Show us your set up in action at night.

[markse68]

Caught in passing car headlights- first light for dob upgrades. This was second outing last night after having had to go home and hairdryer the primary which was soaked in dew along with everything else. Didn’t realise how handy having a door in the tube actually is till then!

Turns out a remote focuser is a really useful and enjoyable luxury! More than I’d imagined 

Edited November 30, 2019 by markse68

[markse68]

Took a friend up onto the roof of our 3 floor work building this evening for a quick and my first look at Venus. Great view from up there! Venus was a bit boring to look at but I’m glad I’ve seen it now- scope didn’t have time to cool and I knocked the collimation out clonking the spider knobs carrying it up the fire escape 🤦‍♂️ so that combined with incoming cloud/atmospherics gave a nice disk but with colour fringes- yellow on one side and green blue on the other. We found Saturn too which looked fine for its elevation-  before the clouds rolled in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2019 by markse68

[Jkulin]

My latest at -4.6ish

[carastro]

Can't believe it only takes 2 weights to counter balance.

Carole 

[Jkulin]

3 hours ago, carastro said:

Can't believe it only takes 2 weights to counter balance.

Carole 

Yep because of the centre weighting Carole, but they are 9.5Kg each and the counter weight bar probably weighs the same. OTA, FW, OAG, CCD, Pegasus Motor probably weighs 25kg in total. 😎

[Helen]

This was last week, while staying in Milton Keynes for a few days.  I deliberately picked an edge of town/rural Airbnb as the forecast looked reasonable.  I was really glad I did 🙂  One great night - the following night got overun by fog and so just managed a quick lunar fix!

Tak 100 on a azgti - very portable but fun set up (used the tour function)

Helen

 

[Stub Mandrel]

On 14/12/2019 at 17:38, markse68 said:

Took a friend up onto the roof of our 3 floor work building this evening for a quick and my first look at Venus. Great view from up there! Venus was a bit boring to look at but I’m glad I’ve seen it now- scope didn’t have time to cool and I knocked the collimation out clonking the spider knobs carrying it up the fire escape 🤦‍♂️ so that combined with incoming cloud/atmospherics gave a nice disk but with colour fringes- yellow on one side and green blue on the other. We found Saturn too which looked fine for its elevation-  before the clouds rolled in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not the best skies, but excellent pics!

(I'll never complain about light pollution again...)

Edited December 15, 2019 by Stub Mandrel

[CraigT82]

On 30/11/2019 at 14:26, markse68 said:

Caught in passing car headlights- first light for dob upgrades. This was second outing last night after having had to go home and hairdryer the primary which was soaked in dew along with everything else. Didn’t realise how handy having a door in the tube actually is till then!

Turns out a remote focuser is a really useful and enjoyable luxury! More than I’d imagined 

The door in the side of the tube is so handy.... I bet the people who chose not to spec the door when buying originally kicked themselves after a few uses!

I find the motor focus is essential on mine, the scope is all but unusable without it.  That long glamorous grey plastic tube really vibrates!

[markse68]

2 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

I find the motor focus is essential on mine, the scope is all but unusable without it.  That long glamorous grey plastic tube really vibrates!

Indeed Craig- it was your comments that convinced me it would be worth spending time to fit one. Up until then I couldn’t really see the point but having it and using it I’m very glad to have it now- so thank you very much for the inspiration 😊

Likewise the door- I couldn’t really see the point other than an aid to clearing out cobwebs but it’s proved much more useful than that this winter!

[Helen]

Food for thought re remote focusing... the Tak 100/AZGTi is a lovely portable combo, but the length of the tube does cause some vibration.  Are you listening Santa??

Helen

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Finally some clear(ish) skies and life positively clashed. So out came the new AZ-GTI for first light. Brilliant it was too.

Observing the moon at 150x whilst silently tracking felt like sorcery!

The stainless steel tripod is KIA, so I resorted to the lightweight aluminium job I had from an AZ5 kit. The combo felt quite steady until I brushed the eyepiece with my belly and my old goalkeeping reflexes lept into action. Saving the day but raising my pulse far too much!

