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What did the postman bring?


nightfisher

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46 minutes ago, Jimmy Rocket said:

Yes to be honest the bracket is a bit of an eye sore, don't know why they don't paint them black? That is a nice svbony bracket you have though. 

It’s the one (minor) issue I had when I popped this finder on the StellaMira, it just looked wrong in white... so many thanks, it now looks like something else I “need” to buy 🤣

Presumably the SkyWatcher RACI finder body then just fits inside those rings?

Edited by HollyHound
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Allways happy to help someone spend their money. 😁😁😁

Yes the 9x50 fits in the rings. The screws are nylon tipped so won’t scatch the body of the finder.

The Svbony bracket is available cheaper on eBay if you don’t mind waiting until later in July. 😬

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5 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Allways happy to help someone spend their money. 😁😁😁

Yes the 9x50 fits in the rings. The screws are nylon tipped so won’t scatch the body of the finder.

The Svbony bracket is available cheaper on eBay if you don’t mind waiting until later in July. 😬

Too late, already ordered it... arriving next week.

In some sense it matters not one jot what the finder looks like... it’s dark usually anyway 🤣

However, the current holder is quite heavy and this looks possibly a bit lighter and also more versatile... I do also have a black 6x30 straight through finder which came with the C5 🤔

Anyway, heads up, a photo of this might be coming to this very thread next week 😁

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7 minutes ago, Jimmy Rocket said:

The bracket is painted in what looks like hammerite, may be possible to rub it down and spray it black.? Maybe? 

 

That’s an option, I suppose to be fair to SkyWatcher, a lot of their scopes are mostly white anyway. 
 

I know we have this version now, but if anyone does want an all black one, there is this:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

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17 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

That’s an option, I suppose to be fair to SkyWatcher, a lot of their scopes are mostly white anyway. 
 

I know we have this version now, but if anyone does want an all black one, there is this:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

You may be glad of a white one in the dark. Some point of reference. 

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Just taken delivery of my new imaging/processing laptop. 
Ryzen 7, 8 core
16gb ram and a 1TB nvme drive. 
 

would have gone with a desktop but like the practicality of being able to travel around with my Astro gear. 
 

F29DB032-0950-4716-95C4-39C8E331E68E.jpeg.cf9d88656b9adb2e3e4903e48e432a63.jpeg

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ZWO manual filter wheel and Baader spacers to achieve back focus. Just need some clear skies for my first mono imaging. 

371759882_MFW-.jpg.d36d256bd7f7c97c4530b2a7f039a3a6.jpg

IMG_20200613_185617.thumb.jpg.b87928f3da39f9aba81842a517db2132.jpg

Edited by Guest
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TeleVue Zoom 3-6 from @FLO

TeleVue DeLite 18.2 in excellent condition from here on the SGL For Sale ads

Along with the pair of TeleVue Nagler 13 T6 (also from the ads) that arrived earlier in the week and now in my binoviewer, I’ve gone from no TVs to four in week... is this the slippery slope 😬🤣

 

44A85FBD-4762-48B0-83A7-B18511653FC3.jpeg

Edited by HollyHound
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On 12/06/2020 at 06:57, FenlandPaul said:

Thank you. I have two Canon EOSs (an unmodified 1000D and a modified 450D without the IR filter), my little Altair Starwave 70ed frac and a small collection of old Vivitar lenses.  So that’s my starting line-up, but I’ll see how I get on!!

Good luck, please let me know how you get on with the Star Adventurer

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51 minutes ago, Kluson said:

Good luck, please let me know how you get on with the Star Adventurer

Of course!  Managed to get out last night with it for a couple of hours, with a DSLR and 135mm / 200mm lenses.  Observations so far:

