#1161  
Old 11-05-2014, 08:34 PM
opensea64 (Chris)
Registered User

opensea64 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Wollongong
Posts: 7
My (older) scope

Meade Lightbridge 10" f/5. Mods include Bobs Knobs, 4 wheels , 2 locking, and removed stock finder and added a telrad.
This scope will soon be for sale (minus the telrad) as I am changing from dob to SCT. I think aperture of the 10" is a great size as its not so hefty but gives you that big sky brightness of DSO's . I found it keeps collimation well if pulled down (hint ...I numbered the trusses so they go into the same spots.)

Last edited by opensea64; 11-05-2014 at 08:42 PM. Reason: adding photo is failing :(
Reply With Quote
  #1162  
Old 11-05-2014, 09:05 PM
swannies1983 (Dan)
Registered User

swannies1983 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 781
Damn, I would have been interested if it was a 12" Lightbridge.
Reply With Quote
  #1163  
Old 11-05-2014, 10:30 PM
GeoffW1's Avatar
GeoffW1 (Geoff)
Registered User

GeoffW1 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,838
I always thought this thread had the best title on IIS
Reply With Quote
  #1164  
Old 24-05-2014, 11:06 AM
IanW
Pedantic dinosaur rider

IanW is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 99
This is the latest toy, a 12" Meade LX600 ACF F8 which arrived about 10 days ago. It joins my other 5 scopes.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (scope13.jpg)
89.0 KB180 views
Click for full-size image (scope21.jpg)
200.1 KB184 views
Click for full-size image (scope 11.jpg)
82.7 KB160 views
Click for full-size image (scope006.jpg)
143.3 KB169 views
Click for full-size image (scope14.jpg)
80.6 KB187 views
Reply With Quote
  #1165  
Old 24-05-2014, 11:12 AM
Joshua Bunn's Avatar
Joshua Bunn (Joshua)
Registered User

Joshua Bunn is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Albany, Western Australia
Posts: 1,459
Neat Ian, Do you plan to use the starlock for astrophotography. It would be interesting to hear how it performs. Congrats.
Reply With Quote
  #1166  
Old 24-05-2014, 12:00 PM
brian nordstrom (As avatar)
Registered User

brian nordstrom is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 4,374
Yes, very nice and I also look forward to how it performs.

Brian.
Reply With Quote
  #1167  
Old 24-05-2014, 12:09 PM
IanW
Pedantic dinosaur rider

IanW is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 99
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joshua Bunn View Post
Neat Ian, Do you plan to use the starlock for astrophotography. It would be interesting to hear how it performs. Congrats.
Joshua, it will indeed be used for astrophotography. I've got two custom made wedges being built. The portable unit is along the lines of the old and almost impossible to get hold of ulti-wedge. The second wedge is for a permanent pier and is being made out of 20mm thick Chrome Molly, which has 1/2 the flexure of Aluminium and greater inherent stability. Both wedges make the new Meade wedge look like a kids toy.

Initial tests of the starlock system are very good with good tracking in Alt-Az mode. I expect things to get far better when it's on a wedge.
Reply With Quote
  #1168  
Old 01-06-2014, 02:22 PM
omegacrux's Avatar
omegacrux (David)
Registered User

omegacrux is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Ulverstone Tas
Posts: 733
my scope

Here is my ED80 gold pro .
GSO dual speed and the modded mount , and a celestron 17mm Ultima lx
Got this off Barry , great little scope these
I grab this a lot , bit easyer than the big dob

David
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (1401599554416.jpg)
46.2 KB198 views
Reply With Quote
  #1169  
Old 01-06-2014, 06:48 PM
Ric's Avatar
Ric
Support your local RFS

Ric is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wamboin NSW
Posts: 12,405
A lovely piece of kit Ian

Congrats
Reply With Quote
  #1170  
Old 07-06-2014, 04:15 PM
Allan's Avatar
Allan
Registered User

Allan is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 937
I finally have all the pieces sorted out on my new setup. It's a TeleVue NP101is on a Discmounts DM4. I used an Orion Atlas tripod with the 8" extender to help clear the tripod legs. I just added the TeleVue Starbeam finder and a Kendrick dew controller, plus a Sky Wire cable that allows me to plug the iPhone into the XP4 box on top of the mount, so then I can use Sky Safari to point my way around the sky.

