31mm Nagler First Light :-)

[Naemeth]

I don't think you need another eyepiece at all Shaun. If I had your setup I'd have started looking at adding a further scope or two a little while back to broaden the capabilities of your eyepieces.

Your SCT really does not fully demonstrate what the eyepieces can do to be honest.

I agree entirely, a nice 10" dob to compliment the SCT and a smaller scope should you want much wider fields (but then you would have to sacrifice aperture, something which you've seemed not to keen on in the past).

[Pig]

I couldn't agree more guys but I have limited experience with other types of scopes and what I have looked through have not bettered what I see now

Last night was a great example, there was nothing I couldn't see that wasn't absolutely stunning, especially the clusters, all with a press of a button

[John]

My 4" refractor can show the whole of the Veil Nebula in the Nagler 31's field of view. One of the best sights in visual astronomy for me. An SCT, good scope though it is, just can't do that.

[Pig]

My 4" refractor can show the whole of the Veil Nebula in the Nagler 31's field of view. One of the best sights in visual astronomy for me. An SCT, good scope though it is, just can't do that.

That sounds perfect for me John, maybe I should bite the bullet and just get one.

My only concern is LP is it dark where you view it from normally ?

[John]

That sounds perfect for me John, maybe I should bite the bullet and just get one.

My only concern is LP is it dark where you view it from normally ?

99.5% of my viewing is from my back garden which does have some LP issues from streetlights, etc although I can see the Milky Way and M31 quite well on a good night, as long as they are well above the horizon.

I guess the point I was making is that you really don't have any gaps in your eyepiece collection now - it will last you a lifetime and work brilliantly in any scope you care to use them with. I'd suggest though that your eyepieces from 6mm down will get hardly any use with your scope in the typical UK viewing conditions but would be much useful in a shorter focal length scope (not necessarily a refractor) and the longer ones, like the Nagler 31, will be able to give the wide panoramic views they are famous for in such a scope too.

It's entirely up to you what you spend your money on of course but I was just thinking of avenues that might give you even more enjoyment from the hobby and I'm not sure that another eyepiece is one of them 

They are easier to get past the other half than a scope though, I can see that !

[swamp thing]

Glad you're enjoying the great fat lump

I agree with John. Time to get yourself a scope where it'll really show its metal, I'm thinking BIG glass though.

[Pig]

I agree totally John

The Nagler zoom is only good for the moon in my scope due to the magnification but it does get right inside the craters, even this would not be possible without the dual focuser.

I am warming to a Frac John and I was also tempted by the 6" Vixen you pointed out in ABS

I knew I was going to get another scope when I bought the eyepieces, its just a question of what & when

[John]

Glad you're enjoying the great fat lump

I agree with John. Time to get yourself a scope where it'll really show its metal, I'm thinking BIG glass though.

Thats a good point. I believe the Nagler 31 was designed particularly for big, fast newtonians / dobs even though Al Nagler has never marketed such scopes. It works perfectly well in a wide range of other scope types too though  

[Naemeth]

I agree totally John

The Nagler zoom is only good for the moon in my scope due to the magnification but it  does get right inside the craters, even this would not be possible without the dual focuser.

I am warming to a Frac John and I was also tempted by the 6" Vixen you pointed out in ABS

I knew I was going to get another scope when I bought the eyepieces, its just a question of what & when

Dob Dob Dob Dob...

Sorry, got a bit carried away.

I reckon you should get a nice widefield ~4" refractor and a 10"/12" dob and a 16" dob... too much?

[John]

I agree totally John

The Nagler zoom is only good for the moon in my scope due to the magnification but it  does get right inside the craters, even this would not be possible without the dual focuser.

I am warming to a Frac John and I was also tempted by the 6" Vixen you pointed out in ABS

I knew I was going to get another scope when I bought the eyepieces, its just a question of what & when

It's worth having a good think about "where next" I reckon.

Just a note on that big Vixen - you would need to budget for a really substantial mount for it too. I believe even the mighty EQ6 would find it a bit of a handful. 6" and above refractors have really serious mounting needs !

