What did the postman bring?

[HollyHound]

37 minutes ago, SStanford said:

Interesting that it came in the ZWO Planetary Camera box...

Mine did too, must be a ZWO packaging thing 🤔

[HollyHound]

7 minutes ago, Alan White said:

The first DewControl Rigel Quickfinder heater, from Tim built after discussion with him

Now available from DewControl

That's very nice indeed, thanks for the heads up 👍

Reminded me that I forgot to post when this arrived last week, bought from @Skipper Billy (thank you 😀)... a Telrad fitted with DewControl heater module  and dew shield... just need this cloud to go away and give it a go sometime 🤞🤣 

Edited January 19, 2021 by HollyHound
Added photo

[Dantooine]

17 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Postman arrived with something very special today

The first DewControl Rigel Quickfinder heater, from Tim built after discussion with him

Now available from DewControl

wiping it with a greasy fingers not quite as good 😁

[Nigella Bryant]

Skywatcher autofocuser motor came the other day so fitted today to the 70mm Achromatic guidescope with hitec astro usb control.

[fozzybear]

just received my new house via pihut for the 4th tenant....

[Ags]

2 hours ago, HollyHound said:

Mine did too, must be a ZWO packaging thing 🤔

It is a planetary camera, quite a good one.

[AlexK]

1 hour ago, HollyHound said:

That's very nice indeed, thanks for the heads up 👍

Reminded me that I forgot to post when this arrived last week, bought from @Skipper Billy (thank you 😀)... a Telrad fitted with DewControl heater module  and dew shield... just need this cloud to go away and give it a go sometime 🤞🤣 

I'm always been puzzled why folks are resorting to these complicated to fit china cheap circuits for heating while a short piece of proper size NiChrome wire would do the trick much better, e.g. using the Telrad's own battery pack, and without obscuring the view and without ghosting reflections? Just for sophisticated looks?

[callisto]

7 minutes ago, AlexK said:

I'm always been puzzled why folks are resorting to these complicated to fit china cheap circuits for heating while a short piece of proper size NiChrome wire would do the trick much better, e.g. using the Telrad's own battery pack, and without obscuring the view and without ghosting reflections? Just for sophisticated looks?

Some of us are just plain ole vain     😁

[HollyHound]

3 minutes ago, callisto said:

Some of us are just plain ole vain     😁

 

13 minutes ago, AlexK said:

I'm always been puzzled why folks are resorting to these complicated to fit china cheap circuits for heating while a short piece of proper size NiChrome wire would do the trick much better, e.g. using the Telrad's own battery pack, and without obscuring the view and without ghosting reflections? Just for sophisticated looks?

I think it's just simple laziness for me... I spent ages in my youth messing with electrical circuits and building PCs (before they were PCs), so nowadays I just like to buy the kit and get on with 😬😀

[AlexK]

2 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

I think it's just simple laziness for me... I spent ages in my youth messing with electrical circuits and building PCs (before they were PCs), so nowadays I just like to buy the kit and get on with 😬😀

Guess, fair enough. Just paint it black with a sharpie maybe? That ghosting might compromise the performance (not necessarily for the similar Rigel heater, as it's on the opposite side of the mirror).

[DeepSkyMan]

Latest addition to my observatory accessories, I just can’t believe how small this unit is, and it still packs a real punch electrically.  5-15v Variable, 13.8v Fixed, 25A Continuous output, 30A Surge.  Sadly, the kit won’t see ‘first light’ until later in the year on completion of my observatory build.

[fozzybear]

2 hours ago, fozzybear said:

just received my new house via pihut for the 4th tenant....

Crikey new tenant couldn't wait to move now populating their new house with software on their new 32gb RPi 4gb home....

[Tiny Clanger]

Another BST Starguider to finish off my set   nah,  who am I kidding !? Thanks Daf1983 😀

Heather

[Dantooine]

16 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Another BST Starguider to finish off my set   nah,  who am I kidding !? Thanks Daf1983 😀

Heather

Very nice, shiny & cute. What are you going to be using it on?

[Tiny Clanger]

1 hour ago, Dantooine said:

Very nice, shiny & cute. What are you going to be using it on?

