What did the postman bring? V2

[WolfieGlos]

ZWO EAF arrived today so I don’t have to keep refocusing with a mask all night! Can’t wait to attach this, and try it when these clouds disappear…hopefully sometime before the end of the year 🙄

Also a WO finder shoe for the Starfield, fits perfectly.

[inedible_hulk]

And finally. Now if I could just get a chance to use my recent purchases 🙏

[DirkSteele]

Just doing my bit to crash the transfer of the forum to a new host in about 5 years! 😉

 

Delivery from FLO today. An Oklop bag - the 150/1200 refractor bag though I intend to use it with my LZOS 130/1200 and another book which perhaps I can add to the show us your Astronomy library thread.

Edited July 20, 2023 by DirkSteele
Typo

[F15Rules]

2 hours ago, DirkSteele said:

Just doing my bit to crash the transfer of the forum to a new host in about 5 years! 😉

 

Delivery from FLO today. An Oklop bag - the 150/1200 refractor bag though I intend to use it with my LZOS 130/1200 and another book which perhaps I can add to the show us your Astronomy library thread.

I have the exact same holdall for my FS128..a great quality bag and my Tak fits it perfectly 👍😊.

Dave

[Guest]

A second GSO coma corrector and a H Beta Filter showed up today.  No more bouncing the cc from one scope to the other.  

[Ratlet]

That's the 10x42 binos arrived.  Surprised by how much smaller and lighter they are than the 10x50s.  Had a quick play around and I'd say they also have less CA in daylight.  Will be interesting to get them both out and have a play.

[Guest]

I am almost ashamed to say that I had no idea that Oberwerk was 2 hours from my house.  So today i bit the bullet and did what i should have done the first time.  20x80 binos are awesome for solar viewing with the properly installed filters. It is clearing a little bit and we may try to do a little binocular astronomy this evening through the holes in the clouds.  On a very cool note, at least to me, Oberwerk is located in a old fire station. 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Mike Q

[Ouroboros]

You’re going to need a tripod that allows for easier viewing to higher altitudes, @Mike Q.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Ouroboros said:

You’re going to need a tripod that allows for easier viewing to higher altitudes, @Mike Q.

Oh there is a lot more height available in that tripod. It isnt even close to being fully extended 

[The60mmKid]

9 hours ago, Mike Q said:

I am almost ashamed to say that I had no idea that Oberwerk was 2 hours from my house.  So today i bit the bullet and did what i should have done the first time.  20x80 binos are awesome for solar viewing with the properly installed filters. It is clearing a little bit and we may try to do a little binocular astronomy this evening through the holes in the clouds.  On a very cool note, at least to me, Oberwerk is located in a old fire station. 

Awesome setup! Oberwerk is a great little outfit. I'd be losing money fast if I lived two hours from them 😉

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, The60mmKid said:

Awesome setup! Oberwerk is a great little outfit. I'd be losing money fast if I lived two hours from them 😉

I was surprised to find out its really just a workshop and storage area.  While you can stop in there isnt really a lot to see.  But i got to know the owner a bit.  Kevin is a nice guy.  Funny thing was he was driving up to the lake after work and driving within a mile of my house.   He could have dropped the stuff off lol 

[Ouroboros]

1 hour ago, Mike Q said:

Oh there is a lot more height available in that tripod. It isnt even close to being fully extended 

That’ll help certainly.  Though my personal experience even with such an extendable tripod was that it simply wasn’t enough. A pistol grip tripod was better but not ideal either IMO.  It was on the edge of holding the weight too. In the end I gave up using a tripod at all with my bins, but then mine are somewhat lighter.  But you might be fine.  I think if I wanted to go for a nice pair of bins like yours I’d look seriously at a tripod something like this (what’s the generic name?) ….

