cajen2

My scope is F/5 and the Pentax 5mil is quite happy in that. But also a good shout from MS on the SLVs.

The Baader Semi-apo filter is available from FLO in 1-2 days.....

Well, the 3.2mm would give 375 X mag if you want to go that high. Seeing conditions would have to be very good, but useful for Saturn and Mars, perhaps. A more usable mag would be 240x, which you'd get with the 5mm. FLO says 'suitable for F/5 and longer', though. If you want to push the boat out, Pentax XWs would give great, wider views.

Interesting...I was on the New Member Help team, till I had to close my tank down (divorce!).

@teoria_del_big_bang Was the forum UR, by any chance?

Tell me about it! My late brother willed me his system....at a conservative estimate, it would cost about £20,000 to buy....😥

Exactly! Plus if you really get into the more difficult-to-keep corals, you just won't have any spare time! My tank is now well established with easier corals and only takes minutes a week in maintenance.

And don't even get me started on marine reefkeeping, where even a modest 90cm tank plus equipment runs into several thousand....each fish or coral that you buy is £50-£100+ ..... and the electricity / maintenance costs a fortune too.

@FLO I notice the 6" SL dob has disappeared from your website. Is this significant?

I think it's still possible to buy a visual setup quite cheaply without buying rubbish (not so in the distant past!). In my case, I didn't want to spend too much on my first scope in case I lost my enthusiasm, so I got a SW 150p dob (currently £238). This gives me quality views, is light and portable and relatively cheap to upgrade by judiciously buying EPs. I think half the problem is on forums like this where people (quite rightly) crow about their latest multi-thousand pound APO refractors and mounts and newbies suppose that's the only way to get good views. As for AP, the costs of that certainly make my eyes water! 😆 Please note I'm not knocking expensive refractors or their proud owners (I'd be the same!😛), just saying they're not necessary for quality viewing. Clive

Perhaps I'm being a bit thick here, AD, but the magnets seem a lot longer than the Rigel base....? And the base looks curved...? So how exactly did you apply the magnet(s)? Plus, where did you get them - have you got a link? I've been looking at magnets myself in case of balance issues. Talking of which, does the magnet with the Rigel cause any balance problems? Sorry about all the questions!

I agree with Zermelo. To improve on the Vixen 30mm NPL, you'd have to spend treble the price. A very wide field of view EP at a lower f/l would give you a higher mag but that isn't usually necessary with this type of EP - you want a clear image over all the FOV. A wonderfully corrected, widefield EP would be serious money. A Vixen SLV 25mm, for example, is a seriously good piece of kit but is nearly three times the price of the NPL, or a Pentax XW 20 at about five times! That's why I haven't upgraded my NPL 30.

Yes, you two are both in Somerset and I'm in Yate, yet my seeing was more like Zermelo's.

Do you know, you're right, Dave. I've just been out again and I'm pretty sure I saw them with averted vision. Also caught all three stars in Hatysa, along with the easy doubles Struve 745 and 747. Annoyingly, I've "done" all these before but it's nice to confirm them.

Very clear seeing where I am, with just occasional thin cloud. Viewed my usual suspects because the moon's in the way of most things new that I want to see, so: doubles Mintaka, Alnitak and Rigel, Trapezium (the clearest I've ever seen it - even thought I might have seen E and F with averted vision, but probably not at only 150x). Wanted to see Castor and Pollux, but too high for my old bones to spot through a grotty RDF, grovelling on the ground! Oh, and the moon of course - clear as a bell.

Such a refreshing change from a typical bloke's observing report: "observed Jupiter with my Acme 150 apo refractor, using a Smith 5.2mm UFF EP, giving me 243x mag"😆

Hi Rojay and a warm welcome to SGL.

No, obviously, the one nearest is Neptune! 😄 The Earth is covered by transparent plastic, presumably indicating atmosphere. It's annoying, because first I carefully painted the continents and icecaps, but when you put the 'atmosphere' on, you can hardly see them! 😥😆

I bought this from a charity shop to give to my partner's grandson. It turned out to be a (quite complex) kit and totally unsuitable for a five-year-old, so I assembled and painted it (badly!) myself. It's supposed to be solar powered but the gear resistance is so high I doubt if it'll work. As you can see, it's scientifically accurate and to scale!😆😆😆

Hi Jacqui and a warm welcome to SGL. Clive - not that far away near Bristol. Which scopes have you 'claimed'?

Delivered today, warm thanks to @SteveNickolls . Nice piece of kit with its own aluminium case!

I love the idea that, viewed from Barnard's star, the sun is a fourth star in Orion's belt. Perhaps Orion's put on a bit of weight!

I believe the OTA just lifts straight off the alt bearings on the SL range, so it should be quite easy to move the two parts separately, with a sack truck if needed.

Mmmm! Looking forward to seeing that! Mine should come at about the same time (but a mere 8"). Have you sorted out how you're going to transport it around?

Ah, that probably accounts for it, thanks. I was beginning to worry about my scope!