wulfrun

The moon's visible in the daytime, some of the time. The sun is also an interesting target BUT you need a proper solar filter to render it safe to do. If you want your eyesight and scope to survive, make 100% sure you know EXACTLY what you're doing first. Welder's glass etc is big NO.

EDIT: I knew there was a section on here about solar, here it is:

The MA25 you have is a low power eyepiece, it probably came with scope. You could use the 2x Barlow with it but the results will depend on the quality of it and the eyepiece. Using the 5x with a basic eyepiece is probably only worth doing to demonstrate why you shouldn't have.

In theory, you can stack the Barlows but it's a bad idea and rarely done. First, each one costs you some quality and second, your magnification will be much higher than can actually be used. The view is likely to be awful.

Just to point out, a Herschel wedge doesn't work by blocking light as such. It reflects a small amount toward the eyepiece and "dumps" the rest elsewhere by redirecting it.

Hmm, I'd be very surprised indeed if a wet plug could draw enough current at 12V to do that. Is it possible it's partly shorted the centre terminal to something else on the mount? Is the plug showing physical damage? The "fault" appears to be at or close to the plug though, whatever its nature. I'd be looking elsewhere for a culprit than dew/condensation, although it's hard to say it's impossible.

EDIT: Just a thought, long-term corrosion of the plug due to repeated condensation? Is the plug normally unused?

Almost beggars belief that you can follow it manually. I think I'd be delighted to do that alone, without the complications of actually capturing images as well. Impressive result, hats off!

Having not been out "in anger" for quite a while (the weather, obviously!), I had the little Heritage Virtuoso out last night, with low expectations. Surprising it was really clear and reasonably steady. I'd been looking at the moon in the late afternoon and left the scope out in hope.

I spent most of my time looking at clusters, including the double clusters, summer beehive, cooling tower and lastly the owl/ET. All of them looking mighty fine, just using either a 16mm or 9mm all night.

I tried for the ring nebula but failed to spot it, oddly since I have (just about) seen it before despite the small 114mm aperture. Finished up on Andromeda galaxy, just a smudge but nice to see, before a cloud-enforced retreat about 12.45am.

Didn't see anything not-before-seen but after so long since decent skies I was more than satisfied!

@Stu ,I think the fact that you noticed and then took the trouble to take the photo and then do further tweaking speaks of continuing interest. I've only been doing "active" observing for a couple of years and I sometimes pass up on opportunities, then berate myself later for lame excuses. As noted, don't sell the gear!

Horizon, "Super Telescope: Mission to the Edge of the Universe", details as per title. Should be a good watch! Haven't seen anyone post about this yet.

50 minutes ago, Paul M said:

If we could travel at the speed of light it would take us 2.2 million years to get to M31. So even if there is an intelligent species there "now" it most likely won't be there when we got there.

There's a quirk though, time-dilation means that no time passes for those travelling at light-speed (overlooking the obvious difficulty of achieving such speed). Doesn't help, of course, since the 2.2 million years still pass on Earth and M31!

3 minutes ago, apaulo said:

maybe ive got this now, we can only see forward because theres no light behind us.  we cant look back. too dark. but there must be  more of the universe out there.  possably just as much as out front.  sorry if front and back isnt astro terms but it keeps it simple. as far as i know the universe is moving ,is so id say its moving forward or backwards. thanks for the input and patience.

It's a bit simpler really. We only experience "now", meaning we see light that arrives "now". When that light started its journey is another matter, except it's always in our "past" by some factor. Since light travels at a finite speed, if the distance is huge it can take a long time. Looking at a distant object involves seeing it as it was when the light actually left the object. So you're looking into a time-machine, in a manner of speaking, seeing things as they were not as they are in your "now".

For example, sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach Earth. When you look at the Sun (safely!), you see it as it was about 8 minutes ago. The light leaving the Sun "now" won't get here for another 8 minutes. Your view of the Sun is always 8 minutes behind "now" at the Sun.

11 minutes ago, apaulo said:

surely it has to 100 years ahead to send the light back. if im wrong i stand corrected.

Definitely wrong, sorry. Light doesn't travel into the past.

Everything (almost) in the night sky is light-years AWAY, a light-year being distance. It's not in front of us, time-wise, it's "behind". Say you look at an object that's 100 light-years away, the means the light you're seeing left it 100 years ago and you see it as it was 100 years ago (and where it was too, since it'll have moved since, as will we). Hope that satisfies your curiosity 🙂

2 hours ago, M40 said:

It could be that what you are seeing are the starlink satellites.

I think he was right, space junk = starlink. Sorry, couldn't resist 😉

Android user here so it works without issue. One possibility, from p25 of the manual:

iOS
– iOS interrupts app’s communication with mount when the iOS device’s screen is locked or  
when app is switched to background
• To have app keep the screen on while you leave it to perform long running tasks,  
enable Settings > User Interface > Keep screen on

Could that be your issue?

1 hour ago, gauraog said:

How about this one? 

Sky-Watcher BK 1149 EQ1 114/900
Telescope optics: Newton
Mount type: Parallactic
Aperture: 114 mm
Focal length: 900 mm Luminous range
: 7.9

1.25 "glasses. - Super 25, Super 10
Barlow lens 1.25"
Finder 6 × 24
T2 connector

Can I see nebulas , galaxies and plantes clearly?

OR

Sky-Watcher Dobson 6 "telescope is better?

