I want to see your telescope setup (please)!

[Erwin 10]

thanks

i am even so desparate from the sv 102, that i even would like to trade it with youre pst lol.

focusers just sucks ( got the SV focuser , but with export telescopes the focuser problem is well known ( and the first shipment of OTA"s )

even i got dust in the paintjob of the telescope )

and i bought mine when it just came out, mine was fresh from the dutch customs, and i can get back with the ota, but if its fixed, i will sell it for an vixen r200 ss i think.

next to that i want to replace the 8'' LX90 for an 10'' or an 180 mak, but first i need a better barlow lens

[Erwin 10]

for the people that have an Losmandy tripod.

in the center colom there is alot of free room.

i ordered an 12volt DC LED strip.

and putted 3/4 on the underside, and a bit on the above side ( above the welding points of the tube holders.

its pretty usefull when you setting up youre mount at night, here an pic from yesterday night.

regards, erwin

[Radar 712]

and putted 3/4 on the underside' date=' and a bit on the above side ( above the welding points of the tube holders.[/quote']

Interesting. Good idea. Where do you get the strips from? Link?

Ray

[trevorw 10]

A modest Setup but growing

Just a few shots of my set up, the side by side saddle I made myself all bar the dovetail holders.

:thumbsupmate:

[Dragon Man 23]

I have only just realised that I haven't posted images of my gear yet

1. 12" dob reflector

2. The 12" mounted on its giant EQ mount (my son modelling )

3. The 12" on EQ up close

4. ED80 (imaging) and 120 Achro (guiding) on EQ6 in small obs

5. Control room out of the cold

6. Canon 350d DSLR on ED80

[trevorw 10]

Eq6

From your set up I guess the EQ6 has an autoguide port so what's the advantage of the EQ6 Pro over the EQ6

Regards

[Dragon Man 23]

From your set up I guess the EQ6 has an autoguide port so what's the advantage of the EQ6 Pro over the EQ6

Regards

This has been a debatable issue for about 2 years now.

The simple answer is 'almost nothing'.

The later model black EQ6's have an autoguide port (the really old ones don't), and they still do make the black model. You can find them if you shop around.

The 'Pro' is the same mount but painted white, and "apparently" has better bearings in both axis. That is the ONLY difference between the Black model and the Pro series.

As with the ED scopes, there is NO difference between the older versions and the Pro. All it is, is the scopes are painted gold and white instead of the colours each brand brought theirs out in. All ED's are made in the same factory except Celestrons.

All the EQ6 mounts are made in the same factory. :thumbsupmate:

[Radar 712]

Awesome toys Ken. Where are the computers housed?

Those screens would be great with some transluscent red plastic / perspex. I just had a screen made for my obs computer. Totally saves your night vision.

Ray

[Dragon Man 23]

Awesome toys Ken. Where are the computers housed?

Those screens would be great with some transluscent red plastic / perspex. I just had a screen made for my obs computer. Totally saves your night vision.

Ray

Night Vision???

Ray, what is Night Vision??? :lmao:

Oh, that's right, Night Vision is that thing that Imagers don't need to worry about

Nah, I have no need of red screens as I spend the whole time in the control room. The only time I am outside is when I open the obs and turn on the mount. When I am finished for the night I go back outside, turn the mount off and close the roof.

The only time I look at the sky is when I do visual work, which is usually only on club nights

My control room is in my big shed near the obs, so there is no computer light spillage. :thumbsupmate:

[trevorw 10]

My toys

Sorry already posted to this thread but forgot

[SAB 10]

Here's my stuff:

12" truss dob

[Radar 712]

What a cool looking scope. It's looks like the Harley Davidson of telescopes.

Ray

[SAB 10]

lol thanks but unlike a Harley I can't use it for obvious reasons

[Tenacious Del 10]

that is a nice looking scope mate, is it homemade?

[SAB 10]

I think the previous owner made it himself.

It has a hand figured primary mirror, which immediately showed a difference on Jupiter when compared to my 10" GSO

I got it for an absolute steal, because the primary has a few marks (mostly in the secondary shadow) and being an old well loved scope it has obvious wear and tear.

But optically it looks like it's a great performer but ever since I got it in February I never got seeing good enough (nor enough clear skies...) to push it to its full potential. Highest mag I successfully got so far is 442x on a PN in average seeing...

