What did the postman bring?

[DeepSkyMan]

Recently made the decision to remove my conventional finder scope attachment and replace with an Avalon X-Guider.  All new elements required for mounting of the X-Guider have now been delivered apart from the X-Guider itself, still awaiting delivery from Avalon, but I’m sure Santa will do his best to persuade Avalon to deliver it soon after the new year :-)

New items in the past month:

New Avalon X-Guider (not yet delivered)

New Baader Dovetail bar for my 8” EdgeHD to mount the X-Guider

New PrimaLuce Labs 115mm Rings for my 80mm Finderscope 

New Primaluce Labs 140mm Dovetail Bar, interface between finder and X-Guider

Last but not least, a new Laser pointer for my 15x85mm Bins

Yes Santa has been good to me ?

 

[Zayvin]

40 minutes ago, DeepSkyMan said:

Recently made the decision to remove my conventional finder scope attachment and replace with an Avalon X-Guider.  All new elements required for mounting of the X-Guider have now been delivered apart from the X-Guider itself, still awaiting delivery from Avalon, but I’m sure Santa will do his best to persuade Avalon to deliver it soon after the new year :-)

New items in the past month:

New Avalon X-Guider (not yet delivered)

New Baader Dovetail bar for my 8” EdgeHD to mount the X-Guider

New PrimaLuce Labs 115mm Rings for my 80mm Finderscope 

New Primaluce Labs 140mm Dovetail Bar, interface between finder and X-Guider

Last but not least, a new Laser pointer for my 15x85mm Bins

Yes Santa has been good to me ?

Some very nice kit you have there!

[Zayvin]

Here is my last haul of the year courtesy of FLO:

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by Zayvin

[DeepSkyMan]

45 minutes ago, Zayvin said:

Some very nice kit you have there!

Thanks Zayvin, been back in the astronomy caper now for about 3 years after a 30 year gap.  The collection is slowly growing, although given the atrocious weather we have had this past year I sometimes think I’m collecting Asto gear for the sheer pleasure of collection rather than actually doing anything with it ?

Nice WO 2” Diagonal by the way, should make a really nice addition  to your Evolution, great piece of innovation with the temperature gauge on the side.

How did you find the Telegizmos 365 cover in practice?  Is it able to be tied down in any way or does it just hang?

Paul.

Edited December 21, 2017 by DeepSkyMan

[Zayvin]

35 minutes ago, DeepSkyMan said:

Thanks Zayvin, been back in the astronomy caper now for about 3 years after a 30 year gap.  The collection is slowly growing, although given the atrocious weather we have had this past year I sometimes think I’m collecting Asto gear for the sheer pleasure of collection rather than actually doing anything with it ?

Nice WO 2” Diagonal by the way, should make a really nice addition  to your Evolution, great piece of innovation with the temperature gauge on the side.

How did you find the Telegizmos 365 cover in practice?  Is it able to be tied down in any way or does it just hang?

Paul.

Tell me about it, the weather is a real problem

I have yet to unpack the telegizmos 365 cover, hopefully this weekend. I am hoping it will sit quite low and be tied off, we shall see.

[JeremyS]

My first 2-inch eyepiece has been delivered has been delivered: Explore Scientific Maxvision 68 deg, 34 mm to use in my C9.25

[1CM69]

Can't wait to try it out

 

[Bobby1970]

Received this today, really want to try guiding in the near future 

[RayD]

Just now, Bobby1970 said:

Received this today, really want to try guiding in the near future 

Very nice.  Neat and compact. 

I think the focus is a bit soft on the picture it is sitting on though, also stars look a bit eggy 

[L8-Nite]

12 hours ago, DeepSkyMan said:

..................................................... although given the atrocious weather we have had this past year I sometimes think I’m collecting Asto gear for the sheer pleasure of collection rather than actually doing anything with it ? ...................................................

Paul.

I think I have this vice also, lol.

[iPeace]

Beautiful, and in excellent condition - and packaged by @astro_al with all due care to keep it that way.

Thanks, Al!

Edited December 21, 2017 by iPeace

[Piero]

New tripod for me!

  

Edited December 22, 2017 by Piero

[ronin]

Not arrived yet

Another item is now 3 days late, beginning to suspect that has been lost in the post.

[Ags]

21 hours ago, Piero said:

New tripod for me!

And which tripod is that? It looks very elegant!

[Dave_D]

Not astro related, but when your nerdy hobbies means that no-one has a damn clue what to buy you, you end up buying your own prezzies

 

[Piero]

7 minutes ago, Ags said:

And which tripod is that? It looks very elegant!

Thank you Agnes!   I ordered it directly from Berlebach. It is a UNI 19, with double clamps, spread stopper, and 15mm long 3/8"-16 bolt. The new mount is coming next week, so, there will be a photo update soon..  

[Davey-T]

Took 3 days to arrive by Royal Mail next day delivery but guess they're a bit busy.

Motor focus for the Tecnosky 152mm solar setup, I've got a few Lakesides so thought I'd try another make to compare.

Doesn't look like I'll be using it any time soon though.

Dave

[wookie1965]

Got this second hand bargain started down the green and black route?

