Zermelo

Depending on the OTA and configuration, somewhere between 4.6kg and 5.6kg, but I'd also like to try two at once.

An AZ-GTiX, but with the SW 1.75" 3/8" tripod, which looks better to me than the bundled option. Great service from FLO/DHL - these were in my hands 25 hours from pressing the button. I'll be using this with my existing OTAs, but I'm hoping that the goto and tracking will be a bit more reliable than with my existing Star Discovery (to be fair, I suspect I've overloaded it by adding various bits and pieces to my scopes).

is "intriguing" Stu-speak for "I haven't bought it yet" ?

This is on an american website, but the information may be useful: https://agenaastro.com/articles/guides/diagonals/choosing-a-baader-diagonal.html

I think it might be related to handset or OS version. I sometimes get a brief flash of white when I'm switching between apps (usually switching between Synscan and Skysafari), so I use the red acetate. I fixed it to a spare gel phone case, and swap cases when I go out. In fact, the screen is still a little too bright on the darkest nights, even when the screen brightness is at minimum. I may experiment with a double layer of acetate, though I need to check that it doesn't attenuate the capacitative screen interaction too much.

Apart from the nocturnal companionship, and perhaps their willingness to see off undesirable visitors at dark sites, some of their capabilities might be of practical value to the observer. e.g. give them a quick sniff of an eyepiece, then get them to find where it was in that field that you dropped its missing dustcap.

Hello I expect you will be navigating using a combination of optical finder and a widefield eyepiece in the main scope. If you don't already have it, I'd suggest decent planetarium software (I use Skysafari): (1) you can easily vary the magnitude depth of the view, and "tune" it to match what you're seeing in whichever instrument you're using (2) it can show TFOV circles for the finder and any eyepiece/scope combination you care to set up. These can be used during sessions, or ahead of time to plan hops. (3) you can easily flip up/down and left/right as you switch between finder and main scope (if that's necessary, depending on the optical properties of each) I'm not sure about the value of unit finders in those conditions. I'm lucky enough to have Bortle 4, so there's normally plenty to go at, but when the moon is full my Telrad isn't too great. There is this book, which is mostly about the objects you can find, even in polluted skies, but does also include some general discussion about techniques and equipment for urban settings. If you are experienced already, though, it probably won't have much to surprise you on that score. City-based members may have some more concrete advice on exit pupils, etc.

I was sure you were going to link to this one instead: ... though apparently it has nothing to do with aurorae.

I think we did that one in a thread last year. The americans are correct, with "z". Then they ruined it, by calling it "zee".

The good forecasts were almost borne out here. I've had over three hours of clear skies, and dark, of course, with no moon. I measured it at 20.94 when I finished, which suggests that the new LED street lights (with shields fitted) are affecting it barely, if at all. Transparency was OK (the main seven UMi stars visible, plus a couple of others), but the seeing was disappointing, compared with the forecasts (Metcheck said Pickering 9, but it was nowhere near). Since it was dark I put the 150i out and had a mixed list of doubles, globs and galaxies in Leo: 40 Sex, HD 82355, HD 81670, HD 81212, Algieba, MX Hya, 15 Hya (1.2"), 17 Hya, Pi1 Boo, Porrima, Sarin M13, M92, M3 (this was especially good) M65, M66, NGC 3628, M95, M96, M105, NGC 3384, NGC 3389 (I was pleased with this last one, seen with averted vision in the Morpheus 9mm. I think it's the first time) The Hamburger was quite obvious tonight, even with direct vision. Leo I eluded me though, as it always does. The Svbony 3-8mm zoom performed well again, in particular on the globs.

Hello, and welcome to SGL. You will come to realize that "clear later in the week" should be taken with a healthy pinch of salt, especially in the west country. But it does look promising tonight. I have a scope out cooling now. Jupiter will be skulking around the horizons in morning and evening for a few months, but it will improve in the autumn, best in November. Have a look here: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/astronomy-guide-viewing-planets-night-sky/

Yes, I agree that second hand from a reliable source, especially with something lacking moving parts, is a sound approach. I was nervous about it at first, but more comfortable now. All my Morpheus are second hand.

