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sputniksteve

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Everything posted by sputniksteve

  1. sputniksteve
    Hello and welcome! I joined here earlier in the year and have found it to be a warm and welcoming place full of tremendous expertise and knowledge. Those binos will come in handy. Always nice to go back to scanning the skies with binos. And enjoy your new scope!
  2. sputniksteve
    It's a bit like with Neowise the other week. Or with something like M31 -- once you've seen it in binos or a scope it's easier to see it with the naked eye. I suspect it's probably a combination of the things you've outlined.
  3. sputniksteve
    Yeah, I’ve taped it up for now with electrical tape.
  4. sputniksteve
    Hello. Does anyone know if this Astromaster tripod spreader is the same as the one for the Skymax GOTO? https://www.celestron.co.uk/shop/celestron-astromaster-tripod-spreader/
  5. sputniksteve
    Is it possible to date these OTAs? I notice pics online, such as RVO of it on this mount are black with black ends. Mine is black with white ends.
  6. sputniksteve
    I’ll take some pics later in the week. If I get the tracking sorted I’ll also try a bit of at the eyepiece pics on my phone.
  7. sputniksteve
    I’ve no idea which series handset - how would I find out?
  8. sputniksteve
    Yeah. This is what I’m seeing on the Twitters.
  9. sputniksteve
    I went ahead and bought it! It was a three hour round trip, but I got some observing in. Need to get my head around proper alignment, but just resigned to slewing tonight. Even with the naff eyepieces, Saturn looked gorgeous. There was a 2x barlow and a reasonably nice non-stock 12.5mm. Using these together gave a great view of Saturn - really clear Cassini's division and some cloud banding. Just need to figure out alignment and buy some good eyepieces. Was a bit cross with him about the damage to the accessory tray struts through. He'd got it all set up looking sturdy when I viewed it, but as soon as I came to assemble it at home it fell apart. I've wrapped some electrical tape around it for now. These are the seller's pics.
  10. sputniksteve
    What would you consider to be a reasonable price for a Skymax 127 on the old goto mount, like the one here: https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-skymax-127-synscan-az-goto-telescope.html but with white end bits? I have the opportunity to buy one for £200, although there is a little repair on the accessory tray.
  11. sputniksteve
    From what I've read, if you use the AZ-GTi on a sturdier tripod it can actually carry more.
  12. sputniksteve
    The C6 OTA is the same price as the Astro Fi version -- so, get that and sell the mount.
  13. sputniksteve
    Nice. What camera, mount etc?
  14. sputniksteve
    What eyepiece were you using for this? I'd imagine your scope to be capable of some cracking views of it. You might find that barlow does help, even if it's not the most expensive one out there! I have often wondered how effective it would be to use the scope with its cap on, but with the little hole exposed. I guess this would reduce aperture but increase focal length? I got quite a bit of satisfaction out of seeing the Andromeda galaxy for the first time. It's actually a naked eye object in dark skies, but pretty tricky. Later in the year, the Orion nebula is nice.
  15. sputniksteve
    I used to own a 12" Lightbridge. I loved it, but when the kids came along I stopped playing for a while. Like an idiot, I sold the thing in 2014 (for way cheaper than I should have!) which I think was a symptom post cardiac arrest brain damage!! It was a great scope, but I got tired of having to nudge it every 30 seconds or so to get options back into the FOV. It was also huge, and a bit of a burden getting from the garage to the garden. In addition, star hopping was a great way to learn my way around the sky, but the novelty wore off. My plan now is to start with the Skymax 127 on the AZ-GTi mount, get a good quality 8mm eyepiece, or maybe a zoom ep. Later, I will get the EQ mod and then buy something like an achro which will fit on the AZ-GTi when I want to do DSO stuff. I've always preferred planetary for visual stuff, but might like to have a go at some photography too.
  16. sputniksteve
    This is my plan.
  17. sputniksteve
    Gorgeous picture.
  18. sputniksteve
    This is basically a C5 isn't it? My gut feeling is £280 is pretty good -- would I be right?
  19. sputniksteve
    Could I use the tripod with the AZ-GTI, and would that mount bear the weight of that scope ....
  20. sputniksteve
    Hi all, I've come across an ad elsewhere for a Celestron OmniXLT 127, on a CG4 EQ mount. They want £280 for it. Does anyone have any experience with one of these? Any thoughts, ideas, or opinions on this? Worth a punt? Ta s/
  21. sputniksteve

    Hia,

    How are you getting on with the SM127? I've just been looking at your Saturn drawing - which is ace - and am wondering if you are happy with the scope.

    1. procky1845

      procky1845

      Hi,

      Yes it's great thanks, I've had it since Xmas.

      I bought it because my house is in an unfortunate position for the ecliptic so planetary observing from home with my DOB is rarely an option and although I know I could take the DOB out to another site, it's more hassle and found that from experience I typically couldn't be bothered.

      So bought the skymax and a rucksack that would fit it and the mount in and I can be off without too much fuss.

      I bought the one bundled with the AZ GTi mount and tripod but quickly learned it needed a more substantial tripod if you want the go to to work accurately.

      Since then though it's been a cracking little scope. That pic of Saturn was probably the best viewing I've had of it though, I don't typically see that much detail though it's not a planet I've observed loads yet so could have been unlucky on previous occasions.

      Do you have one, or are looking into one?

      Lee

    2. sputniksteve

      sputniksteve

      Very much thinking of buying one - also on the AZ-GTi. 

      Years ago I owned a 12" Lightbridge which I foolishly sold in 2014. I loved it, but it was too big to easily get in and out of the garage and I could only take it to places with it taking up all the passenger space. 

      I want to get back into the hobby properly this autumn.

    3. procky1845

      procky1845

      It's a good scope for planetary and lunar, also quite able with double stars. You can see some of the brighter DSO's but wouldn't say it's a particularly strong point, and I'm sure nothing in comparison to a 12" lightbridge! 😃

  22. sputniksteve
    Hi Stu, How's it going with the 127?
  23. sputniksteve
    Hi all. A relative has this 'scope and I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts about it. This old review is fairly favourable: https://telescopereview.co.uk/celestron-powerseeker-127eq-review/ But this one is ... less so: https://telescopicwatch.com/celestron-127-eq-powerseeker-telescope-review/ Thanks.
  24. sputniksteve
    Beautiful
  25. sputniksteve
    This is a really nice series of images. Forgive the stupid questions - is the Lifecam a webcam? How do you attach it to the powermate?
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