Ian McCallum

17 hours ago, Barry-W-Fenner said:

I'm now looking at Uranus, Ive spent quite a bit of time just watching that little green disc cross the FOV.

Gaseous emissions from the body (planet)?🤣

14 minutes ago, Nikodemuzz said:

Something like this is pretty much the norm for us up here in the Nordics. I envy those who can observe in comfortable conditions year round!

No problems keeping your sensor cool then?🤣

On 24/01/2021 at 12:29, discardedastro said:

Have to be careful with rules of origin on that now, of course, which is another thing tripping up a lot of exporters.

Quite a good thread here on twitter from a wine importer about the struggles with the IT system.  There's also a (very long) thread of examples of non-tarrif barriers causing fun over here, which is useful as a view of how this is affecting different industries - it is interesting, in a slighly morbid way, to watch.

Edit: Hum, new theme and Twitter embeds don't seem to work very well but I can't paste in links without the editor instantly turning them into embeds.

I guess this is an example of "care what you wish for".  People were warned that there would be consequences for this action...  Hell mend them.

Although I've mentioned the SW 2" 28mm LET eyepiece before, I'm finding that on the occasions that I am observing, I don't use any other eyepiece anymore!😲

I came across this video a few days ago. Quite handy, seeing we're at the right time of year to see the constellation of Orion... 

https://youtu.be/_Rt4FPYC-GA

7 hours ago, JeremyS said:

On the theme of less polished presentations, what about a virtual lounge for some of our SGL stand up comedians to perform live?

🙂

 

I resemble that remark!🤣

I was out in my ponies field one evening over the weekend there and noticed some stars and constellations where easily observable.  I was thinking "wouldn't it be great if I'd had a pair of binoculars in my rucksack" at the time.  That being said, I'd want something that not 20x80 or something ridiculous too big like that to carry around.

Looking back at old The Sky At Night with Patrick Moore, one of his favourites was a pair of 7x50 binos.  There are of course, the usual 10x50 pair.  Ideally, a pair of 7x50 would be great, along with a collapsible monopod (to fit in a rucksack).

Does anyone have any recommendations for under £100?🤔

14 hours ago, 200pman said:

I can recommend BST eyepieces.and good improvement over the supplied ones.

I have a full set of BST and they are very good.

Many people use them on this site.

I also have a 200p.

Which i will never sell.or upgrade unless i win the lottery.

Ditto. 👍

9 hours ago, michael8554 said:

If you guide with it expect to get Differential Flexture...........  😆

Michael

I had to look that term up!🤣

I ordered 2 Telrad risers from Auntie @FLOon Monday lunchtime. They arrived Tuesday morning. Well done @FLO. 👍👍👍

14 hours ago, Ships and Stars said:

I love my 2" 28mm LET eyepiece, the design of the eyecup and overall feel is basic but brilliant in my opinion. Most comfortable one I own. Plus at 28mm it gives a large exit pupil for faint objects on dobs. I think it's a highly underrated eyepiece and if I drop it on concrete or it gets scratched somehow, it's not the end of the world. You can pick them up for peanuts.

I bought one 2nd hand from a SGL member last year. Well worth the £20. It's given me the most memorable views, including the Andromeda Galaxy! 

There's something not quite right here... 🤔🤣

2 minutes ago, Paul M said:

It's a new one on me. I'm usually good at seeing patterns too! I think I've either been too wide or too narrow.

Well, Orion's belt will never look the same again!

I noticed it a number of times, but never thought much about it, until today.  It's quite a sight...

3 hours ago, John said:

If you can get a really low power and wide field of view with a scope It's amazing what shapes and patterns you start to see that you didn't notice before. 

I like to browse around the double cluster in Perseus with my 102mm refractor at 20x magnification. There are all sorts of star chains, shapes and loose line of sight associations around that part of the sky.

I don't know if the term "rich field scope" is still used but there is certainly a place for instruments that can excel at this IMHO. Interesting article by Mel Bartels here on this topic:

https://www.bbastrodesigns.com/rft.html

 

I just tend to use my el cheapo SW 28mm 2" LET for scanning around with the 200P.😉

I've came across a chain of stars in an S shape near the Orion Nebula.  Well, I think it's near there.  I'm trying to find out what it's called.  Any ideas?🤔

2 hours ago, wulfrun said:

Postie brought me a Telrad for my 150PL, which already has a base on it by a previous owner. I say brought me, s/he lobbed it over my gate since I was out. Fortunately, it appears to have survived but I'm unimpressed with such action.

Crikey I knew they were big but it's even bigger than I expected. At first I though it was faulty or damaged until I realised you need to be fairly close-up to see it properly - not from an OTA's-length away then!

That's a terrible to treat someone's package!

3 hours ago, HollyHound said:

This arrived few days ago, but forgot to post (did make a guest appearance on the Mak when I got the Hyperion Zoom).

Skywatcher 6x30 right angle finder... I've got couple of 9x50 RACI and straight thru 6x30, but this makes life much simpler on the Mak and is just a lovely dinky little thing 😀

I've always thought the SW finderscopes were good value for money.

3 hours ago, haitch said:

SCTs aren't really flimsy though... 

 

I read the description below the video and the SCT used was a duffer, thankfully! 😱

2 hours ago, johninderby said:

I also had both but ended up using just the lower one. Found the tall one just too tall.

I was actually very surprised how quickly they arrived! 😯 I only ordered them yesterday and the West Country to SW Scotland isn't a short trip, especially during Lockdown by post! 

33 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I hope you had the window open.

To hear them.

🙂

Releasing of toxic gasses?☠️🤢 Moving quickly on... 🤣

2 minutes ago, Ande said:

Substitute postie for DHL man, who was an hour early, but I’m not complaining, and my Xmas has come late, or mega early, depending on the contents of your glass. 

Courtesy of FLO, the (soggy) box contained these puppies 😀r

 

The scope is a ZS61, with the appropriate (I think, and hope) flattener/reducer.  Got a PSU arriving later for the ASIair Pro, so hopefully in a position to get cracking. All I need now is a giant leaf-blower capable of rearranging the clouds 😀

My stuff arrived whilst in was in the smallest room in the house! Isn't that always the case... 

24 minutes ago, Ande said:

Ooh....  I like it. Put me down as first in line when production begins 😃

Telescopic (excuse the pun) Telrad Riser! 🤣

I think there would be copyright issues, though. 🙄

1 minute ago, johninderby said:

Ah ha........I see an openning for an adjustable height base. 😁😁😁

Sounds like a plan, Stan!😉

14 minutes ago, Ande said:

I bought the bigger of the two. I don’t think I was quite prepared for just how big it was. It worked great on the 250 dob though

At £15 and £16 respectively, it was a no-brainer to get both...  It's one of those personal preference things, ask for opinions and you'll get "buy the 3 inch version"!🤣  It seems you're either in the 2" or 4" camp (or perhaps none at all).

If in doubt, buy both! 🤣