What did the postman bring?

[johninderby]

8 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Unless I see photo's, I'll not believe you've got em! 

Oh do stop it. 😁🤣😀

[paulastro]

2 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Unless I see photo's, I'll not believe you've got em! 

I bet you one million pounds, your house, your 3.9 inch refractor and your eyepieces that I have!  My wife will vouch for me as well - now you wouldn't argue with her, would you?  🥴

[mikeDnight]

27 minutes ago, paulastro said:

I bet you one million pounds, your house, your 3.9 inch refractor and your eyepieces that I have!  My wife will vouch for me as well - now you wouldn't argue with her, would you?  🥴

You bet your boots I wouldn't argue with her. She's tougher than me!

[MarkAR]

A gift from one of my customers. 

[johninderby]

Helical fine focuser for the Omegon 127 Mak.

[Stub Mandrel]

3 hours ago, johninderby said:

Helical fine focuser for the Omegon 127 Mak.

I use one of these for the guider on my 130P-DS, it's a lovely piece of kit for the modest price.

[RT65CB-SWL]

I use one too... and when travelling light and with my 're-modded' ETX105.

Edited April 13, 2020 by Philip R

[johninderby]

Should be ideal on the little mak.

[Ags]

The 16mm works very well indeed on my cats. It's a lovely eyepiece ergonomically - it shows a huge field but is still small and light. I mostly use it as a finder eyepiece with my ST80, but it offers wonderful lunar views in my C6.

Edited April 12, 2020 by Ags

[AdeKing]

Not the postman (collected in person) and not recently (before Christmas), but the first time it's been dug out of the garage and put to its intended use, does this count?

A new to me Skywatcher pillar mount from @Stu. Now in place to "test the water" with the household planning officer before I install 3x 100mm diameter concrete pads in the lawn. Plan is to drill holes/cement in Alu/copper pipe just large enough to accommodate the levelling feet for a semi-permanent mounting solution.

It was intended for an EQ5, but now it's got a Vixen GP on board I'm resisting the urge to paint it with a coat of Smoothrite Wild Thyme to blend in with the garden and more importantly match the GP better.

However, longer term aim is to mount a Vixen GPD2, that I have a gentleman's agreement with a friend, about on the top, so the white paint stays.

Here it is with my LS60 on solar duty today.



Contrary to what I've previously said about disliking EQ mounts, now this is properly polar aligned, I'm really enjoying using it which was a pleasant surprise to me.

[JeremyS]

56 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

Not the postman (collected in person) and not recently (before Christmas), but the first time it's been dug out of the garage and put to its intended use, does this count?

A new to me Skywatcher pillar mount from @Stu. Now in place to "test the water" with the household planning officer before I install 3x 100mm diameter concrete pads in the lawn. Plan is to drill holes/cement in Alu/copper pipe just large enough to accommodate the levelling feet for a semi-permanent mounting solution.

It was intended for an EQ5, but now it's got a Vixen GP on board I'm resisting the urge to paint it with a coat of Smoothrite Wild Thyme to blend in with the garden and more importantly match the GP better.

However, longer term aim is to mount a Vixen GPD2, that I have a gentleman's agreement with a friend, about on the top, so the white paint stays.

Here it is with my LS60 on solar duty today.



Contrary to what I've previously said about disliking EQ mounts, now this is properly polar aligned, I'm really enjoying using it which was a pleasant surprise to me.

That looks terrific Ade.

I do have to ask though: what is the big black "T" at the top of the pillar? Is it to remind you where the Telescope goes?

🙂

 

[AdeKing]

41 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

That looks terrific Ade.

I do have to ask though: what is the big black "T" at the top of the pillar? Is it to remind you where the Telescope goes?

🙂

LOL, it's sticky velcro for the handset or dew controller, as I have a habit of missing.

[CraigT82]

On 13/04/2020 at 12:57, AdeKing said:

Skywatcher pillar mount

Coincidentally I've also just taken delivery of one of these 'portapillars'.

