New Moonlite Focuser

[dcalleja]

I finally got tired of the microfocuser on my LX200R and got a new Moonlite one with DC Stepper motor. I have to say its one of the nicest (and most attractive if you can say that) pieces of engineering I've seen. :)

I've connected it to my Mount Hub Pro and it works as smooth as butter. I managed to get my best focus last night with no problems whatsoever and it held it all night.

The only thing I would say is its real heavy and will need to be balanced out but its one of the best aftermarket pieces of kit I've ever bought

A few pics here.

Cheers
Dan

[Sarge]

You will love it Dan. I was so impressed with the ML on my 12" dob, I bought another for my 127ED.

Clear skies

Rod
:D:D

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup: Beautiful bit of kit .
Brian.

[pgc hunter]

A very worthwhile investment. I replaced a Phase 4 on my dob with a Moonlite and vibration while focusing was slashed to essentially nil, not to mention the much smoooother focusing.

[dcalleja]

Yes I have to say it paid for itself on the first use. I cant believe I put up with mushy focussing for so long. Now I only have to fix my autoguiding issues

Dan

[Larryp]

Got one arriving this week for my North Group 102mm refractor-certainly a good company to deal with!

[dcalleja]

I got mine via My Astro. Good service from those guys as the Moonlite website is a bit daunting (and not very clear in terms of wha bits to get)

Dan

[allan gould]

Have three of these and never thought of getting anything else. They are just superb.

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Dribbly!
I've just ordered one for my Mak and can't wait for it to arrive.

[icytailmark]

im a little confused you have a feather touch focuser but you also have a moonlite focuser. How does that work? how does the telescope use 2 focusers?

[dcalleja]

The LX200 series has always come with a manual focuser, that moves the mirror back and forth (Its rubbish so I replaced it with the feathertouch - much better) and an electric focuser that moves the back end of the optical train back and forth. Thats what I've just replaced with the Moonlite.

Now I just leave the mirror locked in place and use the Moonlite for critical focus. For visual work or coarse focus, I would still use the featherlite

[skysurfer]

These focusers are great.

I got one for my Genesis but the old focuser could NOT be removed (unless brutal violence is used damaging the Petzval elements in the rear) so I sold it again ... unused :-(

[pmrid]

I'm another Moonlite fan - all my bigger scopes have them. And I also use a HitecAstro Mount Hub Pro but for some resason haven't connected the two. Did the PC still allocate a separate Com Port to the focuser? Did you have any other issues with the connection?
Peter

[dcalleja]

Peter
The only connection I used on the MHP is the 9 pin connector from the stepper motor to the MHP itself. I can control focus then from the software than came With the hub. Works fine. I also use the little hand controller that comes with the hub.

[Barrykgerdes]

I have a moonlight focuser without a controller. However it runs perfectly when plugged into the focus jack on my LX200 handbox. Has any one else tried this.

Barry

[pmrid]

Just tried it and it does work fine. However, I can see a limitation - since all my imaging ATM is with filters I need to focus between filters (and sometimes between subs) and Maxim can do this automatically once you set the various filter offsets or run a script. Doing it manually could be a bit of a PITA.
Peter

[JohnH]

Does this mean the focus controller part of the hub does not appear as an ASCOM device?
I do not have Maxim but use AstroArt and CCDSoft/focusMax the same way and was going to get the Hitec hub but if I cannot autofocus/refocus under s'ware contorl I might give it a miss for now.

[Osirisra]

Anothr fan here, got mine for the RC couple weeks back it absolutly brilliant, nice and smooth stepper motor too.

[dcalleja]

The Hitec software lets you focus from the PC. It seems to also have preset points (for different focal points ang gear I guess). Hope this helps

Dan

[Larryp]

My new Moonlite arrived today-what a beautiful piece of engineering! Can't wait to fit it.

[Larryp]

I have now fitted it to my North Group 102mm. Makes a HUGE difference!

[FlashDrive]

Looking Good Laurie .... very good upgrade ..!!

Flash .. !! :hi:

[Larryp]

Thanks Colin

[allan gould]

Without hesitation I can recommend a MoonLight focuser for Cassegrains, Newtonians or reflectors. I have three of them and recently changed my DC motors for steppers to enjoy the facilities offered by autofocusing. The beauty of the MoonLight system is that you only need to buy one focuser for a particular type of scope and if you have others in the same family just get a flange to fit and swap the focuser between them. I swap the focuser in 1 minute between my 10"GSO RC and SCT and it works beautifully and can handle a large camera load without flex.
Also to talk about service, I had a small bearing go on my refractor's focuser. It marked the drawtube but Ron Newman replaced not only all the bearings but also the main bearing in the 10:1 focuser, just to make sure and this was done at NO charge to me at all. He also replaced the drawtube at no cost a he didnt want a cosmetic blemish to go out of his workshop. It appears that his supplier changed the source of the bearings from US to Chinese which eventually proved not to be to specifications. He now only uses the US bearings which are above specification.
I have no connection to this company except as a very happy end-user. I couldn't praise his ethics and workmanship more and I'm glad to see so many others are more than pleased with theirs.
Allan Gould.

[MrB]

I've looked all over the Moonlight site for a 3"
I'm guessing such a beast does not exist?
Can anyone tell me otherwise?

[allan gould]

Have you thought of asking him to make you a one off to your specifications?

[MrB]

That was actually going to be my next step. Still researching the alternatives in this size.The Clement is interesting but a bit bulky.
Just thought in the meantime I'd ask if anyone else had seen a 3" ML.
Cheers.