Stardaze

Just measuring up and I think it’s 68mm for mine, this one: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-clicklock-m68-clamp-for-hexafoc-focusers-bresser-omegon-and-explore-scientific.html Doesn’t give the additional optical gain but around 30mm looking at other versions? The extension is 40mm, so a gain of around 10mm. Most of my EPs focus around 13-20 (tips out at 42mm) on the focuser so there seems to be plenty of room if the extension is removed? Edit: The baader website states 43.5. The overall length of the extension is 50mm so should just be a straight swap.

Care to share a pic. How long have you had your Bresser? Pleased with it overall and any more mods?

Thanks, I'll get my head around that. Did you go with the click lock yourself, assume there's no cheaper alternatives?

You are right, 6.7. I used the 11 a bit more last night and seems just as good. It might get squeezed out a bit given the new 13. But, it’s a nice barlowed option too without buying a 5. It probably stands out a bit if I get the 9, but the ES 8.8 could cover that gap too. My little collection is growing quickly, but I’ll slow down now and use what I’ve got see what suits me best. If anything, I’d go wider in the low mag options. Really like the 24 82!

Maybe I need to continue trying to lock them up a little more yet? I have been tightening the locking screws too.

Bingo! It’s a circular brass ring where on side doesn’t depress very well. I can see that two screws effectively would push the EP into the adjacent side which seems to secure better.

I have 3 ES 82's now (6.8, 11, 24) and the 16 nirvana. I really have taken a liking to the 6.8, it's really got something about it. I'm also starting to feel similar as yourself about the nirvana, it doesn't have much wow factor to it. Just bought an APM 13 and although they're very large, if it's as good as I hope, I can see me buying the 20 and 9mm version. Agree with you about the look of the Morpheus 🤣

Q-tips (cotton buds - assume there's nothing special to the brand? Guessing just more widespread in the States?) would work nicely into the edge. I'm glad you mentioned to not use a lens pen because for camera lens filters, I do use one and had pondered that. Luckily I hesitated. Thanks for the advice again Don.

@johninderby I noted that you sold some primary collimation springs recently, are you finding that collimation is not holding? I ask, because mine doesn't seem to at all. I've been slowly tightening mine and surprised last night that it hadn't travelled all of 5 metres without moving? I have been tightening the secondary screws too. No real issue as it doesn't take long, but was sure you did say yours held well, at one point?

For north and west facing views I can more or less do the same, but for southern viewing I need to venture further into the garden and essentially I'm above the house. At home, 2 hours is probably the norm, especially in the cold as I'm like you in that respect. Was thinking that dew control would be more necessary when I venture out and later in the year.

I’ve seen some photographers in my time with filthy front elements. I can’t pay all that money to not look after them. Very basic question John, but what’s your process? I have a little portable table which I rested my case on. When I remove an EP I put the caps back on and put it back, leaving the lid open though. Or do you take out what you’ll use and have them lined up on a table? That sounds such a ridiculous question 🙄

I'm just a bit particular with keeping lenses clean, always have been with my photography. It wasn't filthy by any means, just had a small smudge and dust. Managed to find a new cloth and so have used @Don Pensack's method and it's now pristine, just like new. Whilst I pinched the better half's pure cotton pads, they weren't great, kept leaving threads of cotton in the edge. Took some time and a few careful repeated passes to clear them away. That's probably a better method to clean EP's too, though I'll need a better supply of cotton and a pack of disposable cloths.

Thanks Don. I have some isopropanol but it’s several years old now. Probably needs replacing? Just to be sure, is that a 70-90% of alcohol, the rest being water?

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Reigniting my interest and getting out there during these difficult times has certainly helped me to escape from the ‘four walls.’ It’s dented my wallet a bit but I am thoroughly the enjoyment of learning about this subject.

The APM 13 arrived this morning and certainly is a nice chunk of glass. I’ll have to rethink my EP case when I add the 20 and probably 9. The 3 of them would pretty much fill it! Given it’s long length I found the 3 retaining grub Screws a bit of a faff to secure it into the focuser, seemed to not engage very well? Is there a better clip-lock 2” replacement available that secured a large EP better than the bresser standard? Edit: just seen this. Quite expensive but do they work well? https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-clicklock-m68-clamp-for-hexafoc-focusers-bresser-omegon-and-explore-scientific.html

I’ve given it a clean with what I have but you still get a slight smear that you tend to with coated optics. Certainly my UV filters on my camera lenses also exhibit this if you really look following a clean with all fluids I’ve used. I’ll get some baader fluid in the week and see if that completely removes this. I suffer with a bit of OCD with keeping my camera lenses pristine but the general consensus is to not frequently clean EP’s, I’ll have to sit on my hands. Even being very careful out in the field, small marks do happen. That must be normal when swapping EP’s frequently? I kept them all in their box last night and had them laid out with caps going back on each time? Frustrating.