A dobsonian is nearly always cheaper and more stable, the mount is cheap to make so your money goes mainly into the optics. A 6" (150mm) dob will beat a 114mm simply on light gathering ability, all other things being equal.

Whether you can see nebulae, galaxies and planets clearly depends on many things, including your viewing site conditions, the atmospheric conditions and when you look.  They are all possible, given the right circumstances. Or impossible if not!

Have a look here:

Not sure if anyone's posted this elsewhere or if this is the best place but...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-61856975

I have a Nirvana 16mm, it plays nicely with all of my scopes (an f/8, an f/5 and an f/4.4). Can't  comment on the 7mm.

19 hours ago, Alien 13 said:

...and also if single molecules of water can actually freeze...

A single molecule can't be said to be solid/liquid, surely? It can only have a temperature. Technically, if it's an isolated molecule, you'd have to say it's gaseous. Not claiming I'm correct but that's my logic anyway.

My money says lump of iron slag...sorry! Hope I'm wrong but...

For a single eyepiece, which the Barlow can still be useful for, I'd choose a 12mm from the BST range. Gives you x100 without Barlow and x200 with. I also would think of a zoom for planetary, because of the ability to dial-in the ideal magnification for the prevailing conditions. The penalty for the zoom being more frequent nudging thanks to a narrower FOV.

1 hour ago, Sarek said:

Do you know what the criteria are for accessing the classifieds?

50 posts to access the classifieds and  250 to place a for-sale ad. You also have to be a member for 30 days/a month ish (I think). Posts in the non-astro sections don't count. Details in the Code of Conduct section, at the top of the page.

21 minutes ago, Ian McCallum said:

Does anyone else wonder why there's a G clamp attached to a chimney pot?🤔😂

Does every chimney pot not have one then? Joking aside, it drew my attention more than the image-quality, so you're not alone.

39 minutes ago, Chris Owen 66 said:

Thank you for the link, much appreciated. Interesting. Just so I'm following this suggestion.....I cut my cable at position A (and dispose of the cigarette lighter and crocs), then add crimp terminals at the 'new' end of the cable to enable me to attach it to the battery. Then the extension lead in your link just connects to the other end (position B), thus providing an inline fuse. Sounds great! My only question would be, once I've cut at position A....how can I tell which part of the cable is P and which is N? IF I just guess, and accidentally attach the cable's P to the battery's N terminal....will it a) just not work, or b) possible cause damage to the scope's motor electrics? Thank your for your help on this.

You won't, easily anyway. Ideally you'll need a test-meter, so beg/borrow/buy one. It doesn’t need to be an expensive one (the likes of Aldi & Lidl often sell budget models), it just needs an ohms or continuity function which most have. Failing that, cut and strip the wires and determine which cut end makes continuity in a simple battery/bulb circuit. You'll have to use the outer of the plug since the inner isn't easily accessible but it's obviously the other wire once you know which is the outer!

Don't guess! Reverse-connecting P to N (as you described) is pretty much guaranteed to fry your mount's electronics. Check, double-check and triple-check. Again, a test-meter will easily confirm you have it right in your final lead, end-to-end.

EDIT: I think @DaveL59's suggestion above involved cutting the socket off the lead he linked to, not the one you already have.

EDIT2: I see what you have in mind, modify your existing lead and plug the fused lead in to the far end? It'll work BUT the fuse will not protect your lead, it needs to be physically close to the battery to do that. Any fraying or damage to your modified lead means the battery will happily set fire to it 😞

25 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

In fact, if you have some crimp terminals then this might be an easy option

zdyCGTime 14AWG DC 5.5mmx2.1mm Male to Female Quick Disconnect Wire Harness Extension Cable,with 5A Blade Fuse Holder,for Portable Powers,LED Strip,Surveillance Camera,Security Equipment,40cm.: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Cut off the socket and crimp the lucar terminals in its place then you just need the M-F 5.5/2.1mm extension cable and you're there. Do check the fuse rating and swap to a 3A or 5A tho and carry some spares just in case.

Also has 2 other advantages that way. (1) the extension lead means there's a pull-apart connector that should pop if the cable is tugged. (2) the lucars can be left in place permanently on the battery, removing the risk of accidentally swapping polarity.

7 minutes ago, Chris Owen 66 said:

Many thanks for your reply and suggestion.....yes I could indeed just attach the croc clips to the leads on the other side of the car lighter. Why didn't I think of that? how can I tell which is P and which is N though? I know very little about electrics, sorry. Would I need a meter to tell?

Yes, you'll need a test-meter, ideally. Don't guess, if you are not absolutely, totally, 100% sure it could well ruin the mount. And don't even think about it without a fuse and polarity protection. You may get away with it for years but it's a "when" not an "if".

If you're not confident with electronics and don't have the gear, you're risking much so  better to entrust it to someone else or find something ready-made.

You could snip the connector out, solder the wires together and put heat-shrink sleeving over the joins. If it were me, for safety I'd stagger the joins, double sleeve them and also wire an in-line fuse close to the positive croc clip. Again, for me I'd like polarity protection (just a heavy-duty diode will do) because yes, the polarity matters and reversing it, even momentarily, is quite likely to destroy any electronics connected. Because it's possible to connect the leads the wrong way around, it'll happen at some point!

Edit: actually, why not connect the croc clips to the (snipped) long lead? Simpler, if it leaves enough lead left.