What did the postman bring?

[25585]

On 10 April 2018 at 10:48, laudropb said:

Just delivered. Thanks to Dave. Now I just need a clear sky to try it out.

Great zoom ep. Vixen vanquisher, Baader beater. 

[coatesg]

Apologies to everyone: I reasoned that it had been cloudy for so long this spring, I could buy kit and get away with it... hopefully not cursed it for next week...

I picked up a good deal on a Canon 200mm f2.8 L USM II on Ebay that arrived on Tues - and also have just found a new QHY camera well... (need a new FW and filters now :-O )

[25585]

2 hours ago, coatesg said:

Apologies to everyone: I reasoned that it had been cloudy for so long this spring, I could buy kit and get away with it... hopefully not cursed it for next week...

I picked up a good deal on a Canon 200mm f2.8 L USM II on Ebay that arrived on Tues - and also have just found a new QHY camera well... (need a new FW and filters now :-O )

Don't worry. My new big scope due today. And an eyepiece. And something else. And its only Thursday. April forecast written off whole month remaining. Autumn begins in August. Why do we buy so much stuff in the UK?! ?

Astrozap scope end covers here, get most use out of those I expect ?

Edited April 12, 2018 by 25585

[StaceStar]

Sorry guys...my new belt modded HEQ5 is waiting at home. Thought i'd get my order in whilst the weather is already bad!

[25585]

My 12 inch F5 OTA has now arrived. One 5 feet tall box & another smaller one. Many thanks @FLO. 

Guests tomorrow to Sunday so scope towed in the garage until next week. Low cloud of course, so no rush. Something to look forward to come Monday. 

[DeepSkyMan]

Well since it’s reached that part of the year where my other hobby fly-fishing begins to get the focus of my attention, happy to say that Postie very kindly delivered my newly repaired waders from Diver Dave. ?

Edited April 15, 2018 by DeepSkyMan

[25585]

Yesterday a Baader 25mm Symmetrical (possibly TAL made). 

Today a little TAL 12mm Erfle from ebay & an 8mm Vixen LVW bought from @Saganite - mint condition ¡muchas gracias!

[Saganite]

This beauty arrived this morning to pair up with the one I bought 4 years ago, and will give me 139X and 248X in the OOVX12.............. 79X *140X  in the 4" frac..........and in the 5" f15 Andromeda,

119X,( native focus) 166X, & 297X. 

 

 

I have read of other people's good fortune, turning up amazing bargains, but rarely does it happen to me, however I recently opened a dialogue with a fellow stargazer, during which he said that he had a very old and cosmetically challenged eyepiece that he felt sure would work well at f15. Apart from the scratched barrel and body, there is what appears to be tarnish/ coating degradation on the very edge of the enormous eye lens. He said that if I wished to have it, he would send it FOC !!

I thanked him for his generosity, paid the postage, and it arrived this morning also. The eye lens still looks like a lump of liquid glass, and I was quick to put it into the 4" f9 and test it out. Now I admit that daylight testing is not a good indicator necessarily of how it will perform under the stars, but I have seldom been disappointed with a night sky view after the daylight chimney pot test ( today the test was  greatly improved by the arrival of 5 starlings with their irridescent plumage, cavorting and preening for several minutes).

During the test I compared it with my University Optics 40mm Konig, and the 42mm Vixen LVW, and it was the only eyepiece which was as sharp at the edge of the field as on axis, not by a huge amount, but no adjustment of focus was needed. Of course the apparent FOV is narrow compared to the other two, and so the result could be expected, but looking into a very large lens( 42mm diameter) and seeing sharpness everywhere was excellent.

It does have very long eye relief, and I had read that eye sensitivity is a problem, but I do not find it so.

The next three nights are looking promising so hopefully I will get a chance to try this 48mm Brandon in all three scopes.

Edited April 18, 2018 by Saganite

[Chris]

7 and 15mm Celestron Luminos to go with my 10mm. I had these before, sold them, regretted it. It's 82 degrees with decent ER = rare thing.

[Saganite]

Lovely oculars Chris, well done. I have never tried these.

[25585]

5 minutes ago, Saganite said:

This beauty arrived this morning to pair up with the one I bought 4 years ago, and will give me 139X and 248X in the OOVX12.............. 79X *140X  in the 4" frac..........and in the 5" f5 Andromeda,

119X,( native focus) 166X, & 297X. 

