73 replies to this topic

[DaleEh]

Hi . Thanks. I got the counterweights with my rig. Haven't really felt the need to add more but maybe I should try and do that. probably make things better. Thanks for the advice. Will add a Coma corrector in due course.

If you end up adding something heavy like I did (paracorr2, nagler 31, 9x50finder), you may need a bit more. I used a bungee between the metal handle and an eye bolt (that attached through the existing drilled hole in the bottom of the mirror box), and it works great as the tension varies with loads. Got the idea from another cloudynights post. 

[aspexil]

I have something similar but smaller. Is there an EQ mount for this?

[Mariner13]

I have something similar but smaller. Is there an EQ mount for this?

You need an Equitorial platform for this mate, not a mount. Platforms are widely available. 

[Hexley]

Great review, wild ride.

 

Me… Bortle 6 skies at home. It became pretty apparent that HyperStar EAA was the way to go. A C8 is also lighter on the ‘ole back.

[kgb]

An equipment review and the struggles that we experience as amateur astronomers at the same time! Well done

[vineyard]

A fun review - thanks for sharing & hope you all enjoy many more clear skies!  One day I want to try a truss Dob in darker skies, but not ready for that yet.  On your filter Q, Altair Astro have dual band ultra filters with a 4nm bandpass that allow Ha & Oiii to pass.  I've used them for AP in Bortle 8 skies and they're excellent.  Never tried them visually but Nick at Altair is v responsive in answering Qs.

[rjaszcz]

Great write up! Hoping you get plenty of clear (and dark) skies with your family. Cheers

[AJW]

Great story on your 16" Dobson.  I have a 10" Orion go-to Dobson and love the viewing.  I can only imagine what fine views you have through your 16".  What eyepieces do you use?  Have you tried the Baader Hyperion's wide angle lens?  Have you had any experience with zoom eyepieces? 

[bremms]

Good review. Baffling, light shielding and collimation are critical to get good high contrast images. Obviously the darkness of the sky is the big factor. I've seen so many scopes without light shrouds behind the focuser, structure and or ground visible through the focuser. To get good contrast all you should see are the mirror system and well blacked telescope structure.

[Mariner13]

Great story on your 16" Dobson.  I have a 10" Orion go-to Dobson and love the viewing.  I can only imagine what fine views you have through your 16".  What eyepieces do you use?  Have you tried the Baader Hyperion's wide angle lens?  Have you had any experience with zoom eyepieces? 

Hey thanks for your kind words. Apologies for the late reply. I have a Baader Hyperion 68 deg / 8mm EP. Must say that I'm not really impressed with it. Maybe the viewing conditions have never been great to see through an 8mm EP. Time will tell. The views have always been hazy.  I don't have any experience with zoom eyepieces. The dealer advised me against buying it as it's neither here nor there, in his opinion. Apart from the Baader, I use an ES 40mm/52 deg ep. By far my favourite ep.

Also have an SV Bony 15mm/ UWA 80 deg which is quite good too. And lastly a Founder optic 20mm / 80 deg wide angle ep. This too is quite good. I have a 2x Barlow which doubles my lens collection.

[theSuda]

I am an ex-punekar. I had a big smile on my face reading this. Funny and informative. Great post. Where did you go to get the darker skies? I would love to visit you next time I travel to India. 

 

I laughed when I read that you assembled the beast in your backyard. I am surprised you could even see any stars. I really don't remember seeing many stars in the sky when I lived there.

 

Anyway, I am originally from Karad (near Satara) and I grew up in a Bortle 3 (maybe 4) area not knowing how great it was. I remember visiting my grandma's village, sleeping outdoors, looking at the milky way with naked eyes.

[Mariner13]

I am an ex-punekar. I had a big smile on my face reading this. Funny and informative. Great post. Where did you go to get the darker skies? I would love to visit you next time I travel to India. 

 

I laughed when I read that you assembled the beast in your backyard. I am surprised you could even see any stars. I really don't remember seeing many stars in the sky when I lived there.

 

Anyway, I am originally from Karad (near Satara) and I grew up in a Bortle 3 (maybe 4) area not knowing how great it was. I remember visiting my grandma's village, sleeping outdoors, looking at the milky way with naked eyes.

Hey. Nice to hear from a fellow Punekar. Do get in touch when you are here.I live in Bhugaon a few miles from Kothrud. So going into the hills beyond Mulshi was the natural choice to get to dark skies. Plenty of isolated resorts in the valleys with a Bortle 4. Next plan would be to go to a friend's place in Mandangad that is a Bortle 2/3. So expect great views from there. will pm you my number. do stay in touch.

[crsrs]

Very fun review to read! Thanks for posting it.

[ntph]

Great review of the scope and the experience! I have a LightBridge 12 inch that I got years ago and I just love it under dark skies. I have an EQ platform for it that makes it even better. I have used an Orion UltraBlock and a straight Oiii filter--the UltraBlock I got years ago as well--not even sure if they still make or offer them. It works great of planetaries and the Veil just jumps right out at you. 

[Mariner13]

Great review of the scope and the experience! I have a LightBridge 12 inch that I got years ago and I just love it under dark skies. I have an EQ platform for it that makes it even better. I have used an Orion UltraBlock and a straight Oiii filter--the UltraBlock I got years ago as well--not even sure if they still make or offer them. It works great of planetaries and the Veil just jumps right out at you.

