What did the postman bring?

[Nigella Bryant]

1 minute ago, OK Apricot said:

She delivered this rather nice Anker 521 power pack 😎

Can you tune into heart radio with it? 

[OK Apricot]

9 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Can you tune into heart radio with it? 

I'm not interested unless it's Smooth Chill! 

[Saganite]

1 hour ago, markse68 said:

I have been building up a nice ragtag selection of them- so far I think my favourite with the 6" f5 is the tiny celestron 5mm but not sure if that's a 5 element or just standard plossl but it's great on the planets. I even have a "genuine masuyama"! Its a 20mm but the lens cement is a bit hazy as is common on the older ones. At some point I plan to rejuvenate it

Mark

 The 5mm is also a 5 element design, like all of them.  I did have the 12.5mm and 18mm in pairs for binoviewing, but parted with them in favour of my UOVT's.  I do wonder at times if I did the right thing..

Celestron Ultima eyepieces are excellent !

Edited September 5, 2022 by Saganite

[Nigella Bryant]

4 hours ago, Dave scutt said:

Nice scope , I thought the same alot bigger then i was expecting, I get some nice views of the sun through mine

Good to hear Dave. 

[Pitch Black Skies]

Received with thanks from @CraigT82

[ED Splitter]

Postman yesterday brought a 19mm panoptic and a new to me astronomik UHC and a baader filter. Apologies to all for the thunderstorms since. 

The pan was one of a number of eyepieces I considered to get near the 2mm exit pupil sweet spot for my 100ED. Got the chance to test it out briefly tonight in a 30min break in clouds. Diamonds on velvet gloriousness. This is going to be an enjoyable eyepiece. 
 

 

[josefk]

7 hours ago, ED Splitter said:

Postman yesterday brought a 19mm panoptic and a new to me astronomik UHC and a baader filter. Apologies to all for the thunderstorms since. 

The pan was one of a number of eyepieces I considered to get near the 2mm exit pupil sweet spot for my 100ED. Got the chance to test it out briefly tonight in a 30min break in clouds. Diamonds on velvet gloriousness. This is going to be an enjoyable eyepiece. 
 

 

I’ve been doing some fascinating reading this week on exit pupils from the point of view of eye performance and the penny is slowly dropping for me on scale vs brightness vs contrast vs diffraction vs astigmatism. That panoptic at 2mm will be a cracker. 

[markse68]

4 hours ago, josefk said:

I’ve been doing some fascinating reading this week on exit pupils from the point of view of eye performance and the penny is slowly dropping for me on scale vs brightness vs contrast vs diffraction vs astigmatism. That panoptic at 2mm will be a cracker. 

Any links Joseph? I’m coming to some conclusions about my eyes and wide eps but any good articles would be good. I have a 19mm tv wf (pre-panoptic) and find it nicer to use than eg a 30mm with my 6” f5.

Mark

Edited September 8, 2022 by markse68

[josefk]

34 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Any links Joseph? I’m coming to some conclusions about my eyes and wide eps but any good articles would be good. I have a 19mm tv wf (pre-panopticon) and find it nicer to use than eg a 30mm with my 6” f5.

Mark

take them as you find them - the trouble is with the internet it could be any old rubbish  - i wouldn't be able to tell:

https://www.telescope-optics.net/index.htm#TABLE_OF_CONTENTS

http://www.rocketmime.com/astronomy/Telescope/telescope_eqn.html

the second one is where the pennies dropped for me but i think all the content is on the first one - i just find it harder to digest...

Cheers

[josefk]

beware those links though @markse68. you end up with eyepiece "analysis" spreadsheets that look like this:

 

😂

[ED Splitter]

3 hours ago, josefk said:

I’ve been doing some fascinating reading this week on exit pupils from the point of view of eye performance and the penny is slowly dropping for me on scale vs brightness vs contrast vs diffraction vs astigmatism. That panoptic at 2mm will be a cracker. 

Hope so. Deliberated for so long. I watched a video on eyepieces by astrolavista on YouTube so many times last year to get my head around it all. I recommend the video, easier than reading perhaps, prefer to spend reading time drooling over unaffordable gear on retailer websites.  Link below. 

The thing that swung it for me was that I recently purchased a used 9mm nagler for a good price. It yields a 1mm exit pupil, another sweet spot, that has greatly improved my hunt and appreciable viewing of deep sky objects. The ring nebula is an addictive target. 
The pan will supersede my 28mm LET skywatcher  that yields 3mm exit pupil. At home in bortle 5 through the LET the sky was a grey background, more a problem in poor seeing or a bright moon. 2mm of the pan compensates these issues in theory and my limited viewing yesterday with the moon up seemed to back this theory up. 
I also considered a 17.5 Morpheus but the weight and size of the two teles are similar and as I understand it are both parafocal to one another, bonus for deep sky object hunting. 

 

[josefk]

20 minutes ago, ED Splitter said:

Hope so. Deliberated for so long. I watched a video on eyepieces by astrolavista on YouTube so many times last year to get my head around it all. I recommend the video, easier than reading perhaps, prefer to spend reading time drooling over unaffordable gear on retailer websites.  Link below. 

The thing that swung it for me was that I recently purchased a used 9mm nagler for a good price. It yields a 1mm exit pupil, another sweet spot, that has greatly improved my hunt and appreciable viewing of deep sky objects. The ring nebula is an addictive target. 
The pan will supersede my 28mm LET skywatcher  that yields 3mm exit pupil. At home in bortle 5 through the LET the sky was a grey background, more a problem in poor seeing or a bright moon. 2mm of the pan compensates these issues in theory and my limited viewing yesterday with the moon up seemed to back this theory up. 
I also considered a 17.5 Morpheus but the weight and size of the two teles are similar and as I understand it are both parafocal to one another, bonus for deep sky object hunting. 

