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How to improve the viewing experience further?

stevetynant

By stevetynant
in DIY Astronomer

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stevetynant

stevetynant

Posted
Posted

I'm starting to think I've come to the end of my Modding on my current set up but during these non observing weeks I'm just wondering what else I can do to improve things for when eventually I put my three pairs of socks back on.and get outside again.

I'm not going to upgrade the scope for a few years at least - my plan is to learn the skies much better over the next few seasons but what if anything can I do to improve the scope I have (Skyliner 200p)

So far added

Telrad

Setting Circle and Wixey

Lazy Susan for azimuth movement

Fully Flocked

Base Mount to ensure its set up perfectly horizontally and elevated for viewing

Bobs Knobs on both Primary and Secondary

Decent Laser Colimator

Yeti Hat to keep my head warm in the winter

I'm happy enough with my Eye pieces and not looking to change them before I upgrade the scope

Plenty of literature, Sky Maps and Android Apps

Observing Stool and flight case for my bits and pieces

Is there anything else I could do now that would improve the whole experience? I did consider a new Focusser but starting to think its just change for changes sake as the one I have seems fine.

Theres bound to be something I've missed?

cheers

Steve

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Bart

Bart

Posted
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I have installed a flap of camping mat over my eyepiece rack on the side of the Dob. It means the EPs can stay there for a long time and not ever become dewed up during a session.

Bart

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JamesM

JamesM

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What about a right angled erecting finder scope to compliment the Telrad? Alternatively attaching a decent handle/knob to help you guide the scope when tracking, or even some kind of sliding counterweight system to counterbalance any heavy eyepieces. I know I'm clutching at straws here but anything to keep you on the straight and narrow! :grin: :grin: :grin:

James

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Mike73

Mike73

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I've got to the same point with modding my dob but heres an idea I've been thinking of for a while just not looked into it too much, maybe someday I will give it a go.

How about making up some wheelbarrow handles for the base?

I've been toying with this idea as theres a couple sites I go to which are fairly close to where I park the car but it still means doing a few trips back and forth to get everything.

Just an idea...

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pete_l

pete_l

Posted
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If you fancy doing a bit of inventing, how about talking Digital Setting Circles?

They'd be like ordinary DSCs, but instead of having to look away from the eyepiece to see where you're pointing, they would speak your RA/Dec as you push the dob around the sky.

Even better is if you could dial up an NGC or Messier and the "speak your position" machine would tell you "up a bit, left a bit, shoot" to help you star-hop onto the target. You could even work it so that if you spot something interesting, you could press a button and the T-DSC would tell you what it was.

Hmmm, now where did I leave the phone number for the patent office?

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Mike73

Mike73

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.....or how about building a complete new dob base?

You've already added a lazy susan which improves azimuth, a new base to improve altitude would be worth doing.

Oh and I found a decent focuser really does improve viewing, not cheap though.

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John

John

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Full tank of gas for dark sky trip, or is your sky good?

If not this is THE best accessory by miles. It even beats upgrading your scope :)

Spot on - under really dark skies scopes that you think you know can really amaze :smiley:

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stevetynant

stevetynant

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Thanks everyone plenty to think about for sure . I think the focus set will be an upgrade on my new scope in years to come. As for dark skies one of my 2 regular observing sites is north of the Brecon beacons, pretty remote and extremely dark skies. Pretty stunning really and no boy racers or kennel club either so pretty lucky there. Hmmmm. I think I'm pretty much there to be honest now. Mike I did think about how to improve the alt mechanics but building a new dob base for me would not be worth it I,m pretty rubbish at DIY to be honest. Oh well looking forward to the dark nights again and getting out and about in the mountains. Thanks guys appreciate the feedback.

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stevetynant

stevetynant

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What about a right angled erecting finder scope to compliment the Telrad? Alternatively attaching a decent handle/knob to help you guide the scope when tracking, or even some kind of sliding counterweight system to counterbalance any heavy eyepieces. I know I'm clutching at straws here but anything to keep you on the straight and narrow! :grin: :grin: :grin:

James

That's an idea though James but not sure how much room on the ota I have with the telrad smack bang in the middle. I'll investigate. Cheers once again
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Moonshane

Moonshane

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other than scope and eyepieces my main would not be without 'accessories' are as follows:

observing seat. with your scope pretty much any seat will do though. I made my own - it's due for a refurb as I keep leaving it out in the rain.

telrad - speaks for itself

right angle correct image finder - really helps me in my light polluted skies to see beyond the naked eye 3rd magnitude stars.

I also have my preferred list too:

solar filter (I also use a Baader solar continuum filter)

UHC / Oiii filter

Baader neodymium filter

and the list goes on!

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stevetynant

stevetynant

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other than scope and eyepieces my main would not be without 'accessories' are as follows:

observing seat. with your scope pretty much any seat will do though. I made my own - it's due for a refurb as I keep leaving it out in the rain.

telrad - speaks for itself

right angle correct image finder - really helps me in my light polluted skies to see beyond the naked eye 3rd magnitude stars.

I also have my preferred list too:

solar filter (I also use a Baader solar continuum filter)

UHC / Oiii filter

Baader neodymium filter

and the list goes on!

Hmm - filters are one thingI don't have Shane- perhaps next year when I suss out how much value I would get out of them - I am thogh thinking of the RACI Finder - I would have to buy another telrad base which are only a fiver I think and move it to th side of the scope to accomodate it though.

As for the silly hat check

gallery_19097_1590_4796.jpg

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Mike73

Mike73

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As for the silly hat check

gallery_19097_1590_4796.jpg

Your going to need a high vis vest when you where that just in case someone tries to shoot you when they are out rabbiting! :grin:

I went for the camo redneck look for mine. :grin:

post-20821-0-79963400-1341525511_thumb.j

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stevetynant

stevetynant

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I won't care in the cold Mike lol not sure the wife wants me to be seen in it locally though

I also sense a funny hat thread on the horizon - might take a piccy of mine tommorrow - believe me it doesn't look as good as the photo in this thread

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Gina

Gina

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That's not a silly hat - it's a very sensible hat for the winter if you're outside :) You lose a lot of heat from your head. And ears can get very cold if there's any wind. Mind you a "silly hat" competition would be fun :D

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earth titan

earth titan

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That's not a silly hat - it's a very sensible hat for the winter if you're outside :) You lose a lot of heat from your head. And ears can get very cold if there's any wind. Mind you a "silly hat" competition would be fun :D

I agree. Piccies must be of the hat, being worn, by the owner though. I'll get mine sorted this evening.

Perhaps a poll?

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk 2

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Leo.A

Leo.A

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Silly hats?

I have a silly head!

How can I do all these bad weather mods when I don't have a garage or available shed?

I have a small garden shed but it's full of other projects I can't get to due to a combination of health and bad weather.

We've got the bad weather and plenty of it....

Unfortunately, my house is too small already to assign a room to workshop duties plus, I had a former landlord got annoyed when he found me welding on the kitchen floor with my arc welder. I had plate aluminium down and there was absolutely no damage, it was just too wet outside and I then had no shed too.

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Gina

Gina

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I do a lot of my smaller projects on the living room table including modifying DSLR cameras and such like. Disadvantage is that I have to clear everything away for meals. We do have a big shed I can do some things in but it's a cattle barn basically and the lighting isn't very good. We don't have cattle (just goats in an adjoining shed) and use the big shed for farm equipment. We have some land but only a small bungalow. ATM we have a stream running through the big shed with part of it going out the main door and the rest out throiugh the goat shed. No this isn't normal!! we are having torrential rain :(

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