HollyHound

14 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

Amazon only have 3 box sizes. Large, extra large and super large. 

They have a fourth... don't bother with a box at all and just chuck the unboxed item in the van... happened a few times, fortunately nothing got damaged 🤔

26 minutes ago, Jason B said:

This came (a while back). It's just a moon filter,  which itself is unremarkable;   but what is worth highlighting, is the amount of packaging used for an item that is only slightly larger than a pound coin. I could almost fit my kettle in the box.  I'm an enthusiastic recycler,  but I can't help feeling that there should be more responsibility placed on companies who are now posting ever-increasing amounts of items. 

That's bad, but I've seen far worse from Amazon in the past 😬

40 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

May as well do some reading, I can’t remember what a clear sky looks like unfortunately. Would be nice to get one on one of my days off 🤞

Ditto, I swear the scopes surrounding me in my office are getting restless and planning some kind of revolt if they don't get out again soon 😬

2 hours ago, Carl Au said:

That's a very nice telescope. I was looking for something nice to put on my steel legged AZ4, I think I found it. I talked to FLO today, I just need to be patient till March. I was looking for a planetary scope and something for some double spliting do this fits the bill. I will also use it for white light solar also.  How does the finder shoe fit on to the to the OTA BTW? Thanks in advance.

For lunar, planetary and doubles it's a superb scope. Super sharp, contrasty and vivid is how I describe it. My Mak 127 performs in a similar way, but the image is a little less clean... I've heard it described as "slightly scruffier" on cats compared to a good refractor like this, and I could concur 👍

4 minutes ago, Jason B said:

I could have done with that the other night when I was busy contorting my body to find Andromeda through the straight finder on my DOB.  Another addition to my ever-growing wishlist! 

Absolutely, don't struggle with a straight through finder. Although for the dob you'll find the 9x50 RACI finder is much more useful... more light gathering and also it's correct in both left/right and up/down 👍

4 hours ago, Nakedgun said:

 

Nice! At least you can get one. I've been searching in vain for a 6x30 RACI finder for the past week, or so.

 

I put an “advise when back in stock” request on the @FLO website and a couple came in last week... worth doing 🤔🤞

1 minute ago, johninderby said:

You can use a laser pointer bracket to make a low profile bracket fot the 6x30 bracket. Needs some short nylon screws to replace the long stock ones. Easy mod to remove the middle bit to tuck the finder in close to the OTA.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yosoo-Health-Gear-Adjustable-Astronomical-default/dp/B08CR6H9N4/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=laser+pointer+bracket&qid=1610558021&refinements=p_76%3A419158031&rnid=419157031&rps=1&sr=8-5

John, as always you provide me with more tempting (but extremely useful options). As it happens, on the Mak127, which I use with binoviewers and Hyperion zooms now, the current stalk is just about right... however, I am thinking about this little 6x30 as an option on the StellaMira, so may just get one of these brackets anyway and see how it goes... thanks 👍

14 minutes ago, cupton said:

Thank you for the clarification. Much appreciated! So basically both options I am looking at are roughly 72-inches not including the Bino adapter. Now I just need to decide if I would prefer the trigger grip or a pan head to mount 20x60's on.  I've never used binoculars on a mount before. I guess one of the good things about Amazon is the ease of returning an item. 

Yes the Bino adaptor would extend on top of that. I'm 6'2" and can easily view up to around 50 degrees or more with this fully extended 👍

36 minutes ago, cupton said:

Anyone know if the Amazon tripod and ball head max extended size of 72.6 inches includes the trigger ball head in those dimensions or is that the height of just the tripod. Sorry, I couldn't find that particular bit of info. I was going to message amazon to see if they knew. 

I would could also be mounting some roof 10x50's on whatever mounting option I end up with. Thats my hand holding pair, but I can see mounting them from time to time. 

It does include the trigger ball head... just measured mine.

I keep my Nikon Monarch 8x56 on this setup all the time now, as although they can be hand held, I just love that this can be quickly setup alone or next to a scope and used for quickly looking around the sky 👍

This arrived few days ago, but forgot to post (did make a guest appearance on the Mak when I got the Hyperion Zoom).