 

 

I have read of other people's good fortune, turning up amazing bargains, but rarely does it happen to me, however I recently opened a dialogue with a fellow stargazer, during which he said that he had a very old and cosmetically challenged eyepiece that he felt sure would work well at f15. Apart from the scratched barrel and body, there is what appears to be tarnish/ coating degradation on the very edge of the enormous eye lens. He said that if I wished to have it, he would send it FOC !!

I thanked him for his generosity, paid the postage, and it arrived this morning also. The eye lens still looks like a lump of liquid glass, and I was quick to put it into the 4" f9 and test it out. Now I admit that daylight testing is not a good indicator necessarily of how it will perform under the stars, but I have seldom been disappointed with a night sky view after the daylight chimney pot test ( today the test was  greatly improved by the arrival of 5 starlings with their irridescent plumage, cavorting and preening for several minutes).

During the test I compared it with my University Optics 40mm Konig, and the 42mm Vixen LVW, and it was the only eyepiece which was as sharp at the edge of the field as on axis, not by a huge amount, but no adjustment of focus was needed. Of course the apparent FOV is narrow compared to the other two, and so the result could be expected, but looking into a very large lens and seeing sharpness everywhere was excellent.

The next three nights are looking promising so hopefully I will get a chance to try this 48mm Brandon in all three scopes.

Awesome eps. There is a 48mm on ebay US at present. 

[Chris]

2 hours ago, Saganite said:

That's a great looking thing and a bargain, congrats  

Edited April 18, 2018 by Lockie

[Chris]

2 hours ago, Saganite said:

Lovely oculars Chris, well done. I have never tried these.

Thanks  They are the only 82* EP's I've found where I can see the whole FOV without my eye touching the glass! Great built and comfy. downside - the odd reflection near the Moon, and a touch EOFB, but very sharp and cheap!

[L8-Nite]

Hey, congratulations on the Brandon !

I'm confident you are going to love it, even if it is cosmetically challenged. 

[F15Rules]

5 hours ago, Saganite said:

and in the 5" f5 Andromeda,

Steve...!! Have you been chopping Andromeda's tube??

Congratulations on the new Nagler?☺

Dave

Edited April 18, 2018 by F15Rules

[F15Rules]

That Brandon should be superb in Andromeda at F5, er, I mean F15..

Clear skies Steve,

Dave

[Saganite]

Well spotted Dave. I even went through it again when I edited it ! Doh 

I have now corrected it. 

[Saganite]

26 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

That Brandon should be superb in Andromeda at F5, er, I mean F15..

Clear skies Steve,

Dave

Well, I shall find out tonight, Andromeda is up on the pier and ready.

Edited April 18, 2018 by Saganite

[F15Rules]

Just protecting the old girls' feelings Steve?..

6 minutes ago, Saganite said:

spotted Dave. I even went through it again when I edited it ! Doh

Dave

[F15Rules]

Nice StellarVue 9x50 RACI finder arrived a few days ago. It takes 1.25" eyepieces too -- shown with a Parks Gold 25mm in place.

It fits my FS128 finder bracket nicely and will save me a cricked neck..

I'll be sorry to see the original 7x50 Tak straight through finder go though. It's a wonderful mini scope in its' own right with illuminator and helical focuser' and the sharpest finder I've ever used..

Here's a view of both in situ..☺

Dave

[SimonS]

This morning I took delivery of this lovely little camera. Paired with one of the new Lynx Astro finder - T adapters I am turning my rarely used 9x50 finder into a guide scope.

This is the first step in my movement towards a photography set up. I look forward to playing around with this and PHD2, fingers crossed I will be able to post something into the EQ3-2 challenge thread before too long.

Many thanks to FLO for a very prompt service, having ordered only yesterday morning.

[Helen]

Ooooo exciting ?

[25585]

Today's nice surprise, a Baader Eudiascopic 30mm. 

Good but not such long eye relief as a 35mm, which I am looking for. 

Edited April 19, 2018 by 25585

[25585]

Today, probably penultimate eyepiece, a Meade series 4000 40mm Plossl.

It has "Japan" engraved at the base of its chrome stem. 

Usable Eye relief just OK with glasses, but not as good as the Tele Vue 40mm Plossls, which have their eye lens much less recessed. 

Edited April 20, 2018 by 25585

[25585]

New ep case just delivered by Hermes. Time to tuck up some more of my babies <3

 

Edited April 20, 2018 by 25585