HoneyBadger-231

Good evening all:)

So I'm sure you've all seen it 100 times before but I found this set of plans "Super Simple 2x4 Tripod for Tabletop Telescopes | EOTS" https://www.eyesonthesky.com/tutorials/diy/2x4-tripod and decided to give it a whirl. Total cost was 35.00 USD and since I had all the tools it took less than and hour to manufacture. 

Overall I'm impressed by the thought, simplicity and low cost, I did however deviate from plans afterwards.

I took the bolt out of the dob mount , ran the all thread that secures the wooden center brace  up and used the all thread to secure the dob mount  to the tripod in a semi permanent fashion,  it can be removed via one 13mm nut but I've just been removing the scope from the mount for vehicular transport. 

It makes a WORLD of difference in stability, when using a low mm or Barlow is now much easier and if you happen to bump the tripod with a foot its not nearly as devastating to the view. All said I'd highly recommend this for any tabletop scope . 

I made one for mine, it seemed to make things easier to focus on, less stray light coming from unwanted directions.  A member here has a video on YouTube making one, I followed his instructions on measurements and had to cut the shroud down to 12 inches in length and 20 mm down in diameter due to me using 6mm eva foam.  Even if you are in a spot like me with next to no light pollution the shroud works good at keeping dirt and debris and moisture out of the insides. 👍💯

14 hours ago, Alan64 said:

I have a 150mm/6" f/5 Newtonian, just like yours, but a solid-tube...

I got it in 2012, then in 2015 I moved the OTA over to my tripod-type alt-azimuth.  It was much more enjoyable afterwards, being easier to aim.

You can do that, too, someday, if desired.  In the meantime, if you're going to observe Jupiter, Mars and Venus enough to warrant its purchase, a variable-polariser will help you see those objects much better.  Jupiter will not be a bright, white ball any longer.  Instead, you will see the natural colours of the planet's surface, and detail within the equatorial bands, the festoons and whorls, and at the higher powers, 180x and up.  Jupiter was still too bright at 174x, so I went inside and got the filter.  I then saw glory...

https://www.amazon.com/Variable-Polarizing-Eyepiece-Telescope-Polarizer/dp/B0143M8BFQ/ref=asc_df_B0143M8BFQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416690499814&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11209363740441613353&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013733&hvtargid=pla-912251474325&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=100759323824&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416690499814&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11209363740441613353&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013733&hvtargid=pla-912251474325

The filter acts like a dimmer for indoor-lighting, but for the too-bright lights in the sky instead...

Venus has no surface features, save the craters on the surface perhaps, and to make the Moon envious, but those can't be seen due to the planet's cauldron-like atmosphere.  But since Venus is in between the Earth and the Sun, the planet exhibits Moon-like phases, and the filter will enable you to see those more clearly.

The front of your telescope, and similarly my own, what I call the "cowling", like that of an old-style aeroplane, has three spider-vanes, three "sticks", like a propeller...

Those cause flares on smaller, bright objects, like Jupiter...

...and Mars even, when at opposition...

The filter will reduce, and even eliminate those, as well.

Great info, I'm ordering a filter right now 😀 

I just built this tonight for my skywatcher heritage 150p.  

The plans are available on eyesonthesky.com . Cost me 43 dollars and about 2 hrs to make it

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Did you crop the image to be a rectangle? The field of view looks too big to be through a scope and would normally have had a round image from the field stop of the eyepiece?

Regardless, a nice image, hints of MilkyWay showing through perhaps? Which direction was it taken in? Agree I think it’s a satellite not a shooting star are the ends cut off abruptly with the exposure; shooting stars tend to fade in and out at the start and end of the trail.

Just took the photo from a 40 mm eyepiece,  zoomed in and squared it up via my phones pic editor I zoomed until it just started to fuzz out . The total distance from left to right in the pic was prolly only 6 feet tops.Those trees are actually 100s of feet up a hill above where I was set up. I'm looking at getting permission from a farmer down the road where its flat and open as the valley I'm in isn't the greatest for lots of views 

8 hours ago, Pete Presland said:

Nice looking image, plenty of stars, was through the telescope or with the camera phone pointing at the sky?

 

A cheap used 40mm eyepiece from eBay through the scope and a little love from the photos editor  . I have a phone adapter coming soon, hopefully Jupiter is next 💯

3 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Unfortunately there is no real way to upgrade the focuser on the Heritage 150p to a different one, not without some serious surgery. 

On my Heritage 130p I drilled and tapped an M4 hole in the top part of the focuser and screw in a 75mm long bolt which acted as a lever for helping with fine focus. 

