Pixies

USB-serial adapters are the work of Beelzebub! Getting one to work on one machine even when it works fine on another is not that straightforward. There are quite a few available but it can be hit or miss. Do you have a local IT shop where you can try a few out to see which one might work?

It's only Sky Safari that refers to M33 as the 'pinwheel', I think. Everywhere else calls it the Triangulum galaxy! I found it for the first time earlier this year, in Bortle 5-6 skies on a good night. It's very faint in these conditions but I've looked for it so many times now, I know exactly where it should be, located within a quadrilateral of 4 8th-magnitude stars. I intend to observe it with binos or the ST80 from a dark site as soon as conditions allow. Hopefully it'll be a little easier!

Sorry to jump in here. Reading the article that @vineyardlinked to. So NV is a non-digital enhancement, say compared to EEVA which is a digitally-based fast-stacking system? There's no fiddling with curves, settings, personal interpretation of how best to display data, as with imaging?

And hence the need for trousers!

Before anyone else says it... if you are thinking to focus on visual astronomy to start with, how about an 8" dob? It's something you'll keep even if you move into AP later.

Fancied a smaller 'pocket'-sized pair of binos: However, due to massive bonce, the IPD of the bins does not extend far enough! Appearing in the for-sale section, shortly! 🙄 or should I say:

Dear @mrdiki - so sorry for hijacking your thread!

Ah - perhaps I should have said celestially speaking. Yes, the terrestrial cardinal point 'west' would be to your left- but the stars are still moving to your right, which defines the celestial westerly direction. Still facing north, but above the north celestial pole, then it reverses: North faces the north celestial pole and West is the direction the stars move. Celestially speaking.

Oh - and that's South-East of Jupiter. not South-West - celestially speaking. Stars/planets move East -> West. As you look towards the southerly horizon, that means West is to the right. If you are observing with a non-tracking telescope, the drift of the stars will indicate West. It can get a bit confusing, especially when looking straight up! And North is the direction towards Polaris (the celestial pole). So it you are looking at the northerly horizon, North is up! (and West to the right, still) Took me a while to get my head around that! And don't ask about East/West of the planets compared to the moon! ! It's different!! 🙄

I think you were seeing Delta Capricorni - which also has the name "Deneb Algedi". As others have said, you won't visually observe any motion of the planets relative to the stars.

Thread necromancy! @Stu - was there ever a discussion about adding a double-star/variable-star forum to the Observing section?

Just google for a local copy shop. Perhaps one that does signage/vinyl work. Somewhere like this, perhaps: https://www.yorkprintcompany.co.uk/?UTM_source=GMB_listing&UTM_medium=organic

Useful resource here: https://www.blocklayer.com/protractor-print.aspx But you will still need a way of getting them printed on adhesive-backed material.

Has the scope cooled down properly? I het 5 or 6 spikes (4 vanes) when the scope is warm. That or a telephone line is in the way!

The first time I saw them using some really cheap and cheerful 10x50s, I thought they were some kind of optical aberration! It was only when I managed to get the bins stable on a wall that I realised it was the moons. Now with some nicer (but still cheap) Japanese 10x50s and a tripod, they are pretty easy to see. Hand held makes it a little trickier.

Cool. What bins have you got?

I said 'torch' - I was referring to my red headlamp hand-held! If the barlowed laser works for you, you don't have to retire it. It'll make things easier to adjust in situ.

Don't panic! It was sadly the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory in Ayrshire that burnt down.

Just saw this on https://www.solarham.net/ X-Flare! October 28, 2021 @ 15:55 UTC (UPDATED) A major solar flare measuring X1.0 was just observed around AR 2887 at 15:35 UTC. The active region is directly facing Earth and should a CME be produced, it would almost certainly be directed towards our planet. CME Update: Imagery courtesy of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) confirms that a coronal mass ejection (CME), likely of the halo variety is associated and should be directed squarely towards our planet. A Type II Radio Emission with an estimated velocity of 1263 km/s was recorded. An impact past our planet should be expected this weekend and will be good news for aurora sky watchers. This information will be confirmed once updated Earth facing coronagraph imagery is available. Stay Tuned! and on NOAA: Space Weather Message Code: SUMX01 Serial Number: 119 Issue Time: 2021 Oct 28 1555 UTC SUMMARY: X-ray Event exceeded X1 Begin Time: 2021 Oct 28 1517 UTC Maximum Time: 2021 Oct 28 1535 UTC End Time: 2021 Oct 28 1548 UTC X-ray Class: X1.0 Location: S26W04 NOAA Scale: R3 - Strong NOAA Space Weather Scale descriptions can be found at www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation Potential Impacts: Area of impact consists of large portions of the sunlit side of Earth, strongest at the sub-solar point. Radio - Wide area blackout of HF (high frequency) radio communication for about an hour.

How about something to match the Bresser white? https://www.overclockers.co.uk/be-quiet-shadow-wings-2-120mm-fan-white-fg-03v-bq.html

Oh. NGC 6802 looks interesting (and not hard to locate)! pic from Tom Wildoner

JB: " You expect me to collimate?" GF: "No Mr Bond, ..." etc.

Yep. A Cheshire rather than a collimation cap, means you can check the primary collimation using a torch in the dark. But if you are happy that your laser is collimated OK, it's perfectly fine to use it to check the primary. In fact, if you need to make an adjustment, it is easier than a Cheshire, as you don't need 4 feet long arms! Actually, my old shorty Cheshire has the crosshairs removed - it's just acting as a side-lit collimation cap. If I want to align the secondary, I'll use the long Cheshire.

I use a long Cheshire to collimate the dob. But I have a cheap shorty Cheshire that I use if it's just a quick check and simple adjustment of the primary "in the field". Just stick it in and hold the red led torch up to the side port. You can quickly see if the eye hole is within the doughnut. Like an annular ring.

HI, I can't answer your question. But if I could make a suggestion. If you put 'binoculars' in your subject title, you might get more answers. Or put a post in the 'Equipment - Binoculars' forum. Also, have a look at the Binocular Sky website for reviews: https://binocularsky.com/binoc_reviews.php Steve Tonkin is a regular here.