Second Scope Advice

[Ricochet]

4 hours ago, Stardaze said:

I never did ask... was that a warranty shunned by Bresser or other? 

Yes, Bresser. The whole OTA had to go back. 

[Stardaze]

6 minutes ago, Ricochet said:

Yes, Bresser. The whole OTA had to go back. 

Manufacturing error? Be my luck that. I didn’t see anything to state anything longer than a years warranty?

[johninderby]

What scope and how long ago? 🤔

[Ricochet]

2 hours ago, Stardaze said:

Manufacturing error? Be my luck that. I didn’t see anything to state anything longer than a years warranty?

If you look at the listing on the Bresser website, you will see both the 8" and 10" dobs have 10 year warranties. 

2 hours ago, johninderby said:

What scope and how long ago? 🤔

8" dob, about a year or so ago. 

[Stardaze]

My little 130 starter happened to be sat closest to the moon tonight and very last minute I decided to take a snap before she gets collected Friday..

[Pixies]

Here's the Bresser 8" I got to match. First night's observing under my belt - I'll post something in the Beginners Observation section. I'm still buzzing

[Ricochet]

8 hours ago, Pixies said:

Here's the Bresser 8" I got to match. First night's observing under my belt - I'll post something in the Beginners Observation section. I'm still buzzing

The base plate holding the focuser to the tube has four little grub screws in the sides (2 2mm and 2 1.5mm possibly) that hold the focuser to the tube. If you slacken those off a little bit you can rotate the focuser so that the wheels are horizontal when the scope is a 45°. This is a lot nicer to use through all the possible angles in my opinion. 

More importantly, you need to adjust the tube rings and altitude bearings. It is better to have the rings so that the tightening screws are on top. This way you can loosen and retighten them in the field if you want to adjust the balance (e.g. for when you are using binoviewers vs single eyepieces). Also, notice the altitude bearings have little plastic tabs at the bottom. These should be on the inside of the rocker box (but it might not make much of a difference).

[Pixies]

Thanks.

Regarding the plastic tabs, the holes drilled into the alt bearings for the fixing bolts only allow said bolts to pass through as above. The holes are larger on one side than the other, so the wider shank part of the bolt has to be on the outside, along with the tabs. I couldn't set it up as you suggest, as the bolts won't fit. BTW, these are the new alt bearings with the white surface - perhaps the design has changed?

Thanks for the advice about the tube rings. I'll get that fixed.

[Ricochet]

34 minutes ago, Pixies said:

Thanks.

Regarding the plastic tabs, the holes drilled into the alt bearings for the fixing bolts only allow said bolts to pass through as above. The holes are larger on one side than the other, so the wider shank part of the bolt has to be on the outside, along with the tabs. I couldn't set it up as you suggest, as the bolts won't fit. BTW, these are the new alt bearings with the white surface - perhaps the design has changed?

Thanks for the advice about the tube rings. I'll get that fixed.

That's interesting. Perhaps they changed the design. You could always email Bresser if you like, they're pretty good at responding to emails. So long as both tabs are on the inside or outside I imagine it's ok, it's when you get one with a tab on the inside and one on the outside that you would be in trouble!

[Stardaze]

I’m thinking of additional bits that I’ll be needing soon enough, as you do, and a filter or two will be on there. I’d like a  nebulae  filter to begin with, so should my first filter be an OIII? Quality over quantity so wouldn’t scrimp.

[Stardaze]

10 hours ago, Ricochet said:

That's interesting. Perhaps they changed the design. You could always email Bresser if you like, they're pretty good at responding to emails. So long as both tabs are on the inside or outside I imagine it's ok, it's when you get one with a tab on the inside and one on the outside that you would be in trouble!

Which was how mine was 😂

Got an email from Bresser yesterday confirming the replacement bracket has been despatched. The SW 9x50 RACI isn’t due till the end of the month though 😔

Thanks for the focusser tip, I hadn’t noted that before so will change I mine.

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by Stardaze

[Pixies]

3 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

Which was how mine was 😂

Got an email from Bresser yesterday confirming the replacement bracket has been despatched. The SW 9x50 RACI isn’t due till the end of the month though 😔

 

Does that mean I have 2 faulty brackets!

[Stardaze]

Just now, Pixies said:

Does that mean I have 2 faulty brackets!

I had two of exactly the same brackets packed?

[Stardaze]

Brace yourself for this dumb question fellas, but... just looking at the focus assembly with a view to change the angle as @Ricochet mentions, I’ve just seen the little black knob in between the two main adjusters. Is that a micro adjustment? 

[John]

1 hour ago, Stardaze said:

I’m thinking of additional bits that I’ll be needing soon enough, as you do, and a filter or two will be on there. I’d like a  nebulae  filter to begin with, so should my first filter be an OIII? Quality over quantity so wouldn’t scrimp.