  • The instruction manual could do with a proper proof read and sense check!! 🙄
  • It’s a nice solid unit - well built and with controls in sensible places, with a nice level of red illumination at night.  The only thing I was disappointed with was the design of the illuminator for the polar scope, which basically means you have to unscrew the cap completely to turn it off - necessitating messing around with fiddly batteries and trying not to drop / lose them (fine at this time of year but in the winter that’ll get annoying!).
  • I’ve attached mine to the lightweight skywatcher tripod that came with my AZ5.  Initially I had it on the little extension pillar that comes as standard I think with that tripod.  The tripod is bordering on hopeless - very wobbly when handled - but once I’d removed the extension pillar it has was robust enough for a dslr and heavy lens.  I operate the dslr remotely so don’t need to handle it much. 
  • The whole arrangement felt a lot less secure when I attached my 70ed, star diagonal and Nagler eyepiece to do so some solar work yesterday.  Touching the focusser would cause vibrations that lasted a while, but it was just about tolerable.  It felt the whole arrangement was more strained, but I’ve not used it in anger with the camera and scope in tandem yet, so might be fine. It easily kept the sun at x45 dead centre for 5 minutes or more using the solar tracking speed and a general “point north” rather than polar align.
  • Under the stars with the dslr it was a dream.  Polar aligning (rough) was simple, the dslr felt sturdily held and it just did exactly what it said.  I managed 60 second subs with the 200mm lens and they stacked with no problems, but didn’t try any longer.  Interested how long I can do.
  • Output from the evening was these two pictures of Lyra and Corona Borealis with the 135mm lens, with subs of 30 seconds each (I think for Lyra I stacked about 8 of them, from memory).  As a complete newcomer to imaging, I’m excited where this might go - these won’t win any competitions, but they’ve definitely encouraged me that I can do this with some practice and patience!!
  • One thing I do need to do is order a ball head for the dslr.  In its native form, the Star Adventurer doesn’t allow you to alter the orientation of the frame - you just get whatever it spits out!  So a ball head will solve this.  Wouldn’t be a problem with my 70ed as the focusser can be rotated.

Definitely glad I bought it. 😃

 

5C99E721-A02A-4B56-8470-A08EEC9C2952.jpeg.8c644a8dbde2776ec873a98d8f5778c5.jpegC37E7EDF-18C1-4C2D-9601-4868E9EFAE30.jpeg.41d8a89c422a39b9b5f793233b42ca51.jpeg

Edited by FenlandPaul
Added comment re ball head
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21 hours ago, FenlandPaul said:

Of course!  Managed to get out last night with it for a couple of hours, with a DSLR and 135mm / 200mm lenses.  Observations so far:

  • The instruction manual could do with a proper proof read and sense check!! 🙄
  • It’s a nice solid unit - well built and with controls in sensible places, with a nice level of red illumination at night.  The only thing I was disappointed with was the design of the illuminator for the polar scope, which basically means you have to unscrew the cap completely to turn it off - necessitating messing around with fiddly batteries and trying not to drop / lose them (fine at this time of year but in the winter that’ll get annoying!).
  • I’ve attached mine to the lightweight skywatcher tripod that came with my AZ5.  Initially I had it on the little extension pillar that comes as standard I think with that tripod.  The tripod is bordering on hopeless - very wobbly when handled - but once I’d removed the extension pillar it has was robust enough for a dslr and heavy lens.  I operate the dslr remotely so don’t need to handle it much. 
  • The whole arrangement felt a lot less secure when I attached my 70ed, star diagonal and Nagler eyepiece to do so some solar work yesterday.  Touching the focusser would cause vibrations that lasted a while, but it was just about tolerable.  It felt the whole arrangement was more strained, but I’ve not used it in anger with the camera and scope in tandem yet, so might be fine. It easily kept the sun at x45 dead centre for 5 minutes or more using the solar tracking speed and a general “point north” rather than polar align.
  • Under the stars with the dslr it was a dream.  Polar aligning (rough) was simple, the dslr felt sturdily held and it just did exactly what it said.  I managed 60 second subs with the 200mm lens and they stacked with no problems, but didn’t try any longer.  Interested how long I can do.
  • Output from the evening was these two pictures of Lyra and Corona Borealis with the 135mm lens, with subs of 30 seconds each (I think for Lyra I stacked about 8 of them, from memory).  As a complete newcomer to imaging, I’m excited where this might go - these won’t win any competitions, but they’ve definitely encouraged me that I can do this with some practice and patience!!
  • One thing I do need to do is order a ball head for the dslr.  In its native form, the Star Adventurer doesn’t allow you to alter the orientation of the frame - you just get whatever it spits out!  So a ball head will solve this.  Wouldn’t be a problem with my 70ed as the focusser can be rotated.

