Nightspore Posted November 4, 2023 Share Posted November 4, 2023 I’m pretty certain that I have sorted the three essential eyepieces for the Titchy Sixty. These combine a light weight with maximum versatility for such a small scope. I wondered about similar oculars for the 72mm, f/5.8 Evostar. For at least three years I have taken out a 19mm Panoptic for low power and a couple of TMB clones (4mm, 3.2mm) for high magnification. Sometimes other EP’s were included. As this is essentially a grab & go rig you will appreciate that a simple eyepiece approach is needed. Not only does it make the rig overall lighter to transport, the simplification just makes the whole session easier. Any eyepiece would be 1.25” as 2” diagonals were a tad difficult for me to manipulate and may be prone to fall out of the non-rotating visual back. The less shagging about with gear, the more observing right? So, I wondered just how far down the rabbit hole I could take this. The 24mm Tele Vue Panoptic was a no-brainer (I’d regularly used the ES equivalent with the 72 even though I’d owned the Panoptic for years longer). Then there was the possibility of the 35mm Baader Eudiascopic, which would give 12x as opposed to the 17.5x of the Panoptic. The Baader has a bright, well defined, exquisite and satisfyingly flat image, but only has an aFOV of around forty six (45.6°) degrees. After doing some sums I didn’t need to ‘ask Alice when she’s ten feet tall’ or bother the ‘hookah smoking caterpillar’ as the 24mm Panoptic had a very slightly bigger field of three arc degrees, fifty three minutes and six seconds of FOV. Furthermore the 24mm Pan’ becomes 12mm with a TV Barlow, giving a 2mm exit pupil with negligible vignetting. I was still chasing rabbits and the men on the chessboard about a planetary eyepiece choice though. I didn’t really want to have some kind of mushroom either (except maybe on a pizza). I did consider a 7mm Nagler for 60x, as: (a) I own one, (b) it’s a Nagler and (c) I actually bought it originally for the 72ED. By this time logic and proportion had fallen sloppy dead, the white knight was talking backwards and the red queen recommended it was off with the Nagler’s head. So I listened to the dormouse and fed my head with a 6mm TMB clone. This gives me 70x at 58° FOV, 140x with a TV 2x Barlow. Which are more or less 1mm and 0.5mm exit pupils. Plus, if I also take the BCO 2.25x Barlow which, let’s face it, weighs less than the caterpillar, it will give me a trippy but sharp 157.5x (0.45mm exit pupil). The 72 is certainly quite capable of that magnification. Technically only 13.5x above the supposed maximum power. On 3/11/23 at about 23:00 most of the seasonal pyrotechnics had ceased and I got about an hour in the great outdoors. At least I thought it was 23:00, but my ‘Official Swiss Railways’ pocket watch claimed it was midnight. It took me a few seconds to realise this wasn’t some weird time dilation caused by the fae, the Army of the 12 Monkeys, Zeta Reticulan warp engines or any other form of weird science and I had just forgotten to reset the watch to GMT. Temporal existential panic over I looked up at the night sky.The jetstream had come back with a vengeance, even though it looked as if the seeing would be good. I saw a fair amount of stars … and clouds. I set-up the 72ED and the first target was naturally a near-transit Jupiter. The 6mm TMB clone gave me 70x and the big 'J' was looking pretty sharp. I could just see the GRS, and the Galilean moons were all easily observed. I reckoned the TV 2x would be fine, but at 140x a lot of definition had disappeared and I realised the seeing just wasn’t up to it. At 112x (Barlow element threaded directly into the EP) Jupiter was fairly decently defined, the GRS was easier to see at least. After a while I decided to look at a few open clusters with the 24mm Panoptic. The great Subaru in the sky was probably the best thing I observed on this night. The Orion’s Belt Serpent Cluster was cool as well. The rapidly rising 62.8% illuminated Moon (Gemini) began to cause problems, so I basically switched my attention to that. I swapped the Everbrite for a GSO Amici for another 112x with the TMB/Barlow element combination. I didn’t think there was anything super interesting to see. The Aristoteles and Eudoxus craters in the north were quite well detailed, as were Maurolycus and Clavius in the south. Although that was about it, nothing else really grabbed my attention, not even a white rabbit … +seven_legs, +Stu and +Streetbob 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Streetbob Posted November 4, 2023 Share Posted November 4, 2023 A most enjoyable, interesting and informative report. Not heard this version before. Grace Slick singing this is one of my favourites. Nightspore 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 4, 2023 Author Share Posted November 4, 2023 15 minutes ago, Streetbob said: A most enjoyable, interesting and informative report. Not heard this version before. Grace Slick singing this is one of my favourites. Thanks Doug. I just wish the jetstream hadn't shifted back over the Midlands. There are a lot of White Rabbit covers on YouTube. There are a lot of Jefferson Airplane covers full stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Glafnazur Posted November 