Bought to save my back carryimg mount outside, now I can just roll it out the garage. 

Nice piece of kit but the little black bolts at the top were softer than butter that's been out the fridge for an hour. Now replaced with decent cap heads. 

Ade have you figured out a way to fine align (polar) in the az direction using the mount adjusters? Without loosening the central mount bolt (which I cant seem to get at!).

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by CraigT82

[PeterW]

Ruddy binoculars...

Peter

 

[RT65CB-SWL]

On 14/04/2020 at 20:50, PeterW said:

Ruddy binoculars...

Peter

 

These appear look like filters...

Never seen a 'ruddy' coloured pair of binoculars... my binoculars are a 'black' colour! 😜

Edited April 16, 2020 by Philip R

[PeterW]

Mine are certainly not of the “ruby coatings” type:.. wouldn’t deserve spending money on filters for them....

 

peter

[AdeKing]

3 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Ade have you figured out a way to fine align (polar) in the az direction using the mount adjusters? Without loosening the central mount bolt (which I cant seem to get at!).

Hi Craig, no, I haven't worked that out either. I made sure the north peg was lined up directly over one of the legs when I assembled it.

My AZ adjustment has comprised lining the mount up with a compass then physically moving the whole mount whilst looking through the polar scope until Polaris is in the circle.

I've got my polar alignment good enough that it tracks the sun all day without significant movement in the FoV, but I'm dreading having to re-do it when I have to mow the lawn as it was a bit of a faff.

I'm visual only but think I've managed a reasonable job.

Hope that helps.

[CraigT82]

21 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

Hi Craig, no, I haven't worked that out either. I made sure the north peg was lined up directly over one of the legs when I assembled it.

My AZ adjustment has comprised lining the mount up with a compass then physically moving the whole mount whilst looking through the polar scope until Polaris is in the circle.

I've got my polar alignment good enough that it tracks the sun all day without significant movement in the FoV, but I'm dreading having to re-do it when I have to mow the lawn as it was a bit of a faff.

I'm visual only but think I've managed a reasonable job.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Ade 👍

[MarkAR]

If you generally set up in the same spot, how about 3 round brick pucks in the lawn. I think Ive seen them at garden centres.

[JOC]

Courtesy of a generous person on SGL classifieds (from which my bank balance still doesn't appear safe) a rather nice set of Nikon Binoculars that I'm quite chuffed with.

Edited April 15, 2020 by JOC

[Alan White]

On 13/04/2020 at 15:02, AdeKing said:

LOL, it's sticky velcro for the handset or dew controller, as I have a habit of missing.

And I thought it was so you knew which was the Top Ade! 🤣

[AdeKing]

13 hours ago, MarkAR said:

If you generally set up in the same spot, how about 3 round brick pucks in the lawn. I think Ive seen them at garden centres.

I'm struggling to find any photos of what you mean, all it brings up is ice hockey pucks. I assume similar but in brick

 

[andrew s]

14 hours ago, AdeKing said:

Hi Craig, no, I haven't worked that out either. I made sure the north peg was lined up directly over one of the legs when I assembled it.

My AZ adjustment has comprised lining the mount up with a compass then physically moving the whole mount whilst looking through the polar scope until Polaris is in the circle.

I've got my polar alignment good enough that it tracks the sun all day without significant movement in the FoV, but I'm dreading having to re-do it when I have to mow the lawn as it was a bit of a faff.

I'm visual only but think I've managed a reasonable job.

Hope that helps.

Don't mow the lawn go for the wild flower meadow loo. I've knocked of 25% of my mowing that way.

Regards Andrew 

Edited April 15, 2020 by andrew s

[JOC]

1 hour ago, andrew s said:

I'm dreading having to re-do it when I have to mow the lawn as it was a bit of a faff.

Couldn't you just tap little wooden pegs into the ground flush with the earth surface that you could run the mower over the top of, and then find again to place the telescope back onto?  Or an I not understanding the issue here through a lack of owning similar equipment?

[PeterW]

Nuff said...

 

peter