Skywatcher 6x30 right angle finder... I've got couple of 9x50 RACI and straight thru 6x30, but this makes life much simpler on the Mak and is just a lovely dinky little thing 😀

3 hours ago, johninderby said:

I also had both but ended up using just the lower one. Found the tall one just too tall.

Ditto... got both, found the 4" too tall eventually so no using the 2" and sold the 4" on... always best to try when possible 🙂

45 minutes ago, Alan White said:

So when is too many shed applicable then?

Simple... when you no longer have enough telescopes to fit in them 👍

Also bear in mind, these are really well built (although quite heavy), have high quality CNC machined tube rings and a decent aluminium carry case (I’ve added my own foam insert to mine).

53 minutes ago, Lockie said:

This combo looks utterly perfect! so just for future reference is that a mount zero and report 312? 

Thanks... Yes, it’s a ScopeTech Zero Mount on Berlebach Report 372 (astronomy variant of 312) with a 3/8” adaptor.

It’s my grab and go mount, but the one I use the most... I also use it with the Mak 127 or C5. With either of these onboard it can be carried out one handed 👍

I'm biased, having had one of these (the original with R&P focuser) since June...

I personally wouldn't buy one of these at all... instead, I'd buy two if I could (one of each)🤣

Super sharp, contrasty, vivid views of the moon, planets and double stars. Superbly built, look stunning and will make you smile every time you use it 👍

Exhibit A... I rest my case 😀

4 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

Thanks, interesting.

I would have been interested at one time, but i now have a pair of 15mm APM Ultraflats 65º so i'm sorted now for mid / high power.

I've used 13mm Naglers before for high power, but always struggled with the tight eye relief, the poor eyecups and the fact they never 'seated well'

in the bino as they had such long barrels. They performed well for high power planetary but i never really liked them.

They were sold last year, and i'm now using 2 x Docter / Noblex UWA 12.5mm. Way to big and heavy, although they perform very well indeed.

Actually, I'm being a bit slow today... it was me who bought the 2x Nagler 13mm T6s from you earlier last year 🤣

I keep hearing good things about APM eyepieces, so really must try one sometime 🤔

21 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

@HollyHound how do you like the 15 Panoptics ?  Its quite rare to see two of them together....!

I often thought about sourcing a pair but not only are they few and far between, but they seem to be not that well liked by the fraternity.

Even David Nagler himself told me at Astrofest one year that they wouldn't be reintroducing them, as they weren't that popular.

Seems odd that the 19s and 24s tick all the boxes (I believe the 24mm Panoptic is or has been Televues best selling eyepiece)

while the 15s seem to have not so well received or liked in comparison.

I have not noticed anything about them not to like, although I've only had them a few months and they were purchased as a pair from here. They compare well to the Panoptic 24 I have (single) and I was actually considering getting a 19 to go with them, but have gone down the route of Pentax XW and Delos instead now.

I got them specifically to use in the binoviewer and they work very well indeed. I've heard some say they have limited eye relief, but as I don't wear glasses when using them, that's not an issue. I also have a pair of Meade 3000 16mm and there is very little between them, but I would say the Panoptic's are perhaps a tiny bit sharper and more contrasty, but it's subtle if anything. Big advantage over the Meades, is the increased FoV (68 vs 50) which is nice, but admittedly for binoviewing I'm not a big fan of huge FoV, so either works for me. I did have a pair of Nagler 13mm T6s, amazing eyepieces, but found the 82 degrees FoV too much for me.

Given that I've now switched to Hyperion Zooms for binoviewing and now have Delos 14mm, there is a very good chance that these Panoptic's will be going up for sale sometime quite soon 🤔

23 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

Those zooms are tempting. What’s the size and weight compared to other eyepieces?

Trying to relate to something you’re familiar with...

They’re certainly significantly bigger than plossls. Similar size/weight to Morpheus 14 or 17.5. About 70% size and weight compared to Delos 14. Similar weight to ES4.7 82, but about 50% larger.

