Wahooooo !!!

[Peter Drew]

Hello Carol. I'm sure we all to some degree share your excitement and anticipation, it's one of the things that makes this forum special. Just a couple more practical comments, the aluminising of large mirrors lasts much better if they have a close fitting cover lined with some absorbent medium such as blotting paper, also, the last 16" LB I used had slight astigmatism which vanished when the main mirror clips were backed of a bit, worth checking just in case.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I see NO harm in storing the DOB in an upright position if covered with a dust cap. As said above. Its the natural state of the scope and will put no strain on the knobs and bolts etc. As for storing outside in -26C...........

I think this could cause any oil,grease etc to freeze and could cause the scope to become inoperable. You would most likely have to re-oil,grease on a very regular basis. Moisture could be a big problem and also the mirror could perhaps crack?

I'm really not sure but i wouldnt be happy storing it outside or in a shed in the adverse weather conditions you get where you live.

[RikM]

Well done on the new star canon Carol.

Rik

[Sam]

Carol, you'll certainly enjoy looking at the moon through it. But be warned it's very very bright so you'll need a moon filter. The first time I had a look at the moon through mine (without a moon filter) I thought I was going to go blind!

Sam

[Talitha]

Thanks again all.. lots to learn, but it'll be easy with all the help i'm getting.

"iron ... butterflies" Hey, great group!

Martyn, thanks again for the info on your SW 300 Flex, i was 'this close' to ordering one. I'd read about a 14" being in the works though, and sent SW an inquiry about it but never got an answer. After more thought, i figured what the heck, if i'm considering a 12" and a 14", why not just go for the 16"? Funny sometimes, how we come to make the decisions that we do.

Thanks Peter, i'll see about getting some blotting paper. Will a bag of silica gel attached to the inside of the cover do as well, or might it emit harmful fumes? (IIRC, Martyn mentioned loosening the clips in one of our PMs.. advice given to him by Mick, i think.)

Paul, i wasn't aware that there's grease in a Dob. If anything freezes though, i'll just do what i did with the LX-10.. take it apart, clean out the 'glue' and replace it with snowmobile grease.

Sam, i've got a Moon filter, but can always double it up with the medium blue in case it's not enough (or get a pair of welders' goggles, lol ).

[albedo0.39]

Fantastic news Talitha... clear and dark skies + a large Dob - all the elements for a superb place to while the hours away. Not sure about your climate, but you might like to consider a dew system on the secondary. I cobbled one together for mine and it works a peach.

The LB needs some mid range and upwards EP's to drag the best performance out of it, but one tip all people realise is that the mirror clips might well be down onto the mirror too hard and cause you astrigmatism

You might like to get your dealer (or if you feel brave, do it yourself) and ensure that the clips are about 1mm off the main surface and not touching

Many's the story of a LB-16 owner suffering until they loosened these clips.

All the best

Steve

[Talitha]

Thanks, Steve. I figured new ep's might be in order, but my present collection will have to do till more research is done. Would a dew shield on the UTA be sufficient to keep the secondary dry? After 10+ years of using the 8"SCT dew-magnet, i was looking forward to having a 'wire-free, battery-free' scope. But if needed, i'll just hook up the DewBuster... the tape from my camera lens should fit the secondary well enough.

Fed-Ex just called and said the driver will be here between 11am and 2pm (just past 9:30am now), so i guess it's a bit late for the dealer to loosen the mirror clips for me. Sure hope i can do it on my own.

[Psychobilly]

Great Stuff Carol...

I watched one of those go for £180 last week... Bargain..

It needed a good clean and a bit of work on a small dent in one of the truss poles... Not a million miles away from me either so hopefully get to have a look through it soon...

Peter...

[Peter Drew]

Carol, silica gel sould be OK but a method would have to be devised such that nothing could come into contact with the aluminised surface. It is just possible that the manufacturers nip up the primary to save it from rattling around in transit. It's good to know that so many are aware of the potential problem. Fingers crossed for a safe delivery!

[Astro_Baby]

Congrats from me too - and oh what an obs site to have. You'd need to be a millionaire where I live to own 40 acres

I bet you cant wait.

[mdstuart]

Please draw some galaxies for me. Perhaps M51 and its neighbour?

Mark

[Talitha]

Wow, is it B-I-G !!!

My friendly neighborhood Fed-Ex man delivered the LB at 12:30, both boxes were in excellent condition.. no scratches, rips, tears or holes. Everything inside was ok except a slight bend in one of the roller bearing plates, but after a few good squeezes in the garage's vice, it was good to go.

Assembly went surprisingly well, but that's all i've done so far... still need to loosen the mirror clips and collimate after doing a bit more reading. I've decided not to attach handles and wheels as i'd planned, but will get a 'scope dolly' which was designed specifically for the 16" Light Bridge. It'll cost a lot more than something homemade, but in the long run i think it'll be a lot sturdier and safer.

£180 .. wow, that's almost giving it away. Hope you get a peek pretty soon, Peter.

