What did the postman bring?

[johnturley]

12 minutes ago, gilesco said:

Well it has arrived and looks all OK. Can't help but notice that the dew shield says Esprit 120 (which is what it is), but the focuser is labelled ED100, which should read D=120 F=840 f/7

 

 

Looks like they fitted a focuser intended for an Esprit 100, I think that they both have the same focuser, but I can understand that its a bit annoying.

John 

[Dantooine]

6 hours ago, HollyHound said:

After much deliberation, I decided to go for a shorter focal length eyepiece, rather than a barlow/extender (for now)... a TeleVue Delite 5mm. There seems to be little (if any difference) between this and the Pentax XW5 (except for slightly narrower FoV and arguably "slightly" better resolution for lunar/planets 🤔), but I want this primarily for the StellaMira 80mm f/10, to give it's max theoretical magnification, whilst remaining light for balance. I have DeLite 13mm and 18.2mm and they work very well too, so this should be a good addition to the range 😃

That looks very sweet. 

[HollyHound]

3 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

That looks very sweet. 

Thanks. I'm loving the Pentax XWs in the 10" dob, but I also love the DeLites for the StellaMira on the Zero mount, as they are so lightweight... so thought I'd give this 5mm a go in all scopes and then later on decide whether to expand the whole range in one/other or indeed both 😃

I find that 60 to 70 degrees FoV is the sweet spot for me, I didn't get on with 82 degrees, but never say never, I might end up with on of those 100 degree monsters now I have this dob 😬

Edited November 20, 2020 by HollyHound

[gilesco]

9 minutes ago, johnturley said:

Looks like they fitted a focuser intended for an Esprit 100, I think that they both have the same focuser, but I can understand that its a bit annoying.

John 

Yes, will check with FLO and see if they can send me a sticker, with the right Aperture/Focal Length etc...  the graduation on the focuser goes from 0mm-87mm, hopefully they're the same for the 100 as they are the 120.

Anyone able to check that?

[Dantooine]

1 minute ago, HollyHound said:

Thanks. I'm loving the Pentax XWs in the 10" dob, but I also love the DeLites for the StellaMira on the Zero mount, as they are so lightweight... so thought I'd give this 5mm a go in all scopes and then later on decide whether to expand the whole range in one/other or indeed both 😃

To be honest I think we’re all starting another buying spree. I just bought a sw 200 pds to put in my az8 and try my ethos with. The idea of a lightweight set of eyepieces does seem appealing. 

[Adam J]

On 19/11/2020 at 10:04, gilesco said:

Or rather, what is the courier picking up...

Finally got notification that my Esprit 120ED Pro will be shipping to me today.

 

If they had had a dedicated flattener out when I purchased my esprit 100 then I would have a 120 instead. Oh well. 

[Dantooine]

And here is the photographic evidence of my totally uncontrollable ordering finger on my keyboard. I’m not sure when I will get the chance to open the box to be honest but hopefully it’s soon. 

[HollyHound]

20 hours ago, Dantooine said:

To be honest I think we’re all starting another buying spree. I just bought a sw 200 pds to put in my az8 and try my ethos with. The idea of a lightweight set of eyepieces does seem appealing. 

I stopped for a while, due to being very busy initially on a new contract and having little time, so spent as mush as possible observing... but now I have a few more free hours, I've been doing that dangerous thing of looking at other options and browsing @FLO 😬

I've even bought a AsiAir Pro and camera to try some EEVA with the C5 and AZ Mount Pro... love visual observing, but the techie in me wants to sit in the lounge and cruise the skies from my iPad 🤣

You'll love that 200pds... I've stayed clear of Newtonians, for the wrong reasons, but am loving have a big aperture reflector now and it's my (second) favourite scope... nothing replaces the StellaMira just yet!

The DeLites are good, very crisp, loads of eye relief (for easy viewing) and weigh very little indeed so balance is easy on a sensitive (but lovely) mount like the Zero 👍

Edited November 21, 2020 by HollyHound

[Adam J]

40 minutes ago, gilesco said:

 

They just put the wrong sticker on it. A few months of dew and it falls off anyway. This would not worry me at all. But then all I care about is the optical equality some others are more focused on aesthetics.