I was going to add some of this to my next FLO order. Wondered whether the same method as cleaning mirrors would do a better job? Still have plenty of deionised water left. Ive bought some lens brite this morning from spec savers as mentioned in another thread?

I've bought an Astronomik 2" O-III secondhand which has just arrived. What's the best practice for cleaning a filter? I've blown some dust off but it could do with a clean really.

Last night was one of those impromptu, unplanned sessions. The clear outside app had suggested 80-90% cloud earlier but whilst sat in the brother-in-laws garden approaching dusk, it suddenly looked clear. Only problem was, I'd drank more than I should have for a late night! Managed to get back in time to get the dob out to cool and collimated for around 10. I left it until around 11.15 and had to get to grips with the movement of the south facing constellations as it's been 3 weeks since my last jaunt. It's my first summer of proper observing and so Hercules and Lyra have been really fascinating so far, both are much higher in the sky than I had suspected. This led me straight to M13 as a starters for ten. Always incredible and a good early test. 115x seemed to be the sweet spot which suggested the conditions were reasonable. I let it get a little later until I tried the double double, which split at 186x. I tried 230x and could see that I had over-stepped the limit of resolution. I have been really looking forward to seeing Cygnus properly for the first time and it took me a while to determine exactly what was what. Again, I had assumed a different orientation and so it took a different position than I had imagined. The binoculars revealed so many stars and when I looked into my lowest powered EP at 52x it was a revelation to see so much going on. Alberieo was the obvious first port of call but I really wanted to have a nose around the region of the veil. I'm hoping the postman should bring an O-III filter later today and so I wasn't expecting to see any of it, which turned out the case. But it was good to try to make a start of familiarising myself around the area. M29 wasn't so obvious either but I had a good look around Sadr too. By this time I noted a problem beginning to happen - dew! I could see the effect in the eye piece and my 9x50 finder was getting quite murky. Unfortunately to access the S & SE from my garden I need to be on the grass, which clearly isn't ideal. Within 10 minutes I was taking my finder, Telrad and EP inside in search of the wife's hairdryer 😂 I wanted to see the dumbbell for the first time. I had also taken out my atlas which was also starting to get 'limp'. I felt that I probably had 20 minutes to nail it. Time was ticking when I got back out, it seemed as good as it was going to get. All was still now and the sky was very clear. Armed with the atlas, I didn't hop to the right spot first time off Albireo, but once I'd acclimatised to the finder again I got it second time. So that's M27! Another one of the Messier targets to knock off, job done. I just happened to look between my house and next door when I saw Jupiter covered in light cloud quite low in the sky. Saturn was also just creeping into view. Why not, I thought. Not ideal being so low., but what the hell, I was still to see Saturn in a telescope and hadn't seen Jupiter in my dob either yet (quite underwhelming in my first 6" newt!) I passed 10 minutes by swinging back high to M13. The dob was almost vertical. Luckily, the cloud cleared and Jupiter looked awesome at 186x. I could make out 5 of her moons, which again, was a first. I''ve read many times about the spectacle that is Saturn for the first time. Of course, she really does look like the thing of science fiction. It's much easier to be wowed when you know a little about your subject and I have been swatting up recently in readiness for the middle of next month when Jupiter will be at opposition and both will be in more favourable positions. I tried a little more magnification, which didn't really resolve much more detail, but it's all part of the learning process. I was, and am, quite a happy chap, some things are coming together. I need to now get my head around the dew situation. I was thinking that I may not need some heating bands etc until the colder weather, but 3 hours in summer, suggests otherwise. I'll have a read around and post something separately. When I looked into the OTA upon placing it in the garage overnight, I could see that even the primary had began to take on some moisture too, so not great. I also need to work out a better 'system' with my eyepieces. Again, something for another thread, but even though I replaced the caps each time I put them down, I've had to clean two this morning, which shouldn't be the case every viewing. And as I finish typing, the postman has just turned up with an APM 13 EP and an O-III filter.😆

And this is why I need a mak or frac. I will... that will be next years plan. Have you had one Stu? How do they perform?

Pretty set on more powerful binoculars, but interesting take/possibility. With the way my better half packs for trips, even the binoculars could be pushing it 😂

I wasn’t looking beyond the Helios to be honest, I just happened to see the deal on the sky masters and thought I’d check them out

A bit of a curve ball Stu. Are they any good for that?

It does look like we're still going away at the end of August to the lakes where it should offer great skies. I'm not going to be able to take my dob (need a grab-and-go solution next year) so have been thinking about adding some longer binoculars to my 10x42 that I already own. I have tripods and ball heads (might add a grip too) and so initially it looked to be a toss up between the Helios Stellar II 20x80 or Celestron Skymaster Pro 20x80 (FLO have a good offer on at the moment). Be interested to hear anyone's thoughts and experiences with either. The Skymaster has the option of a red dot finder addition which sounds handy? Are the Helios worth the extra £80?

How's it all coming along @johninderby?