nightfisher

Maksutov incoming, of to collect it in a bit, did you really think i could live with out a mak 

Postie has just been...........a Turnigy TGY ai6 RX but that will mean nothing to you guys better still he also brought a BST explorer 12mm 

22 minutes ago, timwetherell said:

And you'd also have to have an observatory built to accommodate such a beast, and some dark site land to put it on. Certainly well beyond my means, but it's nice to see such beautiful instruments being created and for those with deep pockets, enjoy!  

I guess it would be the ultimate obscene lotto win dream, to buy the big house and get the stunning obsy built to then put a beast like that in it

I thought i would start a thread that may well become bigger than the huge eyepiece case thread!

so if the postie or courier has dropped of some astro goodies you can post up in here, your place to show of in a nice way 

Nothing astro from the post but i did collect a nice ED120 and a nice Baader 2" Nd 09 filter

so dont be shy, post up your new goodies

Not to worry Stu, i am really liking the scope, i could have managed with a smaller scope like a 100ED but the 120 looks good, is a sort of future proof tube and should serve really well, may upgrade the stock focuser later in the year and need to do something with the 9x50 finder maybe get a right angled jobbie

I had to think about that one Stu, in some ways its a bit wasted on me but i can deal with that okay 

Scope out and cooling, ED120 set up on EQ5 with CG5 tripod, not much to look at but due west seems rich in clusters and just want to see how stable she is

4 minutes ago, iPeace said:

Isn't that just perfect. My view is that the only thing we "really" get out of this business is good memories (apply terms and conditions as you see fit). This must be the most enjoyable, immediate and memorable way to confirm that the right scope has finally found you.

Any other 120ED and it wouldn't have gone this way. I say it's well worth the wait. Surely even @Stu must agree.

Congratulations!

Cheers, i am watching the sky for any sign of pesky clouds, i hope to set the 120ED up on my EQ5/CG5 tripod for a brief session later, if i do i will take some proper pics of the old girl in action

Just now, mikeDnight said:

I've been on edge for days Jules, wondering if you'd take the plunge and grab the 120ED, but after all that waiting, are you just going to show us the box? 

Mike

sorry but its been a very long day but i do have the pics the vendor sent me

1 minute ago, Stu said:

Hurray! Nice one Jules  

Whatever you do, don't make any judgements on what you see at the moment, the seeing seems to be atrocious, certainly where I am. My Tak is performing like something from Argos tonight  

I jest of course to a degree, but high power views are not good  

The scope performs very well, i am more than happy with it, optics are sharp and superb views

I now have a rather nice frac, yes i got the 120ED and i have been to a good friends house on the way home for a very pleasant social and first light, the ED120 was set up on a twin mount along side another well proven 120ED and performed superbly, looks like i have a keeper

I now have a rather nice frac, yes i got the 120ED and i have been to a good friends house on the way home for a very pleasant social and first light, the ED120 was set up on a twin mount along side another well proven 120ED and performed superbly, looks like i have a keeper

On 12/22/2016 at 00:10, johnfosteruk said:

I give you a masterpiece, one of the finest examples of the form you will see this side of Christmas. M42 captured on iPhone through the f10 frac and a 25mm EP. 

Note that in spite of heavy light pollution this is still an APOD quality image  

In light of this I'm now going to stop saving for a premium mount it's clearly just not necessary. 

This is a very interesting image, it gives the impression of being taken in the pouring rain through a window pane with intense ligt pollution

3 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

When I got my first look through an SW 120ED, had I not already known that it was a SkyWatcher scope, I would have honestly believed I was looking through a Tak. That's how good they really are, and the clarity of image is very much that of a fluorite objective. I've owned five SW ED's and can honestly say I've never seen a bad one. Any differences in visible CA was so minuscule as to be inconsequential. Im sure youll love yours when it arrives!

Mike

Sounds very promising, i am sure i will be more than happy with it, going to be a bit of a wait till Wednesday

32 minutes ago, Stu said:

Great stuff Jules. I really hope you like it. Give it time and don't jump to any conclusions which may be seeing related.

I've also heard that the SW diagonals supplied as standard can be variable in quality so check this vs your current diagonal if unsure (hope you still have one??)

Slowly does it, it comes with skywatcher 2" dialectric that looks nice  (maybe re branded WO) but i have a rather nice 2" dialecric so will try both and sell the loser, the weather looks hopeful for first light when i get home, i have even raided the piggybank and relieved the contents toward the fuel.

As said on other thread, if i dont like it were would i go from here, but the answer stays the same, no where, this is my last telescope purchase short of a big lotto win, so this will be a keeper  

The scopes are multiplying, i have just received a rather nice and completely unexpected gift from my good lady, this Brass alt az refractor, optics look clear and it has a lovely helical focuser, will this be my travel/ grab and go scope

All being well on Wednesday i will be posting a pic of the skywatcher Evostar 120 ED pro, i have listened to the good people on these forums that have put up with my insane dribblings and for once i have taken the advice, this will be my only scope so over the years i hope to build an affinity with it, get to enjoy it and let it reward with crisp views and more than satisfactory Luna imaging 

I now have the bit my little frac sits on, and back in the Frac club, nothing special but a Celestron CR4 100mm F10, not any where near as sexy as Chris`s XLT ED but a fraction of the price, but at least i have a scope, just set it up for a quick look and its clouded over and started to rain, consistent if nothing else

@ Chris lock........did you get first light with the XLT yet

I have to admit i would have liked this scope, it looks really nice but i did not want the flak for steering away from the 120 i am being told i need

any way in the spirit of this thread, here is my frac and my only scope, there seems to be something missing as i dont see how it fits onto a mount, there must be a vital part that goes between the scope and the AZ4

Chris, looks very good mate

7 minutes ago, John said:

A frac is a frac Jules and welcome in this thread

Is it a secret or have I missed a post elsewhere on your forthcoming arrival ?

 

No secret John and no previous post to have missed, though not really using it so much i found myself missing the Tal100 after parting company with it, but the plan had been all along to look to getting more use from the 150pro skymax, hence selling the Tal plus getting the ED80 for a bit of "jack of all trades", the ED80 really is a scope than is jack of all, master of none, but there is a lot to be said for a 4" F10 so i will be purchasing a Celestron CR4 OTA from a very kind member and good friend on here, this will give ED80 for grab an go, some very basic deep sky imaging, a 4" F10 for Lunar imaging and observing plus splitting easy doubles and the 6" Mak for tight doubles and general high power Astro including Lunar webcam imaging and planet observing

I would appear that i will be getting a frac in about a weeks time, but it pails into insignificance compared to the above

This has to become a regular feature on SGL

39 minutes ago, Steve said:

Oi!

There is a rigorous process that ensures only those with complete integrity, strong moral principles, honesty, uprightness, probity, rectitude, honour, nobility, virtue, decency, sincerity, truthfulness and good humour... achieve the position of SGL Mod. 

So there! 

Does this mean all the Mods are to be sacked and replaced with new ones that can measure up to the above criteria 

I am very happy to submit an A-focal Saturn, i dont remember when i took it or what equipment was used, vague recollection of it being A-focal, more than likely single shot, i also found an image of a small pale blue/white object but i cant name it and i dont have a clue what it is so it would be a null and void entry