Inclinometer recommendation

[Ratlet]

Any of you crazy cats use an inclinometer?

Looking for a recommendation for one of the magnetic hobbies to go on my scope so I can setup some setting circles for target acquisition.

Anyone pick up one of the Lidl ones last year?  I'm usually a big parkside fan.

[apaulo]

i dont think there is much difference in any of them , unless you go really up market. i use 1 from amazon. i think the lidl 1 will be just as good if not better. good luck

[EarthLife]

Could always go simple and use a plumb bob on a short length of fine fishing line. Could make it part of the mount. The longer it is the more accurate it is. Can do the initial setup/calibration using a basic builders spirit level.

Edited March 4, 2023 by EarthLife

[Ratlet]

Cheers folks.  Managed to find a Lidl one on eBay.  I like the look of it and it will fit in with my strimmer and chainsaw on a stick (I have a middle of Lidl problem).

[DaveS]

I've used an inclinometer app on my phone. The bottom of the phone is flat enough to get a good reading.

[Guest]

I use a wixey.  Works great

[Zermelo]

40 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

Cheers folks.  Managed to find a Lidl one on eBay.  I like the look of it and it will fit in with my strimmer and chainsaw on a stick (I have a middle of Lidl problem).

I have the LIDL one and it works well. You might need to tape something over the display to dim it if you're using it during a session.

[Ratlet]

1 minute ago, Zermelo said:

I have the LIDL one and it works well. You might need to tape something over the display to dim it if you're using it during a session.

I saw you were looking at one a while back and mentioned that.  Glad to hear it works well.  I bought a few sheets of colour acetate a while back so I could make a red screen for my mobile to not vapourise my retinas with skysafari, so I'll tape some of that over 👍

[bosun21]

I’m too lazy to use the setting circle and inclinometer. Starsense unit all the way for me. Horses for courses I suppose.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

I’m too lazy to use the setting circle and inclinometer. Starsense unit all the way for me. Horses for courses I suppose.

Now that is lazy

[Ratlet]

9 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

I’m too lazy to use the setting circle and inclinometer. Starsense unit all the way for me. Horses for courses I suppose.

The starsense is on the cards, it just looked looks like it might be fun to play around with setting circles on the dob.  Can't possibly be more frustrating than goto.  It would be nice if I just couldn't get it to work, but the fact that sometimes it does and other times it hilariously doesn't does my nut in.

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

The starsense is on the cards, it just looked looks like it might be fun to play around with setting circles on the dob.  Can't possibly be more frustrating than goto.  It would be nice if I just couldn't get it to work, but the fact that sometimes it does and other times it hilariously doesn't does my nut in.

Setting circles are insanely easy to use.  I am a bit out of practice at the moment..... Thank you Ohio winters, but i would find most things i was looking for in a minute from the time i looked up the coordinates to the time i was on target.  I like setting circles so much i may just add one to the XX16G for the nights i want to go old school. 

[bosun21]

1 minute ago, Mike Q said:

Setting circles are insanely easy to use.  I am a bit out of practice at the moment..... Thank you Ohio winters, but i would find most things i was looking for in a minute from the time i looked up the coordinates to the time i was on target.  I like setting circles so much i may just add one to the XX16G for the nights i want to go old school. 

Well why buy a go to 🤔

[PeterStudz]

I use an app for my iPhone. It’s the PushTo feature within PSAlign Pro. Just line up on a known star or two (can usually get away with one if the target isn’t far away) Sync to it so that it can calculate any offset and off you go. Gets the target within a low powered eyepiece every time. I’ve even used it to find planets during the daytime eg Venus Jupiter and even Mars. 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Well why buy a go to 🤔

Because i wanted that size.  Still cheaper to buy a XX16G then to buy a Obsession hahahaha.  I have yet to even really use the go to on it.  We just have not had the skies at all this winter. 

[Ratlet]

This is the great thing about the hobby, there's loads of ways to fry an egg.  Some even have them poached.

I did consider getting goto myself but Flo were doing a stellalyra at a phenomenal price.  I really only wanted it for tracking and I think an EQ platform might be the best option for me.  Heck I might just find I get away with nudging.

[PeterStudz]

2 hours ago, Ratlet said:

This is the great thing about the hobby, there's loads of ways to fry an egg.  Some even have them poached.

I did consider getting goto myself but Flo were doing a stellalyra at a phenomenal price.  I really only wanted it for tracking and I think an EQ platform might be the best option for me.  Heck I might just find I get away with nudging.

I made an EQ platform for my Dob. They are great bits of kit and I now couldn’t do without it. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by PeterStudz