Andy0306

Just buy some pick & pluck foam, much easier. This is one seller on ebay, but loads of others if they don't have the size you need. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pick-and-Pluck-Foam-Storage-Tray-Select-Your-Depth-Great-for-G-W-Tabletop/183525502055?

I've got one as occasionally have to go into an industrial freezer. Keep you nice and warm and good for -25

Just a thought about your balcony issue. I suspect the hand railing is 1100mm high, so with a short Mak on the tripod, you would only need to have it just above the rails. Therefore you wouldn't need to fully extend the legs, keeping the footprint of the tripod smaller.

The SVbony diagonal isn't too bad and pretty cheap. I took a punt on one from the Banggood website https://www.banggood.com/search/svbony-diagonal.html as you can at least pay by PayPal. Took a couple of weeks, but it did arrive without issue.

Have you tried gently pulling on the draw tube as you turn the focuser? If there are a couple of teeth missing, it may re-engage and bring the tube fully out.

Buy a Pentax camera with their Astrotracer system

This might help explain

+1 for yr.no From the link above, click a day and then expand the table. Shows cloud cover hourly, although most days are showing 100, so not looking great.

I have considered a zoom eyepiece, but thinking this will be one for another day. Just need to use the scope more and build over time

The SVbony range seems to get decent reviews, so probably worth a look at their diagonal. I am leaning towards the BST 5mm as my next eyepiece, with maybe a 15mm and 2x barlow at some point later.

Your right in that it is uncomfortable to use, I think I definitely need more eye relief. I've read differing views on diagonals, mostly on this site. I will need to change it at some point, as the screw that holds the eyepiece in has stripped the threads of the plastic. I'm thinking maybe get a 9mm eyepiece (with decent eye relief) with a 2x barlow, which I believe should get me around 146x mag. Any more suggestions welcome

Just to note, I'm aware of the scopes limitations and I'm not expecting miracles. I had a Skywatcher Skyliner 150P, so know what I'm missing, but I needed a smaller more portable scope and this fits the description.

Hi, I currently own a Celestron Onmi XLT 102 F6.5 frac, this one https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/reviews/mounts/celestron-omni-xlt-az-102/ I've used the scope a few times on the usual suspects, Jupiter, Saturn, Pleiades and Mars with differing results. Pleiades was great with the supplied 25mm eyepiece, Saturn and Jupiter were OK, but lacked any detail, which I wasn't expecting given the scope size and 25mm eyepiece. My kids bought me a Vixen NPL 8mm, but i'm struggling with focus, especially on Mars. I can get more detail on Saturns rings, but not enough to see the Cassini division. I fully understand the above may be a limitation of the scope (and my eyes), but I would like to try and improve things. My options are below, but which one would give the best upgrade first? Replace the erecting mirror diagonal for a dielectric? Get a different eyepiece, but which. Add a 2x Barlow? One thing to add is that I have astigmatism, so may need decent eye relief. Thanks in advance

The entertaining Astrobiscuit went to the site below, which you can see in his video, also below. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/VacationRentalReview-g551655-d2433499-Yonder_Shippon-Widecombe_in_the_Moor_Dartmoor_National_Park_Devon_England.html

How much do you want to spend https://www.theheatcompany.com/en-gb/gloves