What did the postman bring?

[tooth_dr]

@Space Oddities that’s looking great!  What camera are you using?  It’s good to see what the filters can do at F2.  

[Space Oddities]

The venerable ASI1600MM! I shot some flats to get rid of the vignette, but I'm not sure if it's caused by the filters themselves or the step down ring I used to lower the aperture of the lens... so it's actually not really f/2, now that I think of it...

[tooth_dr]

10 minutes ago, Space Oddities said:

The venerable ASI1600MM! I shot some flats to get rid of the vignette, but I'm not sure if it's caused by the filters themselves or the step down ring I used to lower the aperture of the lens... so it's actually not really f/2, now that I think of it...

💪🏻 the good old 1600.  These cameras will have achieved cult status like the KAF8300. 

[Space Oddities]

I have to admit I was thinking of "upgrading" to an ASI533MM... I like those newer and more sensitive sensors! But then I look at my pictures, and can't justify the switch. Good old 1600 indeed!

[Astronomist]

I just received a new telrad base. I broke the old one in a 'DIY accident'.   

[Ratlet]

21 hours ago, Greymouser said:

Got this little light, which may help me find eyepieces on the table, rather than knock them off. It's meant to be a reading light, amber, red and mixed and clamps onto the top of a book. Here it is on the edge of a desk.

Not as bright as it seems in the picture and it is dimmable, as well as very directional.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amber-Reading-Lights-Books-Bed/dp/B0B12TR9GR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2U43WDTX4LU1O&keywords=red+light+reading+light&qid=1668277221&sprefix=red%20light%20reading%20light%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

How dim are we talking here?  That looks great for my sketching.  Does it go to borderline useless levels of dimness?  That would be ideal if it does.

Also, we've achieved 500 pages collectively of sharing our joy in this hobby together.  Congratulations to everyone.  Here's to the next 500!

Edited November 13, 2022 by Ratlet

[F15Rules]

Waiting for me when I got home after a trip away..

A nice  Altair 2" 70mm extension tube for my Tak for use with 2" eyepieces, some of them (Axiom LX 23 & 31mm 82 deg) heavy beasts.

This extension is the only one I've found with 3 retaining screws and a compression ring..my previous 80mm tube was ok but only had one retaining screw, and I always felt a bit nervous with heavy kit hanging off it.

Hopefully this one will hold everything much more securely and keep alignment with the main focuser tube better..

It also has a Morpheus style safety kerf section at the bottom of the tube, which should be less likely to catch on the compression ring on the Baader Ultrashort adapter I have attached to the original Tak focuser tube..I'd have preferred a black finish on the safety kerf rather than the shiny finish, but it is painted matt black inside, so shouldn't cause reflections🤞😊.

My thanks to Ed at Harrison's Telescopes for prompt service.

Dave

[Greymouser]

6 hours ago, Ratlet said:

How dim are we talking here?  That looks great for my sketching.  Does it go to borderline useless levels of dimness?  That would be ideal if it does.

Also, we've achieved 500 pages collectively of sharing our joy in this hobby together.  Congratulations to everyone.  Here's to the next 500!

That is hard to judge, after all it is very subjective, I would say. What I would say is dim, another may say too bright. To try and give perspective, which a photo lacks, if I want to read with this, I have to raise the brightness above the minimum, on red at least, but perhaps that is my eyes? One thing though is that I would say it would be ideal for that sort of thing, as the light is very directional, so little light goes upwards, as it were. The white light version would be good for sketching too, as it is dim too, as well as being soft white. Hope that helps. 

I had another delivery later yesterday too, from FLO, even though it was due on Monday! Thank you FLO and DPD. Both top of their game.

Firstly an Oklop bag for my AZ EQ 5, which I must say doesn't look big enough!

Then a table top tripod for my Evolution mount, which again makes me doubt it is big enough, but we will see. Certainly it is much smaller and lighter than the full size tripod, so should be good for travel, but I am not sure how good with a C9.25 on top...

Then an eyepiece I have been wanting to try for a while, which could lead to more in this range... ( 82 degree Explore Scientific. )

 

[wookie1965]

On 12/11/2022 at 18:29, Greymouser said:

Got this little light, which may help me find eyepieces on the table, rather than knock them off. It's meant to be a reading light, amber, red and mixed and clamps onto the top of a book. Here it is on the edge of a desk.

Not as bright as it seems in the picture and it is dimmable, as well as very directional.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amber-Reading-Lights-Books-Bed/dp/B0B12TR9GR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2U43WDTX4LU1O&keywords=red+light+reading+light&qid=1668277221&sprefix=red%20light%20reading%20light%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

I have one of those I attach it to my clip board to read my lists make notes and sketch they are brilliant plus its rechargeable.

[Ian McCallum]

These arrived today, courtesy of @SzabiB. I bought a friend a second hand Celestron Firstscope 76mm Dobsonian from eBay, which was supplied with awful H and SR type eyepieces.

