achievement taking into account all the variables required. Darkness, Cloud, Sunrise, Altitude etc... Baz

Thanks John. I hope to get the scope out over the coming nights, give it a collimation, a good cool down and do some viewing. It's been a long time coming. it's my 1st summer in the hobby and I didn't realise viewing time would be so scarce this time of year. Obviously I knew it would get dark much later but the weeks of cloud have been unbelievable. I feel like I bought the 300p right at the wrong time. I'm getting the penny's together to purchase a Morpheus eye piece, ideally one I can barlow to give two focal lengths. I'm in a predicament as to which size to go for 17.5, 14 or 12.5mm I am thinking the 12.5 so I can barlow down to around 6mm. This gives me a size between my bst 5mm & 8mm. However I do have a 12mm bst. the 14 would give me a 7mm also. But again I have the 15mm & 8mm bst so would it be worth it 🤔🤔🤔 Thoughts welcome Baz

Hi gents, Not sure if these picks through my cheshire are of much help. Taken in the cramped corner of my utility room again. I hope to get some better shots when I actually manage to get the scope out again next time..

Lovely pics, some great detail visible. The planets are certainly becoming one of if not my favourite objects to view. oh and, 28" Dob!!! 😲 Baz