[Gina]

Two beautiful vinyl collections of songs by Nana Mouskouri   Plus a USB cable and some capacitors and FETs

[tooth_dr]

Past few days I’ve gathered up bits and pieces to go ahead with a side by side ED80 imaging rig. Will need a few days fine tuning and assembly, I have adjustable rings to fall back on if I can’t it shimmed as it stands:

Black ED80 DS

SW FF 0.85x

Canon T adapter

10mm aluminium plate, various pieces

 

 

[barkis]

On 31/12/2016 at 17:27, michaelmorris said:

Just before Christmas the postman delivered a lovely large flat parcel.

Sky Atlas 2000 deluxe colour laminated edition.  Only £57 delivered from the US.  It was on special offer - 50% off in November. 

 

That's a great gift to yourself  Michael.
Just think of the good Quiz Questions you can create out of that big book.
Have a Good Xmas matey.

[Highburymark]

On 21/12/2017 at 14:33, iPeace said:

Beautiful, and in excellent condition - and packaged by @astro_al with all due care to keep it that way.

Thanks, Al!

Is this your first Delite Mike? When you compare it with your T6 Naglers on the moon, you won't believe they have been made by the same company (apart from having the same top rate TV fit and finish). Naglers give a stone-coloured sheen, while the Delites deliver a cleaner image. I love both - would be interesting to read your thoughts once you've tried out the 18.2. 

[iPeace]

6 hours ago, Highburymark said:

Is this your first Delite Mike? When you compare it with your T6 Naglers on the moon, you won't believe they have been made by the same company (apart from having the same top rate TV fit and finish). Naglers give a stone-coloured sheen, while the Delites deliver a cleaner image. I love both - would be interesting to read your thoughts once you've tried out the 18.2. 

You know Mark, I do believe I know what you mean, even without having tried a DeLite (yet) as this is indeed my first. I have certainly noticed the difference in "tone", so to speak, between Naglers and offerings from other manufacturers (Baader Zoom, Vixen HR). It is exactly as you say - the Naglers, while very sharp and wide, do also show a very slight tinge, as if through the most subtle of filters. And, as you imply, having mostly only ever used Naglers, Panoptics and Ethos, this is not something that was particularly noticeable for me.

The enjoyment I have had from the Vixen HRs - well, one of the three so far has gotten starlight - has got me thinking more about this. I have often read praise for the DeLites - "ortho-like", etc. - and if that would mean that TeleVue offers some of that "purity" then I am interested.

For the moment, I also have a 19mm Panoptic incoming, which I look forward to comparing with both the 18.2mm DeLite and the 16mm T5 Nagler (similar true field). I hope that will be interesting and I intend to share my thoughts.

I'll admit I am already thinking about the shorter DeLites for lunar and planetary.

Happy Christmas!

[Highburymark]

12 minutes ago, iPeace said:

You know Mark, I do believe I know what you mean, even without having tried a DeLite (yet) as this is indeed my first. I have certainly noticed the difference in "tone", so to speak, between Naglers and offerings from other manufacturers (Baader Zoom, Vixen HR). It is exactly as you say - the Naglers, while very sharp and wide, do also show a very slight tinge, as if through the most subtle of filters. And, as you imply, having mostly only ever used Naglers, Panoptics and Ethos, this is not something that was particularly noticeable for me.

The enjoyment I have had from the Vixen HRs - well, one of the three so far has gotten starlight - has got me thinking more about this. I have often read praise for the DeLites - "ortho-like", etc. - and if that would mean that TeleVue offers some of that "purity" then I am interested.

For the moment, I also have a 19mm Panoptic incoming, which I look forward to comparing with both the 18.2mm DeLite and the 16mm T5 Nagler (similar true field). I hope that will be interesting and I intend to share my thoughts.

I'll admit I am already thinking about the shorter DeLites for lunar and planetary.

Happy Christmas!

A happy Christmas to you too - and to everyone else who has received some astronomical goodies from Santa this Xmas!

[Piero]

3 hours ago, iPeace said:

You know Mark, I do believe I know what you mean, even without having tried a DeLite (yet) as this is indeed my first. I have certainly noticed the difference in "tone", so to speak, between Naglers and offerings from other manufacturers (Baader Zoom, Vixen HR). It is exactly as you say - the Naglers, while very sharp and wide, do also show a very slight tinge, as if through the most subtle of filters. And, as you imply, having mostly only ever used Naglers, Panoptics and Ethos, this is not something that was particularly noticeable for me.

The enjoyment I have had from the Vixen HRs - well, one of the three so far has gotten starlight - has got me thinking more about this. I have often read praise for the DeLites - "ortho-like", etc. - and if that would mean that TeleVue offers some of that "purity" then I am interested.

For the moment, I also have a 19mm Panoptic incoming, which I look forward to comparing with both the 18.2mm DeLite and the 16mm T5 Nagler (similar true field). I hope that will be interesting and I intend to share my thoughts.

I'll admit I am already thinking about the shorter DeLites for lunar and planetary.

Happy Christmas!

Merry Christmas Mike!

I wish we lived closer so that I could show you what the razor Zeiss zoom can do on the moon. 

The HR also offers "delight" views!