North Lincs Astro society meeting 6th Feb 2012

A few hardy souls braved the icy and foggy conditions to attend the North Lincolnshire Astronomy meeting on the 6th Feb 2012.

Was nice to see 2 new enthusiastic members.  After a period of chatting and tea drinking, the skies cleared to allow some viewing of Jupiter and the Moon.  The sub zero temperature and biting wind kept the session short.

Equipment used were 15×70 binoculars, Skywatcher 6″ dob, Skywatcher 130 and a beautiful Tal 4″ refractor on an AZ-4 mount.

Despite the cold conditions, a good time was had by all

As always Northern Optics was in attendance with some bargain prices. Items bought on the night were Ostara comfort straps, Visionary Classic 7×50 binoculars, Celestron UpClose 10×50 binoculars, Binocular tripod adapter and a 7 piece 1.25″ filter set

 

Visit the North Lincs Astro website here

 

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Visionary Classic 7×50 binoculars review

 

The Visionary Classic 7×50 are aimed at the budget end of the market. BaK-7 prisms and standard lens coatings help keep the price down.

So straight out the box, you are presented with binoculars that come with standard case and strap.  I found build quality can vary a little from one to another, but nothing to worry about. Not as sturdy as the Visionary HD range, but the price reflects this.

So what about the optics . First thing you may notice is a little internal reflection. I found  holding them away from your eyes eliminates this. On the subject of eye relief, it is long enough to use with glasses on without having to fold down the eye cups.

Although not as bright as fully multi coated optics, the image is very sharp and clear.  Chromatic aberration is hardly evident in the centre 50%, but increases heavily towards the edge. But remember these are less than £30 at the time of this review.

With the low magnification, there is very little eye strain. This makes them perfect for prolonged observations. Also don’t be put off by the 7x power. This is plenty for every day use.

As with all 7x50s, you get a flat field and a good depth of field. Around a half turn of the focus wheel is all you will need. The dioptre adjustment is usually very smooth on the Classics. But on the one I tested was a little stiff (but not enough to be a problem)

Handling is excellent + they are easy to hand hold. 7×50 binoculars are the perfect choice if you have unsteady hands.

I found compared to the Visionary classic 10x50s the image quality of the 7x50s was slightly sharper. The 7mm exit pupil making them also suitable for low light and astronomy observations.

Highly recommended if you are on a budget 

You can contact Northern Optics here to ask about stock availability

 

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Discount binoculars at North Lincs Astro Club

If you are looking for a great deal on selected binoculars and accessories, why not come along to the North Lincolnshire astronomy society on the first Monday of every month.

Northern Optics will be present at each evening meeting with a small selection of binoculars at greatly discounted prices. The special offers on the night will not be available on the Northern Optics website, or at any other trading venue.

All we ask is that when you turn up is to stop for the evening and socialise with other members. Clear skies permitting, you will get the chance to test out binoculars and look through other members telescopes and binoculars.

There is an entry fee. But this includes a raffle ticket. Prizes donated by the club and Northern Optics

Click here for more imformation on the North Lincs Atro club, and meeting dates

Northern Optics website

 

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Visionary HD 8×56 binoculars review

 

For the review of the Visionary HD 8×56 , I waited for a dull and over cast day to test their low light capabilities.  

First impressions were how compact and light they were for a 56mm pair of binoculars. Although I weighed them at 1050g, they were easy to hold steady , hand held.  Despite the dull conditions, the view was bright and crisp. Colours were clear, and detail in the dark shadows was easily picked out.

With a close focus of around 15m, these are designed for mid to long distance work. A plus side of this is that there is only half a turn of the focus wheel needed from nearest to infinity focus. The field is flat, with just a little bowing on the edge of field.

The massive depth of field makes focusing a breeze. Infact you can set at mid distance and use almost like an auto focus. False colour is hardly evident in the centre and well within tolerences at the edge.

Great news for spectacle wearers with very long eye relief. I found that with the eye cups folded down, I could hold them well away from my eyes, even with glasses on.

