globular

Can watch the GRS transit while they line up 

(Cloud and rain permitting)

21 minutes ago, IB20 said:

I find with the 8” dob the brightness just swamps everything.

It starts off very bright to my eyes in my 8". But I tend to get comfortable and force myself to keep at the eyepiece without looking away.  I soon lose my dark adaptation and the details start to come through. Staring at a white sheet of paper before viewing can accelerate it too, especially if you've been very dark adapted for an extended period before switching to the planet.  I think the key is patience and perseverance. It is rewarded. 

3 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

the best view of Jupiter

Sounds fantastic.
Best with the Mewlon, or best of Jupiter with any scope?

2 minutes ago, John said:

Makes you wonder why the rest of us non-EAA observers bother to turn out 🙄

Lovely images - but I get my satisfaction from trying to tease out the fuzz.  Dunno why.  Just do.

I suspect I'd think differently if (and more than likely when) light pollution at my home address were to worsen significantly.

Very interesting.  Thanks for posting.

51 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

Mods, might this get a sticky since it would be so helpful to Tak owners?

Or better yet, @FLO could stock it.

(The close match model paint I mean - I understand the difficulties of stocking the official tak stuff)

1 hour ago, Nik271 said:

I think it was the first 'comet look-alike' object observed by Messier. His records show he found it on 12 September 1758 when searching for a comet. It turned  out that it was already seen by John Bevis in 1731 so he is credited as the original discoverer.

It was recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054. But I guess Messier didn't know that.

15 minutes ago, badhex said:

a couple of eyecups (ostensibly for microscopes) which I'm hoping might fit on the 10mm BCO and provide a slightly better experience in comfort and shielding from stray light

Great idea - but do you think the BCO has enough eye relief to take it?

When I took up visual astronomy I promised myself I'd stick with my one and only scope for as long as I was finding plenty of stuff to observe and not feeling I was missing out.
I'm in my 4th year now and I'm still finding plenty of new challenges (along with some regular favourites) that keep me coming back for more with the kit I have.
I thought I'd want/need something wider by now... but I haven't run out of things to study at or below my 1.5° maximum field of view. 
I thought I'd want/need more aperture to hunt the dark stuff I seem to love to observe... but I have had some success with my 8" and actually think my skies here won't do justice to going significantly larger.
I thought I'd want/need the pristine views of stars through a refractor... but I'm loving open and globular clusters through my telescope and don't feel at all disappointed by how they are presented.
I love the planets and moon and have spent many a happy hour teasing out and sketching surface details... but I've only ever felt held back by the seeing conditions and never by my scope. 
I accept I may just not know any better.  But while I'm loving looking up I'll keep ignorant but happy with what I have. 
Monogamous and proud...

... for now.

www.lsstnr.com was first registered in April 1997 - so after that.

lsstnr.com now redirects to landseaskyco.com, and this was first registered in Dec 2007 - so probably before that. 

Has a fax number - so probably more likely 1990s than 2000s.

My guess... 1999

Thanks Neil.

4 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

The increased contrast makes for a nicer view. 

 It sounds like it's doing it's job. I think I'll ask Santa for one 🎅

I get the impression from some other posters, about filters in general not specifically a swan filter, that there is an unreasonable expectation that filters should work miracles. Your description of it making a slight but noticeable difference to contrast, allowing you to see a bit more of it a bit more easily, is what I'd expect. 

@Littleguy80 How are you finding the Baader SWAN filter? 

I saw your post tonight regarding Comet C/2023 H2 Lemmon. You said you were using your Tak FC100DF and APM 30mm UFF - so an exit pupil of 4mm or so?  Is a large exit pupil key in activating the SWAN?  

There are all sorts of rules and regulations - it's a minefield.

I'd drop FLO a line and ask them if they can get you some.

FLO sell it.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/takahashi-other-accessories/takahashi-focuser-touch-up-paint.html

edit: scratch that - it says unavailable

25 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Wow!  There is a lot going on there! Is it always like that? I think I'll have to ask Santa for some new toys.

8 minutes ago, John said:

I'm back out again, now with the Tak 100 which needs no cool down time so I can get right on with observing.

Is yours a DL John? Does that version in particular behave so well, or are all the Tak 100's as good in that regard?

34 minutes ago, saac said:

I do believe a known amount of cosmic dust falls onto the earth each year so in theory I guess the radius of the Earth could increase (very very slightly).  I suspect in practice most of what is gained is redistributed by our ever increasing dynamic weather system.

Jim  

Gravity does a good job of keeping stuff on Earth, but a faint stream of lightweight gasses, mostly hydrogen, helium and oxygen, is continually escaping from the fringes of our atmosphere. (Particularly dense near the poles, where gas ionized by the sun flows out along the magnetic field lines.)  Several hundred tons of mass escape to space every day, significantly more than what we’re gaining from dust (which is about 40 tons per day).

The local rugby club has organised a "quiet fireworks display" in the fields out the back from here.  My cat has just questioned their definition of quiet. Good on them for trying though, I suppose.

I don't know - and to an extent it will depend on the barlow as they all move the focal point by different amounts.

You can find out though, with a once only test that will give you the answer.

1. set up without the barlow and with back focus of 149.
2. focus on something - ideally at night, but if in the day make sure it's a long way away.
3. without moving the focuser again, add the barlow and add/remove spacers so that it is focused. Trial and error.
4. you now know the back focus with the barlow and can just use that in future.

38 minutes ago, John said:

It will be interesting to see how that Svbony 7-21 compares with the 3-8 zoom at the 7 and 8mm settings Steve 🙂

What ever happened to your zoom fest John? Have I missed your conclusions?

5 hours ago, globular said:

I can assure you it's all there in one go to my eyes

There are two of us at least John.

23 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

The 24mm SL UFF 70 degrees  is another good eyepiece at this focal length. No good of course if you want only ES in your collection.

I have a pair of these for my Binoviewer. I think they're more like 66 degrees, but work very well indeed.  Like you, I got the impression the OP has a preference for ES as he was specifically asking about them..

"Humans have slightly over 210-degree forward-facing horizontal arc of their visual field (i.e. without eye movements)"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_of_view

Nearly all of my eyepieces are over 68 degrees - the widest 92 degrees - and I can assure you it's all there in one go to my eyes.
I agree the centre tends to dominate and the wider field is more like an averted vision presence - but it being there really helps to frame the view, and with slight movement of the eye (eye, not head) you can focus on other parts of the field.  Indeed, moving your eyes around when observing really helps to tease out details as movement is required to trigger some parts of the eye.

I think the 82/24 will be a better long term EP to fill your gap (given you're already using 82 ones) - but agree the 68/24 will provide benefits with your C8 if you can't stretch to the 82.

I would add that you should really fill gaps when you notice you have a gap while observing (i.e. "I could do with more magnification" or "I need a bigger exit pupil") rather than looking at the EPs specs and "wanting" to have all the bases covered.

HTH, YMMV

1 minute ago, bomberbaz said:

It looks a very interesting app with a lot of functionality.

Best value app I've ever come across.  Good luck with it 

2 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

query, is it plus or pro I want?

I'm on pro, so it's definitely in that one.  Might be in plus too though - the app info page should explain the differences between the versions.