[The60mmKid]

2 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

That’ll help certainly.  Though my personal experience even with such an extendable tripod was that it simply wasn’t enough. A pistol grip tripod was better but not ideal either IMO.  It was on the edge of holding the weight too. In the end I gave up using a tripod at all with my bins, but then mine are somewhat lighter.  But you might be fine.  I think if I wanted to go for a nice pair of bins like yours I’d look seriously at a tripod something like this (what’s the generic name?) ….

That... Or we can just take his word for it that he's enjoying his setup and share that joy... 😉

[Guest]

31 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

That’ll help certainly.  Though my personal experience even with such an extendable tripod was that it simply wasn’t enough. A pistol grip tripod was better but not ideal either IMO.  It was on the edge of holding the weight too. In the end I gave up using a tripod at all with my bins, but then mine are somewhat lighter.  But you might be fine.  I think if I wanted to go for a nice pair of bins like yours I’d look seriously at a tripod something like this (what’s the generic name?) ….

They call that a parallelogram and yes those are very nice indeed.  Oberwerk does offer them i believe.  For our purposes the bipod we bought will do quite nicely.  

[Ouroboros]

3 hours ago, The60mmKid said:

That... Or we can just take his word for it that he's enjoying his setup and share that joy... 😉

I was not aware I was not doing both. Just giving my personal experience. 🤔

[Ouroboros]

2 hours ago, Mike Q said:

They call that a parallelogram and yes those are very nice indeed.  Oberwerk does offer them i believe.  For our purposes the bipod we bought will do quite nicely.  

Good. 

[Nigella Bryant]

My new Altair Astro 26c hypercam tec arrived this afternoon. Sorry for the week's of rain that will come with it. Not had a dedicated astronomy camera since I had a starlight express MX7c in the 90's. Did a lot of research, costing and dithering between Zwo and Altair, lol. 

[callisto]

43 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

My new Altair Astro 26c hypercam tec arrived this afternoon. Sorry for the week's of rain that will come with it. Not had a dedicated astronomy camera since I had a starlight express MX7c in the 90's. Did a lot of research, costing and dithering between Zwo and Altair, lol. 

Very nice Nigella 👍

[Nigella Bryant]

44 minutes ago, callisto said:

Very nice Nigella 👍

Thanks callisto, it'll probably be months before first light. 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Life will be thoroughly enhanced by my new SGL camping mug! 🥳

Edited July 25, 2023 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[Alan White]

Post or DPD delivered two focusers for my Lunt LS40, one damaged and one with holding issues, it would not hold the blocking filter and a small eyepiece, just shot out.
Terrible considering they were new FT focusers!
Both rejected and order cancelled and will stick with the Helical unit going forwards.

Also had waited months (7 plus) for a Lunt case, still unavailable, so cancelled that too, which leads to the nexty delivery.
A case from Maplins, foam (solid) inside.

Now cut out for the LS40 Lunt an set in focus.
Very happy with this, especially as the case was under £40 delivered, the Lunt ones are £139 and not available.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Alan White

[Franklin]

38 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Now cut out for the LS40 Lunt an set in focus.

You've made a nice clean job of cutting that foam out Alan, did you watch Blue Peter back in the day?🙂

[Alan White]

Just now, Franklin said:

You've made a nice clean job of cutting that foam out Alan, did you watch Blue Peter back in the day?🙂

I did, sadly never got a badge though ☹️ Even wrote in a few times trying.

Amazingly, I have all my digits after said carving, which is rather pleasing.

[DirkSteele]

Something has happened to my Thousand Oaks UHC and H-Beta filters (they are about 20 years old). Smearing seems to appear on them each time I go to use them. Seems to clean off but then back again the next time. So decided to order some replacements. This time Astronomik. Will be interesting to see how they compare.

And if anyone has a theory on what has happened to my old filters, please do let me know.

[Oldfort]

Having been tempted by this thread, I bought a StarVue solar filter.

Here it is on a Canon RF600mm f11 lens (with reducing ring as well).

 

 

Here's a sample I took yesterday.

 

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Oldfort