Jim Hardy

Evening all...... I have seen many references to acquiring spare lens caps.... usually not very easy to find.  I stumbled across "silicone stretch covers" for food jars, pots and bowles,  (available from the likes of Amazon) . Available in many sizes and stretch for inbetween sizes.  I have one on my Skywatcher Evostar 150mm.  I can now use the rigid plastic cover to make a solar filter. 

Also.... I  need a quick and easy cover for my scope permanently set up in my observatory,  the condensation can be heavy. Recently bought a cheap shower curtain, the ring holes are used to fit small Bundy cords to keep it in place..... Cheap and waterproof. 

OK.... So... I'm thinking of a location for my DIY observatory and design of the telescope  pier.

I have a location in mind..... Astride a bank between two paddocks but there is an Ash tree (possibly with ash dye back at the top) right in the way. 

So.......... Cut the tree down,  leaving about 3m of the 400mm Dia trunk still rooted in the ground, build the observatory  around the truck and fabricate the necessary steel plates to attach the mount to what should be a very sturdy trunk. 

Any thoughts????? 

MDPE pipe does not become brittle,  that's why it's used for water and gas supplies underground.  A decent diameter has very thick wall thickness to withstand quite high internal pressures.  If deformation  (from a parked heavy dome)  is perceived as a potential  problem,  then the tube could be filled with sand before the tube ring is fixed in position. 

Jim

Hi,  I've been pondering for for sometime as to how to make a ring onto which rollers could rotate my homemade dome. 

I've seen people  use professional cut /welded steel pipe rings,  laser cut bearing sheets and rollers on flat wooden rings with extra rollers for lateral location. 

All a bit expensive and or complicated. 

How about using 50mm ish  MDPE (medium density polyethylene)  pipe as used for water pipes..... It's very flexible, easily formed into a ring, rust proof and if used with polyethylene V rollers would give silent operation, all rust proof and with the V rollers provides lateral location as well.  The MDPE tube ring could be fixed in position with crossed wood screws passing through the  tube leaving the top surface clear for the rollers. 

Hope this gives food for thought. 

Jim

Hi All,  possibly a simple question for some,  but I need a little help. 

I have the skywatcher Wi-Fi module attached to my SW Evostar + EQ6pro mount and want to use Stellarium to drive the mount. I can understand linking the tablet+ Stellarium to the SW Wi-Fi module but can the tablet still be connected (at the same time) to the house Wi-Fi hub to keep Stellarium live? 

Also,  has anyone experience of extending home Wi-Fi out into the garden,  probably about 80 - 100m away? 

Thanks

Jim

Getting a Skywatcher Evostar 150 + NEQ6 mount this week hopefully.... Been waiting since July for stocks to arrive in UK!! 

So.. Scope and mount a bit heavy so initially it'll be lugged to different location each clear night  to see what's around (following your suggestions).

Ultimately I'd like to build an observatory (shed!!)  in the most suitable location but not too far from the house.  Power no problem, I've made my own lithium power bank,  again,  ultimately I can run power to the shed when position decided. 

Thanks for your suggestions

Hi all.,  living 1000ft above sea level on Exmoor I can have great night sky views.. But... Which is the most interesting areas of the night sky. 

We have a large garden and paddocks but from each location there can be trees or the house in the field of view. . 

So my question is... Which is the best quadrants to look towards? 

Thanks. 

Hi All...... Still awaiting the arrival of my Skywatcher Evostar 150 and eq6.......but just in case Santa is listening I have a few questions regarding useful additions. 

I hope to do planet and Deep Sky Object photography. I have a Nikon D7100 but would like advice on if the Nikon would be better than a dedicated eyepiece ccd camera (£150 range). 

Also your thoughts on the Orion zoom eyepiece.

Also thoughts about upgrading the standard skywatcher 9x50 finder scope  to maybe the Skywatcher Evoguide 50ED.

Also Remote focus controller 

Also the 90deg adaptor for the polar scope 

Thanks All

Hi All...... Still awaiting the arrival of my Skywatcher Evostar 150 and eq6.......but just in case Santa is listening I have a few questions regarding useful additions. 

I hope to do planet and Deep Sky Object photography. I have a Nikon D7100 but would like advice on if the Nikon would be better than a dedicated eyepiece ccd camera (£150 range). 

Also your thoughts on the Orion zoom eyepiece.

Also thoughts about upgrading the standard skywatcher 9x50 finder scope  to maybe the Skywatcher Evoguide 50ED.

Also Remote focus controller 

Also the 90deg adaptor for the polar scope 

Thanks All

Hi,  thanks for all your comments and encouragment.

I have been reading up and looking up!!! 

Also built myself a battery box for powering my gear..... Once it arrives. 

I could have bought a decent power supply for a similar price to my DIY unit but I wanted my own spec.... 

Lithium iron phosphate, 17ah, isolator switch,  4x USB sockets,   2x 12v sockets, individual  fused and switched feeds, and red light in lid.  

Some of the commercial unit seem to have unesessary gaskets that I don't need..... Radios,  inverter,  torches etc.  I just wanted max amphours.

Well,  finally took the plunge and ordered a telescope  (skywatcher Evostar 150 +Eq6 mount) but nobody  can supply one till December / new year!! 

where have all the telescopes gone???? 

I  live on Exmoor 1000ft above sea level so it'll be a bit chilly on clear nights (approx 3 degrees C cooler than at sea level) but amazing clear nights with no light pollution,  hence why buying a (hopefully)  decent scope.

Done loads of research for observation targets,  anyone any thoughts on what the real potential could be in reality???? 

If all goes well I hope to progress towards imaging and remote control  - so I can drive it all from the warmth of my shed. 

Any thoughts comments advice gratefully received. 

Thanks.