Single most useful stargazing accessory?

[Nyctimene]

A really sturdy astro chair; here a quotation of my 2018 post about the "Füssener Astro-Stuhl":

One of my best buys 2012, the "Füssener Astro-Stuhl" in the magnum version:

Extremely sturdy (Birch plywood and mountain ash (used for traditional sleighs)); the retailer, a man of heavy weight, has been reported to demonstrate it's stability by jumping up and down on the seat board put in the top position!), doesn't topple over; I'm seated safe and comfortably in the highest position when pointing the 18" towards zenith. Easy to handle; you can change the height of the seat within seconds without looking and (it's well balanced) shift it with one hand. Stretched out (using the rope shown), it serves excellent for binocular or meteor observation. Folds down flat to 45 mm thickness, so easily to store and transport. Bought this from here (website in German only; of course, no affiliation etc., just a pleased owner!);

https://www.intercon-spacetec.de/zubehoer/astronomie-zubehoer/stuehle/4889-ics-astro-stuhl-magnum-grau-hoehe-115-cm-beobachterstuhl.html

at 248 Euro not cheap - but just the price of a better 2" eyepiece, and much more useful!

Stephan

[Commanderfish]

How about a Tak FC60 as a finderscope? 😈

[Paz]

I would recommend an air blower for cleaning lenses. It's the one thing I always have with me no matter what I'm observing.

The good news is they are cheap so you would have about £495 left to spend on eyepieces etc!

[AlexK]

On 30/03/2021 at 03:49, Paz said:

The good news is they are cheap so you would have about £495 left to spend on eyepieces etc!

Eyepieces were banned from listing on this thread actually, but as the rule is broken already , I can tell that my visual experience had been impacted by the TV Ethos 17 (100 deg 2" EP) so drastically, that I've ditched 30 years of my prior observing experience using other, non 100 deg eyepieces, to revisit everything I saw before with that modern marvel! Fortunately, I had the TPM scope pointing method (with Telrad on my z12) mastered by then, so it took only 10 years to repeat the past 30 and then some  So if you are not stuck between an air blower and collapsing stool, get one for your aperture ratio (my 17mm feels ideal with 1:5).

[John]

50 minutes ago, AlexK said:

Eyepieces were banned from listing on this thread actually, but as the rule is broken already ,...

I don't recall that and, if so, I broke it very early on in the thread !:

 

[Andy ES]

TELRAD TELRAD TELRAD, I love the Telrad.

and my eyepiece box

[PeterW]

Lazer... makes initial pointing a breeze. Safety first of course.

Peter

[Luke]

I'll have to vote for my giro mount. I love solar observing and the giro mount is very convenient for quick setup. It's on a nice solid and light tripod (Vixen Hal130). There's been many a time when I nipped out for a quick look at our nearest star. 

Edited April 2, 2021 by Luke