I suppose it's understandable to regret the intermediate expenditure, once you've reached a destination you're happy with. I think I'm in a very similar position to you - my current 'A' team is a few Morpheus, the 24mm and 30mm UFFs, and a couple of BCOs. I can't see me ever managing to justify the incremental spend in upgrading to TV or Pentax. But I still value the other purchases along the way, because my observing skills and experience, and the associated understanding, were/are growing with my equipment. In some ways, I think it has helped me to assimilate the learning more evenly.

FYI Mike, I have the Altair version too, and mine is the same as yours (was). As someone said above, the position and orientation may mean that the unblackened area isn't an issue. But for a premium eyepiece, you might expect that they'd do it anyway.

Is that the eyepiece equivalent of "borderline personality disorder" in a person?

I felt the same way. I remember visiting the Geological Museum on a school trip, and being in awe at the glass cases full of the most incredible mineral specimens. When I had grown up and moved to London for work, I visited again and found that many of them had been removed to the basement, to make room for more "exciting" exhibits like a moving floor that simulated an earthquake. While I agree that children are a very important target audience for museums, I do sometimes despair when curators think that the only way of attracting their attention is with something that moves, makes a noise or allows them to interact.

... but with eypieces that already have generous eye relief, adding a Barlow may test your "floating" skills, hence the telecentric. Not likely to happen on the Svbony zoom, though.

https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/48397/how-are-radio-telescopes-pointed

I've observed iota Cas a few times in Bortle 4, and I've seen the yellow and blue coloration only once, faintly, with a 150mm Newt and an OVL Hyperflex zoom. On the other occasions, all three looked white.

HD 5938, HD 3396, 57 Cnc, 40 Sex, Algieba, Izar, HD 81670, Castor. Yes, doubles again. Though I did add M3, Mars and the Cat's Eye nebula. I stayed out until the moon cleared the neighbour's roof, high enough to cause mischief, but too low to see over my fence. The seeing was slightly better than last night, though I couldn't get the tightest doubles. I think the Mak needs a slight collimation. As @AstroNebulee reported from two counties down, there was a fair bit of high/mid whispy cloud at times. If it's in the East, it catches the moonlight. Mars was a small orange mush, but M3 was OK and the Cat's Eye was a nice, extended, irregular blue-green blob. The BBC says clear again tomorrow; CO says 100% cloud. We shall see.

M51 in an ST80 with a near full moon is a good bag

Some discussion here: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/482350-vixen-gem-green-paint-code/

Out of interest, how does this work? For example, I know that the large UK supermarkets are generally in such a strong position compared with their suppliers, that they can just announce (for their own purposes) a sale on a product line, and tell the supplier to take a hit on the wholesale price. But in astro? Presumably it's Bresser making the calls on the (rather frequent) ES sales? Do they tell the retailers in advance, and reduce the wholesale price in the interim? What if the retailers already have the stock, do they get some retrospective compensation from the supplier if they participate in the sale?

Last night (I'm running a bit behind) I had the Mak 127 out again. I started with some open clusters in the southwest, before the rising moon got too annoying: M35, M37, NGC 2281, NGC 1647, NGC 1746. None were at their best, in the "hole" between twighlight and moon, but pleasant enough. And then 14 doubles in the Gemini/Cancer/Lynx area, though seeing was average at best, with the jet stream above the South West, and I think there was also some variable high mist to contend with. I finished by swapping the Mak for my old Bresser 70/700 Skylux, which has been languishing, unloved, in the study. It was not at all bad with a decent eyepiece, though the 14mm Morph did look a bit out of place. It looks like tonight will be better here, as the jet stream has moved away (if it's clear, that is - at the moment, CO is doing its usual last-minute flip between "best night ever" and "we're all doooomed").

Certainly make a date with 12 Lyncis, it's one of my favourites. Separating C from AB is easy, and AB (2.0") itself splits in decent conditions too. Lynx is actually quite good for doubles; aside from 12 Lyn, there are: 19 Lyn (14.8"), 20 Lyn (14.9"), 38 Lyn (2.6"), HR 2644 (4.3"), HR 2486 (4.5"), HR 3686 (1.9") and HR 3701 (1.0"), all accessible with a small scope. And Lynx is nice and high for us at the moment.