cajen2

Good choice on the scope for your requirements (assuming you don't mind shifting it around - it's no lightweight), but I agree with B21: forget the EP set. The two EPs that come with the scope are adequate and you can certainly get a lot of good views with them, but instead of going cheap and buying several extra EPs at the same time, I would buy one better every so often. I'd start with a good planetary one like a Baader Morpheus 4.5 or 6.5mm or a Pentax XW 5mm (I have both). That way, you wouldn't have to pay twice as you will inevitably want to upgrade the BSTs later. The Baader especially has a much wider field of view than a BST, which is very handy as the target moves fast at these mags, so you'd need to nudge the scope less. It's taken me a couple of years to get a range of EPs I'm happy with and it irked me to have to buy twice for some mags.

Oh, it'd have to wait till I actually jump in and buy a frac. I'm covered at most EP focal lengths except for very short ones for observing planets with a frac. It'd be a toss-up between getting a 4mil and using my ES Focal Extender on my Morpheus 9mm. I'm certainly very happy with the SL 20mm from the same range.

Interesting. They undercut the SL LER/UWA range by about £50. The eyecup doesn't worry me: I don't wear my glasses while observing, plus I find eye relief on my SL 20mil just fine. I might one day invest in the 4mm - it's relatively cheap!

Anything known about this range? I imagine they're available under other names... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/founder-optics/founder-marvel-ultra-wide-eyepieces.html

Of course not....when you need a 16" dob! 😄

With her rifle, using a Schmidt and Bender, I suppose....😉

On the subject of FOV, the Baader is 50°-68° and the two OVLs (which I believe are the same as the Svbonys) are 40°-60°, so there is a difference. I have the OVL 7.2-21.5mm and it's optically very good but the FOV is a touch claustrophobic and mine has a very stiff action, needing two hands to change f/l. I'm getting a second-hand Baader shortly and I'm hoping that will be better.

And I'll be in a white Renault Trafic, likewise. Probably get there before you.

You are a star, sir. My laser is quite well centred but the collimation is still out...

I'm also bringing an 8" dob, but I'm having trouble getting the collimation right.....any assistance gratefully received!

I'm up for that...😛

Please get the TV and sell the Starfield....to me!😄

Oddly enough, I was just looking at the Noh alt/az mounts and read some extremely positive reviews. They do look a treat and amazing payload capacity for their size. Not cheap, mind.

Glad you liked it, Paul, and your impressions chime with mine.

I BELIEVE the StellaLyra UFF range is the same as the APMs (I know the 30mm is) and these would be cheaper than importing the latter.

A possible (but not cheap) alternative mount to the Skytee could be a Berlebach Castor II, which has the option of a twin mount. Or even an AZ GTiX, which would give you go-to as well.

Mark, you must be telepathic! I'm currently considering getting a 4" frac (and of course a Tak enters the equation 😉) on a go-to alt/az mount - strictly visual only - and I fancied a Berlebach tripod. Is your setup with the AZ GTi etc stable and vibration free?

Ok, the dewshield can be unscrewed, thanks all. But that leads me to another question: if you transport it with the DS off, how do you protect the objective? The end cap would now be too wide, no?

One seemingly unimportant question about this scope and the DF: when the specs say that the dewshield is 'fixed', does this mean that it can't be unscrewed for transportation, or merely that it doesn't slide in or out? Great report, Mark, btw.

Booked again..... let's hope the weather's better than last time! 😛

That happened to me......travelled two hours to a dark site in Wales. It rained almost continuously for two days, then the skies cleared. I got the scope out of the van to collimate it and then found I'd left the dob base behind. Only me...... The worst thing was, on the first night my partner phoned and told me I'd left the base in the middle of the lounge. I thought she meant the little dolly it sits on for easy indoor shifting. I really must learn to think a bit more....

Two more: if the sky is clear and sunny all day, it'll be cloudy immediately after sunset, if you get patchy cloud of a night, whatever you want to view will be behind the cloud. Your target is clear? Beware: by the time you set up the scope, it won't be! That's why I pity the poor APers....

But notoriously flimsy.... I don't know how much Magnus' carbon fibre tube weighs....not much, I'd imagine.

Hi Jason and a warm welcome to SGL. I'd love to live in the middle of nowhere (bit of a misanthrope) and wouldn't mind travelling for shopping - it'd be worth it for your skies!

I think it depends on the size. I chose 6" as an example: Frac: 10.6 kg (Bresser 152 short f/l) Dob: 8.3 kg (Bresser 6") Classical Cass: 5.8 kg (StellaLyra 6") Ritchey-Cretien: 5.6 kg All OTA plus accessories only. So at this aperture, it seems the cats are the lightest.