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

5 hours ago, Gogleddgazer said:

Starsense Explorer LT was where I started a year ago and I think it is a great and painless entry into stargazing. Really simple and quick to set up, light weight so easy to move if buildimg/tree dodging required to reveal clear losing of sight to targets and remarkably accurate in getting you pointed at exactly the right bit of sky.  Limitations of an inexpensive set up allowed for, i think it is a brilliant system for starting out.

Completely agree, it's the easy picking up and moving which I love 😃

Also, a "Goto" that doesn't need plugged in.

15 hours ago, AL1 said:

I have had a starsense auto align that I got second hand with a complete setup.  I have had it over a year but never used it.  It seems the starsense explorer is something different. 

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!!!!

18 minutes ago, Louis D said:

Why didn't you just get an 8" Dob in the first place?  I've been hauling mine out in one go for 20+ years.  I'm up and going in under 2 minutes.  If I need to dodge a tree or bush, I just pick up the whole thing and move it in one go again.  I've never missed tracking.

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) 😃😉

2 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

I used to have a 200p Newtonian on an EQ-5 mount and heartily disliked this combination, so I understand that you may want to dispose of it.🙂

I would not recommend putting the 200p on the lightweight Nexstar mount. No good ever comes of overloading a mount. On the contrary, the HEQ5 is reckoned to be a more suitable mount for a 200p.

You might consider getting a small scope that suits the Nexstar mount (and does not overload it) as a grab'n go or travel setup.

I kept the EQ-5 as it is an all-purpose mount that will rigidly mount any small or portable scope up to 9Kg, even though I do not use it so much.

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. 

35 minutes ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Good luck with that, but I imagine that tiny old Nexstar mount will be begging for mercy. 😉

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 🤣

19 minutes ago, boulderbelly said:

    why dont you keep the mount constantly situated  just remove the OTA  when  you are finished for the night and cover the mount  with a waterproof neoprene cover?

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 🤔 

21 hours ago, Gmx76 said:

Always reminds me of Star Wars

Yes, absolutely 😃

maybe it's because I have always been a huge sci-fi geek / nerd all my life that I just love seeing the Moon during the day, kind of makes the world seem cool 😊

so yesterday I decided I was going to try my best at using an astrocam I got a while ago, but was pretty unusable on my old Celestron 104GT.

So here is my first attempt at a nice easy target. Just simple snapshots to start with but hopefully will be able to learn it more and get some better results.

Using a Skywatcher 200P EQ5-PRO with a ZWO ASI290MC

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

Check out the Smartphone Imaging section.

Yay, I am not alone in using a mobile for pictures. I do have an Astrocam but I seem to have a lot of problems getting anything decent from it.

I've tried a couple of eyepiece mounts with my Note 10+ but generally find them a bit rubbish. I've been putting the camera up to the eyepiece and getting not too bad results (it's amazing how much your hands move and shake though).

couple of pics today Thursday 28th May, both of the Moon. First is with the Sun out second just a few minutes ago with the sky a lot darker. Note 10+ with Skywatcher 200P (10mm & 32mm).

I think for a hand held in daytime using a Galaxy Note 10+ on a Skywatcher 200p EQ6 with a 10mm eyepiece this is not too bad. Has anyone tried using their mobiles for astro imaging???

1 hour ago, Neil H said:

Hi and welcome it because anything you order for astronomy comes with clouds in the box , I know what it's like all week when I am working we have clear skies and weekend comes and weather changes

figured, typical 😊

46 minutes ago, banjaxed said:

Hi and welcome to SGL. I hope you realise that everyone here will blame you for the cloudy nights 😀

Very probably 😃

why is it that for a few weeks with perfect clear skies waiting for my new scope and mount to turn up and the moment it does cloud cover comes rolling over each night 😃

Ah well, I thought it was time I should join 😊

Hello from Greater London 👋