Franklin

Vixen SLV's are top notch for high power use. Get the 2.5mm!

I'll second that. Been viewing from 11.00am and the seeing is fabulous. Incredible detail around multiple sunspot groups using 102ed f11 and Lunt wedge with SC filter and BHZ. Best white light views I've had yet!😁

Yes, I didn't know what eyepieces to get for the bino's. The WO 20mm pair that came with the bino's work great and a wide field as well. I have had a Baader zoom for a while and am very impressed with it so I've picked up a another zoom second hand. It's all I need and they appear to be working great. The only faff is that when changing the magnification on the zooms I have to remember to hold the base of the eyepiece as well, so I don't turn the bino's diopter adjustments.

Excellent seeing over Sheffield despite the high cloud. Fantastic image of Saturn.👍

The fact that you can push the scopes limits with the BST 3.2mm in good seeing shows the quality of the optics. I've put the Starbase on my xmas list. Still can't get over those pics you posted, they're like APO.

I read your review of the Starbase with interest and the images you have posted there are just amazing. You have a very fine 3" refractor there, enjoy!

I was trying out my new WO bino viewers tonight and saw Io and it's shadow leave Jupiters disk around 10pm ish. The seeing was very good and the high hazy clouds where acting like an ND filter. The bino's had x1.6 barlow in the nosepiece and a pair of BHZ eyepieces, 224x on the 8mm setting. The scope was a 102ed f11. All I can say is WOW. I've seen a few shadow transits but through the binoviewers it was in 3D. Totally knocked my socks off. Plenty of belt detail and the GRS as well. Stunning. Earlier viewing Saturn I saw the shadow of the planet on the rings, the shadow of the rings on the planet, the cassini division and the equatorial belts. Getting to like this binoviewing, bit of a faff setting it all up but definately worth it.

Mam tor probably better, Edale car park has lamps.

Yes, there's a pay and display at the foot of the village. There was (been a while since I was up there) a camp site (farmers field) higher up towards KinderScout. It's pretty remote up there being the start of the Penine Way but if the forcast is good I can't think of anywhere with darker skies in the Peak District area. The Surprise does have a panoramic view but it's also just off the main road and next to the Fox House pub so I wouldn't go up there, especially if alone, not with all the nutters about these days! Edale is well out of the way, a dead end. The only people up there are hill farmers and mountaineers.

Bortle 5 around there. High up and panaramic view of the sky but still quite close to Sheffield and it's glow. Edale up the other end of the Hope valley is better.

Are Home Observatory UK still in business ? Rate this topic By Graham Beamson, March 15 in DIY Observatories There is this thread in DIY Observatories.

I think that's going to seal the deal. To be used at f7.4 so low edge distotion sounds promising and no-undercuts. Thanks for all the advice. Will probably go for the Altair version.

Is there much difference between the APM/Altair UFF 24mm 65deg and the ES 24mm 68deg ?

Looking to get an eyepiece for low-power widefield in the 1.25" format. The Televue Panoptic 24mm 68deg seems to be the standout but a bit beyond my budget. Would I be right in thinking that the Explore Scientific 24mm 68deg is the poor mans version or are there other alternatives that I am unaware of?

Celestron Powertank Glow5000 Rechargeable Red Flashlight and Power Bank | eBay

I dropped my red light torch the other night and it broke so after a quick search, Google found me this. Not seen it before so I think it's new. It is a rechargable red flashlight and USB powertank combi. The main reason I got it is because it is rechargable and will save on batteries but the USB powertank function will come in handy for boosting my tablet which I run the mobile Stellarium app on. The flashlight has a nice even illumination and has 3 brightness settings. One button which cycles through Off-Low-Medium-High-Off. All red light, there is no white light. Another use which is a great bonus for me is that I can power my single axis RA motor drive on the EQ5 off the 5V DC powertank. I have been using a 10000mAH USB powerbank instead of those old fashioned battery packs they still supply with the drives (remind me of a 1970's door bell). As the name suggests the Celestron torch powertank has a 5000mAH lithium battery with an overload cutoff. This is half what I've been using but the 10000mAH can run all night so the 5000mAH should be great for a back-up power supply. The torch has a square profile so will not roll, comes with a wrist strap and two stretch bands for attaching to a tripod leg. There is also a USB charging lead. Overall I am very impressed with this new torch from Celestron although the price at £34.95 is probably a bit more than I would expect to pay for a torch. However, the powertank function will be very handy and being rechargable will pay for itself over time. Just as long as I don't drop this one as well.

I've lost family to heart disease and the BHF do great work so I'm glad they got a decent amount for them. Fair play to whoever won the auction without inspecting them first.

Now that's a telescope! The rotary eyepiece turret is similar to one I had on an old Unitron 75mm refractor.

Was it called Vixen Sensor 102? I had a Vixen 4" on a fork in the 80'S and it was called "Sensor". Never heard of or seen one since?

I always let the sheep have a look.

I think they will go for over £2000.

Black paper, white pencil?

More vintage goodies here. http://yumarin7.saku...jp/Csiryou.html

Something very similar in this vintage Vixen catalogue http://yumarin7.saku...n/Vixen1981.pdf page 7, 4th scope along.

You might need a 2" extension holder between the visual back and the eyepiece in 2" mode. There's not a lot of difference between the stop point on the BHZ in either mode but you must be taking out the 2" to 1.25" adaptor to use in 2" mode and that will account for some extension. Try loosening the eyepiece holder in 2" and pull the whole zoom out until you get focus. That will be the size of extension you will need.