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Old 21-04-2010, 06:34 PM
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mldee (Mike)
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Hyperstar install preparations.

I'm rapidly working up the motivation to install my C8 Hyperstar.

FYI, My motivation is directly proportional to the duration of cloudy nights here in Brisbane. (Says he, as it rains again....)

I want to clean the 10-15 year old corrector lens while doing the install, and also perhaps a gentle de-dust of the main mirror, which looks pretty good under a light.

I have a photographic lens brush with spongy lens-cleaning thingy on the other end, will perhaps use that on the mirror. I also went to Bunnings today and bought the softest little 25mm paintbrush they had, for general lens de-dusting.

My plan is to immerse the corrector in a plastic bowl of water with a few drops of filtered dishwashing detergent and a micro cloth to swab it, then rinse in a filtered demineralised water solution, with a drop or two of Windex and dishwasher rinse liquid in it, for dewetting.

After drying, install the Hyperstar stuff.

Any suggestions on aspects of cleaning the SCT internals would be appreciated.
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Old 21-04-2010, 06:41 PM
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multiweb (Marc)
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Hi Mike, the corrector plate is hard as. Don't be scared to handle it and wipe it good. You can't hurt it.

The Primary Mirror, well if it's reasonably clean leave it alone. It's no drama to clean it but it's fiddly. Greased baffle tube, cork spacer, etc... It's not like a dobs or newt where it's easy to strip everything of it then give it a bath. If there's anything that bothers you on the primary get a cotton butt with a bit of acetone on the tip and get the stuff off. Leave it in place.

Secondary is a no brainer: take it off if you want and wash it.

What ever you do take a pic of the corrector plate so you know where your shims are. Also there should be a line on the edge of the corrector at 3 o'clock facing the scope, so opposite to the focuser for the orientation.

AND you should have a line at the back of your secondary that point to the same spot at 3 o'clock.

Finally there also should be a mark on the edge of the corrector like a ">" that shows you which side of the corrector goes inside the scope and which face is out.

Have fun.

PS: and while you're at it flock your tube.

Last edited by multiweb; 21-04-2010 at 06:45 PM. Reason: flock it!
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Old 21-04-2010, 07:13 PM
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mldee (Mike)
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Thanks for the tips, Marc. Sounds like it's no big drama, unless I do something really stupid. I've watched the Starizona video and downloaded their instructions, etc, so with your tips as well, it should go OK.

BTW, Dean at Starizona didn't sound too enthused about flocking, said it "was reflective at IR". To me, since the QHY8 is blocking IR, flocking still sounds attractive, and besides, gives me another thing to screw up . Did you buy the stick on stuff from Spotlight that's often mentioned here or what did you use?
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Old 21-04-2010, 07:24 PM
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multiweb (Marc)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mldee View Post
BTW, Dean at Starizona didn't sound too enthused about flocking, said it "was reflective at IR". To me, since the QHY8 is blocking IR, flocking still sounds attractive, and besides, gives me another thing to screw up . Did you buy the stick on stuff from Spotlight that's often mentioned here or what did you use?
It's no drama, the main thing is to keep the primary/secondary/corrector orientation the same.

re:flocking that's why you buy the proper protostar flocking with real absorption properties. Spotlight's good for your kitchen curtains. I don't see it in a scope.
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Old 21-04-2010, 08:22 PM
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mldee (Mike)
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Ok, point made. I'll also have to send back the red flocked velvet and swing that I'd ordered from Spotlight for the obs ....

I did notice on the protostar site that it's also good for "Box cameras and kaleidoscopes.", so I should find plenty of uses for it...

I also have an f5 newt, I can put some in flocking there as well, and I'll see if anybody else in the local astro area wants some, to keep the per-unit postage cost down.
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Old 21-04-2010, 08:31 PM
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multiweb (Marc)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mldee View Post
Ok, point made. I'll also have to send back the red flocked velvet and swing that I'd ordered from Spotlight for the obs ....

I did notice on the protostar site that it's also good for "Box cameras and kaleidoscopes.", so I should find plenty of uses for it...

I also have an f5 newt, I can put some in flocking there as well, and I'll see if anybody else in the local astro area wants some, to keep the per-unit postage cost down.
The OBS's fine. Just flock the internals of your OTA and insides of your dew shields, extension tubes, etc... with proper material. Buy a roll. You'll find yourself using it all the time. I flocked everything I've got. If it was shinny it got some.
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Old 03-05-2010, 09:25 AM
terrynz (Terence)
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Hyperstar install

Hi Mike,

Having been there with my carbon-fibre C11... here's some advise.

Go to starizona.com and watch the hyperstar install video by Dean. It explains the converstion process really well. play it multiple times keep it by your OTA when doing the conversion.

Wear gloves and avoid touching the mirrors and corrector plate.

To clean the primary....

I recommend you remove the SCT Ali tube from the mirror cell. Take the corrector and secondary out as per the video instructions, then remove the OTA tube by removing the screws primary cell. Do this with the OTA placed corrector end on workspace so the internal nuts fall-down. Remember to make and alignment mark for tube-mirror cell alignment.

Clean the primary - bintel make a solution, or use a solution from an optometrist will work fine. Use mircofibre towels as they leave no lint.

Flock the tube of you want.

The internal nuts that fall out whilst removing the primary mirror cell - glue these back in-place. Sorted for future cleaning etc

Remount the Tube and primary cell

Install Hyperstar conversion kit on the corrector plate

Align corrector

Place back together

Then go get some sleep! The hyperstar is one rocking system and very addictive.

From personal experience and having similar weather issues, I've found the hyperstar to be a life-safer. However once you start imaging on a clear night, you find yourself moving from one target to the next taking around 20 2min subs of each target, and each sub equal to 2 hours of F10 imaging... well you get the picture.

Enjoy and welcome to sleep deprivation
Terry
Cloudy, Windy, Wellington NZ!
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Old 03-05-2010, 09:46 AM
terrynz (Terence)
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Hyperstar install - one last thing...

Mike,


Once you've upgraded the C8 to Hyperstar, you'll need to upgrade the focuser.

I recommend the the Starlight instruments feather-touch 1:10 SCT focuser. Starizona sell it. Really easy to install.

Focus at F2 is tricky/almost impossible with the standard SCT focuser so this will be needed.

Terry
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Old 04-05-2010, 04:19 PM
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mldee (Mike)
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Terry,
I'm a little confused with your focuser comment. Since in Hyperstar config the camera is mounted on the front of the scope, and the FT 10:1 crayford-style focuser is mounted on the rear, and presumably does not move the primary mirror, how will it improve HS focussing ability?
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Old 04-05-2010, 04:25 PM
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mldee (Mike)
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Terry,
Please ignore my last stupid question. I just did a little more Googling and found the relevant C8 FT focuser, NOT the crayford-style! Yep. It looks inviting.
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