Pixies

Just been reading the following thread - is that the modification you mention? However, it looks different to what I have: Mine: Astro Systems: in fact, the black knob shows up in the Vixen exploded diagram: So I'm not sure of that is the aforementioned modification.

I live on the coast in a Bortle 6 zone. To the south and west is a significant amount of light pollution which heavily restricts what I can see lower down in those directions. However, to the North and East, towards the sea and some more open countryside, it is noticeably darker. On a good night, I can just make out the milky way closer to the horizon in that direction. I've been tempted to take the scopes down to the beach, but I know what happens to the cars parked outside - so I refrain from doing so.

Yey! The polar scope illuminator still works! The old battery was still in there. Lots of blue fuzzy corrosion to remove (and my fingers are still a bit 'stingy') A quick question about the mount, and I can't see anything in the manual. What is this knob for?:

Whatever you get, bear in mind that the 8mm and 12mm BSTs are considered the best of the range. The 18mm is a bit soft at the edges. I've not used the 15mm or 25mm.

I've probably been a bit hasty in my dismissal of the tripod. It is missing a few bits and pieces and the spreader is rusting away. It definitely requires more work than the mount itself. I do fancy a wooden one, but my woodworking skills fall far behind my metalworking. If I can't fix the legs, I'll see if I can fit the head to a wooden tripod of some kind.

Note taken about not stripping it down. I've seen plenty of posts recently about getting the lubrication wrong and then the mount starts playing up. However, the perfectionist in me wants to replace/fix anything rusty. So the various bolts, grubs, etc. I'll source new stainless versions and replace them all. I'm assuming that if I do everything one-by-one, nothing will spring open or fall apart.

Nice. Will be interested to see how this goes. Does the new focuser allow you to adjust alignment/collimation?

I bought a secondhand Vixen Custom-80M refractor a few days ago. I wasn't after a mount or tripod, but this came with such. Unfortunately it appears to have been stored outside or somewhere not very dry. The scope is in great condition, though. The fact that this is effectively free means I can happily try to fix it and smarten it up as a summer project. When done, I can keep it or sell it on. The tripod looks pretty much junk. However, the actual mount appears to work perfectly but is suffering mainly cosmetic issues. All screws/bolts/grubs appear corroded on external faces. Any chrome (slo-mo controls, counterweight-bar, etc.) is peeling. Needing fixed: The RA slo-mo rod is bent, as is the counterweight bar. The rod end is missing too. The RA clutch lever is snapped. So dear reader - do you know of any service manuals or sources of spare parts? Do you have any tips or experience with such work that you are willing to share? I've seen a previous post (from many years ago) which has an exploded parts diagram. I don't imagine there are any sources of spares in Europe, let alone the UK. Also - any suggestions for a suitable tripod? Cheers Neil.

Ah ha! perhaps it's the difference in temperature, but now the dew shield comes off very easily, leaving the (non-collimatable) lens cell behind. That wasn't happening yesterday:

Sorted out the finder. externally, it looks similar to a modern Vixen-type, but it's completely different. What you think might be just the holder bracket, is actually part of the finder. The eyepiece unscrews from the holder: To reveal the cross-hairs, which are a separate unit - in this case with additional cobweb: Once cleaned and re-inserted, you can see how the 3 adjusters (complete with lock nuts), move just the cross-hairs within the finder's optical tube! Focusing appears to be done by adjusting the objective end, but I need to get hold of a really really small allen key first!