I bought these Sky-Watcher eyepieces, as these will be an improvement for him. 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Ian McCallum

[TheycallmeRiver]

eVscope 2 arrived.

Mid life crisis confirmed 😆

[Stu1smartcookie]

4 minutes ago, TheycallmeRiver said:

eVscope 2 arrived.

Mid life crisis confirmed 😆

This is where i am going to end up  .... love this tech , cant wait to read your report after 1st light .

 

[Alan White]

Well I had to act as the postman, but another old friend returns.
But minus some bits...

OOUK 250 f4.8 1/8 wave and dual speed focuser.

Hence the dobson mount in wanted section, but I have just set the ball rolling with John at OOUK to buy a new mount.

A nice portable 10 sits so well along with a 3 or 4" refractor, you all know the story on the 4" to date of course 😪

Apart from some scratches from the rings on the tube all is looking good and very tidy, better sorted than my previous 10” so quite excited for the wonders to be revealed.

Lets face it, very few can afford or want to consider a 10” refractor.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Alan White

[Ratlet]

6 hours ago, Ian McCallum said:

These arrived today, courtesy of @SzabiB. I bought a friend a second hand Celestron Firstscope 76mm Dobsonian from eBay, which was supplied with awful H and SR type eyepieces.

I bought these Sky-Watcher eyepieces, as these will be an improvement for him. 

I think those H and SR eyepieces get too much stick.  I use mine every night I'm out observing.  They do a really good job as replacement dust caps.

[Ian McCallum]

1 hour ago, Ratlet said:

I think those H and SR eyepieces get too much stick.  I use mine every night I'm out observing.  They do a really good job as replacement dust caps.

Great at stopping dust ingress?🤔😂

[Kluson]

The Postman arrived this morning with a shiny new ASIAIR Plus  - The long wait is over 🙂

Sorry looks like cloudy skies for a while then!

[Space Oddities]

3 hours ago, Kluson said:

The Postman arrived this morning with a shiny new ASIAIR Plus  - The long wait is over 🙂

Sorry looks like cloudy skies for a while then!

Enjoy! I love mine, it's so simple to use and intuitive. Makes astrophotography very enjoyable!

[Neil H]

A big thank you to Grant at FLO and Tim at Williams Optics for getting me replacement eyepiece rubber cups

[Ags]

An Asus ZenBook UX425QA_UM425QA 14" laptop. A hexacore Ryzen processor with 16 GB of RAM. It's not an ultrabook... it's an astrobook!

I bought it for the weight (1.3 kgs), fast processor, AMD integrated graphics, and the (most importantly) very long battery duration. It's also powered from USB-C, so it will be easy to boost the battery life with a separate power pack.

Currently various parts of the software maze are speaking to me in Dutch, but at least the laptop smiles when it recognizes my face!

Picked up super-cheap as a customer return with a very small dent on the back and tiny scratch on the charger.

[tbones147]

Sorry for the cloudy skies going forward, the postman has kindly delivered a Svbony 7-21mm zoom lens. I'm just hoping its better than my stock 25mm & 10mm. Not got the funds for anything expensive so have gone this route. Still new at this lark, and learning the ropes.

[Stu1smartcookie]

50 minutes ago, tbones147 said:

Sorry for the cloudy skies going forward, the postman has kindly delivered a Svbony 7-21mm zoom lens. I'm just hoping its better than my stock 25mm & 10mm. Not got the funds for anything expensive so have gone this route. Still new at this lark, and learning the ropes.

I think you will be more than happy with that EP ... its a real bargain . 

[lee g]

Finally after a lot of thought and waiting I’ve joined the club..

I want this mostly for EAA (live stacking) and maybe some planetary imaging.

only thing is I have to wait for crimbo now as it’s a prezzie from my wife 

[bosun21]

6 hours ago, tbones147 said:

Sorry for the cloudy skies going forward, the postman has kindly delivered a Svbony 7-21mm zoom lens. I'm just hoping its better than my stock 25mm & 10mm. Not got the funds for anything expensive so have gone this route. Still new at this lark, and learning the ropes.

Another 👍for the SVbony 7-21mm zoom. It’s no Baader but it’s performs well.

[Nakedgun]

~

Astronomics, which I believe is the largest astro retailer in the U.S. has their proprietary "Astro-Tech" line of products for us, and recently I learned of the PF flat-field eyepieces.

Bought and tried one in 5.5mm length, which sports a 60° AFOV, 16mm eyerelief, and the flat field, all for $55! Othoscopics and original Ultimas, which I have, at this length are hardly usable, so this quite a nicety. If you have high-end oculars you don't need this, but it truly is an exceptional value. Other F/Ls available, some with 65° fields.

 

 

 

 

.

[wookie1965]

These turned up nice books to add to my collection.