cajen2

One good thing about the SL is that it has a fixed mirror with a proper focuser, and so won't suffer from the image shift that you sometimes get with similar designs that use a moving mirror to focus. I think @Mike Q is on the right lines with a larger, go-to dob.

If I had to go there, I'd investigate one of these: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/stellalyra-telescopes/stellalyra-8-f8-m-lrs-ritchey-chrtien-telescope-ota.html or the 10" version. But as you can see, by the time you've bought a tracking mount, tripod and accessories, you're looking at a whole new price bracket.

To be very honest with you, one of my scopes is the Heritage 150p and its views are excellent. I recently looked through a huge and expensively-mounted SC and I was underwhelmed. Ok, it showed some nice DSOs but the contrast and sharpness weren't wonderful - nowhere near as good as the 150p. I'm sure I'll now be shot down in flames by sundry cadioptric owners but I'm just reporting my experiences.

Expensive. If you want to improve on the 150p materially, you'll need either a bigger dob or a giant cadioptric or reflector. I suppose you could put an 8" or 10" newt on a mount/tripod for imaging but again, expensive. The cheapest option would be to get a tracking EQ platform, but they're not very accurate, so limiting you to short exposures.

A Baader Steeltrack has a reputation for strength and smoothness

And just as a note for the "we'll all be eaten or infected" opinions, the more biologically different an alien species is, the less likely it is to happen. Body chemistries being different means they couldn't process our bodies (or vice versa!) and pathogens would probably not be transferable. Still all and any of this is hypothetical, since we have no experience of alien life (yet?). 😉

Can you use 2" EPs? If so, both the 14 and 20mm StellaLyra LER/UWA are excellent. They show no edge of field aberrations in an F/6 scope - sharp to the edge. There are also 1.25" ones in the same range but I haven't tried those. My favourite wide-field EPs are Baader Morpheus. Don't be put off by your Hyperion experience: these are a very different kettle of fish. Again, clear and sharp to the edge in my scope. YMMV.

Actually, I did know that - I was being facetious. I've had a fascination with insects since early childhood. I was also referring to the 'dance' of the honeybee to communicate the location of nectar sources (Karl Von Frisch). So they know how to get there and don't get lost, which is more than can be said of drivers even WITH satnavs! 😄

If humans are more intelligent than bees, why are all cars sold with satnavs? 😉

Social insects are living proof of the benefits of cooperation. They evolved from collections of individuals but found advantages in taking specialist roles within a community.

Oh, and I reckon it'd be easy to knock up a footstool to slot in if you're always near the top!

@Mike Q always uses one in his 10" dob. I haven't felt the need in my otherwise similar 8". Both are around f/6.

I've had a succession of chairs and stools used for observing and they were all either too high, too low, too heavy or unstable...a couple have even collapsed! (ok, I'm a bit fat....) I'd had enough. I'd always looked enviously at the Charon by Berlebach but told myself it was a silly price for a few bits of wood. Then, after my last chair debacle, my patience snapped and I ordered one. After all, it's only the price of an average eyepiece...😉 So it got its first 'light' tonight. Wow, talk about a game changer! It's easy to fold, unfold, carry and adjust. The seat is comfortable (if slightly small) and the sloping back gives good support when resting or using binoculars. I was getting fussy, moving the seat up by a couple of inches and down by a couple more - any height is easy. The top setting is higher than my bum and I'm 6' 4"! Great for people with huge dobs, I'd guess. All in all, and I never thought I'd say this, it's worth every penny. 100% recommended and one of my best ever astro buys.

IIRC he modified a mobility scooter.

Well, since your welcome was so effusive, I've booked! No idea yet which pitch (it just says 'The Oaks'). Looking forward to seeing everyone there.

But of course! The 150p OTA is 25cm in diameter (at its widest point where the truss rods are) and 41cm in length. It's very easy to remove from the base (Vixen dovetail). The base, if transported as one piece, is 39cm at its widest and 45cm high, including feet. The whole base could be disassembled for transport and thus make a much smaller package. The 130p, as far as I know, isn't much smaller.

In general, the levers on Clicklocks don't need tightening much before they grip. Tighten them too much and they're more difficult to loosen. I have a 2" - > 1.25" Clicklock adaptor, which works very well.

Good to meet you too. Yes, the Saturday sky was spectacular.

I actually suggested that beforehand but nobody seemed interested. FLO do an SGL beanie hat - perhaps we should all invest in one of those....😉

Nothing earth-shattering but I was fed up with observing stools and chairs which collapsed or fell over. Thus: Berlebach and seems pretty solid.

Please note that I know virtually zero about mounts, being a confirmed dob man but how about a Berlebach Castor II? https://www.firstlightoptics.com/alt-azimuth-astronomy-mounts/berlebach-castor-ii-altazimuth-mounting.html It weighs only 1.3kg yet can support 8kg, and if you buy the optional extra dovetail clamp, would even hold two scopes.....Plus, despite being Berlebach, it's actually quite cheap. Perhaps I'm missing something obvious in my ignorance.

Lots of SGLers were there but no way of recognising who was who. I actually knew two!

11 in regular use (counting Barlows, etc): Baader Morpheus 6.5, 9 and 12.5 Pentax XW 5 and 14 StellaLyra 68° 18 and 2" 80° 20mil Vixen NPL 30 OVL Hyperflex 7.2-21.5 zoom ES 2x Focal Extender 1.25" StellaLyra 2" 2x Barlow Plus the usual freebies / no longer used ones. The only one that doesn't get out much is the SL 68° 18, which is a great EP but outshone by the SL 80° 20. My favourites are my Morphs and the SL 20mil.

I'd get a shorter focal length EP for higher magnifications, probably a BST Starguider 12 or 15mm. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bst-starguider-eyepieces/bst-starguider-60-12mm-ed-eyepiece.html

Well, it was a pain to set up, as the field is like a 1 in 3 and it needs to be level. The speed also needs adjusting......guess which idiot left the (what passes for) handbook behind. 😥