Well after having the new mount setup in the lounge and looking at the rain and wind and clouds for the last few days I poked my head out last night at around ten to see the wind had dropped the clouds gone and a brilliant full moon sky.
I couldn't get the gear out fast enough wanting to try a goto mount that would actually go to.
Placed the tripod did a quick level check and alignment using my south reference points along the side of the house did a quick two star align shooting the first through between the veranda posts and the other a very bright sirius and then proceeded to test the goto ability on a rough setup.
This just blew me away,
it never missed a star or planet or cluster and things you cant see due to the full moon like 47 tucanae just look in the eye piece and there they were.
I think I looked at more things in an hour than I've looked at in the last six months. Just using the hand piece and Starwalk on the iPhone to reference NGC numbers etc and this was the most pleasing experience I think I've had without laughing
excluding some other experiences of course.
I would normally spend that much time just trying to find faint objects.
This may sound old hat to those who have been using good goto mounts for a while now but to someone who has never experienced it and has struggled with an older mount that didn't quite cut the mustard this has got to be the coolest bit of gear and worth every cent.
The amazing comment from SWSBO was "well all you need now is a bigger telescope"
.
Does that sound like a go ahead to you?
And now for some viewing in place of messing around with setup.
Nico.