What did the postman bring? V2

[Mr Spock]

1 hour ago, johnturley said:

I take it that's the Baader T2 Zeiss Prism Diagonal, I've just ordered one for my Tak 100 DZ from 365 Astronomy who had it in stock, FLO are currently out of stock, and advised me that they are not expecting fresh stock until around April-June time.

Yes. I bought mine a month ago - FLO had one in stock but I had to wait a few days for the attachments.

[Alan White]

Postie called yesterday with a package of joy, lots of happy reading ahead. 
OK the Nortons was a curiosity for me to see what I had missed.

 

 

[Mr Spock]

Back in the '70s Norton's was a must have.

[johnturley]

Arrived yesterday from 365 Astronomy (FLO were out of stock) a Baader Zeiss T2 Thread Prism Diagonal, and from FLO to fit the diagonal a Baader T2 1.25in Helical Focuser, and a T2 to 2in Nosepiece.

According to some observers, the Baader Zeiss Prism Diagonal should give better better high power lunar and planetary views through my Tak 100 DZ than my Baader 2in Dielectric Star Diagonal, and I bought the Helical Focuser as an alternative to fitting a micro focuser to the Tak, which I've read mixed reports about.

I didn't want to go to the expense of fitting a Feathertouch Ficuser, and one disadvantage of the helical focuser is that it only takes 1.25in eyepieces, but with the Baader Click-Lock accessories I have fitted, it is easy to swap to my 2in Diagonal if I want to use 2in eyepieces.  

Edited January 13 by johnturley

[Franklin]

Those Baader Helical focusers are very useful, I have two and sometimes place one before the diagonal to allow rotation of the viewing angle, neat!

[JeremyS]

4 hours ago, Alan White said:

Postie called yesterday with a package of joy, lots of happy reading ahead. 
OK the Nortons was a curiosity for me to see what I had missed.

 

 

That’s the edition of Nortons I started out with in 1974. Still have it, though it’s a bit battered.

[Swoop1]

Thanks to @PeterCPC, I received my new ZWO ASI533MC Pro👍

[josefk]

This is my first winter with diabetes and the related/consequent painfully cold feet are a new and deeply unpleasant life experience i could have done without!

My 4-season winter mountain walking boots are fine on the hill but haven't been cutting it while sitting around at the scope  - i was sooo cold out one evening last week i could hardly think straight  - so while I was mildly diverted by the idea of fur lined crocs after commentary on here (you know who you are 😉), I have more sensibly gone for full bore -20C rated boots instead. 

...extended -4C feels like -6C test on the cards tomorrow night 🙂

[Alan White]

Postie or in fact DPD has been from @FLO and I have a third Oklop bag.

Also tucked in was little old Tak TOE 4mm, that I don’t know I have yet as it’s a surprise present for me?

So being a surprise I have not opened it yet 😉

Not that I can use it at the minute as I have done my back in and finding moving a touch of a challenge.

[josefk]

The TOE 4mm is a stonker @Alan White - was the start of the slippery slope for me - I didn't think till using it that i "needed" any ortho type EP...

[mikeDnight]

On 13/01/2024 at 08:20, Alan White said:

Postie called yesterday with a package of joy, lots of happy reading ahead. 
OK the Nortons was a curiosity for me to see what I had missed.

 

 

Some nice reading there Alan. My old Norton's is littered with pencil lines depicting the paths of numerous comets I followed over the years, including Halley. Although there are better atlases available, Norton's has a special place in my heart. Soppy or what!  And the Messier Album, which I bought at the same time as buying my Norton's back around 1981, was the book that got me started with observational sketching. I loved simply looking at John Mallas messing with his 4" F15 Unitron in that single photograph of him, and always wanted a scope like that. I was never swayed by the aperture argument, as to me at least, there's no scope as beautiful as a refractor, especially a Unitron.  The only thing that puzzled me was Mallas's sketch of M27  (The Dumbbell nebula). He drew it as a misty rectangle and to this day his portrayal of it remains a mystery. M27 has always appeared to me as an Apple core enshrouded in a nebulous bubble, and that's in every instrument I've ever used, even binoculars.

 

[Alan White]

4 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

The only thing that puzzled me was Mallas's sketch of M27  (The Dumbbell nebula). He drew it as a misty rectangle and to this day his portrayal of it remains a mystery. M27 has always appeared to me as an Apple core enshrouded in a nebulous bubble, and that's in every instrument I've ever used, even binoculars.

That made me hobble to the book case and take a look (dodgy back at the mo).
Oh yes, what a strange observation he made, curious now.

The books were all curiosity and my Luddite wanting books not displays to look at.