 

it's always a balancing act  - sometimes literally and comparable weights and focal points for eyepieces that will be used together is another angle again. i have the 24mm panoptic and it's super friendly (i can't think of a better way to describe it but i suppose i mean comfortable and easily comfortable). its also more or less a 2mm eyepiece for me. i'll take a look at that video later. Thanks.

[mog3768]

Actually had for a couple of weeks but only just got around to posting. A Bresser 152L It is a big scope as you can see it

Dwarfs my equinox 120. Brought mainly for solar viewing.

[ED Splitter]

31 minutes ago, mog3768 said:

Actually had for a couple of weeks but only just got around to posting. A Bresser 152L It is a big scope as you can see it

Dwarfs my equinox 120. Brought mainly for solar viewing.

Nice! I like how it’s still in its foam covers to preserve its purity. Kudos for upgrading your coffee table to a telescope table. 

[Nigella Bryant]

5 hours ago, mog3768 said:

Actually had for a couple of weeks but only just got around to posting. A Bresser 152L It is a big scope as you can see it

Dwarfs my equinox 120. Brought mainly for solar viewing.

Glad I didn't go for the 150, lol my 127 only just goes in the solar shed, lol. I was going to go for the Bresser 150mm until it went up to over £700. I got the 127mm opticstar instead, but as I said, glad I didn't go any bigger, lol. Nice scope though, enjoy.

[josefk]

I hope i haven't made a big mistake here. My first 100 degree eyepiece so i'm not sure what to expect from a general comfort and eye placement POV - forecast is clear for Saturday here so will soon find out. A silly 300x in my Cassegrain but should be a good 1mm exit pupil eye piece at more middle of the road magnification in a shorter focal length 'scope on the way.

[ED Splitter]

1 hour ago, josefk said:

I hope i haven't made a big mistake here. My first 100 degree eyepiece so i'm not sure what to expect from a general comfort and eye placement POV - forecast is clear for Saturday here so will soon find out. A silly 300x in my Cassegrain but should be a good 1mm exit pupil eye piece at more middle of the road magnification in a shorter focal length 'scope on the way.

1mm exit pupil will be a great experience. 8-10mm is a good eyepiece, you won’t regret that purchase. Did you manage to snag it before the price hike? 

[mog3768]

Nigella  I only have two inch clearance in my roll of obsey enjoy your 127

[josefk]

39 minutes ago, ED Splitter said:

1mm exit pupil will be a great experience. 8-10mm is a good eyepiece, you won’t regret that purchase. Did you manage to snag it before the price hike? 

I did thanks and thankfully. It had been on a spreadsheet for a while (LOL) but i was triggered to prompt action when i saw the price go up at FLO. i've had a quick squizz out of the kitchen window and its not instantly comfortable but that's at 300x and 0.6mm exit pupil. i trust it will be a bit more relaxed in its intended role later and should give me a nice pupil 1mm, a nice mag 125x and nice framing at that mag at nearly 50'. I have bright small DSO in mind primarily.

Edited September 8, 2022 by josefk

[josefk]

20 minutes ago, josefk said:

I did thanks and thankfully. It had been on a spreadsheet for a while (LOL) but i was triggered to prompt action when i saw the price go up at FLO. i've had a quick squizz out of the kitchen window and its not instantly comfortable but that's at 300x and 0.6mm exit pupil. i trust it will be a bit more relaxed in its intended role later and should give me a nice pupil 1mm, a nice mag 125x and nice framing at that mag at nearly 50'. I have bright small DSO in mind primarily.

...and "a quick squizz out of the kitchen window" is with my own eye in daylight mode so not a great indicator at all really... 🙃

[Ags]

Got the new test print of Discovering Double Stars II today. 

[ED Splitter]

2 hours ago, josefk said:

I did thanks and thankfully. It had been on a spreadsheet for a while (LOL) but i was triggered to prompt action when i saw the price go up at FLO. i've had a quick squizz out of the kitchen window and its not instantly comfortable but that's at 300x and 0.6mm exit pupil. i trust it will be a bit more relaxed in its intended role later and should give me a nice pupil 1mm, a nice mag 125x and nice framing at that mag at nearly 50'. I have bright small DSO in mind primarily.

I did something similar. Could believe the jump in price. Quick google proved not all retailers had raised the price. And my Christmas/birthday gift arrived early. 

[Heids]

I have had a frankly fantastic experience with FLO - they have been really good about helping me with problems with cables and some oddness with a powertank for my dew controller. This has been ongoing for about 4 weeks, and they have been superb. Finally got a replacement from them that we are sure will stop any soggy endings to my viewing nights. 

Really happy to get this bad boy this morning. 

Thank you Alex and everyone at FLO for your patience and perseverance. 

 

[Nigella Bryant]

Broadhurst and Clarkson three draw tube scope from fleebay. Been looking for one of these antique scopes for a while. A good example I think from the mid twenty's,1920's or it could be 1914/18 war as a lot were produced for the army I think. 

My second decent scope in the 70's was from Broadhurst, Clarkson and Fuller so it's nice to have a bit of nostalgia, lol. 

[Franklin]

Postie delivered my AZT6 today which completes the ultra-portable/lightweight g&g set up i've been putting together. The whole thing, scope, diagonal, 4 eyepieces, mount and tripod weighs in at 4.5kg and fits in a 20litre rucksack. No excuses for not finding a dark sky now!