The usual advice is that UHC is a bit more versatile than O-III but both types will eventually become very useful to have for enhancing a range of nebulae types.

The best quality and performance visual filters are by Astronomik and Tele Vue (the Bandmate II's) but there are less expensive options by brands such as Explore Scientific which give you a good feel for what these filters can do. Lumicon can also be very good but there has been some quality variation with this brand recently.

The other thing you need to consider is whether to go for the 2 inch or 1.25" filter size. You can use 1.25" eyepieces with a 2 inch filter but not vice versa really. Of course the 2 inch size are more expensive - no surprise there !

 

 

 

[johninderby]

Thats the locking screw. Normally left loose but can be used to lock the dtawtube in place.

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by johninderby

[Pixies]

The manual says it's the friction screw, to adjust the resistance of the adjusters. The fixing screws, that hold the tube in place, are smaller and on top of the body.

 

[Stardaze]

7 hours ago, John said:

The usual advice is that UHC is a bit more versatile than O-III but both types will eventually become very useful to have for enhancing a range of nebulae types.

The best quality and performance visual filters are by Astronomik and Tele Vue (the Bandmate II's) but there are less expensive options by brands such as Explore Scientific which give you a good feel for what these filters can do. Lumicon can also be very good but there has been some quality variation with this brand recently.

The other thing you need to consider is whether to go for the 2 inch or 1.25" filter size. You can use 1.25" eyepieces with a 2 inch filter but not vice versa really. Of course the 2 inch size are more expensive - no surprise there !

 

 

 

I’ll go astronomik or televue for sure and probably 2”. Is there a thread at the base of the 2” - 1.25” reducer then? I did wonder this last night, that would make sense. The 24 ES is 2” anyway and plan to add to it. Also the kind of thing that probably get picked up secondhand too.

Do you personally use a filter more often than not? 

Edited May 10, 2020 by Stardaze

[johninderby]

Yes the 2” adapter is threaded for filters.

Those filters can indeed be £££££ so if youncan pick them up second hand you can save a bit.New there will empty ypur wallet.😁

https://www.modernastronomy.com/shop/filters-wheels/astronomik/uhc-filters/astronomik-uhc-filter/

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/televue-filters/tele-vue-bandmate-oiii-filter.html

Edited May 10, 2020 by johninderby

[Stardaze]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

Yes the 2” adapter is threaded for filters.

Those filters can indeed be £££££ so if youncan pick them up second hand you can save a bit.New there will empty ypur wallet.😁

https://www.modernastronomy.com/shop/filters-wheels/astronomik/uhc-filters/astronomik-uhc-filter/

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/televue-filters/tele-vue-bandmate-oiii-filter.html

At least 2” covers any EP. An UHC and O-III are on the list then. There’s always something, huh! My camera gadget bag adds up, can see this pursuit taking on a similar path 🙄

I’m still contemplating the handle, might wait for the replacement alt baring to ensure it’s all ok before modding. 

[John]

Putting the filter on the eyepiece adapter works fine but just check that none of the 1.25" barrels of your eyepiece would contact the filter. Most don't but some 1.25" barrels are a bit longer than others so it's worth a quick check to avoid damaging an expensive filter.

I don't use filters all that often but when I do I want them to be effective. I prefer the views of some nebulae filterless and many nebulae are worth observing with and without a filter to observe the different features. They only really make a difference on selected nebulae. For galaxies and clusters dark skies are the best for improving the view.

I find that I use an O-III filter more often than I do the UHC's but that might be just my preference. There are some nebulae where the O-III filter can make the difference between seeing virtually nothing and having a fine view:

 

 

[Stardaze]

23 minutes ago, John said:

Putting the filter on the eyepiece adapter works fine but just check that none of the 1.25" barrels of your eyepiece would contact the filter. Most don't but some 1.25" barrels are a bit longer than others so it's worth a quick check to avoid damaging an expensive filter.

I don't use filters all that often but when I do I want them to be effective. I prefer the views of some nebulae filterless and many nebulae are worth observing with and without a filter to observe the different features. They only really make a difference on selected nebulae. For galaxies and clusters dark skies are the best for improving the view.

I find that I use an O-III filter more often than I do the UHC's but that might be just my preference. There are some nebulae where the O-III filter can make the difference between seeing virtually nothing and having a fine view:

 

 

Good to know, thanks for the advice John. I’ll work on the EP’s first and add those two afterwards. 

[johninderby]

Adding a Baader finetuning ring between the adapter and the filter can give more clearance if needed.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-hyperion-finetuning-ring.html

[Stardaze]

It’s typical isn’t it? My daughter was playing with my Allen key set and the 1.5mm is missing 😂

[Stardaze]

Done. There’s always a box of bits with random packets of Allen keys in everyone’s ‘spares’ box, right?