[ColHut (Colin)]

Well sometimes you just get lucky. I wanted to test the idea that on bright targets like the moon, if the air was steady you could really push up the magnification.

The moon was just about at its zenith, the clouds were rolling in fast, so I grabbed my little 4.5" reflector, a 5mm TMB/BO and my X2 GSO Barlow. A quick polar alignment by compass and check of the finder scope and then in with the 5mm.

At X180 detail was fine and crisp with oodles of contrast although the image darkened appreciably as the clouds moved in. And there they stayed occasionally lightening somewhat. Well nothing to lose I put in the barlow as well and although contrast was low, features were still incredibly sharp aided by occasional lightening of the cloud. At x360 the craters on the moon's edge and terminator were superb. I shared the views with my son before heading in. Somehow I had jagged near perfect alignment (for 25 minutes the same part of the moon stayed in view), and the atmosphere was rock steady. Perhaps a Siebert 3.4mm modified ortho might be a good investment for my limited budget after all?

regards