Pixies

I beleive it's https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/celestron-starpointer-pro-finderscope.html

Roger N Clarke has his own (old) website: https://clarkvision.com/visastro/

Having started recently, like you, I found star-hopping tricky to start with. I think the mistake I was making, was to expect to be able to do a lot of star-hopping from the eyepiece. The view is so tight and magnified that it is hard to correlate with whatever star chart you are referring to. I'm sure those with much more experience than me (most here) have better success with this, but speaking as a newbie, this was the hardest and most frustrating part for me. Just one knock and I had to start from scratch. There is very little chance of working out where you are in the sky from the EP view. I found that it was quicker and easier if you could get pretty close to the final location using the finder(s). If the object is in the FOV of the widest-angle EP when you first look, then it's as good as done. Even if it's hard to see a faint DSO, at least you will be able to match the stars you can see with those in the starchart you are using. The game-changer for me was to use a non-magnifying finder (a Telrad in my case) along with a good magnifying finder (a RACI). The Telrad means I can get straight onto the location of the nearest visible star, then the RACI finder is easy to hop using medium magnitude stars - but perhaps those not visible to the naked eye. Being a RACI means that I'm not on my knees either. For simple objects, like planets, just the Telrad is enough. Sorry if I am teaching granny to suck eggs! (not sure what that really means - but I'm sure you get the drift)

Last night I was pondering Aquila (as one does), and thinking about a pattern I notice more than the constellation itself. There's a curve of bright stars at the eagle's tail (which contains the Wild Duck cluster), that always catches my eye. Which isn't even part of Aquila, or even Scutum. The latter is unnoticeable to me. I'll need to give it a name - le Croissant, perhaps. Do any of you have your own asterisms?

Mind you - it's a sellers' market just now. So many people are waiting for supplies to return to normal, with stories of 2-3 month waiting lists. If you see a secondhand 200p for sale in good nick, you'll need to move quickly!

Well. They went off by 2am! On the plus side, these arrived today -which will help:

Wasn't expecting to get one of these so soon, but it case up on AB&S. Virtually unused, still in original packaging.

Some plank has decided that it would be a good idea to install some giant spotlights in Edinburgh and illuminate the night sky to celebrate the International Festival (that's online). Any further attempts at this are knackered now, until they decide to turn them off!

Hi The latest Bressers come with solar filters included, I believe. Mine certainly did, and I have heard the same from a few others too.

As if by magic, a Hyperion Zoom and matching barlow appear on Astro B&S! Sorted!

Brilliant! I haven't watched an old one for ages! This new-fangled Kuiper belt malarky!

Hi. You use BSTs, don't you? What phone adapter do you use? Cheers

Thanks Vlaiv, I was thinking about making a mask to remove diffraction spikes (just a simple single circular hole), so I might go ahead and make a 4-hole one, too!

Vlaiv, What would happen if you tried the following type of mask to hide the 4 spider vanes?

I agree. Last week I found the sky has cleared around 2am! No time to get the big scope out, but within minutes I was checking out Andromeda, m13, the double cluster, Albireo, etc. with the bins. I use them before a new star hop, to check out the area, as they have a similar view to my finder. Also a good way to spend the time waiting for the scope to cool. I'm heading away for the coming weekend to a Bortle4 zone with the family for a break. I can't take the scope, but the bins will be coming with me! 'Mon the bins!

I think the mention of collimation between uses was to avoid confusion with the large truss dobs, which do. It mentioned no need to reassemble, too! Collimation isn't hard once you've done it a few times. It takes only a few minutes when you are practised. For some info/suggestions about this scope, see our very own DIY Astronomy: He has several videos.

Arrived today. If only it had arrived yesterday, as I had views of both gas giants last night, and now clouds for this week and then holibags..

There were a spate of Heritage 150 scope with the same, rather than the usual etched surface.

I agree. But as I was obviously missing a magnification that might have helped last night, I was tempted. But - I think the temptation for the Hyperion zoom (and Q Barlow) is greater....

John, is that the specific Hyperion Zoom barlow, or the Classic Q one?

My 18mm and 12mm are BST Starguiders, so it would be rude not to go for the 15mm! I particularly like the 12mm (100x in my Bresser 8"), esp for globs.

OK - I gave it a shot tonight. I split both at 100x but could only split one at 67x - the other being a 'snowman'. I find it hard to confirm the split - it's almost as if my vision is blurring, a bit like floaters smudging the clarity of the stars. Is this my eyes or the viewing conditions? Later, I tried Iota Cass for the first time. The triple is very beautiful and I managed to split the tighter pairing at 100x. It seemed much easier on the eyes, perhaps because of the colour differences. So, I need a 15mm EP next, to give me 80x. Or perhaps a bit of overtime is required and I'll look to get a Baader Hyperion Zoom

I need all my excuses ready now

Likewise, but I'll give it a shot too. Does LP from a full moon affect the splitting of doubles?

Use plumbers PTFE tape. It's very thin and stretchy - almost like applying layer of paint. It's used in plumbing joints to make them waterproof. As you screw down, it will be pushed into the threads. https://www.screwfix.com/p/ptfe-tape-12m-x-12mm/76841