globular

Amazing how he, and others, did what they did back then. Shall we swap our sketching pencils for a burin?

Mark, the link below seems to be the same engraving.... within "An Exact Description of the Total and Visible Eclipse of the Moon, August 29th 1718 in the Evening. Engraved by John Senex, 1724" http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/collections/imu-search-page/record-details/?TitInventoryNo=13609&querytype=field&thumbnails=on

It looks like a steep sided crater from the way the shadow is being cast. It's lit similar to other craters near by; the shadow being closer to full circle - which, to my eye, suggests steeper sides. <shrug>

The top from a sunpat peanut butter jar might work, Bit yellow though.

+1 for that John. A cap that fits in the rolled up position as well as one that fits in the rolled down position should be standard issue. (For all EPs like this, not just ES).

My doing. I agree the design as is is more than fine. I used to be very careful and never dropped anything. Then I turned 50 and my previously regressive clumsy gene seemed to get activated; so I now think soft and cushioned in everything I do 🤐

Maybe some foam under the bottom plastic layer; so the EPs stand on foam when the case is open and are sandwiched between foam when it's shut? But are still held by the plastic holes with all their aesthetic and practical advantages. Anyway, thanks for your help and ideas and sorry for distracting your Pentax Caps thread. (Which, as you know from another thread, I love; and that I am, despite Magnus's false claim, your real 1st customer 🤣)

Yeah multi layers with varying sizes holes customised to each EP would do it [edit: just seen your added link... looks amazing!] Now if only I had the materials and skills to make it I'd be laughing 🤔 I could follow the herd and go with foam in the base and the lid - but I much prefer your solid holes idea; it feels like the EPs will be more grabable in use as well as more durable.

Thanks Mark. You filled your holes very nicely since then I notice your design exploits the fact that all the eyepieces are roughly the same height above the shoulder and so are kept snug against the foam in the lid when it's closed up. Can you think of a way of achieving something similar with eyepieces of varying lengths? I guess varying depths of foam in the lid might do it? I think I'd prefer an insert that had different shoulder heights so that all the eyepieces were held with their tops flush with the top of the case - but can't think how to achieve this while retaining strength and stability.

I put a dew strap on my diagonal and the heat keeps the eyepieces clear without any adverse impact on the views and without getting in the way of changing of eyepieces. Maybe a strap around the binoviewer body, close to the eyepiece end, might similarly provide enough heat to keep the eyepieces clear?

Mark, I'm eyeing up your case too now.... what are the EP's sitting on/in? Another custom insert?

Nice comparison and a great sketch

Impressive! All looks very professional I totally agree about the XW caps! - you can't run me off some for my XW40 could you? 😊😇

Intriguing. I can see a phone holder starsense thingy, and lots of EP caps, but something toothed? and a double thingy... not making some binos surely?

I've not had my telescope very long. I got it for my wife and I for our 31st wedding anniversary back in July and the first thing we looked at was a star 31 light years away... so the light hitting our eyes was from the day we got married. It was a lovely moment. Since then I think I've had a WOW moment almost every time I've pointed the scope at the sky... it's all so new and amazing. Loving it!

Is it jetsteam related do you think? Or more localised? If it is the jetstream it should improve as the night goes on as it's clearing from the south west heading north east. Maybe keep your kit out for another hour or so just in case? Cloud here so I'm in the warm watching the snooker 😧

☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️😧

Great sketch and fantastic observations. Totally agree.

Your 40/30/20/9 are evenly spaced in terms of focal length but they will give an uneven spread in terms of magnification (70x / 93x / 140x / 310x) and field of view (1.0o / 0.9o / 0.7o / 0.3o). To me it looks like the 40mm & 30mm are too similar and there is too big a gap from the 20mm to the 9mm. Keeping to the same ranges of eyepieces but changing the 30mm for the 24mm and the 20mm for the 14mm will give you a magnification range of 70x / 116x / 200x / 310x and field of view range of 1.0o / 0.7o / 0.5o / 0.3o - both much more evenly spread. It does depend on what you want to view, of course. Maybe you want more lower mag / wider fields views?

pish, looks good to me.

Nice one Fozzie.... and signed too 😉

No jetstream seem to make a big difference. I'm very hopeful for tonight... once the cloud here clears in an hour or so....

You don't often see john being crude. A rare but very welcome contribution

Sounds like you've been rewarded for your wait. Still horrible weather here... but it's forecast for some clear skies in the coming week and a lot of it without the jetstream too... so I hope to end my observing drought with some crisp views of Mars soon too.

This thread is turning into a gold mine of excuses.... I mean reasons