[Pig]

Glad you're enjoying the great fat lump

I agree with John. Time to get yourself a scope where it'll really show its metal, I'm thinking BIG glass though.

LOL

I like the idea of dob but Im not sure how big I would need to go to get noticeably better than my current scope.

I am warming to a 4" frac on a giro mount or should a say caveman mode

[John]

LOL

I like the idea of dob but Im not sure how big I would have to get noticeably better than my current scope.

I am warming to a frac on a giro mount or should a say caveman mode

I moved from an 8" SCT (Celestron) to a low cost used 8" dob and was rather amazed when the dob performed at least as well and maybe even a wee bit better than it on both planets and deep sky objects.

[Pig]

Choices choices don't you just love them

Calm down Jonathan

I don't want to spend a fortune on a mount John so thank you for the warning.

.

[Qualia]

I imagine the 9.25" is a phenomenal planet and lunar killer, so if I was figuring of buying another scope and all other factors being equal (which is a big assumption), I'd be looking into a transportable 16" + truss dob or a 60mm dedicated solar frac

[Pig]

Qualia,

Both look absolutely stunning

[Stu]

LOL

I am warming to a 4" frac on a giro mount or should a say caveman mode

You know it makes sense Shaun! 4" apo on a giro is a great match and what I use most frequently at the moment. I got my 31t5 after reading of John's setup and it is fabulous on the Veil and other large objects, as well as a wide range of other targets, particularly under a dark sky.

There are slightly less 'caveman' options too, with encoders and an Argo Navis you can have very effective 'push to' capability which I have been enjoying lately, must be getting lazy :-). Going to post a review soon when I've taken some more pictures.

You could always get a Herschel Wedge too and have cracking White Light solar performance too, as in these pictures. Oh and of course you 'need' a PST on the other side for balance

Cheers,

Stu

PS My apologies to Qualia for the Delos in the Wedge, I know it makes him feel a bit queasy ;-)

[Stargazer_00]

Great first light Shaun   Looks like it was well worth the investment!

[Pig]

Great first light Shaun   Looks like it was well worth the investment!

Thank you Graham, I am very pleased with the purchase, its a wonderful eyepiece

[alan potts]

I am going to have to get mine out to-night to remind me of what I am missing. Doing these reviews/reports means I spend most if not all the time with just the two eyepieces, I find I get more used to them that way and can see better any defects there may be. Having said that I am again checking something now for 4th time as I am not happy with my findings, you see something then you don't see it, thats without any Brandy inside me, conditions play a larger part than we think sometimes. If I am going to write something I do at least like it to be as accurate as I can make it, someone may believe me.

Alan. 

[Pig]

Alan,

I was especially please with the Orion Nebula when using the 31mm, the contrast was brilliant and the four stars in the centre were pin point clear.

I also saw the "sailboat cluster" something I had not seen before and as usual it looked nothing like a sailboat but it was a great pattern.

In fact all the stars looked great, it just about split the Double Double at 75 x mag

I also didn't realise how big the Andromeda galaxy was.

I like this eyepiece as much as the 17.3mm D

[alan potts]

Shaun,

Maybe not with the 31mm as it could need more power but try the 'E' and 'F' stars of the trapezium, there is also a G and H but maybe beyond our scopes, I find 100-120 is about right.

Where is the sail boat cluster, I have never heard of it?

Alan

[John]

E & F Trapezium should be relatively easy with 9.25" of aperture - I can see them both regularly with my ED120 refractor and occasionally with my 102mm. They are close to brighter members of the Trapezium group though so not always a piece of cake, if the conditions are iffy.

The Andromeda galaxy is around 6 degrees across in full extent so even my 102mm refractor, which shows nearly 4 degrees, won't fit the whole thing in - the outer edges of the galaxy go "off the field edge" on a clear, dark night.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Welcome to the Panzerfaust appreciation society

Awesome EP, isn't it?

[Pig]

It truly is Michael

lol @ Panzerfaust

[Pig]

Shaun,

Where is the sail boat cluster, I have never heard of it?

Alan

Alan rather than me guessing I will get the RA/DEC next time I am out and I will send you them

That if it hasn't sailed away