I believe the Skywatcher's eyepiece adapter already has a T2 thread, so the camera can attach directly with more inward focus. See this vid from around 2:30:

Just in from first light. It's probably a wee bit too long for the mount/tripod I have: an AZ5 on a Manfrotto 055. I have to wait 5 seconds or so after focusing for the vibrations to stop. I'll see if I can improve that with different configurations. Anyway. I thought I'd try some doubles in Bootes. Started with Izar. Seeing OK, but not perfect. I could get the secondary popping in and out outside of the primary's diffraction ring. The colour differences were clear, larger yellow and smaller green. At times, the split was clear. x114 Xi Boo. Easy split at x45, even when tiny. The contrast is a real contrast (sorry) to the view in the dob. Next was Alkalurops (Mu Boo). Nearer the zenith, the seeing was much better. This looked fantastic - again at x114. The tight pair of the triple was clearly split, even though they were tiny and much fainter. Finally I thought I'd have a shot at Delta Cygni. No luck with this one. The seeing wasn't great, viewing the double over rooftops. At times I thought there was a bulging in the diffraction ring at "9 o'clock", but nothing obvious. All in all I was very impressed. I replaced the visual back with the one off my ST80, which meant I could use my usual diagonal and EPs. I tried the 0.96" ones, but the view was tiny. The finder need some attention. I'm not sure what's happened to the crosshairs - perhaps it's dust or cobwebs, possible some cracks/damage though. Also, I can't easily adjust the finder angle using the 3 screws. I'm not keen to try and disassemble it without seeking advice either, as things are tight or stuck. I'll have a look online for any user manuals. But the scope itself is great.

Got it fixed onto the ST80's rings temporarily. I'll need to source the correct bolts for the Vixen rings and a new dovetail. Hopefully the clouds will stay away now!

One quick question for starters - for anyone who has/had one: I tried to remove the dew-shield but it only appears to unscrew. However, I can see that the lens cell appears to rotate with it, so I'm a little worried I will end up removing that too. Can the dew-shield be removed without loosening the lens cell?

A very nice chap was selling this locally on Facebook and I managed to get first shout on it. I don't know if he is on this site, but if he is - "hello there"! I posted a pic on the Astro Lounge forum earlier, but I thought I'd start its own thread, as I have a few questions about it. @Johnkindly sent a link to a gushing review on an Italian website. I haven't had a chance with first-light yet, but I might be able to get that done tonight, if I pull my finger out. It came with a Vixen Super Polaris mount and tripod, but that has seen better days. I night try and fix it up over the summer. Anyway, here are some pics:

Thanks @John, I even have the flouro-green round eyepiece case. I'm going to start a thread of its own, as I have a few questions about it, and there appears to be a few previous owners on the site.

And unboxed. There's a matching EQ mount and tripod, but they are in need of some TLC.

Oh no! The wife is going to kill me! Technically it wasn't delivered, I had to pick it up myself.

I'll say very close to HD 220167. Mag 7.2

Talking about: It's still not dark enough here, yet. If it doesn't hurry up I'll have had one too many beers to be of any use. But still - it's warm enough to be outside in a T-shirt!

Nice report. Even in the current bright skies, I can find the Ophiucus clusters more easily in my 10x50 than my ST80. What finder are you using, or are you using a wide-field EP? Mind you, the Cat's Eye nebula needs some magnification, other wise it just looks very star-like. I've never tried to view it with the ST80, but it's fine in the 8" dob. I haven't tried M71 since last year, when I was just beginning. My observing notes aren't very detailed, other than just finding it. The dumbbell nebula is quite near that too. It's looking clear here tonight, so I might try M71 and M27 if I can stay up late enough when they'll clear the roof. Tonight is the last night of nautical darkness for me!

Haven't tried the 25mm Vixen NPL, but I do have the 30mm and it is a vast improvement over standard EPs. I wouldn't say it was up to something like the 12mm BST, but the edge softness of the Vixen is very much less obvious than the lower powered BSTs. Also, the true FOV of the 25mm BST is pretty much equal to the 30mm Vixen NPL.

A red dot finder will work well alongside the RACI, so this is a useful solution.

Surprise clear night, although not really dark. Waited till 1am. Nova brightness half-way between HD220770 (7.8) and HD220167 (7.2) - so I'd say 7.5 tonight.

THAT'S ENOUGH!