Edited November 20, 2020 by Adam J

[HollyHound]

4 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

And here is the photographic evidence of my totally uncontrollable ordering finger on my keyboard. I’m not sure when I will get the chance to open the box to be honest but hopefully it’s soon. 

 

That's a nice looking mount 😃 I love Alt/Az mounts, I use my iOptron AZ Mount Pro when I'm feeling lazy and just want "goto" or for keeping a good steady track on planets/lunar. Yours looks like a super beefed up SkyTee and similar to the AZ1000 👍

Enjoy that 200PDS, I'm sure you will... just need to get rid of these damn clouds 🤞

[gilesco]

55 minutes ago, Adam J said:

They just put the wrong sticker on it. A few months of dew and it falls off anyway. This would not worry me at all. But then all I care about is the optical equality some others are more focused on aesthetics.

Assuming the focusers are the same I will look to remove the sticker in time, they have not fallen off on my previous OTA. Just irks that it says something that it is not - maybe I'm getting obsessive.🤣

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Dantooine said:

And here is the photographic evidence of my totally uncontrollable ordering finger on my keyboard. I’m not sure when I will get the chance to open the box to be honest but hopefully it’s soon. 

Chorus from SGL’ers: “open the box!”

🙂

[JeremyS]

3 minutes ago, gilesco said:

Assuming the focusers are the same I will look to remove the sticker in time, they have not fallen off on my previous OTA. Just irks that it says something that it is not - maybe I'm getting obsessive.🤣

Nothing wrong with obsessive. Especially when it comes to refractors

🙂

 

[gilesco]

1 minute ago, JeremyS said:

Chorus from SGL’ers: “open the box!”

🙂

Well, yes, you can't just leave it there on your coffee table, can you... it will take up less space once unpacked after all. Open it, open it!!!

[Nicola Hannah Butterfield]

1 hour ago, Adam J said:

They just put the wrong sticker on it. A few months of dew and it falls off anyway. This would not worry me at all. But then all I care about is the optical equality some others are more focused on aesthetics.

Did no one teach them nowt in school.

[Nicola Hannah Butterfield]

Something cheap like me, to fix some bad vignetting, 2" to M48 T-mount

This is the result

Total cost about £15

[DaveL59]

30 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Chorus from SGL’ers: “open the box!”

🙂

quickly followed by "wot no 'andle?"  

[Daf1983]

A cheapish vintage lens to try out with my canon 600d and omegon minitrack. Waiting on an adapter to fit to the canon now

[Neil H]

Whats the block on the focuser for ??

[gilesco]

1 hour ago, Neil H said:

Whats the block on the focuser for ??

To protect the micro-focuser I think. It's only present on the side with the fine-control.

[HollyHound]

For use in the binoviewer and received via the forum from Steve (thanks 😃)... a pair of TeleVue 15mm Panoptics

[Dean Hale]

Some wipes and thought i'd try a cheap camera and i got it to work on a Mac and i can view the windmill through my window and it's clear the next two nights and i have no idea what to do next.

[Dantooine]

1 hour ago, HollyHound said:

For use in the binoviewer and received via the forum from Steve (thanks 😃)... a pair of TeleVue 15mm Panoptics

🤣

going back to my post about let the excessive purchase re-commence!!! 
They do look the perfect twins 👯‍♀️ 

[HollyHound]

Just now, Dantooine said:

🤣

going back to my post about let the excessive purchase re-commence!!! 
They do look the perfect twins 👯‍♀️ 

To be fair, I bought these before going for the Pentax XWs... but yes, guilty as charged 🤣

I'm going to see if they're an improvement over the Meade 3000 16mm Plossls I currently use in the binoview. If they are, then great, if not then I will keep one for mono viewing and sell the other... just need clear skies and the moon again 🤞

[Dantooine]

21 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Chorus from SGL’ers: “open the box!”

🙂

I opened the box but alas forgot to take a photo. I mounted it on the AZ 8 with the legs extended out 13” and this will be comfortable viewing even pointing virtually. It’s very stable even without counter weights but I’ve ordered some anyway.

I’m not sure if I will need an extender tube to reach focus with ethos in 2” mode if anyone has information on this or what’s needed I’d be very interested.

In 1.25” mode and a click lock it may work for now. Looking at the sky I do not thing I will be finding out anytime soon, also my eyes are suffering at the moment from excessive use of dam masks and ppe (not that I’m moaning)

🥴