Beautiful, dark and clear...

[Caz]

...you don't need 3 guesses to know what I'm talking about....   This could be a great night for me, I'm going to try and spot all my targets.... clear skies to all

[The Warthog]

I thought you were talking about a chocolate fondue.

[GazOC]

Lucky git, its cloudy as hell here!!

[daz]

Same here Gaz, though it is supposed to clear up later.

Looks like another early morning......

[FLO]

... but 2 bumps on the brow bone on the eyepiece and one trip over the tripod leg later, I've spotted M35.....yey at long blumming last, with the help of my upside down chart STEVE!!!

But whats this about you tripping over the tripod leg ... lose your way in the dark ... eh .... eh ... :laughing6:

Steve

[tom.yates]

[FLO]

Tom ... its a running joke.

(you must have missed the first post)

Steve

[FLO]

Here ya go Caz

Red Alerts

A blinking good idea to avoid trips and bumps in the night!

A set of three flashing red LED marker lights to pick out tripod legs and other equipment in the dark. Lo-brightness LEDs flash about twice per second. With no moving parts they just snap onto a battery and begin flashing.

[GazOC]

Nope, you can actually buy those things.....

[FLO]

Or perhaps a pair of these:

(Designed to save your night vision - wear them when you pop inside for a coffe or a pee)

[GazOC]

Now I have to admit Steve, I've never seen those before!!

[Jamie]

Caz there are sensors that tell you when you are about to trip over your tripod.......YOUR EYES :clouds2:

And i have lost count of the people that i have seen wearing those goggles.

[GazOC]

And i have lost count of the people that i have seen wearing those goggles.

But thats a different story.......

[Jamie]

Thats why most astronomers have a funny look in their eyes :shock: :clouds2:

[Jamie]

Nah Gaz the shipyards are just up the road from me  :clouds2: :clouds2: :clouds2:

[FLO]

Now I have to admit Steve, I've never seen those before!!

They are for real and no, they are not rebadged laser-protection-goggles - the lens is the correct red to properly protect night vision.  

I took a pair to the Star Party to test peoples reaction ... we all had a good laugh (as you do).  

But I will confess, I fancy a pair!  The number of times they come in handy is surprising and Greg and I already have a 'silly hat' rule whenever we observe so a pair of funny goggles won't make a lot of difference

Steve

[GazOC]

Nah Gaz the shipyards are just up the road from me :clouds2: :clouds2:

Thats what I meant!

[GazOC]

Caz,

It takes a strange type of person to stand in the cold until 5 in the morining looking a faint smudges!!!

Gaz

[FLO]

How much do thoughs google set you back?

RRP is £24.95 and they are made by Astro Engineering:

http://www.astro-engineering.co.uk/

(In the Observing Aids section)

Steve

[FLO]

Just had a quick flick thru thier site but didn't see it - where should I be looking?

Steve

[FLO]

I've spotted M35.....yey

You'll like this one Caz:

http://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/HawaiianStarlight/

[FLO]

new stuff

Sorry Damien ... still cannot see an MKVI mount ?

[GazOC]

http://www.astro-engineering.com/comingsoon.html

Bit of a beast......

[tom.yates]

Cheers Steve i did miss the first post