The Hyperion Zoom was the first eyepiece I bought after getting my first scope and it’s been in use constantly, particularly for grab and go. I was comparing it to the set of plossls I’ve been using for the moon (binoviewing) and no difference, except better FoV from about 16mm down to 8mm. In the Mak or StellaMira they’re as good as any other eyepiece for contrast and sharpness, possibly not as good at the edge, but not noticeable on these scopes. 

I think everyone should have one really, just for convenience. Fits 1.25” or 2” and have interchangeable eyepiece top (adjustable or fixed) 👍

Hope that helps

Gary

2 minutes ago, John said:

Actually they are all pretty good - I think it boils down to small things swaying the verdict at that level.

Agreed, it's all quite subtle and sometimes comes down to just ergonomics 🤔

A second Hyperion Zoom to fit (semi) permanently onto my WO binoviewer as a pair, along with a WO erecting prism. I'm almost always binoviewing on the moon now and so the Mak127 has been set up as a lunar/planetary binoviewing rig. Separate plossls/panoptics are great, but the convenience of just adjusting focal length (especially between 16mm and 8mm) with the zoom will make it much more pleasurable, especially for short sessions👍

On 06/12/2020 at 12:10, SMF said:

Hi All,

For interest I’ve used this company for work and for my astro set up. Decent variety of sizes, fair quality at good prices and spare foam is readily available from them. I got through a few as I grew my set up.

https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk

Hope this helps anyone.

Steve

Love this Pentax XW set 😀

First time I've posted on this thread... This is my main eyepiece case, which is a deep Geoptik case as I prefer to have them stored vertically:

Top Row: Paracorr II, ES4.7 82, Burgess/TMB 8, Delite 18.2, Panoptic 24, XW 7.

Middle Row: Hyperion x2.25 Zoom, BCO 6, Celestron Ultima 12.5, ES 2x 1.25" Extender,  Delite 13, Delos 14, XW 10.

Bottom Row: WO Binoviewer with Panoptic 15 (x2), WO 1.25" diagonal (to swap with Baader prism), XW 20, XW 30 (with dioptrx).

Plus a lunar filter and UHC filter. A few more eyepieces stored elsewhere that get swapped in/out or used for grab and go.

Some of the eyepieces are being assessed against a few others I have with a few to swapping them out permanently... I still haven't had a chance to test the ES4.7 against a tele-extended XW10, but the Delite 13 is likely to go now, as the Delos 14 is favoured at that focal length (having already beaten the XW14 and Morpheus 14), and the Delite 18.2 is currently being tested against the Morpheus 17.5, but they are both really good in their own way... decisions, decisions🤔🤣

The binoviewer has just now been fitted (pretty much) permanently onto the Mak127 along with two Hyperion Zooms, as I am using this primarily for lunar and much prefer binoviewing for the moon now, so its space may get used for any additional eyepieces 👍

I've just found the original eBay listing (see screenshot) from last year, they were in fact listed separately from the ST80, but from the same seller (and previously used together as a guide scope) and this was the description. Not sure if this helps, but that's all the information I have...

I can say however that this was both the cheapest and possibly most flexible scope purchase I've ever made... the ST80 is a fantastic little grab and go scope too... perfect for NEOWISE back in the summer👍

1 minute ago, johninderby said:

Look for guide scope rings.

Something similar to this, I guess... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tube-rings/adm-rings-on-v-series-dovetail-adapters.html, however these are not the same as mine.

15 minutes ago, Dean Hale said:

Back where it belongs. 😀 Can I ask. Are those tube rings a DIY job or can you buy them? Look ideal for my little 102 as I cannot get standard tube rings to fit.

Yes indeed, back home 🙂

Not 100% sure, as I bought this ST80 already fitted with the rings and dovetail (plus a lovely GSO 2" Crayford focuser) on "that auction site" back in Feb 2020. They're very useful, as I can mount this on the second saddle of the iOptron AZ Mount Pro (or now of course the Castor) and very quickly align the ST80 with the main scope, to use as a wide field or "finder" scope 👍

I've had a quick look and there's no manufacturer name or other identifier anywhere. I'm guessing they're guide scope rings though, as they have the three screws on each to allow quick and easy adjustment. They have an outer diameter of 140mm and inner diameter of 126mm, maybe that identifies them to someone 🤔