Stu

Many thanks @ZBOYD, I didn’t know that!

Hi, These are the instructions I recieved. if obvious backlash can be sensed when shaking the mount, it means there is problem with the spring part on the worm and gear where is supposed to eliminate the backlash. Please open the black plastic cover, and then move worm base A where there is a spring, by hand. At this moment, the worm base A can be moved freely. And when the hand is off, the worm base A will be pulled by the spring to the gear. Basically you loosen the screw holding the worm in place, adjust the position and then retighten. This is very easy, but you need to check the movement through the whole range in case it binds anywhere, in which case you need to back off a little and perhaps accept a little backlash somewhere. Hope that helps.

I don’t disagree, but mine was quite loose when I got it. Tightening up made a big difference. If yours is solid then the problem obviously lies elsewhere.

@MatthewPeter1993 as mentioned, please start a new thread for each image in order for them to be considered. They must have been taken between the dates for the competition. Thanks!

Yep

Are these any good Steve? I used some on a 10” cell which has still to see first light but they seem to be up to the job. https://www.365astronomy.com/Farpoint-12-LightBridge-Spring-Only-Primary-Upgrade-Kit.html

They must think all their Christmasses have come at once!

Just popped out this evening to see the Lunar X and V. The TAL Alkor ‘Light thimble’ was used at x33, initially and both features showed very clearly even at that low mag. At x88 and even x133 the views were very nice indeed, amazing given the tiny aperture. Anyway here are some pictures of the scope doing its thing.

Have you checked the backlash on either axis? If it is loose the tracking/gotos will be inaccurate. Mine works very well and there is not so much difference between solar and sidereal

Have you tried the options in Settings > Accessibility > Display Accomodations? In there you can set the display to red (or any colour) and this applies to everything, even if you exit the app. You can also reduce the white point right down. These two combined really help reduce impact on night vision. Note that it still helps with visibility of menus to put SS in night mode.

If you’ve always been interested in astronomy, then that is likely to be something that continues with you for life. I have been doing this for about 18 years now, and try not to consider it as something I have to do x times a month or week. That spoils the enjoyment for me, and would make me feel frustrated. I have a young family, busy job and just try to fit Astronomy around that. It is highly annoying when you have a free night, have the energy to observe but the clouds spoil the show, but I’ve had enough amazing nights to make it all worth while. Spring and Autumn observing can be some of the best, and I don’t subscribe to the ‘pack it in over summer’ idea, there is always solar or some twilight double star observing, or the moon!

That’s only cos the scope is too pretty to photograph it wearing a dew shield I do use a heated AstroZap when it is likely to be a problem. Often just the shield itself is enough to keep the dew off. The AZ-804 model is the best fit, I asked them directly before purchasing.

Yep, exit pupil is the same for 10x50 as 8x40 at 5mm so many objects will just appear smaller but surface brightness will be the same. The 10x50 would go a smidge deeper in terms of stars due to higher mag but plenty to see with 8x40, with the benefit of a wider field of view.

I would stick with using the information delivered by the phone, it makes it impossible to get it wrong. I have found mine to be pretty accurate too, not perfect and when slewing to the opposite side of the sky it can get further out. One thing to check, is there any excess backlash in the gearing? I found that first one axis and then the other got quite loose on mine, and had to adjust and tighten the worm gears. It is a simple process, if you have this problem then I can post up the instructions.

I’ve found these to be quite useful for starting off, giving an overview of the sky along with suitable naked eye, binocular and telescope targets. The April download is available now. http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html

Bizarre! I would say April Fool, but I don’t think that is very Japanese, is it? Congrats to Piero though, I don’t think I’ve seen a post before with all five ‘like’ emoticons used , although I did use thanks just to complete the set

Will be interesting to see how this one performs, assuming it finally launches. https://www.astronomics.com/astro-tech-at92-f55-triplet-apo-refractor-ota_p20545.aspx

It’s seems to work. I guess if you keep the air ahead of the objective slightly above the dew point then that does the trick?

I bought myself an AstroZap heated dewshield which seems to work very well; even without power just by extending the length it helps a lot. I place it so it starts about halfway up the original dewshield. Before having this, I was never quite sure where was best to put the strip. I used to put it on the OTA behind the objective but it is probably best on the dewshield, just ahead of the objective housing I think.

I agree, would be fab on an AZEQ6, lovely for tight doubles too.

I don’t think you can begin to compare them really. I too am very tempted by the 150ED if it performs well, but would not trade the Tak for anything.

To keep it all safely locked away somewhere Peter?

Sire, methinks he doth protest too much!

You certainly are a belt and braces man aren’t you? Two Tak clamps and a losmandy clamp seems like overkill for what is a lightweight scope. Somehow it seems a shame to loose the grab and go nature. I did choose to go with rings rather than the clamp as they give a little more length to the grip whilst being light still. We each use what we feel comfortable with though.

Yes, that sounds like it makes sense. A sort of ‘if the drone ship had been there it would have landed’ type exercise?