The AZ-GTI and an old freebie Acer A1-810 tablet are powered by an Ipossible 24800mah power bank. A Qutaway 5v-12v step up converter cable plugged into the 2.1amp USB socket and the AZ-GTI. The tablet plugged into the 1a socket and running Synscan Pro and Sky Safari Pro.

The power bank slotted into an old pouch and strapped to a tripod leg with Ganvol velcro cinch straps.

The telescope is a Sky-Watcher Startravel 120 with a very effective Baader 2" semi-apo filter screwed into a Sky-Watcher ED80 2" dielectric diagonal.

Edited January 3, 2020 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[garryblueboy]

All ready to go 

[tooth_dr]

My MHP is away getting updated. And of course it was partially clear.

I threw this together with some cable ties. 180mm lens with QHY9, and 1.25” h alpha filter screwed inside one of the adapters.

 

[Stu]

Here is my little setup from tonight. Vixen GP mount, unpowered with 72mm TS refractor. Great views of the partial lunar eclipse. 

[John]

Whats this ???? - I actually have a scope out !!

The Tak FC-100DL is out for the first time in ages. Just been looking at a 55.5% phase Venus. Hope it stays clear for a while longer

 

[AdeKing]

27 minutes ago, John said:

Whats this ???? - I actually have a scope out !!

The Tak FC-100DL is out for the first time in ages. Just been looking at a 55.5% phase Venus. Hope it stays clear for a while longer

 

Good luck, I desperately want to go out but am full of cough and cold so probably better not. Might pop out for quick binocular session though.

Are you sure Venus is only 55% illuminated John? SkySafari is suggesting 78% though I thought it looked like less than that the other evening.

[John]

3 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

Good luck, I desperately want to go out but am full of cough and cold so probably better not. Might pop out for quick binocular session though.

Are you sure Venus is only 55% illuminated John? SkySafari is suggesting 78% though I thought it looked like less than that the other evening.

You are quite right - it is 78%

I should have believed my eye and not the duff data that another SW package provided

It was a nice view anyway !

[AdeKing]

Ah, I just wondered whether there was that much variation between the apps.

Hope you have a good session @John I was lucky and managed a couple of nights last week but feels like it's hard work at the moment.

[Stu]

I've got a couple of scopes out too. Mewlon and the Genesis this time. Not expecting a long session as there is cloud coming across by about 9 ish I think.

[John]

Yep, I'm expecting clouds a bit later as well.

Enjoying it while I can though. Uranus and (4) Vesta have been good targets so far. Orion just starting to show well so I'll pop out again. Seeing not that great here for tight doubles though. Too many central heating plumes around me I reckon !

 

[Stu]

28 minutes ago, John said:

Yep, I'm expecting clouds a bit later as well.

Enjoying it while I can though. Uranus and (4) Vesta have been good targets so far. Orion just starting to show well so I'll pop out again. Seeing not that great here for tight doubles though. Too many central heating plumes around me I reckon !

 

Thanks John. Uranus seen nicely, will try for Vesta once I've had dinner

Tried for C/2017 T2 but no luck, not dark enough round here.

[geordie85]

First light after some initial testing. Samyang 135 and qhy183c on my star adventurer 

[Swoop1]

First outing for the Mini Track clockwork mount. Sony a6300 and Tamron 70-300 zoom. A basic red dot finder on a hot shoe adapter mounted on the top to help point things in the right direction. Took some frames of The Plaeides and Orion Nebula to practice my processing.

[John]

Well I'm back in now after a fine session with lots of nice objects observed

I now remember why I do this hobby I think !

 

[Barry-W-Fenner]

I managed to get out very briefly last night for about 30mins -New Dew Shield looks to be blocking out unwanted light nicely. I only had a glimpse at various stars and The stunning M45 but it was worth it. I am hoping to get some good viewing in tonight. Fingers crossed the sky stays clear today. 

 

A pic of my 8" Dob and huge 40" dob attached 🙂🙂🙂

 

baz