[Paramount 49]

My imaging setup

Hi

Here is my setup ready for a nights imaging and consists of the following

Takahashi BRC-250

FLI-PDF focuser

TMB 115 f7 APO refractor with Starlight 3.5" focuser

Starlight 3.5" extension tube

TMB field flattener

Precise parts adapter

FLI CFW-5-1 filter wheel

Precise parts adapter

Starlight Xpress SXVF H36 16 megapixel monochrome ccd camera

Paramount ME

Tri-Pier 2

Tri-Pier wheely bars

Kendrick digifire 7 dew heaters

All of this is connected to my laptop by numerous USB cables which is in the shed in the background (also where I sit for most of the night)

Thanks for looking at my pride and joy

Best wishes and clear skies

Gordon

:eartoear:

[trevorw 10]

Awesome set up must have set you back an arm and leg

[madtuna 10]

will have to take a decent and updated pic.

This is my VC200L on my G11

The NA140 beside it I recently sold and usually I use a Williams Optics 66 on a side by side plate as my guide scope.

Currently I'm also building a 16" F5.5 Dob with a Steve Swayze mirror

[Radar 712]

I hope you have an alarm system on that shed Gordon, that setup is too good to see go "walk about".

Steve how do you find the side by side mounting goes as far as balance? More difficult or easier? I don't use side by side yet, but I like the idea of having the guidescope lower. If I extended my pier height (which I think I'm going to have to), I would probably end up going side by side otherwise the setup would be too high for my ROR to close. Nice scopes by the way.

Ray

[timthelder 225]

Nice scopes by the way.

Double ditto on that statement here. :bow::woot:

The NA140 beside it I recently sold and usually I use a Williams Optics 66

Howdy Madtuna, why switch to a smaller aperture on the guidescope? Optics, weight problems? Or just an additional 'option change' to the imaging train?

Thanks for looking at my pride and joy

Gordon, surely you don't lug that set-up out every time you image??? If so, it would definitely make me think the 'shed', needs a roll off on it!

Cheers,

[madtuna 10]

I hope you have an alarm system on that shed Gordon, that setup is too good to see go "walk about".

Steve how do you find the side by side mounting goes as far as balance? More difficult or easier? I don't use side by side yet, but I like the idea of having the guidescope lower. If I extended my pier height (which I think I'm going to have to), I would probably end up going side by side otherwise the setup would be too high for my ROR to close. Nice scopes by the way.

Ray

Actually Ray I found the side by side not so much easier or harder to balance than when I had the 66 sitting on top, just different.

I've got it down pat now with marks for each configeration so now I just plonk them on and line up the marks and away I go.

If anything, side by side in use is probably a tad easier than on top

[madtuna 10]

Howdy Madtuna, why switch to a smaller aperture on the guidescope? Optics, weight problems? Or just an additional 'option change' to the imaging train?

Hi mate, I've always guided with the 66, the 140 I used for visual or imaging.

At one stage I had the 66 ontop of the VC200L via an ADM bar and guide rings with the 140 sitting next to the VC like in the pic.

That NA140 was a gorgeous visual scope and I didn't really want to part with it. But I bought a 16" Steve Swayze mirror off another forum so something had to go to pay for it

[Paramount 49]

Gordon, surely you don't lug that set-up out every time you image??? If so, it would definitely make me think the 'shed', needs a roll off on it!

Hi

You would be surprised at how easy it is to get in and out of the shed as the Tri-pier is set onto a custom set of wheely bars so it it only takes a couple of minutes to get in and out of the shed and as I mark where the supports go it is very quick to get in a rough polar position.

Regarding security Ray, I am lucky in that I am surrounded by walls and 6 foot fences on all sides and out garden is not visible from the street, also we have the 3 Amigos as deterents, namely Blue, Storm and Gunner (German Pointers), lovely pets and companions. I have seen their reaction when they take a dislike to someone and believe me it is enough to scare the living daylights out of any intruder, they don't need to bite, they just sit there and their lips curl back revealing their fangs and they let out a deep throated growl and believe me if you are on the receiving end of that then it is time to change your underwear.

Best wishes

Gordon

[GS-Rob 10]

G'day Y'all

Was pre-spring cleaning the R.O.R.obs thought I'd snap the scope at it's "park" position. time to get busy guiding :woot:

[timthelder 225]

Very nice Rob....now get busy guiding. LOL.

Cheers, Tim.