Practical Astronomy Show, Stoneleigh 2024, March 23rd

[JeremyS]

Excellent news that you will be at the BAA Winchester Weekend. See you there!

[paulastro]

Thanks for all the info Steve, it's very useful.

[mikeDnight]

Well Tomorrow's the big day. I wonder who's chickened out?

Don't forget to set your alarm's!

 

 

Edited March 22 by mikeDnight

[Highburymark]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

Well Tomorrow's the big day. I wonder who's chickened out?

Don't forget to set your alarm's!

 

 

Brilliant Mike - best gif ever

[Telescope40]

2 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

Well Tomorrow's the big day. I wonder who's chickened out?

Don't forget to set your alarm's!

 

 

Mike. Not me but my wallet did. Probably be up for the IAS in Sept ?? 
Enjoy yourself and anyone else who is attending 

John 

[mikeDnight]

16 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Mike. Not me but my wallet did. Probably be up for the IAS in Sept ?? 
Enjoy yourself and anyone else who is attending 

John 

That's a shame John. On the bright side I may now stand a better chance of keeping the money in my bank account. 😉

[wookie1965]

Well I am gutted I cannot get there had a knocking on the car its either the alternator pully or the cambelt pulleys neither of which I want to be doing a 200mile trip. So trip to the garage Monday morning. 

I was so looking forward to this been really down for a while now not being able to get out because of the weather and medical problems.

Well chaps its the water pump so definitely cambelt change. 

Edited March 23 by wookie1965

[Alan White]

I am still attending, back now mobile enough for the journey and time at show thankfully.
Be nice to see some folks.

Safe travels.

[JeremyS]

9 minutes ago, Alan White said:

I am still attending, back now mobile enough for the journey and time at show thankfully.
Be nice to see some folks.

Safe travels.

Pics or it didn’t happen 😊

[Alan White]

1 minute ago, JeremyS said:

Pics or it didn’t happen 😊

I hope most of the FOAS will be in attendance and photographically evidence produced.

[Highburymark]

If anyone going tomorrow could check out the Solarscope stand, and maybe post a couple of pics, I’d be interested to see them. Their product line-up hasn’t really changed for several decades, so there’s unlikely to be anything new, but who knows….?

[Mr Spock]

I'll be a no show. My back is on the mend but the top of my right leg aches after 20 minutes in the car, I can't risk a several hour drive 

[NGC 1502]

7 hours ago, Alan White said:

I am still attending, back now mobile enough for the journey and time at show thankfully.
Be nice to see some folks.

Safe travels.

Alan is kindly taking me……thanks mate👍

Ed.

[Saganite]

11 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Pics or it didn’t happen 😊

I'll be there , I have to collect something...

Edited March 23 by Saganite

[Paz]

I didn't know if I would have time to go to this  so made no plans but I did manage to drop in briefly this morning as I happened to be near by. I may have accidentally purchased some stuff and I made the mistake of talking to the Rowan people as I have been fantasising about simplifying from 2 mounts (eq5 when i want tracking and skyee2 when I want easier set up) to one that can do both. I need to put such thoughts out of my mind!

[DaveS]

The South West Astronomy Show should be doable for me, about an hour according to Gmaps.

The W3W location seems weirdly appropriate Zone. Total. Rainy.

[Ouroboros]

Just got back. I have to say I was slightly underwhelmed. Seemed smaller than last time, but maybe it was a bigger hall. I am glad I got there reasonably early. By 11 o’clock it was getting so you couldn’t easily get to see the sellers’ displays.  I decided I’d bail out a tad early. A plus was that  I bought  a small scope cover, so saved myself  10% on that plus postage, and a couple of 2nd hand 50p books on the history of astronomy stall.  

Edited March 23 by Ouroboros

[tomato]

Agreed events always look a bit flat if they are put in an oversized venue, think of the recent "Wonka Experience".

I was hoping to see a large Obsession type truss tube Dobsonian to look at the engineering close up but alas none were present. I did bag a copy of "Observing the Abell Galaxy Clusters" for the princely sum of £10 so happy with the visit.

[Tomatobro]

Robin's demo of the latest version of Sharpcap shows just how far it has come from version 3.1. Met up with some from the Wolverhampton Astro Club.

And I saw a SeeStar in the flesh for the first time. I also saw some walking around with one under their arms with a "how am I going to justify this" look on their faces.

 

[mikeDnight]

3 hours ago, Ouroboros said:

Just got back. I have to say I was slightly underwhelmed. Seemed smaller than last time, but maybe it was a bigger hall. I am glad I got there reasonably early. By 11 o’clock it was getting so you couldn’t easily get to see the sellers’ displays.  I decided I’d bail out a tad early. A plus was that  I bought  a small scope cover, so saved myself  10% on that plus postage, and a couple of 2nd hand 50p books on the history of astronomy stall.  

Underwhelming is being kind. I have to say I found the venue and the number of vendors somewhat disappointing. Even the food on offer wasn't what we've been used to, with dry bread with either fatty bacon or the healthier sausage option. I had sausage on a dry bap with what I think was coffee.  That aside, I had chance to meet up with saganite (Steve), who may not be heard from again once his dearly beloved finds out what he's bought. And Alan W and paulastro was there too, making up a small group of SGLers.

I did manage to buy a couple of eyepieces I've been after for a while. Now I have the full range! And also joined the Society for the History of Astronomy, and received a nice welcome pack, a hand full of free magazines and I also bought a couple of second hand books that caught my eye.

[wookie1965]

2 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Underwhelming is being kind. I have to say I found the venue and the number of vendors somewhat disappointing. Even the food on offer wasn't what we've been used to, with dry bread with either fatty bacon or the healthier sausage option. I had sausage on a dry bap with what I think was coffee.  That aside, I had chance to meet up with saganite (Steve), who may not be heard from again once his dearly beloved finds out what he's bought. And Alan W and paulastro was there too, making up a small group of SGLers.

I did manage to buy a couple of eyepieces I've been after for a while. Now I have the full range! And also joined the Society for the History of Astronomy, and received a nice welcome pack, a hand full of free magazines and I also bought a couple of second hand books that caught my eye.

I would of loved to have been there could not take the chance on a 200mile round trip with a dodgy water pump been quoted £400 for it to done with a new cambelt.

[Gfamily]

It's the first trade event we've been to since before 2020, so it's hard to compare.

It was nice to run into a few familiar faces, some from close to home, and some from further afield that we'd met at things like the much missed Solarsphere.

Bought a couple of filters and a second hand book, and admired some of the glass and mounts on display. 

[Space Hopper]

Stuck at work so had to pass this year.

But in 25 weeks time, i'll definitely be at the IAS show (September 14) at its new venue near Coventry.

The mortgage will be payed off by then too, so i may even have some money to buy something......

[Saganite]

This has been used only briefly as a demonstrator, but looks and feels as new as a...... well ,new one, and at 25% discount I am very happy.  It came in its original box with all the accessories which I don't want so will be selling in due course. It has certainly lifted what was a disappointing show.  Meeting up again with Mike , Alan, and Ed made it worthwhile, as did  the Rowan boys Derek and Dave. 

The Feathertouch of course was on my ED103 and swapping focusers was the first thing I did once home.

Edited March 23 by Saganite

[mikeDnight]

Your new Vixen 115 looks great Steve, especially now it has a posh feather touch. I'm quite the peasant by comparison with standard focuser.