MalcolmM

Another vote for light eyepieces. Especially in the DC or 76 which are such light scopes, it feels counter intuitive to me to be putting heavy eyepieces on them. That being said I do put a binoviewer on the DC sometimes! But with light eyepieces in the binoviewer 🙂 I usually take @JeremyS's word as gospel 🙂 but I would consider Naglers as heavy. Gimme a good Tak Abbe! Malcolm

Wonderful read! You've really captured the magic 🙂 Malcolm

I'd be flattered ☺️ Can't speak for Robinson but I suspect he'd be tickled pink to think that he was being quoted 200 years later 😀 Interestingly, he did choose some lemons for the observatory but by all accounts he was a very accomplished visual observer! Malcolm

What an amazing collection! They look fabulous! And that comes begrudgingly from a Tak lover 🙂 Malcolm

I'm one who loves them. Pros are (for me): stunning views (almost 3Dish), very relaxed viewing. The cons are that they can be a bit of a faff to use; they are quite heavy leading to potential balancing issues, sometimes merging the images from each eye can be difficult, getting them to come to focus can be tricky due to their extra lightpath and changing magnification necessitates 2 eyepiece changes (though not the way @Stu does it) I use ortho eyepieces mostly in a bid to minimise the extra weight. I use them for low, medium and high power viewing. I don't use them all the time (I still enjoy mono as it's less fuss and arguably a slightly sharper view), but when I do use them, I go wow! Malcolm

I always use manual. For me, as others have mentioned, part of the fun is the hunt. And there is huge satisfaction in eventually finding the target. And when I say eventually, I mean it; sometimes I can spend half an hour on the chase! Malcolm

Yes, very pleased with it, and helped also with lots of advice and tips from you @Stu Malcolm

A new phone, even though one of the cheapest smartphones, has vastly improved what I can do with the Lunt. Lunt 50, Pentax 5mm and handheld Samsung Galaxy A13. Clear skies at last! Hoping they stay clear for tonight! Malcolm

Exactly right in my experience. I tried playing guitar for years and years and got so frustrated when I played with someone who had 6 months against my 10 years and they played so much better than me (not that that was very difficult 😀 ) It also frustrates me when the successful entrepreneur says it's easy, anyone can do it, or ditto the world class concert pianist. Everyone is different, different strengths, different weaknesses and that's OK. What some find easy, others struggle with. I think everyone has a talent at something ... I'm still searching 😀 Apologies; rant over 😀 Malcolm

Exactly what I was thinking Malcolm

As the great Sherlock Holmes kept reminding Dr Watson Some very interesting debate. I personally feel my own observing skills have a long way to go before I can get the best out of my scope. Malcolm

Mindful of the many posts and threads asking "which scope should I buy" that end up with us all basically advocating the scope that we own ourselves, I found the following quote by Thomas Romney Robinson, Astronomer and Keeper at Armagh Observatory in 1825. He was researching the best 'Mural Circle' to purchase and install in the Observatory while upgrading the Observatory instruments. "[I] had the advantage of consulting men who are justly considered the brightest ornaments of Science, and of inspecting the noblest instruments in existence" And he continues: "Each observer, as he becomes habituated to his instrument, learns to correct, to avoid, or perhaps to overlook its defects, while he perceives the inaccuracies of other constructions in too strong a light". I thought this was put brilliantly Quote from the book 'Church, State and Astronomy in Ireland. 200 Years of Armagh Observatory' by JA Bennett. Malcolm

The second picture (76DCUQ?) looks absolutely gorgeous in that guise @Stu Malcolm

For sure, and I'm hoping to progress to the 100DC soon 🙂 Malcolm

It's a Manfrotto 500 Pro Video Head on a Gitzo Traveller tripod. I love it, and it copes with the 76DCU I think you have? Malcolm

Now this is real grab n go 🙂 Malcolm

Only one word @Captain Scarlet ... WOW! Can't resist another three! That looks fabulous! Malcolm

Lovely shot. Really nice colours. Malcolm

I've used the Stella Lyra linear Binoviewers with a Lunt 50. They are the only Binoviewers I can achieve focus with on the Lunt. I like using them as I find binoviewing much more relaxing than mono. However, I find the linear Binoviewers much inferior to the Williams Optics ones and the Baader Maxbrights. The view is just not as sharp. I have done these comparisons in conventional scopes on the moon, planets and solar white light. I do not know whether this is to be expected due to their design, or if I have a poor example, or they just don't suit me! I had the option to return them, but kept them as it's the only way I could figure to binoview with the Lunt and whereas the view is not as sharp as with mono, they are much more relaxing to use for a long session. I put a review of them on SGL somewhere. I'll try and link to it if I can find it! Malcolm https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/397847-first-impressions-stella-lyra-linear-binoviewer/#comment-4271231

I had read this too and was very surprised to split Rigel in my FS60CB. I can't help feeling there is a big difference in splitting Rigel and splitting Sirius. I had a possible/probable on the Pup last year with my 100DC, very similar to your observation. Spotted something often enough in the same position to make me feel I wasn't just seeing things. After putting a description up on SGL it seemed to be in the right place to be the Pup. So I call it more probable than possible 🙂Well done on 'probably' getting it in the 76 @IB20, I think that must class as a very impressive observation. Your's, and @Mr Spock's Starfield observations give me confidence I should be able to get a more definite split with the 100mm. If only the clouds would let me try 🙂 Malcolm

Very very nice! The FS60 as a finder really gives an indication of the size. It looks enormous! Malcolm

Brilliant! I can recognise lots of features on it. Malcolm

I have the 45mm and I am very pleased with it, with the following caveat; I am relatively inexperienced having only been in this game for a couple of years and have not done any comparisons with equivalents. I have recently got a Masuyama 32mm which has a virtually identical FOV, but have not been able to do a side by side comparison yet. That being said, the 45mm feels like a good quality eyepiece, is relatively cheap and, to my eyes, provides a good view. Malcolm

Thanks for the chart @Nik271. Saw this tonight with the help of your chart. Much fainter than I was expecting and quite startling with the traffic light red colour! Lovely! Malcolm

I used some sticky backed felt for covers for the extender module for the 60CB. It turned out to be quite hairy and moulted all over the module. I ended up using this (link attached, velvet material) which is quite nice but needs gluing and is tricky to work with, but doesn't leave my lenses covered in hair! https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07PZ1DXZD?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image Malcolm