Second Scope Advice

[Stardaze]

2 minutes ago, Ricochet said:

I'm not sure what you mean? Do you mean wind the focuser in? You want the focuser approximately in the same position as when you are using an eyepiece. 

Yes. But it doesn't really make much difference either way looking at it. Guess I'm just questioning everything. 

[johninderby]

Just a case of something new. You question if you are doing it the right way or not. 🤔

[Stardaze]

14 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Just a case of something new. You question if you are doing it the right way or not. 🤔

True. I'll have to have a play with the secondary as the primary isn't square in the focuser. I'll resist and wait for the concentre. 

[Stardaze]

In the first image, using just a cap, it doesn't look so bad. But when you add the Cheshire in the second, it's well out/off set? 

[johninderby]

Hard to tell if it’s just the camera angle or not. 🤔

[Stardaze]

8 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Hard to tell if it’s just the camera angle or not. 🤔

It does look a little like that but that's pretty much what I do see straight. The secondary need tilting upwards, to square it all, no?

[johninderby]

Adjusting the secondary angle should help. The Concenter will really come into it’s own in getting the secondary perfectly positioned.

[Stardaze]

5 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Adjusting the secondary angle should help. The Concenter will really come into it’s own in getting the secondary perfectly positioned.

I'll have a little play tonight and check it with the concenter when it arrives. 

[johninderby]

Wish FLO would stock a Concenter. 🙏🏼

[Stardaze]

I have to have a play tonight as the 24 ES turned up earlier. It feels like one of my camera lenses, it's a fair chunk of glass! 

[Stardaze]

Just now, johninderby said:

Wish FLO would stock a Concenter. 🙏🏼

Me too, the £14 delivery charge nearly made me choke on my coffee! 

[Pixies]

11 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Wish FLO would stock a Concenter. 🙏🏼

If they did, I'd consider it. 

[Stardaze]

Must say that the Explorer Scientific 24 (82) was a superb buy. Didn't upset the balance of the dob either, so really happy that alongside the nirvana 16, can see these being the core of my EP's. The collimation was fine last night too. If anything, if the secondary just needs lining up a bit, I may just be losing a little light, but it is literally night and day over my old 5". 

[Stardaze]

The alt bearing has just turned up, great! Well, I have one side silver and the other white 😂 At least it’s only aesthetic, works as it should.

Ive asked them to send another though as could be a small issue with resale.

[johninderby]

I have the solver myself and wondering what the difference between the white and silver is? 🤔

Besides the colour of course. 😁😁😁

Edited May 13, 2020 by johninderby

[Stardaze]

17 minutes ago, johninderby said:

I have the solver myself and wondering what the difference between the white and silver is? 🤔

Besides the colour of course. 😁😁😁

Probably a 20 pence saving 😉

[Stardaze]

Quick question: what do you think the limitation, in magnitude, would be with the 10” Bresser. Let’s say under reasonable viewing conditions, bortle 4-5..

[John]

13 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

Quick question: what do you think the limitation, in magnitude, would be with the 10” Bresser. Let’s say under reasonable viewing conditions, bortle 4-5..

It depends on quite a lot of factors. With my 12 inch OO I can get down to mag 14.7 at the zenith. Similar skies to you I guess. At least that is the faintest star that I have seen so far. Extended objects (ie: galaxies, nebulae) would be not quite as faint as that.

I reckon you might be able to get down to mag 14.5 maybe ?

The theoretical limit of a 10 inch is dimmer of course - something like mag 15 I think.

There are observing techniques that can help push things such as averted vision and a sort of "1000 yard stare" thing that I try sometimes where you deliberately try and defocus the eye. That one is difficult to describe !

 

[Stardaze]

15 minutes ago, John said:

It depends on quite a lot of factors. With my 12 inch OO I can get down to mag 14.7 at the zenith. Similar skies to you I guess. At least that is the faintest star that I have seen so far. Extended objects (ie: galaxies, nebulae) would be not quite as faint as that.

I reckon you might be able to get down to mag 14.5 maybe ?

The theoretical limit of a 10 inch is dimmer of course - something like mag 15 I think.

There are observing techniques that can help push things such as averted vision and a sort of "1000 yard stare" thing that I try sometimes where you deliberately try and defocus the eye. That one is difficult to describe !

 

The question was sparked from reading your report from the other night wondering whether I could see those supernovae too? 
I was out last night and thought the conditions weren’t as clear as Tuesday night, except a small window around 1am. I happened to try a few different techniques viewing the Herc cluster. To my surprise, my unflavoured right eye seemed to give a little more at a particular angle, whilst keeping my other eye open. I’ll have to try to explore that a bit.

[John]

The one in NGC 3643 should be OK as it's still mag 12.5. I could see it (just about) with my ED120 refractor the other night. The host galaxy is very faint though. The one in M61 is mag 14 so may or may not be doable. If you get a good dark night then it is possible I reckon.

 

[Stardaze]

4 minutes ago, John said:

The one in NGC 3643 should be OK as it's still mag 12.5. I could see it (just about) with my ED120 refractor the other night. The host galaxy is very faint though. The one in M61 is mag 14 so may or may not be doable. If you get a good dark night then it is possible I reckon.

 

Gives me a new target!

[Stardaze]

Another really silly question, but I can’t seem to tilt the eyepiece of the SW finder scope 45 degrees inwards ? I’d assume that loosening the 3 screws would let it rotate but doesn’t seem to? 

[Astro-Geek]

They're sometimes very stiff because of the rubber o-ring at the front, which can stick if they haven't been rotated for a while.

[Stardaze]

3 minutes ago, Astro-Geek said:

They're sometimes very stiff because of the rubber o-ring at the front, which can stick if they haven't been rotated for a while.

But by loosening the three screws, the whole barrel does rotate?

[johninderby]

Just loosen the two screws a little and rotate the the whole finder and eyepiece. The other “screw” is’t a screw but a spring loaded plunger.

Edited May 16, 2020 by johninderby