Total weight comes in at 21kg, so still light enough for me to move the setup outside without any trouble. Performance of the scope and mount is really nice, and the 4.8 degree field of view throws a completely different perspective on things. I am noticing objects I didn't see before because they were sitting outside of the narrower field in my Dob. So I am quite pleased with how the Dob and Refractor complement each other.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (NP101is.jpg)
185.0 KB167 views
Click for full-size image (NP101is(1).jpg)
156.4 KB164 views
Click for full-size image (NP101is(2).jpg)
156.2 KB152 views
Reply With Quote
  #1171  
Old 07-06-2014, 05:32 PM
The_Cat (Jeremy)
Registered User

The_Cat is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cockatoo Valley
Posts: 81
New Wide angle scope

Just thought I'd post a pic of my new scope. There is a bit of work remaining to install it next to the Mewlon 250 and then balance the whole "box and dice".

Sitting on the box are, from the left, the field flattener, the tele-compressor (makes the scope F 4.7) and a 68mm dia. spacer.

Balance and mounting:

Second pic shows the two scopes on the mounting plate. Static balance at the centre of the EM400 drive boss is excellent. Fine balance (L to R) is achieved by sliding the EDF scope as the Mewlon scope is fixed.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (130EDFGT_Small.jpg)
71.1 KB176 views
Click for full-size image (Balance_01_small.jpg)
146.9 KB159 views

Last edited by The_Cat; 08-06-2014 at 02:23 PM. Reason: Added picture and some text.
Reply With Quote
  #1172  
Old 07-06-2014, 07:16 PM
Kunama
...

Kunama is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,588
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cat View Post
Just thought I'd post a pic of my new scope. There is a bit of work remaining to install it next to the Mewlon 250 and then balance the whole "box and dice".

Sitting on the box are, from the left, the field flattener, the tele-compressor (makes the scope F 4.7) and a 68mm dia. spacer.
Beautiful scope Jeremy, should go well with the µ-250. (Nice area you live in also. I built some houses around there in the late 70s at OneTreeHill and outside Gawler)
Reply With Quote
  #1173  
Old 08-06-2014, 08:02 AM
The_Cat (Jeremy)
Registered User

The_Cat is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cockatoo Valley
Posts: 81
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kunama View Post
Beautiful scope Jeremy, should go well with the µ-250. (Nice area you live in also. I built some houses around there in the late 70s at OneTreeHill and outside Gawler)
Thank you Matt. I used to have a TOA-150 but this scope is much lighter and will be used for field trips. It just took a bit of patience waiting for it.

Yes the area is very nice but over the years the light pollution is getting worse making taking better photos more difficult so much so I may have to turn my effort to narrowband imaging.
Reply With Quote
  #1174  
Old 08-06-2014, 08:38 AM
The_Cat (Jeremy)
Registered User

The_Cat is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cockatoo Valley
Posts: 81
Greetings Allan,

You have a nice setup there. My comments:

... It's a TeleVue NP101is on a Discmounts DM4. I used an Orion Atlas tripod with the 8" extender to help clear the tripod legs. ...

Very very nice telescope and eyepiece combination the views will be pristine.

... Total weight comes in at 21kg, so still light enough for me to move the setup outside without any trouble ...

Weight matters. I got rid of a scope because of weight issues. 21kg is is just over the weight of a jerry can full of water not light!!

.. outside of the narrower field in my Dob. So I am quite pleased with how the Dob and Refractor complement each other ...

Wide angle views in that refractor of yours would be "something" with excellent contrast. i also have a dob ( Skywatcher 10" goto dob). These dobs are perfect as a grab and go scope and so easy to setup and use.

