What did the postman bring?

[wormix]

Today is a good day,

 

Firstly as some of you will have read, I had a camera stolen by a courier a few months ago - They refused to pay out as it was classed as a non-compensatable item, but after several months of arguing and emails to the CEO they have finally admitted liability and paid out.  New camera now on its way now to be modified by Astronomiser.

Secondly, I ordered an Evostar 72 months ago and its turned up today, at least a month sooner than I was expecting!

Happy Friday all!

[MrFreeze]

Crumbs - 72 months is an awfully long time to have to wait.🤣

David

[JeremyS]

Given I did much more solar observing in 2020 due to being at home more, I am looking to do even more in 2021, especially now the Sun is getting more active.

[JeremyS]

Oh, and this to use on the Solarquest. Much better than the standard dovetail clamp supplied with the mount.

[Astro-Bird]

Got the TS-Optics 7-21 zoomeyepiece yesterday!

This one will be used in the small scope for birdwatching.

To switch eyepieces when birding is a pain in the ... 🙂

First quick looks: I think it is a nice thing to use!

[JeremyS]

20 hours ago, F15Rules said:

This little chap arrived today, in mint condition.

Some years ago I had almost a full set of these..I'd love to be able to rebuild the set but they don't come up for sale often these days.

Using my 1.6x, 2x and 2.25x Barlow's I can get respectively 238x, 297x and 334x in the FS128, a nice spread of high powers for splitting doubles, lunar and planetary👍. Or 148x used natively..🙂

Dave

Caps off to you Dave. Super eyepiece.

😊

[HollyHound]

Berlebach Castor with extension column... Having sold this a few months ago and then regretting doing so, it came back up for sale so I've bought it back again (thanks Dean)... it will now go back on the (modified) AZ3 tripod as an ultra light dual head grab and go rig 👍

 

[Tiny Clanger]

Oops, slightly belated post from January 5th, I forgot that I took a pic of the new EP bought with xmas money before taking the tree down !

[Daf1983]

Arrived today from @FLO. Essential reading I'm told before I invest in some proper imaging kit.

[Nigella Bryant]

5 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Given I did much more solar observing in 2020 due to being at home more, I am looking to do even more in 2021, especially now the Sun is getting more active.

You've succumbed to the bright side Jeremy. 

[JeremyS]

1 minute ago, Nigella Bryant said:

You've succumbed to the bright side Jeremy. 

Actually I’ve been doing solar for a while in a low key way, making basic H_alpha observations for the BAA Solar Section, but It was you posts about the Solarquest they other day that got me thinking....

So much stuff to be interested in ......... 😊👍🏻

[Robindonne]

7 hours ago, MrFreeze said:

And today we have a camera flash bracket. It's not for use with a flash, or even a camera. I bought it for just one of the very nice aluminium brackets. The purpose will become clear in a day or two when the next bit of this contraption arrives.

Its going to be a nice small binoscope🙂

[Dean Hale]

2 hours ago, HollyHound said:

Berlebach Castor with extension column... Having sold this a few months ago and then regretting doing so, it came back up for sale so I've bought it back again (thanks Dean)... it will now go back on the (modified) AZ3 tripod as an ultra light dual head grab and go rig 👍

Back where it belongs. 😀 Can I ask. Are those tube rings a DIY job or can you buy them? Look ideal for my little 102 as I cannot get standard tube rings to fit.

[johninderby]

Look for guide scope rings.

[HollyHound]

15 minutes ago, Dean Hale said:

Back where it belongs. 😀 Can I ask. Are those tube rings a DIY job or can you buy them? Look ideal for my little 102 as I cannot get standard tube rings to fit.