As in, looking at (rather than putting it in ... ) ?

Not being entirely sure which question to answer, I'll try both  😀  I am still naively  enthusiastic and undiscriminating as far  as targets go (or I would be, given the blasted clouds and the handicap of being confined to my suburban back garden ) and essentially try to have a look at whatever presents itself , trying any and every eyepiece to find out what works for me. Happily the garden has a decent view to east & south .

The what it will be used in answer is probably mostly my 127 SW mak. I found that my BST 8mm was often a little bit too much for the conditions when viewing Mars Jupiter & Saturn in the mak, but ideal in the heritage 150 dob. which was my first 'scope.

Heather

[Nakedgun]

On 18/01/2021 at 11:00, Ande said:

Turned up earlier today.....  A Williams Optics guide scope https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/william-optics-32mm-slide-base-uniguide-scope.html and a Williams Optics diagonal https://www.firstlightoptics.com/diagonals/william-optics-125-dura-bright-dielectric-diagonal.html. Also a WO t-connector thing for the Canon, but not worth picturing.

All appear to be lovely quality items. I bought the guidescope to replace a ZWO guide scope that was really disappointing. The difference between the two is quite significant. I think I’m turning into a WO a fanboy. Loving their stuff

 

WO has styling in spades, I've always enjoyed the aesthetic appeal of their products.

 

[Nakedgun]

This happy group arrived today. 

GSO RACI finder for my C-8,

TV diagonal because I needed a more robust clamping device for my binoviewer,

ES 4.5 to go along with a small ep set for a short f/l 90mm refractor.

 

 

[Alan White]

12 hours ago, AlexK said:

I'm always been puzzled why folks are resorting to these complicated to fit china cheap circuits for heating while a short piece of proper size NiChrome wire would do the trick much better, e.g. using the Telrad's own battery pack, and without obscuring the view and without ghosting reflections? Just for sophisticated looks?

Its not a cheap China circuit board, Made in UK by DewControl, work superbly and don't drain the batteries.

[tooth_dr]

My first cooled ZWO camera

 

[MARS1960]

My contribution thanks to those lovely peeps at FLO. 
And of course William Optics. 

This is the most beautiful, wonderfully engineered scope I have owned and I’m chuffed to bits with it. 
I decided on the 73R x0.8 F/R and the ASI 120MC-S I had already purchased for moon/planets will double up as guide cam. 
Oooh and yep, it came with snow. :).
 

Edited January 20, 2021 by MARS1960

[Ande]

Very nice. The WO attention to detail certainly is a thing to behold.

[callisto]

Enjoy  😀

[AlexK]

8 hours ago, Alan White said:

Its not a cheap China circuit board, Made in UK by DewControl, work superbly and don't drain the batteries.

The company in UK doesn't mean they employ a local PCB factory as that would mean the price of that board will sky rocket to around $100 retail to maintain the profitability. At max they are soldering wires and that's it.

I can right now draw that (or frankly anything) PCB in CAD with resistors populated and email it to China along with a $40 check. Within a month (OK, two, due to COVID) they will send me back a dozen or two of ready to sell pieces neatly individually packaged in the box. I just need to advertise it available from a UK seller to hook you 

[Mr Thingy]

51 minutes ago, AlexK said:

The company in UK doesn't mean they employ a local PCB factory as that would mean the price of that board will sky rocket to around $100 retail to maintain the profitability. At max they are soldering wires and that's it.

I can right now draw that (or frankly anything) PCB in CAD with resistors populated and email it to China along with a $40 check. Within a month (OK, two, due to COVID) they will send me back a dozen or two of ready to sell pieces neatly individually packaged in the box. I just need to advertise it available from a UK seller to hook you 

Well, I'm pretty sure any of our purchasing decisions can be scrutinized in this way, and cheaper/better value/etc solutions found.

The important thing is that we are happy when our new toys arrive and can look forward to using them, and that we are not made to feel buyer's remorse. 

[callisto]

4 minutes ago, Mr Thingy said:

The important thing is that we are happy when our new toys arrive and can look forward to using them, and that we are not made to feel buyer's remorse

Well said