MalcolmM

Funny, that's what my partner says too Malcolm

Thanks @Roy Challen, it's taken me a fair bit of experimentation to get this far and lots of help and tips from other members here. Malcolm

Fabulous image! Malcolm

@Stu I've a way to go yet Great detail in those pics. Malcolm

I'm really pleased with these. They were taken through an FS60CB with a Tak LE 7.5mm and an Orion phone adapter with a 4 year old low spec Motorola phone. I'm amazed at the sharpness and detail with such a small scope and old phone. You can see a lovely X and V. Three single shots, each exposed for different parts of the moon. No post processing other than cropping. Thanks to @Stu and others for tips and techniques! Malcolm

Very nice looking setup! Malcolm

I took the head staggers a while ago and got all the TOE's. I find the 2.5 and 3.3 just as easy to use as the 4 and the image just as good too so I would definitely recommend all of them That being said, the only direct comparison I have made was the TOE 4 with the SLV 4 (and the Nagler zoom with each TOE). In every case I preferred the TOE. If your HR3.4 is a keeper though you would definitely want to do a comparison before shelling out on a TOE 3.3 My 2.5 TOE gets most use in my FS60CB where the scope can easily take the power (and more) but I don't have a barlow to multiply up other eyepieces to that power. Malcolm

I'm sure I read this thread about 350 years ago and was about to reply when I got distracted by an apple hitting me on the head

Great read and your enthusiasm and descriptions make a dedicated refractor man envious Malcolm

Great read thanks for posting @PeterStudz and toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate is very definitely worth killing your night vision for Malcolm

I was lucky enough to do a trek to Kala Patthar in Nepal about 15 years ago. Not only were there so many stars you just got confused and couldn't easily recognise anything, at that height the stars didn't twinkle. Unfortunately with a large full heavy rucksack on my back there was no chance of even a small pair of binoculars! Though I do remember being so utterly exhausted in the evenings I ashamedly only gave the stars a passing glance! Malcolm

I should have added that he said from a normal vision point of view I should be good for 5 to 10 years which is good. I just hope the vision through the eyepiece does not deteriorate! Malcolm

Just as an update to this in case anyone is interested! The symptom is radial dark lines coming in from the edge of the FOV. Changing eyepiece/diagonal/scope makes no difference. Slightly different pattern in each eye. I was at my opticians today and he said I had the beginnings of cataracts coming in from the edge of my eyes which would very likely cause this. Malcolm

Being joined by a son or daughter is definitely the best! Moments to cherish! Malcolm

Very impressive pics @Victor Boesen. They blow anything I have taken out of the water! Malcolm

Sailing up the West Coast of Scotland, seeing the stars come out at night, staying up all night and then seeing the Moon and Venus in the early hours of the morning. So stunning I did a drawing Malcolm

I've never used a Pentax but I had both the 4mm TOE and 4mm SLV for a while and could compare them side by side with a Tak FC100DC. I do have Takitis but I preferred looking through the TOE. I got rid of the SLV shortly after. I'm afraid I could not quantify the difference, I just found it easier to use and a better view. I've also compared side by side the TOE and the much admired Nagler 3-6 zoom. Again I prefer using the TOE, though I'll not be getting rid of the Nagler! In both cases I find the TOE easier to look through and a better more pleasing image, just don't ask me why Though from reading lots of stuff on this site, it seems eyepiece choice is a very individual thing! Malcolm

Thanks for the heads up @Highburymark. That's some sight! The most spectacular one I've seen yet! Malcolm

Brilliant thanks. What I was seeing was definitely in the right general area. Malcolm

Thanks @Stu but unfortunately it comes up with 'could not locate item. Malcolm

I have the Innorel RT90C. I put a Giro Ercole and Tak FC100DC on it. The good is it's extremely light. The legs fold in easily making it very easy to take through narrow doors. The legs are very easy to extend and retract. The not perfect; I feel it's not as stable as I'd really like. Nudge the focus at high power and it's 3 or 4 seconds before the vibrations stop. It does have a hook to hang a weight on but I have not tried that yet. I have not confirmed that it's the tripod rather than the Giro causing the vibrations but by all accounts, the Giro is rock solid, especially with a light 4" like the Tak. It has 4 leg sections which is more than I need; I've never used more than 3. If I were going again I think I'd go for a Gitzo Systematic. I have a small (very) Gitzo Traveller and it's perfect (though too light for a 4") and very very (surprisingly so) steady. Berlebach are fabulous too but I think a little heavier maybe? I have a UNI 8 which is rock solid but a little more awkward carrying in and out of doors. If I were having to climb 2 flights of stairs I would go as light as possible and try to extend the budget to a Gitzo! Malcolm

Thanks @jock1958 @Stu @F15Rules. I'll put it down as a definite possibility and keep trying. My 2 o'clock was very rough as what I thought I was seeing was coming and going (says he thinking could've been 1 o'clock ) Malcolm

I've never observed double stars before but this evening the sky was a lovely deep blue, too bright for DSOs but it looked really steady. I've read alot about splitting Sirius so I thought I'd give it a go . First up FC100DC + TOE 4mm. Sirius is really tight and lovely set of diffraction rings but it's on fire! 3.3mm TOE and then 2.5 but there's nothing obvious. In fact there's nothing not obvious! I thought Rigel; I've read if you can't split Rigel there's no point in trying for the Pup. Rigel with the 2.5mm TOE was very obvious so back to Sirius. I let it drift across the FOV time and time again and then started to see something keep appearing. It was a similar separation to Rigel and it was following Sirius crossing the FOV (right to left, refractor view). I'd say it was in the 2 o'clock position or thereabouts. It was not there all the time but kept appearing in the blaze of Sirius. Is it possible this was the Pup? Or were my eyes playing tricks on me? Malcolm

Here's my attempts at sketching the changing appearance

Nice one of the prom. It's exactly as I saw it. Here's a pic of the same prom earlier in the day. It was fascinating watching it change shape over the day. Malcolm