Definitely glad I bought it. 😃

 

5C99E721-A02A-4B56-8470-A08EEC9C2952.jpeg.8c644a8dbde2776ec873a98d8f5778c5.jpegC37E7EDF-18C1-4C2D-9601-4868E9EFAE30.jpeg.41d8a89c422a39b9b5f793233b42ca51.jpeg

Thanks so much, That's very helpful. I found this you tube clip which seems quite helpful. His view of a Ball head may be of interest.  Thanks again for your findings. I'm trying to order my sky Adventurer as we speak 🙂

Edited by Kluson
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21 hours ago, FenlandPaul said:

Of course!  Managed to get out last night with it for a couple of hours, with a DSLR and 135mm / 200mm lenses.  Observations so far:

  • The instruction manual could do with a proper proof read and sense check!! 🙄
  • It’s a nice solid unit - well built and with controls in sensible places, with a nice level of red illumination at night.  The only thing I was disappointed with was the design of the illuminator for the polar scope, which basically means you have to unscrew the cap completely to turn it off - necessitating messing around with fiddly batteries and trying not to drop / lose them (fine at this time of year but in the winter that’ll get annoying!).
  • I’ve attached mine to the lightweight skywatcher tripod that came with my AZ5.  Initially I had it on the little extension pillar that comes as standard I think with that tripod.  The tripod is bordering on hopeless - very wobbly when handled - but once I’d removed the extension pillar it has was robust enough for a dslr and heavy lens.  I operate the dslr remotely so don’t need to handle it much. 
  • The whole arrangement felt a lot less secure when I attached my 70ed, star diagonal and Nagler eyepiece to do so some solar work yesterday.  Touching the focusser would cause vibrations that lasted a while, but it was just about tolerable.  It felt the whole arrangement was more strained, but I’ve not used it in anger with the camera and scope in tandem yet, so might be fine. It easily kept the sun at x45 dead centre for 5 minutes or more using the solar tracking speed and a general “point north” rather than polar align.
  • Under the stars with the dslr it was a dream.  Polar aligning (rough) was simple, the dslr felt sturdily held and it just did exactly what it said.  I managed 60 second subs with the 200mm lens and they stacked with no problems, but didn’t try any longer.  Interested how long I can do.
  • Output from the evening was these two pictures of Lyra and Corona Borealis with the 135mm lens, with subs of 30 seconds each (I think for Lyra I stacked about 8 of them, from memory).  As a complete newcomer to imaging, I’m excited where this might go - these won’t win any competitions, but they’ve definitely encouraged me that I can do this with some practice and patience!!
  • One thing I do need to do is order a ball head for the dslr.  In its native form, the Star Adventurer doesn’t allow you to alter the orientation of the frame - you just get whatever it spits out!  So a ball head will solve this.  Wouldn’t be a problem with my 70ed as the focusser can be rotated.

Definitely glad I bought it. 😃

 

5C99E721-A02A-4B56-8470-A08EEC9C2952.jpeg.8c644a8dbde2776ec873a98d8f5778c5.jpegC37E7EDF-18C1-4C2D-9601-4868E9EFAE30.jpeg.41d8a89c422a39b9b5f793233b42ca51.jpeg

Sorry Paul here's the clip 

 

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Bits & pieces including a solar continuum filter, a WO 2x barlow nosepiece and an aluminum disk that will shortly be made into a mounting puck for an AZ-GTi mount.

625FB9DD-574C-4F02-B6E4-2FBD2BDBDCAC.jpeg

 

The WO barlow will make a usefull barlow fitted to a 1.25” eypiece extension and for a bit more mag a nosepiece extension can be fitted. 

172FE4C7-9991-47D3-841A-21C0597CB226.jpeg

C5064EFB-415F-4BCC-AEE1-0460342266ED.jpeg

Edited by johninderby
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This just arrived this morning, and in excellent condition...

Burgess/TMB 8mm Planetary Series.

I don't have a fixed focal length 8mm (the Hyperion zoom lives in the C5 for now), so this will be used in the StellaMira... looking forward to giving it a go soon 😀

BurgessTMB_8mm.jpg

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