Good heavens. Comfortable viewing angles?!

[willcastle]

How do you try and ensure a comfortable viewing session? 

After a couple of hours, my body had been contorted into positions I didn’t even know I could achieve, and my back was aching pretty bad. 😂😂

[Stu]

What sort of scope are you using?

Have you tried sitting to observe? Might be worth investing in an adjustable seat of some sort as that can really improve your observing comfort.

[Alien 13]

Put the scope on an EQ mount...

Alan

[willcastle]

2 minutes ago, Stu said:

What sort of scope are you using?

Have you tried sitting to observe? Might be worth investing in an adjustable seat of some sort as that can really improve your observing comfort.

Using an evostar 80ED pro. At one point, it was pointing straight up and was about a foot from the ground 😅 that was particularly uncomfortable. It was even tricky pointing it at the moon because I had to bend over it. I’m not sure how a chair could adjust that much?

[willcastle]

2 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

Put the scope on an EQ mount...

Alan

It’s already on one

[John]

Put the scope on an alt-azimuth mount and use a right angle, correct image finder

 

[Space Hopper]

As John said : alt az equals comfortable viewing.

A good observing seat is essential as well.

I use a Mey 'musicians' chair. FLO used to sell then, although mine was purchased direct from the Fatherland.

It goes up and down in seconds, and has a handy tilt feature if you need it.

Edited January 13, 2020 by Space Hopper

[Stu]

8 hours ago, willcastle said:

Using an evostar 80ED pro. At one point, it was pointing straight up and was about a foot from the ground 😅 that was particularly uncomfortable. It was even tricky pointing it at the moon because I had to bend over it. I’m not sure how a chair could adjust that much?

For an 80ED to be a foot from the ground, the tripod must be pretty short? Perhaps a taller one would help?

Alt az is generally more convenient for visual observing, although a longer refractor can still get its eyepiece down low when at the zenith.

My observing chair goes right down low, so I can get comfy in most situations.

[jock1958]

I echo what others have said.  Observing with my scope pointing to the zenith isn’t my favourite position either, but to make it easier I use an Alt Az Mount, tripod legs fully extended, an extension tube and sit on my adjustable berlebach chair.

Edited January 13, 2020 by jock1958

[Paz]

I second the above... raising the scope higher by extending tripod legs as far as possible and/or adding an extension pier plus getting an adjustable observing seat. If only one or the other is possible I would vote for an adjustable seat.

[NGC 1502]

+1 for alt-az mount, and an adjustable height observing chair, works for me.

Caution - we’re all different, what works for me may not be good for you......

Cheers, Ed.

[willcastle]

Well I had the tripod on it’s lowest height because I was worried about stability and imaging. But I guess I could use short legs for imaging and then extend them out for viewing. It did help having the diagonal in...... but yeah I think one of these chairs is a good idea 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Building your own can be fun too

[Whistlin Bob]

Ironing chairs work well too 👍

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leifheit-Multi-Seat-Niveau-White/dp/B0000DH7KA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=ironing+chair&qid=1578942882&sr=8-3

[John]

Some equatorial mounts can be setup and used in alt azimuth mode:

https://astromart.com/reviews/mounts/alt-azimuth/show/the-super-polaris-mount-in-alt-az-configuration

[Alien 13]

22 hours ago, willcastle said:

It’s already on one

Oops, was looking at your sig that showed a 200P, for visual a frac should be on an ALT AZ mount and a reflector on an EQ provided you can rotate the tube, anything else is painful if like me you have to stand to view.

Alan 

[Stu]

On 13/01/2020 at 20:54, Alien 13 said:

Oops, was looking at your sig that showed a 200P, for visual a frac should be on an ALT AZ mount and a reflector on an EQ provided you can rotate the tube, anything else is painful if like me you have to stand to view.

Alan 

No reason not to out a reflector on an AltAz mount either really, although I guess the eyepiece height can end up too high at the zenith.

I frequently use refractors on EQ mounts, but this is normally when viewing the Sun, Moon or planets ie I'm not slewing back and forth across the sky. Once you get comfortable with the scope, tracking on the EQ mount it is a very relaxed way to observe.

If I'm star hopping though I do prefer AltAz, my brain just dissolves and dribbles out through my ears trying to find things manually on an EQ mount! Goto all the way in that instance!

[Barry-W-Fenner]

Interesting thread, I have had an operation recently which has impacted the movement of my back. I was really struggling with the straight finder as I had to bend down along the tube of the scope. I bought a right angle finder and things improved greatly. I love the new rigel addition to my scope but it is starting to mess my back up again as you need to view down the scope to use it.

Out of interest. What sort of distance should you be from the rigel before you see the two red rings? I am around 6-8" away before I can see them OK. Its that normal

Regards

Baz

[johninderby]

How about getting a Telrad and the optional dew shield with right angle mirror which lets you use it as a right angle finder?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/dew-shield-for-telrad-finder.html

[Mr Spock]

It's one good thing about an SCT - the eyepiece is never too far away from being comfortable. Refractors and Newts seen particularly bad for this. However, whatever I use, my slipped disc will have some 'input'...

[Barry-W-Fenner]

15 minutes ago, johninderby said:

How about getting a Telrad and the optional dew shield with right angle mirror which lets you use it as a right angle finder?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/dew-shield-for-telrad-finder.html

Thanks John. This combination is certainly something to consider, I will see how I get On with the rigel for a bit and go from there.

Baz

[R26 oldtimer]

Regardless of the mount, an adjustable chair or ironing chair will be great help. I use mine to sit at various heights or lean against the back, while standing, or just to put one foot on it, while I stabilize my body by putting my elbow on the raised knee.

[Barry-W-Fenner]

1 hour ago, R26 oldtimer said:

Regardless of the mount, an adjustable chair or ironing chair will be great help. I use mine to sit at various heights or lean against the back, while standing, or just to put one foot on it, while I stabilize my body by putting my elbow on the raised knee.

100% a decent chair  aids comfort considerably. I use a bar  stool and it really improved my enjoyment viewing the sky. Also getting your Dob to the most practical height for you. I only raised my dob by around 3" and it is much better with combined with  the stool.

baz

Edited January 25, 2020 by Barry-W-Fenner

[Peter77]

On 12/01/2020 at 22:40, willcastle said:

How do you try and ensure a comfortable viewing session? 

 

Short answer: Eeeh, what? I don't.

Sometimes If I know just about what I will be looking at, I adjust the height if the tripod so that the focuser/eyepiece part will come in an okay position. Adjusting the tripod so that the scope when paralell to the ground sits in a chest level position is usually good enough. Yet when doing this, I end up chosing targets that makes me kneel at the eyepiece and thats just how it is sometimes. Usually I can rotate the focuser part to make sure that the eyepiece comes in an okay position anyway.

 

I don't use an observing chair. The more equipment I have to haul out, the more it ruins the grab and go feeling.

[Dr Strange]

A good height adjustable chair is a must. It isn't for your rear it is for your eyes. You will see more if you are comfortably seated.

For Newts you really need an alt/az or rotating rings. My personal preference having tried both is an alt/az but you may find you like rotating rings. Otherwise the EP gets put in all kinds of uncomfortable positions. I am a big fan of the Skywatcher AZ-EQx series. I have owned both the 5 and the 6. But then I am also under heavy LP and need GOTO if I want to see more than a handful of objects during a session. It is my eventual goal to get good enough at star hopping to not need a GOTO but that is far away after retirement assuming my health holds up.

For a refractor then it can go either way, EQ or alt/az. But in your case you need to extend the tripod legs when doing visual and you can keep them short when doing imaging.