PeterW

I grabbed a screenshot of those 30x60 recently as a website thought I might be interested in them...:-) Obviously a case of specmanship... more number, more better! Would be a lot easier to carry than my actual 30x70, especially if they did give a 7.2degree field at 30x.... could see my own ears...!! Love the advanced Amber coatings... Peter

Hmm, lamp posts are about the right size, the the council doesn’t every single one of them....?! 😉 take the optics out and see what you can do by squeezing and pulling gently. Peter

Have a thread/poll for people to suggest topics, then we could find people to knock up some material. Not being an imager (well not at night time) am I in the minority?! Peter

Make for some interesting diffraction spikes! I once helped a friend sort out reattaching the encoders on his 20” dob when it “went windsock”, though after the scope owner had themselves been sorted out! Glad the glass bits are still in one piece. Peter

If you could stretch to it and didn’t mind individual eye focus then the APM 10x50ED give sharp flat 6.5degs. Peter

Good luck, sounds like for the JB Weld, rough up all the surfaces to get a good bond. I’d leave the chip, unless you’re playing tennis with them it shouldn’t get any worse... shouldn’t be and internal strain to change it... or the glass would be all birefringence. good luck peter

I am rather shocked that neither of the panel have used a Herschel Wedge as they are fairly cheap and deliver the best white light views, especially if you also add a continuum filter. Much cheaper than hydrogen alpha kit though one does need a bit of care when using to ensure adequate filtration at all times: Peter

Search “inclinometer” or “digital clinometer”, there are lots of fairly low cost options. Attach one to a stick and look along it.. then read when the little box says. You can also get plastic ones for school science projects too. peter

I admit I used skysafari around Markarian s chain, orientated for my reflector and with a field of circle... bit lazy I know. I had spent sometime previously with Interstellarum deciding what to chase. “Bright horizon”....!!! Great to hear you getting some clear skies. Peter

Fee fi fo fum.... I smell..... helpihg finding people in the dark... or with social distancing. Peter

Black is probably safer.... just think if someone washed the white one with some red socks..... Peter

@Stu I thought I remembered the Russian One also came in white... there be your answer! Peter

Buy from a company that checks them before they go out. The more high quality models should all come collimated and stay that way unless you whack them hard. Whilst you can “collimate” them yourself, this will only be true for your eyes and your eye spacing, making them possibly less collimated for others. To FULLY collimate bins requires a specialist rig, don’t worry there are people in the UK who can repair/clean and recollimate bins. The costs are reasonable, but probably not cost effective for the cheapest models. Look at Binocular sky’s reviews for good quality models and treat them well and you’ve nothing to worry about. Peter

Dark nebulae..... aghh!! One sort of observing nightmare I have yet to indulge in much (no point with the skies I have, filters offer little if any help either). I have however snagged Barnards E with bins from a dark sky (“UK grade”). Peter

Sharpless 240 and 91 being two of mine... Peter

All this talk about waiting for Orion, what about stuff in Cepheus, more northern Milky Way? Peter

Yes, blame evolution for the rubbish human sensitivity to 656nm, we have to rely on weaker h-beta emission closer to our peak in sensitivity in the blue green. The main colour of the galaxy is red... there is much glowing Hydrogen about. ... some challenges are not worth the effort though... Peter

From a post on another forum, the carrots don’t work, but breathing properly does (don’t hold your breath when observing!) This year the “Horsehead season” has opened early, bit like finding xmas decorations in the shops?! Peter

I’ll give it a look, any sample pages? i note you haven’t added Sharpless nebulae of the Lynds (dark/bright) Or Barnards dark nebulae yet? peter

Simulated vs yours, Wurtzbauer. Pitatus and rima Hesiodus lead me to it. peter

You reckon correctly,I will post once I get back to a computer. Just L-R inverted. Peter

Also, what scope type.. newtonian/refractor were you using, so I know which way up you were looking! Looks like you’re not in the UK, so *roughly* where you are would help, though I think I’m narrowing in on a likely location. L-R inverted image..... Peter

@Sunshine tell us what time you took it and roughly where along the terminator and I’ll have a trawl for yer and see! Peter

I’m now better “virtually tooled you” for when do this again. Ready to give @Stu hard things to go looking for! good session. Peter

Sqm 19.2 when I use my straylight shield on the SQM, around 18.4 without.. flat lights and streetlights!! I use a pair of the 2x “constellation” binoculars to help enable me to find the less obvious constellations from my garden. Peter