Stardaze

It squeezes in nicely on mine. The placement works well for me, there's minimal head movement between the two.

I'm still getting used to mine and the overall FOV. Have got really used to the Telrad for the most part

That's a monster, which one is it? I bought one of these and just used the central point and one of the screw points from existing, which is secure enough for my SW 9x50 RACI: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/baader-universal-quick-release-finder-shoe-base.html

The ultimate solution for those bulkheads, and appreciate this may well be completely over the top, is that there are gear trays available (we as a company do do them) that can be controlled by a remote control. Obviously that would require an electrician to pop them in at a cost (unless you know a friendly one, it’s not a big job) The remote can turn them on/off. IF, they’re not LED and still 2D fluorescent, there are retro-fit LED lamps available with microwave sensors incorporated which are more sensitive than PIR. You can set the time delay period and they will stay off for a period or be triggered whenever you wave at them. Just an example here: https://www.ledbulbs.co.uk/products/kosnic-12w-led-2d-2pin-2d-cool-white-kled12std-2p-w40?variant=18181776965690&currency=GBP&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google+shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjw26H3BRB2EiwAy32zhef4W_MXbMDgvC4ywE2NaCSXf10BuySkEWAJgilUwB_Ryc_0NGaq-BoC67UQAvD_BwE They would just plug into the lamp holder like a fluorescent lamp would, so very simple and you wouldn’t need an electrician.

That does look a nightmare. I have two street Lights either side of my garden and I have to block them out with careful positioning behind a tree and fence. I’d be tempted to pop a black bag over those bulkheads for the time you’re observing. If really fed up with them, and they’re still 2D fluorescents ie not LED, I’d unscrew the covers and take the lamps out 😁 I work for a lighting manufacturer so that actually wouldn’t be an issue, but appreciate that’s taking things quite far, but if they’re quite accessible, it’s easy to do. Very tricky all round, they will hamper your night vision more than anything. If ever I have to move around during observing, I’m constantly trying to avoid catching sight of one of the street lanterns. The other killer is when the wife switches on the kitchen light mid session. There’s light to be blocked all round, guess it’s what’s practical. One of my spots is relatively tight to a fence.

There is more blue in the spectrum of LED lighting for sure, but a single light fitting at a local garage won't affect the overall light pollution in your area, but it will contribute to the whole of the perceived darkness overhead as a contribution of the whole. If it does fall into your peripheral vision, then the above would work. That's more down to stray localised light causing a reduction in contrast and/or affecting your night vision at the eyepiece. It is interesting with the move to LED. In theory, as more traditional light sources are changed, the effect of traditional 'sky glow' filters should become less effective. The wavelengths of sodium lighting are as attached, you can see the spike in the blue for LED.

What are your own personal favourites? The DGM sounds interesting, especially for M42. Might see if one crops up secondhand. Definitely going to go bandmate 2 for the O-III but tempted to scrimp a bit with a UHC for now, upgrade it at some point later. Ordered an APM 13 earlier so plenty of time yet till the darker nights.

I've ordered an APM 13 XWA earlier so look forward to seeing how that performs.

I might be talking a load of tosh looking at those filters. So if hydrogen alpha is 656nm, it's just within the accepted spectrum of the human eye. Maybe there's no benefit in blocking further into the infra red spectrum?

Definitely is the case. The very fact that the bandmates seem to have more contrast from what I understand, having omitted the alph B, does prove that we can see some of the infra red end around 750nm, it’s just that all graphs depicting the human eyes range seem to cut off at around 650nm? It’s a moot point really, but interesting.

Traditional wisdom was that cones had no use at all in the dark. With the advent of led lighting, which has a much larger content of the blue end of the wavelength (for most applications they’re fundamentally blue chips with a phosphor coating to product a warmer hue), it’s been perceived that the eye is more sensitive in that end of the spectrum. To this end, it has challenged that traditional belief and now it’s felt that cones do also play some part in night vision.

I do know a little bit about this subject so it's making some sense. I do know that it's only been quite recently that we now believe that the cones also play a part at night, it was believed that they didn't at all. Mesopic is that twilight period, or the 'crossover'. Surely though, when you are fully dark adapted and your rods are the majority of your vision, you haven't the ability to see anything over 625nm, according to the above graph??

Who are Orion? There's a couple of obscure vendors here in the UK, but none of the mainstream suppliers seem to distribute? Are they not as they once were? The other thing that I'm not finding an understanding with is the H-Alpha line as, from the theory I knew, it falls outside of the human eye's sensitivity range. Just looking at the Astronomik UHC filter the second emission line starts around 630nm and extends well beyond 750nm?

I was hopeful tonight but was just about to lug mine out and a large black cloud appeared on the horizon. 10 minutes later and a good downpour. The clear outside app unfortunately is right tonight ☹️ Did put a handle on mine this morning though..

Shall I go back and reapply for my remortgage? 🤣 Jokes aside, I can’t wait to see the Orion Nebula at xmas with a fairly decent setup. My first scope was ok but armed with quality filters and reasonable EP’s it really should be a totally new experience.

That’s a great link, thanks. Also backs up caution when buying old filters. How common is oxidisation/degradation of the coatings over time in your opinion @Don Pensack?

Thanks Don. I’m a little dubious buying secondhand filters, I’ll buy new.

Probably best I don't... I've only just remortgaged Always the way, huh! Good to have things to aspire towards. I'm going to order the APM 13 next month and the 20 when it's back in stock. I'll buy a bandmate O-III too but want some longer binoculars for hopefully getting away still at the end of Aug if we can. I think the trick is really the secondhand market, but being prepared to wait for the right items. This coming year sadly, might see a bit coming up.

I just can't see how they justify that price tag against ethos? Bonkers. A quality fast prime lens from Nikon isnt too much different to that price point and arguably, there's a lot more glass to them. You pays your money I guess...

Glad we started this thread, it's been very informative 😃

Halfords do it for £3.90 it’s just called battery top up water. It is deionised and not distilled which are different.

Be interesting to see what you make of it Barry, happy new toy 😀

I’ll follow this. How much of a contrast boost does flocking achieve?

I can't wait to get out to a darker site. Ironically, I've been looking at areas not too far West of yourself! Look forward to an SGL get-together whenever that's feasible, there's surprisingly no friction I've seen on here yet, which is a nice refreshing change for a forum. 😀

Do you use a coma corrector for your dob John? Be interesting too see how going to 100 deg will affect this aspect for me.