That is a great idea 💡.  I have the tap and I'll go to the hardware store and source a bolt , any chance I could see a picture of yours? Thank you 💯

I managed to get this shot from my 1st night (last night), skywatcher heritage 150p and an s21 ultra held up to the eyepiece.... don't ask how I kept it still for 30 seconds cause I honestly don't know 🤷 . I tried Jupiter but all I got was a blurry bright ball . I'm pretty sure the streak was a shooting star .

4 hours ago, johninderby said:

The Svbony zooms are very good for the money and very popular here on SGL. Perform far better than you would expect for the price. 

Good to hear, thank you 👍💯

4 hours ago, Philip R said:

Hi @HoneyBadger-231 and welcome to SGL. 

You are not alone, as I too have and use a 7-21mm zoom e/p.

Many tend to opt for an 8-24mm zoom e/p... especially the Baader Hyperion III or IV...
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-hyperion-zoom-eyepiece.html

For high power views, I use the TeleVue 3-6mm Nagler zoom. 

Thank you for the welcome,  everyone here has been great thus far, 

The eyepiece you linked is 30 usd less than the cost of my whole scope 🤣. This looks like all of my other hobbies.... expensive 🤑

3 hours ago, banjaxed said:

Hi and welcome to SGL. You could upgrade to a dual speed focuser which would make a great improvement.

Is there any way I could get you to link to what you're talking about ? I'm totally new to this hobby 😀 

Good Evening all,

                                   I prolly should've just made this one topic but oh well. I'm looking at eyepieces for my new scope and came across this svbony 7-21mm adjustable zoom  1.25 inch eyepiece. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XZ6DY18/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I already bought it  (arriving Wednesday) but am curious to know if anyone has any personal experience with this type of eye piece or with the brand as a whole? I've watched every YouTube video and read all the amazon reviews but since the videos were 99% "sponsored" I'm taking them with a grain of salt. Any insights to this from the forum ?

Good morning all, So finally after two nights of having the scope in my possession, and two nights of clouds and rain I finally got the chance to bust it out and point it towards the heavens and immediately was blown away with the views of Saturn and Jupiter. The question I have is about the focus on this scope, I'm wondering if there is an upgrade i can buy or diy so it's not so loose, I've already done the ptfe tape around the threads and it helps but isn't 100% . Any insights ?

10 hours ago, tripleped said:

Wow     Adorama  must have  some pull with the  supplier.  Still no word from  OPT  telescopes on when mine will ship. Enjoy it-  the scope has gotten great  reviews  by several on SGL.  Let us know how it performs  for  you. 

Mine will be here tomorrow morning,  from NJ to MI , they're still in stock, maybe you should cancel the order if possible and order from them 😉. 

10 hours ago, Louis D said:

Ahh, that makes you a Troll (under the bridge dweller), at least according to Yoopers (upper peninsula, above the bridge, dwellers).  I'm married to a "Troll" from the Detroit area myself.

Yeah I know lol. 

9 hours ago, Orange Smartie said:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/637655-turn-left-at-orion-5th-edition-oct-31st/ gives you a discussion of 5th vs 4th.

Thank You

7 hours ago, tripleped said:

Hi and a warm welcome  to  SGL!   I ordered the same scope  in  April through OPT telescopes and still on back order (called recently and they still can't  give me an eta) Do you have yours already? If so love to know who you ordered it from.  By the way, were in Michigan? We've had  several memorable family trips to the  UP and Saugatuck area. 

I'm just south of the mackinaw bridge , Here is the only place I know of to find them in the usa, In stock and ready to ship..... Mine should be here monday  https://www.adorama.com/skws11710.html

1 hour ago, Orange Smartie said:

 

If you haven't already got a copy, I'd recommend getting hold of Turn Left at Orion.

Thank you to all , Is there any real benefit to getting the 5th edition over a previous one? 

          I just wanted to say hello to all here, I as of about 5 minutes ago managed to find a new Sky-Watcher Heritage 150p for sale here in the USA for $280.00 . Apparently this is a hard to find in the US scope as the only other places i could find it in stock was in Europe, All the other places had back orders ranging from weeks to months for restocks .... So after YouTube channel Astro La Vista's ( a member here too)  review/mods videos and the google searches that pointed me here and to reddit, AND finding what appears to be the best cost to quality/value for my $$$ , I bit the bullet and forked over the cash, And happily joined this forum  .

My name is Joshua , and do not have any experience with astronomy but after buying a new set of binoculars and pointing them skyward a few weeks ago I've been hooked . So once again I want to say hello and thank you for all the knowledge this forum has to offer