Peter (D), i'll figure out a way to permanently attach a sachet of it to the inside of the mirror cover... thanks for your help.

You're right Mel, i can't wait... but i'll have to. The OTA's too heavy for me to lift off of the base (needed help getting it on), so until i get some wheels for the LB, it's going to be in the living room. About the land... when i was growing up in Chicago, i'd always dreamed of owning a "40". It took a long time but i finally got here and the only way i'll ever leave is feet first in a pine box, lol.

Absolutely, Mark! I'd be more than happy to. You're a mind-reader, btw. M51 is the first galaxy i thought of after placing the order. It's the one i've worked the hardest to see details in, and i honestly can't wait till it's in the fov.

Well, i still haven't decided on a name for the LB.

I'd thought of 'Goliath' but it's a bit boring.

'Kong' came to mind but the LB's not big enough.

Someone suggested 'Bubba', but that's just wrong... on so many levels.

Actually, i'm leaning towards 'Lurch'... always liked him.

Any other suggestions?

[Beulah]

"Elle Bee", as in LB, Light Bucket?

Congrats on the purchase!

[Astro_Baby]

Know what you mean about weight - There was an ex display model going in a local shop and I thought - hmmmm - well it might work. After all it all comes to bits so would be quite light. Could store all the bits in the cupboard etc.

Then I asked what the weight of the mirror was - cant remember now but it was like HEAVY (man ) and taking it up 4 floors of stairs was a non starter. I couldnt even pick it up in the shop

Partner was ever so happy

[Wobbly Bob]

So pleased it arrived in good shape, apart from the bearing plate (ODD).

Trish (the Mrs) also liked LURCH, although she expanded to LURCH BABY . I on the other hand would call it PHOTON

I often wonder what newcomers to the hobby mean when they ask "what accessories would I need to go with my new high street scope", in my case it was a flipping Tripod to hold my 100mm bins and in your case Carol, a TROLLY DOLLY to actually MOVE the LB.

I bet you cant wait to view M51 through the PHOTON

Bob

[valleyman]

You got the name on your first post Talitha.

Wahooooo......................if you dont use that name I will after i convince the wife my need is greater than hers to £1800....

[Peter Drew]

How about "Sesame" or "Eureka"Carol, it's going to open up so many new things to you and maybe even dicoveries!

[Talitha]

LB = Lurch Baby Perfect! :)

Bob, Trish a genius... give her a big hug from me, ok?

Thanks for the suggestions... Pat, feel free to use Wahooooo.

[Guest]

When my niece was born I described her in passing as "Whopper" much to my sister's disapproval. The name has stuck. It does describe anything out sized very well, so there you go, "Whopper".

Badger

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm sure there is no grease in a DOB but there must be some lube of some kind?

[Talitha]

Paul, i think the only thing that might have grease/lube is the focuser. The AZ glides on roller bearings and teflon pads, and the ALT slides on felt.

Finally got around to transferring the pics from the Canon.. here's the kink in the roller bearing plate that i squeezed out with the vice. Can't imagine how it happened, but the metal is quite thin and straightened out easily enough. I was able to bend it by hand, it was so pliable... made me feel like WonderWoman.

Called and ordered a Meade laser collimator today.. i'd forgotten about it when ordering the scope. Tried ordering the 'scope dolly' today too, but apparently they're closed for the weekend. Actually, i should put everything on hold till October's 'Jupiter' article is finished and sent in... then i can concentrate on getting Lurch Baby fully operable.

[Specman]

Congrats on finally going for it Carol... Your 16" light bucket should be awesome in you dark sky location. Just get a good cover for it to protect that lovely mirror.

(or you could just sit guard over it 24/7 polishing it and killing any creepies that come within a metre of it )

Good luck and clear skies!

Mark

[Mutley]

Hi Carol,

I keep my dob outside in a shed too. The first winter it got a bit too damp for too long and it became badly marked. I had to get it re-coated the following summer. Now i leave a de-humidifier in there permanently on a low setting, which keeps it very dry. I also have a low-output heater to stop the de-humidifier outflow from freezing over. This arrangement has worked well so far. Last winter was one of the coldest for years in the UK, but my mirrors are still in pristine condition. Good luck and have fun ;O)

[Talitha]

Thanks!

Mutley, i'm inland and away from any large body of water, so my winters are a lot drier than those of the UK... a lot colder, too. Sometimes it's so cold that the moisture droplets in the air freeze, and can be seen floating around like glitter.. it's absolutely enchanting.

When the temps warm up and things begin to thaw in the Spring, i'll be careful to check the mirror every day. If needed, i can hang a low watt light bulb in the OTA. It should give off enough heat to keep things dry, and the light will discourage mold growth.

[Mutley]

Thanks!

If needed, i can hang a low watt light bulb in the OTA. It should give off enough heat to keep things dry, and the light will discourage mold growth.

Great idea.

I've seen that 'diamond dust' thing once too. Beautiful.