4, 2023 Share Posted November 4, 2023 Great read Dave, all the White Rabbit quotes bought a smile to my face. I love that song, it was one of my wife's favourites, and that was a decent cover, but no one, no one sings it like Grace. +Streetbob and Nightspore 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 4, 2023 Author Share Posted November 4, 2023 (edited) 50 minutes ago, Glafnazur said: Great read Dave, all the White Rabbit quotes bought a smile to my face. I love that song, it was one of my wife's favourites, and that was a decent cover, but no one, no one sings it like Grace. Thanks. It's been ages since I've just gone out with two eyepieces. Grace (Sick) Slick is a unique genius who combated alcoholism and won. Apparently, she's still banned from the Whitehouse for being 'a political subversive'. Something at 84, she's still proud of. You go girl! Edited November 4, 2023 by Nightspore correction of auxilliary verb 'to be' tense (I blame the rabbit)) +Streetbob and +Glafnazur 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Glafnazur Posted November 4, 2023 Share Posted November 4, 2023 I watched that video after reading your post earlier, brilliant stuff!!! +Streetbob and Nightspore 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 4, 2023 Author Share Posted November 4, 2023 (edited) I've gone further down the rabbit hole. By adding an Altair (GSO) 0.5x focal reducer, basically turning this into a 12mm (30x) EP. I have a collection of reducers, of varying brands (all GSO made) that were originally intended for individual eyepieces with my binoviewer. This and the Barlows make this set-up a really versatile two eyepieces. I'm sure the Mad Hatter or the Cheshire Cat would agree. Not sure about the fae or the Zeta Reticulans. The fae probably don't care ... ... and the Zeta Reticulans are useless pilots. Tell me if you see the rabbit. or Edited November 4, 2023 by Nightspore rabbits +Glafnazur 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Glafnazur Posted November 4, 2023 Share Posted November 4, 2023 They were great covers, nice one 👍 Nightspore 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 5, 2023 Author Share Posted November 5, 2023 (edited) Jetstream is moving away. Might be breaking good over the Midlands Sunday evening. If we're lucky. Maybe baby blue skies early on, and dark clear skies later. "Say my name ... " Edited November 5, 2023 by Nightspore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 5, 2023 Author Share Posted November 5, 2023 Just realised, when I observed Jupiter it was at opposition. Too many raves in the 90's for me, my brain's gone a bit Trumpton. +Glafnazur 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 6, 2023 Author Share Posted November 6, 2023 Looks like the jetstream has shifted over the Midlands. The Met Office is optimistic about this evening FWIW. The big question is Titchy Sixty or ED72? The Moon (Leo) doesn't rise until after midnight, so Titchy is looking good. Happy Monday and clear skies everyone. +Glafnazur and +Streetbob 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fellas on Google Plus Posted November 6, 2023 Share Posted November 6, 2023 I've always loved the way you weaved the music into the astronomy! Looks like you were busy out there during the opposition! Reggie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 6, 2023 Author Share Posted November 6, 2023 4 hours ago, The Fellas on Google Plus said: I've always loved the way you weaved the music into the astronomy! Looks like you were busy out there during the opposition! Reggie Cheers Reggie. My mind was pretty vacantly out to lunch, as I'd actually totally forgotten about the opposition! I honestly thought I'd missed it. My luck wasn't rotten though, I actually caught it, albeit inadvertently. The Fellas on Google Plus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fellas on Google Plus Posted November 8, 2023 Share Posted November 8, 2023 On 06/11/2023 at 18:51, Nightspore said: Cheers Reggie. My mind was pretty vacantly out to lunch, as I'd actually totally forgotten about the opposition! I honestly thought I'd missed it. My luck wasn't rotten though, I actually caught it, albeit inadvertently. I like those happy accidents. This video isn't available in my country, drat! What video is this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 8, 2023 Author Share Posted November 8, 2023 2 hours ago, The Fellas on Google Plus said: I like those happy accidents. This video isn't available in my country, drat! What video is this? It was 'Pretty Vacant' by the Sex Pistols. How about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fellas on Google Plus Posted November 11, 2023 Share Posted November 11, 2023 On 08/11/2023 at 01:21, Nightspore said: It was 'Pretty Vacant' by the Sex Pistols. How about this? YEHHHHHH! I heard these guys had a thing for the Queen, lol! Nightspore 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightspore Posted November 11, 2023 Author Share Posted November 11, 2023 6 hours ago, The Fellas on Google Plus said: YEHHHHHH! I heard these guys had a thing for the Queen, lol! Yeah, I think they ended their chances of being knighted. Unless ..... The Fellas on Google Plus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now