It's my birthday tomorrow and....what do I get?

[osbourne one-nil]

....I need to buy myself something apparently.

I have just treated myself to two of these which I am going to stick under the spreader thingies of my two mounts to cast a red glow around the base and save me tripping over them eight times a night. But I need something else. I think I've got all the eyepieces I could need for my three scopes (see signature) but I'm wondering about an observing chair. Do people actually use them or is it one of those things you think would be a good idea but rarely actually gets used? I'm looking at the one on Wex (or Harrison Telescopes) although I know FLO do one too. 

Or is you had to get yourself something within a realistic budget (say £250) what would you get?

[baggywrinkle]

Visible for 3 km......one for each year of your age?

[osbourne one-nil]

Oh yeah -  I hadn't noticed that. Ah...perhaps I'll cancel that. 

[brantuk]

I wouldn't blow £250 on an observing chair when you can get an adjustable ironing chair from Amazon for around £20-£25.  And yes they do get used all the time especially for low objects (with a dob) or high objects (with a frac).

You could also get those green'ish glow in the dark tent pegs and mark each tripod leg with one. They pick up a red head torch very easily and don't ruin your night vision.

You could spend the rest of the £250 on a pub crawl with me for saving you a load of dosh lol

[Qualia]

 I'm wondering about an observing chair. Do people actually use them....?

I'd rephrase the question...are there astronomers that still don't use one ?

Stargazing requires time, patience and comfort. You need the patience to spend time at the eyepiece to really start seeing what you are looking at. To have this kind of patience you need to be comfortable and so you need to be seated. This cannot be stressed enough. If you want to do some serious viewing, do yourself a favour and buy or make for yourself an observing chair. As Brantuk says, you can pick up an ironing chair or drum stool for around twenty notes and it'll be one of your most used accessories.

For some reason, I cannot see you signature, so not sure what gear you have to offer any further help in spending your hard earnt dosh  .

[osbourne one-nil]

I can't see my signature either! I'll get that sorted, but for now, I've got a TV85 (normally on a Portamount with Argo Navis) a Celestron C6 (normally on a ZEQ25 mount) and a 10" Sumerian Optics dob. 

I've been observing now for 30yrs but I've never really sat at the eyepiece. Obviously I'm getting old now, so perhaps the time has come. 

[osbourne one-nil]

I wouldn't blow £250 on an observing chair when you can get an adjustable ironing chair from Amazon for around £20-£25.  And yes they do get used all the time especially for low objects (with a dob) or high objects (with a frac).

You could also get those green'ish glow in the dark tent pegs and mark each tripod leg with one. They pick up a red head torch very easily and don't ruin your night vision.

You could spend the rest of the £250 on a pub crawl with me for saving you a load of dosh lol

Sorry - missed your post. Good ideas, particularly the pub crawl. The only thing is my middle daughter is 13 the following week and I'd like to spend on myself what she expects me to spend on her. Doing that in a pub will do for me though!