Yes indeed, back home 🙂

Not 100% sure, as I bought this ST80 already fitted with the rings and dovetail (plus a lovely GSO 2" Crayford focuser) on "that auction site" back in Feb 2020. They're very useful, as I can mount this on the second saddle of the iOptron AZ Mount Pro (or now of course the Castor) and very quickly align the ST80 with the main scope, to use as a wide field or "finder" scope 👍

I've had a quick look and there's no manufacturer name or other identifier anywhere. I'm guessing they're guide scope rings though, as they have the three screws on each to allow quick and easy adjustment. They have an outer diameter of 140mm and inner diameter of 126mm, maybe that identifies them to someone 🤔

Edited January 8, 2021 by HollyHound

[HollyHound]

1 minute ago, johninderby said:

Look for guide scope rings.

Something similar to this, I guess... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tube-rings/adm-rings-on-v-series-dovetail-adapters.html, however these are not the same as mine.

[johninderby]

Or like this.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p8468_TS-Optics-Optics-Guide-Scope-Rings-for-telescopes-from-D--76-mm-to-127-mm.html

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p8469_TS-Optics-Optics-Guide-Scope-Rings-for-telescopes-from-D--95-mm-to-150-mm.html

Should be some Chinese seller cheaper.

Edited January 8, 2021 by johninderby

[HollyHound]

I've just found the original eBay listing (see screenshot) from last year, they were in fact listed separately from the ST80, but from the same seller (and previously used together as a guide scope) and this was the description. Not sure if this helps, but that's all the information I have...

I can say however that this was both the cheapest and possibly most flexible scope purchase I've ever made... the ST80 is a fantastic little grab and go scope too... perfect for NEOWISE back in the summer👍

Edited January 8, 2021 by HollyHound

[Dean Hale]

12 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

Something similar to this, I guess... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tube-rings/adm-rings-on-v-series-dovetail-adapters.html, however these are not the same as min

Thank you @HollyHound and @johninderby that's really helpful.

@HollyHound and @johninderby

Edited January 8, 2021 by Dean Hale

[AdeKing]

7 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Given I did much more solar observing in 2020 due to being at home more, I am looking to do even more in 2021, especially now the Sun is getting more active.

Nice one Jeremy, the SolarQuest is my most used mount, it just does what it says on the tin and does it very well.

Probably my best astro purchase if I'm honest.

Hope that you enjoy using it, the simplicity of it certainly made me set up for Solar more often in 2020.

7 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Oh, and this to use on the Solarquest. Much better than the standard dovetail clamp supplied with the mount.

Ditto, I've been so impressed by the one I got for the SolarQuest last month that I've just received a second one for the AZ GTi today.

Definitely better than the stock one.

[Nakedgun]

13 hours ago, Daf1983 said:

Arrived today from @FLO. Essential reading I'm told before I invest in some proper imaging kit.

 

I'd say you're about to go down the rabbit hole!  😄

[Nigella Bryant]

Sorry peps, new DC motor, etc for my guidescope. Guess it's going to snow 🌨️🏂🏔️

[HollyHound]

A second Hyperion Zoom to fit (semi) permanently onto my WO binoviewer as a pair, along with a WO erecting prism. I'm almost always binoviewing on the moon now and so the Mak127 has been set up as a lunar/planetary binoviewing rig. Separate plossls/panoptics are great, but the convenience of just adjusting focal length (especially between 16mm and 8mm) with the zoom will make it much more pleasurable, especially for short sessions👍

Edited January 9, 2021 by HollyHound

[Dantooine]

58 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

A second Hyperion Zoom to fit (semi) permanently onto my WO binoviewer as a pair, along with a WO erecting prism. I'm almost always binoviewing on the moon now and so the Mak127 has been set up as a lunar/planetary binoviewing rig. Separate plossls/panoptics are great, but the convenience of just adjusting focal length (especially between 16mm and 8mm) with the zoom will make it much more pleasurable, especially for short sessions👍

Those zooms are tempting. What’s the size and weight compared to other eyepieces?

[RT65CB-SWL]

I ordered a 'slim' M42 T-ring for Nikon DSLR at the end of November [2020] via an online warehouse to use with my Photax/Paragon 400mm telephoto lens and 'scopes...
description and images as per link... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32885381935.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.41cc4c4dKexnvf

Edited January 12, 2021 by Philip R