Stardaze

Im going to need the hex bresser version of that but I’ll lose 15mm in the process so the additional 20mm extender is going to add a fair bit of cost to it all unfortunately. With the 2”-1.25” adapter too, it’s around £140.

Ah, that's a bit of a blow. I'm going to replace my EP holder with a click-lock and so have been trying to work out how much of an extension I'll need.

Quick question if you don't mind Neil: do all of the APM EP's parfocal?

Holy thread revival time! Have been looking for something like the Rolson straps but can't seem to find anything now, anyone know of anything on the market?

Yup, that’s definitely the option, but I think on balance, there’s something about a nice frac. The mak is probably a better all rounder though. Depends how my pockets feel come the time. Want to get my EP collection somewhere like this year. Did crave an 8SE before the dob, but they kind of money would buy a decent 80ED maybe.

I’m probably somewhere in the middle at the minute. Still experiencing mine not holding collimation between sessions so my thinking is that I’m going to just increase tension each session ie not loosen any. See whether there’s a point it starts to hold better? I guess you could tighten them all as tight as possible and release gradually until you find collimation. Also stands to reason that as you raise/lower the mirror marginally, the effect will be seen at the eye piece focal point. Albeit must be quite small.

If I’m still ultra keen next year, I’ll add a frac to the mix. Not too fussed with lunar, but for definitely interested in double stars and planetary.

It wasn't the best John, for sure. So I'll take that in the hope that it can only improve. I didn't add that I had a look around Aquila too briefly. That's all new to me too and a little low really, but couldn't miss Altair. I also forgot to have a look at Albireo too in my enthusiastic drive to see the veil. Just looking at the separation of zeta herc compared with epsilon lyrae and it's significantly tighter at 1.4" (EL is 2.4") so that does seem a good one to go at? Is it a difficult prospect with my dob?

I have a pair of Bushnell 10x42's that I bought for non-astro stuff several years ago.I'm glad I have them now as use regularly. They give me a 5.8 deg FOV and so really do like them. I have been pondering a stronger companion for them, maybe 20x80, but there's other bits slightly higher up the 'wants list' I think. I might get a cheap bracket to mount to a tripod and try that at some point.

As each constellation rises, and the months pass, I am finding my way around many new wonders. I have really wanted to explore the northern cross and parts of the general area that seems to be stacked full of Milky Way delights. Last night was hot. I found irony setting up the dob just prior to dusk next to my daughters paddling pool that had seen a good water fight only a few hours before. Sat under the slowly emerging stars, I hoped that my newly acquired O-III filter and APM 13 EP would show me a couple of new targets, the main one being the elusive veil nebula. I started out double star hoping. It still wasn't that dark approaching 11pm and so that may have contributed to a miserable failure to split zeta herc at 187x. I had already had a quick look at Mizar and Polaris during set up, but zeta Herc remained, a complete flop. I jumped to M13, as I inevitably do, which again, wasn't really popping out just yet. Maybe a touch too early still? I swung the dob across to Vega and headed over to Episilon Lyrae. A nice split, again at 187x. The double double is becoming a doddle 😆 Time to drop down to M57. Always an easy soft target and one to try the new O-III with. Having played around with a couple of EP's I settled on 115x and wasn't bowled over with the filtered view over filter-less. Again, I didn't feel that it was the best of viewing nights, it is still too light at this time of year! Anyway, enough faffing around. It was time to get to the point. I had the APM 13 in the focuser and felt confident that my star-hoping has much improved over these last few months. Especially since I equipped myself with my little S&T pocket atlas (no more printed A4 sheets falling all over the place!)The 9x50 finder scope has also become second nature too and so I cheekily - rather cockily even - set out on the hunt for the veil. I had scanned the area last weekend 'filterless' and had found nothing. Zero. Ziltch. [removed word] all! I was relatively sure of where the eastern veil was, but I couldn't find anything around the little triangle that was etched into my minds eye. Maybe it's not dark enough? Maybe I haven't 'learnt to see' properly yet? Maybe the 13 isn't wide enough.... Ah yes, let's try the widest 24 and also brighten things up a bit! Hmmmm.... the new filter didn't screw so well onto the EP - but that wasn't going to dent my enthusiasm! I scanned the area with the finder; went back and forth, questioning myself each time. Back to the atlas. Another look. Still, nothing. Back and forth, It certainly wasn't jumping out at me. My eye felt like it had acclimatised to the ES 24 (the APM 13 certainly had a very different placement than any of my other EP's which I will need to adapt to) Then... at last... is that it?! Is that really it? Hallelujah! But surely that's not a full 'arm'? I now think that I stumbled across the western veil initially. I thought that once one was found, the other side would be simple enough, but it didn't quite pan out like that. I did have to train my eye to see them, but like many things, once you do acclimatise, I could see them both. Time was ticking now and I realised that I had been out a bit longer than planned. I also clocked Jupiter rising, with Saturn to the East. I very quickly had a sneaky peak at them both, but could really see atmospheric effects around them both. They will have to wait another 4 weeks yet. Either way, another 'first' ticked off, but it's only a start. The veil should stand out far better against a darker sky, and so we shall have to hope for some clear nights are forecast in the weeks ahead.

