cajen2

Yes, SSC and I missed each other. Shame, I wanted to show him how a view from a proper scope looks! 🤣 It had been very cloudy up to 10pm but with clear skies forecast so I went to bed early, with a view to getting up in the small hours. And so it proved: up at 4am to be met with glorious clear dark skies. There were only two other people still up, including LSM. Tried out my Baader Contrast Booster filter and EQ platform for the first time. This afternoon, Pixies, SSC and I made up a team in the quiz, failing miserably to win.....😄

Tried it out for the first time at 4 o'clock this morning! 😱 It IS great but the effect was very subtle - virtually no dimming or colour alteration but details were definitely clearer.

.....and I always think any drive over three hours is too long!

....or get a campervan! 😄

Nice line-up, Neil - I'll take you up on that!

Mine does already!

Ah, good - you owe me a beer, Neil! 🤣 I'll just be bringing my SL 8" dob, plus my Asterion EQ platform, which I want to trial properly. Don't see the point of bringing the 150p too - same thing but smaller.

Yep, coming up just this weekend.

You're very welcome.

I have the Heritage 150p - the bigger brother- and used 2mm foam to make my shroud. I found it too thin so the shroud tended to bow in and out. If you use the 3mil, please let us know how you get on.

Thanks very much. Perhaps you should say "The WO hanging off the Luminos!" 😄

Please let me know how you get on with it, Stu. I might be in the market for one.....later, but not now. 1+kg!😱

Let's hope so. I wanted to try it out tonight but it isn't looking promising here.

Baader Contrast Booster. Why do you want one, Clive, you don't own a refractor? Because I've heard many times that it's a great filter for Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. My views of Jupiter especially suffer because it's too bright now, near opposition.

IIRC, it was just a couple of brothers making them, but they did a beautiful job:

If you don't mind my posing the question, is this the sort of gathering where people all know each other and come from South Wales, or do you get lots of strangers from all over Britain?

Majulah Singapora! I lived there many many years ago. Nice images, taikiat.... especially Saturn.

Actually, according to the Widescreen Centre, the FOV is 70° on the 30mil. No wonder it 'feels wider'.

Ah, ok. I assumed it was the 32mil version of this: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/japanese-made-eyepieces/masuyama-ultra-premium-japanese-eyepieces.html

Are you sure you're happy with the FOV? According to the photos, they're 46°. At that price, far wider fields of view are possible.....the 82° ES 30mil, for example.

I think you'll find an Asterion EQ platform is now not in the running - they were made in the Ukraine and naturally supplies have run dry. I was lucky enough to get one of the last available.

😄 Actually in my case, I've sort of stopped buying EPs, as I'm very happy with the ones I've got or can't justify small differences in f/l. I might one day replace my 18mil with a 17.5mil Morpheus and perhaps get a really good wide-field 30mm but it won't happen any time soon.

It's like so many things: you get what you pay for. At your budget, the BST Starguider range are very good value for money and difficult to improve on until you're willing to pay over twice the price. When you do, though, you realise the benefits of wider fields of view and images which are sharp across the eyepiece. It's a slippery slope which some people never escape from! 😄

Hi Rich and a warm welcome to SGL. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Yes indeed. Both are very handy.