EdG

There is a new edition of Bang! being released this month - a very user friendly and pretty history of the universe (with lots of nice pictures). Bang!! 2: The Complete History of the Universe https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1787398277/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_TW0S1MR2EPWJVNX7MJNB

Completely agree, it's the easy picking up and moving which I love 😃 Also, a "Goto" that doesn't need plugged in.

Yes, it is a combination of a mount with a mirror and phone holder - you download the app and it uses your phones GPS and camera to work out where you are and what you are pointing at the sky. It's really clever and amazingly it works. It then uses a goto system that tells you where to point your scope for whatever you are trying to find.

I feel your pain, trying to explain to someone (especially a child) that they shouldn't grab hold of the telescope to look is pretty tricky. Thankfully my daughter is a non-grabby nearly 18 year old 😃

So last night we finally got clear skies after some heavy rain and me and my daughter got to try out some proper observing with my new Celestron Starsense DX 6" SCT. The app is is really nice and we were easily able to jump from object to object with the least amount of hassle. We started off at Andromeda, before turning round to Jupiter, then a sneaky little pan left to get Neptune (just as a cloud rolled over it). We then went for the Hercules Cluster which gave me the opportunity to try out one of the best things about Starsense..... my house was in the way, so I picked up the mount walked down the garden a bit and Starsense pointed me straight back towards the Hercules Cluster again. Then we finished off with Alberio which looked incredible. Everything was observed with either a 32mm or 12mm Celestron Omni eyepiece. To me the best telescope is the one you use - and I'll be using this new scope a lot (took less than 2 minutes to move out into the garden and have Starsense up and running) 👍😃

So I finally managed to do some quick observing with my new Celestron Starsense DX 6" SCT, this morning at 8:40 with bright sunshine and a glorious blue sky 🤣 I've not been able to try out the Starsense feature yet, but I am really pleased with this view. Taken with a Galaxy Note10+ with a 32mm Celestron Omni lens.

So, I've got myself a new scope (Celestron Starsense DX 6" SCT) and I'm really looking forward to trying it out....... The weather found out!!!!

At the time I was living in very light polluted West London and that seemed like good bang for bucks, but now moved back home to the rather darker skies of South Ayrshire 😃 It is a good telescope but just too much hassle in moving it. Still, my new scope has now arrived and I can actually pick up the box without giving myself a hernia 🤣🤣🤣

Just as a quick update - I have a Celestron Starsense DX 6" SCT being delivered today which I am really looking forward to trying out (and being able to pick up) 🤣 The 200P with EQ5 Pro is up for sale (if anyone is interested) 😃😉

I'm thinking of getting one of the Celestron Starsense SCTs as a quick setup and go scope, from what I've seen they look pretty neat.

Probably, but it didn't sound as if it was dying 🤣 I've got a power supply for it so will see how it goes, I suppose the main test will be whether it properly goes to and tracks objects 👍

I may have come up with a temp solution...... I have an old Celestron Goto Mount in my garage (the one they used for the 104GT Costco Special). Very lightweight (easy to pick up), but I've just tried my 200P in it and it didn't tip over or drop off and actually seemed to move OK with the arrow keys. I'll give that a go on the next clear night 🤞 and see how it goes, then I might just have an EQ-5 Pro Mount for sale 🤣

My dog would likely use it as target practice 🤣🤣🤣 It is a good idea though 😊

I think I'll likely go for a 5" or 6" Maksutov on an AZ Goto Mount - have to try and sell the biggie first though 🤣

Hi all, I've got an Skywatcher 200p with an EQ5-Pro Goto Mount, it's a great telescope and all that...... But....... It is a bit cumbersome and heavy to constantly break down, move and then set back up again if I want to view something, then to do the same when putting it back indoors. Would it be worth selling it on and getting a smaller scope (recommendations welcome) - looking on places like Ebay they seem to be going for more than I originally paid for it 🤔