Handling is very easy and user friendly. The focus wheel and dioptre adjustment is a little stiff, but as the depth of field is so large, you do not have to be bang on with the settings.

They are not nitrogen waterproof. But if the main thing that matters to you is quality of optics, you wont do much better for the price.

Case and strap are basic

Very highly recommended and superb optics for both bright, dull days and astronomy

 

Click here to buy

 

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Lincoln Astronomy society meeting. Tues 7th Feb 2012

Lincoln Astronomy society meetings in 2012

Tuesday 7th February starting at 7.30pm 2012

The speaker will be Michael Czajkowski of The Open University. His lecture is “Exoplanets. Migration and a New look at the Solar System”

 
The lecture meetings are open to Members and Non Members, although a charge of £3 applies to non members, which is payable on the night.Tea and Coffee refreshments will be available following the lecture at approximately 9.30pm.

 

Visit the Lincoln astronomy website

 

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What is a telescope dew cap

A Dew cap is tube extending forward from the front lens of a telescope. It prevents dew from forming on the lens as it cools down, and acts as a sunshade to reduce reflections during the day.

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Kelper Optik H20mm 1.25″ erect image eyepiece review

Decided to give the Kelper Optik H20mm erect image eyepiece a work out. For testing I used a Skywatcher Skyhawk 114 reflector telescope. The targets were street lights and buildings around 5 miles away.

Designed more for terrestrial use rather than astronomy, the H20mm eyepiece gives an upright image through a newtonian reflector, which give an upside down image. Out of the box, the 20mm eyepiece feels solid and well built. The extra elements of glass add a little weight.

The small aperture eyepiece has no rubber eye cups. Although surprisingly I found the eye relief good enough for spectacles. There is some internal reflection, which may hinder astronomical targets.

The image itself was clearly upright, with left to right orientation correct. In the dusk low light, I could easily make details in the shadows away from street lights. All colours from street and traffic light were bright and clear. In fact much better than expected.

I would recommend for small Newtonian reflectors in the 3 to 4 inch range. This is because they are light enough to be mounted on a sturdy camera tripod.

The eye piece will not accept astronomical filters, but will work with barlows.

Summing up, I would say it was definately better than expected. Not many about, so hard to find

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Opticron ED-X Binoculars

New for 2012. The Opticron ED-X 8×42 and 10×42 binoculars. Boasting a compact sleek design with outstanding ED optics. Standing only 136mm high, they are similar in size to many 32mm binoculars.

The new micro bridge technology, wide wheel focusing and textured rubber armour give superb handling. Weighing just 650g they are incredibly lightweight.

The ED lens system increases light transmission over standard optics. Wide field eyepieces offer a panorama like visual experience. Perfect for tracking moving wildlife. 

When available, prices will be just £299 for the 8×42 and £309 for the 10×42

  • Other features include
  • Nitrogen waterproofing
  • Close focus to under 2m
  • Multi stage twist eye cups
  • 10 year warranty
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Opticron Discovery WP PC 10×50 binoculars. Customers review

A recent customer at the Northern Optics retail outlet at the Waters Edge country park was looking for a high quality of 10×42 binoculars. After being quite impressed with a couple of 10x42s, I let him try out the Opticron Discovery WP PC 10×50 binoculars.

1st impressions of the Opticrons were how light and compact they were for a pair of 10×50 binoculars. In fact he found them similar in size to his own Viking 10x42s. Second and most importantly I got the WOW reaction when he realized how bright the image was. Unlike some 10x42s, the Opticron 10×50 had a good depth of field for easy focusing.

Goes without saying , he bought a pait without hesitation. At only £179 they represent excellent value for money

Click here to buy

 

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What is a Globular Cluster

A Globular Cluster a very old, large, dense cluster of stars, bound by gravity. Many form spherical clouds around galaxies. Our galaxy is surrounded by at least 130 globular clusters. Messier 13 (M13) in Hercules is a fine example that is visible in small telescopes and binoculars as a small patch of light. Larger telescopes bring out the true beauty of this magnificent object in the night sky.

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