Hello there.
 
I  thought I saw a request in your post for details of the observation chair. As I mentioned earlier, I had made it with scraps lying about so not really a conscious and measured plan as such. Putting up some pictures here so that all can use it to good effect. There are a few more steps needed which I will do when I get the chance. Have mentioned them in red font in the attached file. Please do share plans of your Eq platform if you can.

Ok looks like I cannot attach any file here or I don't know how.

Please find the link here. Do let me know if it can be accessed. Clear skies.

https://drive.google...?usp=drive_link

[ntph]

Sorry, the link requires access. But after an entertaining half hour or so noodling around "observing chairs", I think this one might be one of the easiest and functional, as well as aesthetically pleasing. All plans, materials and instructions including photos are included on the page.

 

https://www.skyatnig...observing-chair

[Mariner13]

Sorry, the link requires access. But after an entertaining half hour or so noodling around "observing chairs", I think this one might be one of the easiest and functional, as well as aesthetically pleasing. All plans, materials and instructions including photos are included on the page.

 

https://www.skyatnig...observing-chair

Looks similar to what I made albeit all wood. Do try the link again.

https://drive.google...?usp=drive_link

[Starman1]

Thanks John. I am in the market for a Narrow band filter. Was looking at the Optolong series. But am confused as hell. Any suggestions and logic about which one to go for would be really helpful. I need something that can transmit Ha, Hb and O3 light and can be useful for both visual as well as AP if I dabble in that down the road. 

The Optolong has too wide a bandwidth to be useful.

 

Some filters that will meet your requirements:

Astronomik UHC visual

TeleVue BandMate II Nebustar

Orion UltraBlock

Thousand Oaks LP-2

DGM NPB

 

You need to have a 22-27nm bandwidth, covering the 486.1nm H-ß line and the 495.9 and 500.7nm O-III lines.

If it's wider than 30nm, it won't be very effective for visual use.

https://www.cloudyni...ide/?p=11790259

[Starman1]

Hey thanks for your kind words. Apologies for the late reply. I have a Baader Hyperion 68 deg / 8mm EP. Must say that I'm not really impressed with it. Maybe the viewing conditions have never been great to see through an 8mm EP. Time will tell. The views have always been hazy.  I don't have any experience with zoom eyepieces. The dealer advised me against buying it as it's neither here nor there, in his opinion. Apart from the Baader, I use an ES 40mm/52 deg ep. By far my favourite ep.

Also have an SV Bony 15mm/ UWA 80 deg which is quite good too. And lastly a Founder optic 20mm / 80 deg wide angle ep. This too is quite good. I have a 2x Barlow which doubles my lens collection.

For an f/4.5 scope, the eyepiece range to use would be 27mm down to 2.3mm

But a more practical range would be 23mm down to 4.5mm.

A 40mm yields a 8.9mm exit pupil, and this is stopping down your scope to a smaller aperture, as that will be larger than your dark adapted pupil by a good margin.

[ntph]

Thanks for the photos. A friend who likes wood projects (and who made my first DIY stool) is on it. As for my EQ platform, first, it works amazingly well, but sadly won't be available any more. Its maker, Gregg Blandin, passed away recently. But I highly recommend using an EQ plafform--makes it so much easier to show others, for starters, what you've found and you just stand and marvel at what's in your eyepiece without having to be always nudging the scope. 

 

Even though Gregg is gone, this is a very userful site to have a look at. 

 

FWIW, I have an Orion UltraBlock for visual use and I like it--planetaries stand out easily; the Veil smacks you in the face. 

[shilbhadra]

I know I am late to the party but this was such a nice write up that I had to say something in appreciation. Thank you for the detailed review I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It is very encouraging to see serious amateurs in India. I was in Pune for a year in 2010. I wasn't into astronomy then, but I did explore around and I believe there are plenty of places within an hour's drive that should offer nice dark skies. So hopefully you will be thoroughly enjoying your new telescope. Looking forward to more reports and articles from you.

 

Cheers,

Shil

[AZknights]

An excellent review and an interesting backstory. Thanks.

[WillieB]

Great report, I really enjoyed reading it. I'm curious, what observing experiences have you had since then?

[Mariner13]

Great report, I really enjoyed reading it. I'm curious, what observing experiences have you had since then?

Hi. Thank you for your kind words.

Did some lovely observations of Venus before the end of last season in June(June to Sept are the monsoons here in India so it's pretty much overcast for 3 months.).

The current observation season started here in India about a month ago. 

Got a decent view of Andromeda a few days ago. Jupiter was closest on 2nd/3rd Nov so that and Saturn were both amazing.

Not so decent view of the Orion Nebula and fair views of a few star clusters. Unable to get to decent dark skies as of yet. Needs planning around the work week and weekends. Hopefully will manage that soon.

Got a half decent L-Enhance filter. Hoping to try that out with my DSLR and take some Nebula pics. Seems to be a steep learning curve.

Need to get out of the outreach mode that I seem to be in these days(been setting up the scope for kids in the college where I teach now as well as kids around the place where home is) and get a few solitary nights where I can really focus on the observation and photography bit.