PST Mount

[Mick]

What mount do you guys prefer to use for your PST's? I'm thinking about piggy backing my PST on the lx90 for the tracking. But maybe a smaller EQ mount with a drive motor would be more transportable, what do you think?

[Radar]

I have always piggybacked mine on my LX-50 Mick. Not very portable, but because the sun can be viewed well from anywhere, I don't worry about the portability factor.

One day I would love to upgrade the PST to something better. I love solar observing.

366

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[rogerg]

Most of the people I know with PST's just mount them on whatever they have around. Usually an equatorial mount they'd otherwise have a scope on at night, or an old alt-az mount they haven't use for years, or a camera tripod of just about any sturdyness.

The winning solutions are usually the most portable ones I believe. The PST isn't great for photography so I figure you may as well optimise it for what it's good at - portability.

[Draig]

HI Ray,

Is that your little setup in the backyard?

Cheers Colin

[Jackson42South]

I like the idea of modifying one of these from Bill Vorce (Telescope Warehouse):

Meade Dual-Axis Motorized Telescope Mount &Tripod
or the Meade Dual-Axis Goto Telescope Mount & Tripod

http://stores.ebay.com.au/Telescope-Warehouse
See under Mounts, Drives & Tripods

Not expensive, even with freight!

I am thinking of buying one of these for my 80mm Refractor.

[Mick]

Thanks for the replies, I'll let you know how i get on. Had first light last Saturday, awesome little scope. Seeing proms for the first time through glass is up there with my first view of Saturn, Jupiter and m42. :Chessy_Smile:

[Radar]

Hey Col, yeah that's my backgarden setup.

Jackson42 I can't find the mount in that link. :duh:

Either way, I think I'll pull my PST out today and have a squiz at the sun.

[Jackson42South]

Hey Col, yeah that's my backgarden setup.

Jackson42 I can't find the mount in that link. :duh:

Either way, I think I'll pull my PST out today and have a squiz at the sun.

Hi radar,

http://stores.ebay.com.au/Telescope-Warehouse
From the store Menu on the left, click on: Mounts, Drives, Tripods

They are titled as follows:
* Meade Dual-Axis Motorized Telescope Mount, Tripod, EC
* Meade DS-80 telescope Mount with slow motion controls
* Meade Dual-Axis Goto Telescope Mount, Tripod, 494

There are some others there, but they all seem to be very similar.
They all require some modification to fit a PST, or any other scope, but the price is not bad, especially for the Motorized version.

Try this direct link:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Meade-Dual-Axis-Motorized-Telescope-Mount-Tripod-EC_W0QQitemZ250093869911QQcategoryZ29954QQtcZphoto QQcmdZViewItem

I have just eMailed Bill for Postage costs on these to Australia.

[Radar]

Hey Jackson42.

I see now. That is a pretty cool idea for a PST. Light weight (portable) and only 59 bucks. That's not bad. That is obvioulsy the motorised version for $59? That's a good Bargain.

[Draig]

Those mounts look like a good idea.

Ray do you leave you scopes out? If so how do you protect from weather etc... ?

Cheers Colin

[Mick]

Set the PST up on the only mount I had today, it worked better than I thought. There were around 8 larger prominences that we could easily observed, it amazed my how quickly the Sun changes. I got a rough photo of two big proms by just putting the Nikon up to the Ep and pulling the trigger. It's not a very good shot but I was surprised that I captured anything. The photo was cropped and I mucked with the colours with Picasa2.

[Draig]

Nice photo none the less Mick

Cheers Colin

[Radar]

Great proms there mate. They are difficult to catch, so well done.

What camera were you using for this?

[AstroTasmania]

I have mounted my PST alongside a modified 4" Sky Watcher, which can easily be removed if I need to. The twin assembly is interchangeable with standard dovetail mounts. Shown here is my portable EQ 6 SkyScan, which can take a range of scopes from the 10" SN, 8" Tak Mewlon etc.

Most of my scopes have cameras and other accessories fitted, which all add weight. I prefer to be over-mounted than under. This system allows me a white light and quick H-alpha view and if there is anything interesting I then open up the big guns in the observatory.

The black thing on the end of the blue scope is a Baader Planetarium Solar Herschel Wedge, which does not use aluminised filters over the front of the scope. On my Tak FS-102 APO, this is important because a standard aluminised glass filter degrades the apo image. A binoviewer makes for comfortable viewing, hence the reason to shorten the scope tube.

The other scope setup is the WO 90 APO with the WO Petzval 66 mounted above as the autoguider scope or with twin cameras. I can swap the systems over in a minute or so for day or night use.

Clear skies...

[Mick]

Those Herschel Wedge sure look good. Does most of the light pass through the prism and out the back of the wedge?

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Mick,

Yes, most of the light and heat go out at an angle through the tapered optical wedge. Inside there are sets of neutral density filters and a continuum solar filter just below the EP or camera. Not a budget item though at close to $AU700.

I prefer my 40mm Solarmax BF filter system on a WO 80 SD scope for imaging and just use the PST for a quick look.


Clear skies...