 

[mikeDnight]

13 minutes ago, Alan White said:

That made me hobble to the book case and take a look (dodgy back at the mo).
Oh yes, what a strange observation he made, curious now.

The books were all curiosity and my Luddite wanting books not displays to look at.

 

Sorry to hear about your bad back Alan. It was either Ken Dodd or Jasper Carrot who said "You can always tell a married man, because he's the one with his spine removed!" Not true!! Most married men I know have back problems, myself included. In my case I think it's because of carrying everyone over the last 40+ years. I should never have left my mother, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

I suffer from spondalosis of the lower spine, and when it really plays up I've even blacked out because of the pain. a few years ago I had a really bad  problem with and couldn't walk or even move without crippling pain. A friend loaned me a electronic massage chair, which is really a overlying cushion that you place over an armchair.  I was extremely doubtful about its usefulness, but after only 10 mins I could walk without pain. Might be worth thinking about if you have an on going problem!?

[Littleguy80]

MEF 3 for my Tak FC100DF. Another nice improvement to the Tak. Fitted and tried it this evening. Definitely helped with hitting the sweet spot with focus once I adjusted it to my liking. It’s missing one of the tiny screws that tighten it onto the focuser. Doesn’t seem to cause an issue but will try and source another one for added security's. 

I just need to stay away from anyone with a feather touch focused now 😂

[glafnazur]

Courtesy of our friends at FLO a 1.25 Astronomik UHC filter 🙂

[Stu]

A SvBony 3 to 8mm zoom for me. Having borrowed Paul’s and been very impressed by it, I ordered one and it came very quickly. Been viewing Jupiter with it tonight, though the seeing is not great.

[glafnazur]

11 minutes ago, Stu said:

A SvBony 3 to 8mm zoom for me. Having borrowed Paul’s and been very impressed by it, I ordered one and it came very quickly. Been viewing Jupiter with it tonight, though the seeing is not great.

These keep getting great write ups so I have gone ahead and ordered one.

[Stu]

4 minutes ago, glafnazur said:

These keep getting great write ups so I have gone ahead and ordered one.

👍 I doubt you will regret it 😊

[IB20]

Being no imager, I’m delighted this turned up through the post! 😄

[bosun21]

Delivered today my HEQ5 mount with Rowan belt drive for my Vixen ED102S. I had to modify the dovetail to fit on the saddle. Maybe now I can get first light. Also the pillar and right angle polar scope adapter.

 

[glafnazur]

It's here  I'm impressed by the build quality. All I need now is clear skies...................

 

[RJC]

Hello,

The postman has been and delivered some Astro goodies. (I actually went and collected it but hey ho)…

I’m very new to astronomy and recently bought a StarTravel 120 with an EQ1 mount which turned out to have some issues so I sold it on (at a loss) to somebody who was basically going to take it apart and use various bits for various other things, anyway, that’s a different story.

Here is what I’ve ended up with, (pictures below), I’m mainly interested in visual for now but would like to keep the door open for some photography down the line.

Have I made a good purchase?

 

 

 

Edited January 20 by RJC

[bosun21]

2 hours ago, RJC said:

Hello,

The postman has been and delivered some Astro goodies. (I actually went and collected it but hey ho)…

I’m very new to astronomy and recently bought a StarTravel 120 with an EQ1 mount which turned out to have some issues so I sold it on (at a loss) to somebody who was basically going to take it apart and use various bits for various other things, anyway, that’s a different story.

Here is what I’ve ended up with, (pictures below), I’m mainly interested in visual for now but would like to keep the door open for some photography down the line.

Have I made a good purchase?

Nice equipment for starting out in the hobby. You may consider upgrading the tripod to either the stainless steel version or wood. They are much more stable. 

[F15Rules]

6 hours ago, bosun21 said:

Delivered today my HEQ5 mount with Rowan belt drive for my Vixen ED102S. I had to modify the dovetail to fit on the saddle. Maybe now I can get first light. Also the pillar and right angle polar scope adapter.

 

Gorgeous scope, just gorgeous!👍

[Zermelo]

DHL delivered the Bresser 10" that I bought on sale:

 

 

I'm glad I didn't go for a 12" !  This will be quite enough to handle.

I've not used a Dob before, but I'm quite happy with the build and finish of this one, in the lounge at least.

I'll be replacing the Bresser finder shoes with some Synta-type ones that I have already. I'll be using one of my RACIs instead of the supplied finder, and I need to decide whether to pair it with a red dot or fit a Telrad base. I already have a magnetic inclinometer, and I'll investigate some sort of printed setting circles.  The Hexafoc focuser is decent enough, and will probably be sufficient, but I might swap in the fine focus kit from my Bresser frac.