Pixies

The Hyperions don't work well in fast scopes. Yours will be F5? Some of the range will have significant distortions away from the centre of the field of view

Either sets will be good - although don't write off a zoom. However, a zoom had the disadvantage that at how power, the FOV reduces, so it's not suitable a a wide-angle finder EP. With whatever you choose, it's just the start of your EP purchasing journey! You can change your mind later and if you want to replace anything, the resale of good EPs isn't too bad.

If you are going to barlow a 24mm eyepiece (albeit a x2.25 one). It'll effectively be a 10.7mm EP. In your scope: 24mm = 50x magnification 12mm = 100x magnification barlowed 24mm = 120x barlowed 12mm = 200x which isn't the best spread of magnifications, IMHO. Many would suggest a spread using a common multiplier, say 1.4: 50 = 24mm ES (£138) 70 = 17mm ( 18mm BST = £42 with bulk discoount) 100 = 12mm ( 12mm BST = £42 with bulk discoount) 140 = barlowed 17mm ( Baader Classic Q - £39) 200 = barlowed 12mm = £261 This would be an evenly spread range from a good wide-field (x50) up to the max x200 for planetary viewing on very good nights / double star splitting.. Or you could keep the ES and Barlow, and replace the BSTs with the smaller OVL Hyperflex zoom (£69): https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ovl-eyepieces/hyperflex-72mm-215mm-eyepiece.html which would be £246

The first time I went looking for M81 and M82, it took me about 20 minutes to find them. This was with the basic straight finder on a Bresser 8" dob. Now, it takes me about 30 seconds, with a Telrad and a big RACI finder. Hell, I can even see then in the finder on a good night. These things take practise and experience. Having a finder setup that works for you helps, too. But with all of this manual finding, you are slowly learning the night sky. Soon, you'll be offering sagely advise to noobs, too

And, drum roll....

Completely lost track and forgot to add my final sketch. Here it is:

I agree with the others - just get on and get some use out of your scope. The star test is the final arbiter of collimation. But when you want to try again, here are a couple of things: 1. Make sure the secondary holder is parallel with the vane-assembly (I'm not sure what the best names for all these parts are, though). Basically, wind the mirror back up the tube (tightening the centre bolt and loosening the adjusters) until the mirror holder is flat up against the top part (with the adjusters just touching). Then, bit-by-bit, move the mirror back down the tube by loosening the centre bolt (anti-clockwise) by half a turn and then taking up the slack by tightening the adjusters by exactly the same amount each. Keep doing this until the secondary is under the focuser. Then you can do the usual adjustments but know that you are starting with the secondary holder exactly parallel with the vanes. 2. I had a similar problem which was down to the fact that the adjusters had dug 'holes/grooves' into the secondary holder. However well I centered the secondary, once I tried to make further adjustments, the holder slipped back into the usual position. This was because of my cack-handedness originally by over-tightening the adjusters. Easily fixed by adding a steel washer between the adjusters and the secondary holder.

I'd say a RACI and a Telrad together make a really effective combination.

6 posts and already buying more stuff! Welcome to Star Gazers Lounge! 😉😆

For £200, the scope that is often most recommended here is the Skywatcher Heritage 150p. However, it might not be the best one to attach a smartphone to, as the focuser is a little more flexible that the usual solid-tubed dobs. Because of the current supply shortages of new scopes, your best bet might be to keep an eye on the Astro secondhand market - perhaps for the biggest dobsonian you can find/afford. The For-Sale section here is very safe and reliable. Astro kit is usually well looked after.

This is a good place to start:

Although I'm quite new to this. I have some older EPs. I goit the Circle-T's after they were recommended on here to someone else. I liked the idea of an older 'basic' EP that outperformed modern expensive ones in certain circumstances. Certainly during the recent Mars conjunction, the 7mm UO provided the best view, although there was a lot of nudging involved. I love their 'contrasty' views. I got the 4mm for star tests. The Circle-V Erfle I picked up locally secondhand, purely out of curiosity. I'll probably sell it soon, as my dob is too fast for it, at F/6.

Is the rose in focus? You shouldn't be able to focus on something that close, normally. Do you have any kind of extension fitted to the focuser? Could you send a pic of your setup, please?

Washout here too. However, the skies cleared around 9pm and from 10pm it was beautifully clear. Had the little Mak out for a quick play before bed. Roll on the 24th...

For £150, a lot of people will recommend this one: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html But there's still a long wait for that - although I'm seeing a few come up secondhand, recently. Astronomers keep their kit in good shape, so as long as you buy from a proper Astro used gear site (like here) you should be good.

That's a star in line with Jupiter's moons - outside of Callisto: I was getting worried with the number of moons I could see!

Beautiful clear skies in Edinburgh. I managed to bag the gas giants with my little 90mm Mak. The dob is too low to get a view over the garden wall. So strange to see them both so tight together in a 25mm EP. Saturn was almost as close to Jupiter as Callisto was. Couldn't make out any of Saturn's moons in the little Mak, though. I'm happy enough with this evening's view, if tomorrow is clouded out.

A specific 'leisure' battery would be better, like the types in caravans/boats/campervans. It's designed to withstand being discharged frequently. A car battery is designed to have a constant charging current available when being used.

here you go. It's the Hyperflex: There is one in the offers section of the FLO website, for £61

For the Mak, an inexpensive 32mm Plossl EP will give you the widest field possible. You could get (will need) a better one for a wide view on the Newt. Mind you, the PDS is designed for AP, isn't it? I have the Baader IV zoom and love it (got it secondhand). However, there are cheaper/smaller ones around that get great reviews. A zoom and a widefield are good ways to start, I reckon.

And to strain the metaphor even further. An expert driver in a Mini can beat a learner in a Porche around a track. Observing is a skill to be learned and I've probably reached my 'P' plate stage. There are lots of good instructors on this forum.

Snap with the Altair. How do you find the Hyperion works with a F3.75 scope?

Can you send a pic?

Cool, thanks. I've seen it in the scope but not the bins. It's on the list, now.

After 2 weeks of unbroken clouds, a hint of 'orange' on Clear Outside led me to check the skies at midnight. It was lucky I did, as I found the clouds clearing from the south, with half the sky perfectly clear. It wasn't particularly cold either; I was outside in a hoodie, no coat required (although my wife always moans that I don't feel the cold, especially when I'm turnign the heating down). So I settled down in a deckchair to watch for some Geminids and took the bins out too. After a half-a-dozen bright meteors (in less than 10 minutes) I started to scan the sky for some familiar sights. I've only had a telescope since lockdown started, but binoculars for many years. However, what I've seen this year in the dob means I can observe things now with fresh eyes and look for things that I never realised I could see with binoculars before. To start with - the usual suspects. Andromeda, Double Cluster, Perseus moving group, Pleiades, Hyades, Great Orion Cluster, Behive (first time this season). However, I paid more attention to M42 now that I've seen in up close, and I'm sure I could see some nebulosity around the stars to the north of it. Is the Running Man nebula visible is binoculars (Bortle 5/6)? Also managed to catch a meteor in the binocular view of the Beehive cluster. The sky was fantastically transparent and Auriga was directly ahead, so I thought I would try and observe the clusters around there. And lo and behold I could! M35, M36, M37 and M38 - with the 'leaping minnow' pointing the way. Just round grey smudges, but perfectly distinct. All the time, I'm aware of the shooting stars around me, too. But I have an early start tomorrow, so couldn't stay out too long. Who knows when it'll be clear again! I'm desperate to see the conjunction over the next week or so. Fingers crossed.