It is obvious, yes. But I thought some clever folk might know of a safe solution.

Well... I’m pretty pleased with myself this morning. The O-III filter worked a treat last night. I started off with the easiest target, M57, which probably gained the least amount of extra pop. The Dumbell definitely gained plenty and I finally found the owl, right at the end, quite easily. But, my primary target still took some finding, but the veil finally added to the list when I’d realised I needed my lowest mag EP. 😀 I took measurements of all focal points at the start of the session to review the click lock system. I am going to need an additional Tele extension as my lowest powered EP focussed at 33mm, leaving 9mm. Back to filters, the O-III threaded onto the APM 13 and the 2”-1.25” reducer easily but wasn’t so clever threading onto the ES 24. Is the smallest slither of grease an absolute no, no?

As in, large single band around the OTA? At the bottom? I'm wondering whether a shield and strap as the bottom would suffice.

Definitely interested in faint targets, so thanks for the info. I'm also using a 10" dob so it's a great comparison for me. What oath is it you have? At least those don't break the monthly budget! Also begs the question: when do you find yourself reaching for the 13mm?

Enjoyed reading that, thanks for sharing. Interesting take on the Lunt 9mm, I've just bought the 13 and will end up no doubt with the 20, but I don't think I'll need 100 deg for a 9, so unsure where to go there, no rush though.

10mm isn’t a lot but I know most of mine were around 13mm on the focuser. There’s 10mm in it at that. I’ll have to double check the focal point on all EPs first

Found the extenders at last. Not obvious on the web! https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-m68-extension-tubes-zeiss.html It’s adding up: £77 + £27 + £39 🙄😂 @Pixies just measured my collective focuser to change and I get this: extension tube = 45mm, 2" barrel is 18mm and the 2"-1.25" reducer is also 18mm (all screwed in ie. less thread) The critical bit is the first two combined. So less the thread attaching the two, gives 55mm. The 2" click-lock has a path of 43.5mm so I'll need the 10mm 'tele-extender' too. It's quite a bit of outlay for what it is really.

It’s this bit here?

Actually... it’s more like 12.5mm difference... @Ricochet Just noting your pic of yours before, looks like you have a spacer/extensions off the main click lock? Might need something similar maybe? Might just order them and see.

Did you say that somehow you’ve added spacers to an EP so that its parfocal with your XW’s?

It looks like if I remove the extension barrel, I’ll lose 7mm so there’s plenty left in the focus rack for that to work. But I’m going to make a note of where the focus point is through all my EP’s just to check.

No not at all, just from what I’ve found. What Don mentioned does work to a point (just using two of the screws) but clearly the click lock is more advanced all round. Was thinking about getting mine out later but, realistically, it’s not dark enough till midnight and I’ve got work.. Need to maybe try Thurs night, looks clear till Friday.

Yes, that’s it 😀 Will you be in the market for a click lock system too. The standard supplied is ok to the point you have a 600g+ EP.

Thanks for that. It does make sense but just sounded like you could screw the filter into the system to negate swapping each time. No worries, at least I know. I only have one filter atm anyway 😆

It’s the 2” holder that doesn’t do a very good job on the bresser and heavy EP’s. The only 2” thread is on the bottom of the reducer so that you can use a 2” filter with a 1.25” EP. Just had confirmation that the click lock still doesn’t have a thread at the bottom of the 2” holder either? Is this normal? Means you’d have to add a 2” filter to each EP? That’s going to be a PITA if swapping EP’s regularly.