Clear skies,

Jerry.

Last edited by The_Cat; 08-06-2014 at 08:41 AM. Reason: Add salutation
Reply With Quote
  #1175  
Old 08-06-2014, 09:40 AM
moonunit (Joe)
Registered User

moonunit is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Naracoorte SA
Posts: 40
2 pics of my 16 inch, before I put wheels and after.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (057.jpg)
196.8 KB152 views
Click for full-size image (173.jpg)
105.7 KB163 views
Reply With Quote
  #1176  
Old 08-06-2014, 10:42 AM
killswitch's Avatar
killswitch (Edison)
Registered User

killswitch is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Western Sydney, NSW
Posts: 537
Some pics of my setup

AZ-EQ6
ED100
C8
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (_FFX5672.jpg)
151.4 KB211 views
Click for full-size image (_FFX5648.jpg)
193.7 KB220 views
Click for full-size image (_20140608_114035.JPG)
186.9 KB195 views
Reply With Quote
  #1177  
Old 08-06-2014, 11:17 AM
IanW
Pedantic dinosaur rider

IanW is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 99
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ric View Post
A lovely piece of kit Ian

Congrats
Thanks Ric,

I don't know how many of the 12" LX-600s there are in the country but I'm guessing this is one of the first. I know one guy's got a 14" as it arrived on the same shipment as mine. I do know there's a couple of 10" and at least one 12" LX-850.

I'm still waiting for Meade to supply the essential accessories such as an extra counterweight or two, Meade Dewshield and microfocuser.
Reply With Quote
  #1178  
Old 08-06-2014, 05:00 PM
Allan's Avatar
Allan
Registered User

Allan is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 937
Hi Jeremy, thanks for the kind words. Yes 21 kg is heavier than I would prefer, but over half of that is in the tripod plus the 8" extension which weighs a ton. On the flip side I get no image vibration when using the scope which was one of my main goals.

I hope you get to put an eyepiece in that beautiful AP130, don't let your camera have all the fun. I started with astronomy near you and still remember how dark and transparent the sky is in SA.
Reply With Quote
  #1179  
Old 09-06-2014, 07:56 AM
The_Cat (Jeremy)
Registered User

The_Cat is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cockatoo Valley
Posts: 81
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allan View Post
Hi Jeremy, thanks for the kind words. Yes 21 kg is heavier than I would prefer, but over half of that is in the tripod plus the 8" extension which weighs a ton. On the flip side I get no image vibration when using the scope which was one of my main goals.

I hope you get to put an eyepiece in that beautiful AP130, don't let your camera have all the fun. I started with astronomy near you and still remember how dark and transparent the sky is in SA.
Greetings Alan,

Yes I have a couple of eyepieces to view stuff - a TMB 30mm one that works exceedingly well with refractors and some older Vixen ones that are surprisingly good. I mainly use the Dob for visual stuff.

Yes once upon a time we had dark skies but Adelaide and the Barossa Valley are catching up with us. Fast.

Weight is a big issue with me as I do not have an observatory so every time I want to image I have to "build" everything on the pier in the late afternoon then dismantle the setup when I've finished. Interestingly the whole telescope/mount load weighs in at about 70kg and is fixed to the pier with 3 3/8" grub screws!!

Jeremy.
Reply With Quote
  #1180  
Old 16-06-2014, 03:37 PM
FlashDrive's Avatar
FlashDrive (Poppy)
Senior Citizen

FlashDrive is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bribie Island
Posts: 5,056
Getting Ready for Another Session........

Got them out for tonight ..... looking good so far ......

Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (1.jpg)
215.1 KB225 views
Click for full-size image (2.jpg)
213.8 KB182 views
Click for full-size image (6.jpg)
221.2 KB211 views
Click for full-size image (3.jpg)
209.1 KB184 views

Last edited by FlashDrive; 24-06-2014 at 09:09 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 08:25 PM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement