whats your best value Telescope accessory?

[rider]

The best value telescope accessory you can buy?

Is it:
A set of Ethos eyepieces @ $4000+…. NO
A Televue 80mm Finderscope @ $500+ … NO
An RCOS 32inch Cassegrain scope @ POA …nnnnnNo. (Lotto might change my mind)


For me its a $35 buck digital angle gauge that I got the other day from that green hardware warehouse starting with “B”..
Great alignments every time. No more bubble levels for me.
I used it to set up two mounts to watch Lunin, and went inside for a couple of hours.
And when I returned Lunin was still centred in both scopes.
Rider

[TrevorW]

Ric whats it called and where did you buy it because over here we have two starting with B but I'll assume you mean the big B

Cheers

[rider]

you'll find it in the spirit level isle of your local Bunnings.

Cant remember the title on the box, (think it said "digital angle meter") but its a silver cube about 50mm X 50mm X30mm with a magnetic bottom.

It reads to 0.1 degrees. I just leveled the mount with it, then magnetically attach it to the top of the scope body and dial the altitude in with the alt. control of my GEM.

Rider

[Barrykgerdes]

My best telescope accessory is my son and grandson. They cart it around and set it up for me. All I need to do is look in the eyepiece.

Baz

PS I almost forgot. They are taking me to Wiruna for the weekend. But if it is cloudy don't blame me.

B.

[rider]

Originally Posted by Barrykgerdes

They cart it around and set it up for me. All I need to do is look in the eyepiece.
B.

My hernia wants to know if you rent them out.

Rider

[pgc hunter]

probably my second hand set of vixen LVWs - a saving of $800 over new price.

[Barrykgerdes]

Originally Posted by rider

My hernia wants to know if you rent them out.

Rider

Make your arrangements $1000 / hr

Baz

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Observing chair. Doubles my observing time or more.

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by rider

For me its a $35 buck digital angle gauge that I got the other day from that green hardware warehouse starting with “B”..
Great alignments every time. No more bubble levels for me.
Rider

Yep they work a treat, been using one for ages to get very close, then I do a drift alignment.

[Terry B]

Skymap Pro 6
Purchased many years ago before the free ones like CDC were available. I think it is up to version 10 now but I haven't seen any need to upgrade.
I use it every time I observe either for charts or info.

[Ric]

Hard to say which accessory as they are all invaluable in their own way.

For the moment I'll have to say the DSI II Pro with the NB filters as they are giving me the most fun.

Cheers

[Jen]

my red torch i would trip over eveything without it

[Kal (Andrew)]

On cold nights, my IIS beanie!

[Shawn]

A clear Night....

[Dog Star (Phil)]

Don't want to start any arguments here but I don't see eye pieces as accessories. Surely they're an integral part of the scope? (OTA-Ep=noC)
For me, I'd have to say that my Telrad finder is my best accessory. It's certainly the one that I use the most.
Closely followed by any of my 3 sets of nokkies.

[acropolite (Phil)]

I'd have to say the $25 plastic bin I store my LX in, close second is the $35 toolbox that's home for the ED80.

[Kevnool (Kev)]

My step ladder that allows me to get to the eyepiece at zenith....cheers Kev.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I totally agree about the Digital Level.
Though I paid $39 for mine. It's a great little gadget.

The best bargain I've had was a 4mm eyepiece picked up for just $5 out of a throw out bin at Astrofest.
It outperformed a mates $250 4mm ep.
Boy was he totally peeved off. There must of been something seriously wrong with his optics.

[astroron (Ron)]

My ARGO NAVIS, would not be without it

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by astroron

My ARGO NAVIS, would not be without it

Seconded!

It's by far not the cheapest accessory, but for a dso viewing dob pusher like myself its certainly the best VALUE.

Price is what you pay, value is what you get.