#161  
Old 21-02-2006, 03:04 PM
JohnH's Avatar
JohnH
Member # 159

JohnH is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: NSW
Posts: 1,226
Setup for Guiding

Here is the VC200L on the Sphinx/Starbook with an 80mm Saxon spotter set up for guiding. I use the LPI as a guidecam (and for lunar/planetary imaging), Canon 20d via an F6.3 FR for DSOs. Guidedog for guiding. Just ordered Images Plus.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (IMG_5453 (Large).JPG)
55.6 KB269 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_5454 (Large).JPG)
123.8 KB334 views
Reply With Quote
  #162  
Old 21-02-2006, 09:10 PM
mickoking's Avatar
mickoking
Vagabond

mickoking is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: China
Posts: 1,477
G,day Astronut,

Love yer refractor, they don't make em like that anymore.
Reply With Quote
  #163  
Old 01-03-2006, 05:26 PM
Mikezoom's Avatar
Mikezoom
Gravity = Beer in glass

Mikezoom is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW
Posts: 182
My new GF...... er... scope!



Sorry baby.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (copy2.JPG)
35.6 KB436 views
Reply With Quote
  #164  
Old 01-03-2006, 08:48 PM
mickoking's Avatar
mickoking
Vagabond

mickoking is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: China
Posts: 1,477
G,day Mike,

New 'scope just like my new one, SWEEEEEEEEEEET. Maybe our Dobs can get together and make baby Dobs
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (300dod2.jpg)
82.8 KB183 views
Reply With Quote
  #165  
Old 02-03-2006, 02:57 PM
astronut's Avatar
astronut (John)
2'sCompany3's a StarParty

astronut is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Eagle Vale
Posts: 1,241
Thanks Mick, My refractor has gone all red now and is embarrassed.
They certainly don't make them like that anymore. You could leave it set up in a cyclone and it would not topple over. I'm going to miss the deep contrast images when I change over to the reflector. John


Quote:
Originally Posted by mickoking
G,day Astronut,

Love yer refractor, they don't make em like that anymore.
Reply With Quote
  #166  
Old 02-03-2006, 03:18 PM
ving's Avatar
ving (David)
~Dust bunny breeder~

ving is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: The town of campbells
Posts: 12,359
Quote:
Originally Posted by rumples riot
Nice Vingo, what is the mount, where did you get it?
it's chris's old meade
Reply With Quote
  #167  
Old 02-03-2006, 04:48 PM
[1ponders]'s Avatar
[1ponders] (Paul)
Retired, damn no pension

[1ponders] is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Obi Obi, Qld
Posts: 18,778
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnH
80mm Saxon spotter set up for guiding.
John you have the guidescope attachment I have been dreaming of Is that a standard sphinx attachment or is it custom made. It would be perfect from mounting a 8" or 9.25 sct with an orion ed 80 Guidescope on a Losmandy GM8 and not overburden it. Gary Beal (gbeal) and I talked about exactly the same sort of thing awhile ago, to use a guidescope to replace some of the counterweights and enable us to carry a bigger imaging scope on smaller capacity mounts. That setup on my GM8 would be my perect travel setup.

Where did you get it from ??????
Reply With Quote
  #168  
Old 02-03-2006, 05:23 PM
rogerg's Avatar
rogerg (Roger)
Registered User

rogerg is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 4,563
John - great setup you have there. I've always wanted a Sphinx, they look like a great easy to use, capable mount. I almost bought one but then got my Losmandy GM8 instead. I'm happy with the GM8 but gez the Sphinx still looks good.

How do you find it for imaging? Do they have PEC on it yet? When I was looking there was talk of it being available.

Roger.


Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnH
Here is the VC200L on the Sphinx/Starbook with an 80mm Saxon spotter set up for guiding. I use the LPI as a guidecam (and for lunar/planetary imaging), Canon 20d via an F6.3 FR for DSOs. Guidedog for guiding. Just ordered Images Plus.
Reply With Quote
  #169  
Old 04-03-2006, 12:07 PM
barees63's Avatar
barees63
Registered User

barees63 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: North Canterbury, NZ
Posts: 181
Here's mine..

http://www.zitafarm.com/astro/scope.jpg
Reply With Quote
  #170  
Old 24-04-2006, 04:16 PM
JohnH's Avatar
JohnH
Member # 159

JohnH is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: NSW
Posts: 1,226
Quote:
Originally Posted by [1ponders]
John you have the guidescope attachment I have been dreaming of Is that a standard sphinx attachment or is it custom made. It would be perfect from mounting a 8" or 9.25 sct with an orion ed 80 Guidescope on a Losmandy GM8 and not overburden it. Gary Beal (gbeal) and I talked about exactly the same sort of thing awhile ago, to use a guidescope to replace some of the counterweights and enable us to carry a bigger imaging scope on smaller capacity mounts. That setup on my GM8 would be my perect travel setup.

Where did you get it from ??????
Sphinx is very cool and easy to operate with the Starbook - I particularly like the align as you go capability, lets me get going quick. There is no PEC on the Sphinx yet - however the native PEC is low (I measured 8" approx at 1800m fl) and smooth so it guides out well.

The counterweight shaft mount is a standard Vixen Part - it is mostly for a camera and that is how I use it now - I have had to abandon that approach for the guidescope. It was good for balance without overloading the mount but I found two issues I could not solve the worst was the scope fouling the tripod/mount during slews the other was flexure/lack of rigidity with the spotter hanging off the ALT/AZ adjuster. I am sure it is solvable however I have now gone for over/under, I did manage to avoid going to rings for the main tube by purchasing a mini dovetail system now it looks like this:
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (IMG00026 (Large).JPG)
77.7 KB175 views
Click for full-size image (IMG00028 (Large).JPG)
107.8 KB291 views
Reply With Quote
  #171  
Old 12-05-2006, 05:45 AM
obga's Avatar
obga
Registered User

obga is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Hungary
Posts: 14
Here is my new friend. His name is SAMU
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (gso.jpg)
84.2 KB151 views
Click for full-size image (gso2.jpg)
72.1 KB154 views
Reply With Quote
  #172  
Old 12-05-2006, 07:49 PM
leon's Avatar
leon
Registered User

leon is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Warrnambool
Posts: 12,421
My 200mm Reflector and My new curved bolt Astro Drive, both home built
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (IMG_1518_1_3_1.JPG)
123.3 KB237 views
Click for full-size image (200mm reflector_1_2_1.JPG)
131.1 KB293 views
Reply With Quote
  #173  
Old 25-05-2006, 05:18 PM
EzyStyles's Avatar
EzyStyles (Eric)
I HATE COMA!

EzyStyles is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Posts: 3,208
Too embarassed to show you guys my equipment. Just know that I have poor man's gear.
Reply With Quote
  #174  
Old 25-05-2006, 08:16 PM
Hitchhiker's Avatar
Hitchhiker
knows where his towel is

Hitchhiker is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Maitland, NSW
Posts: 371
Quote:
Just know that I have poor man's gear.
But you certainly get great results with your gear!
Reply With Quote
  #175  
Old 29-05-2006, 07:40 PM
macguru9999
Registered User

macguru9999 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: sydney
Posts: 25
Current Gear

I have ordered a meade 80mm/480mmFL APO scope to go on top of my C8 but i'm sick of waiting, & besides I always wanted to try a Mak so I bought this C90 spotter to use as a temporary guidescope & to use as a super telephoto lens. The rings are Losmandy 125mm. The guide cam is a Meade DSI (using autostar SW on a compaq laptop). I also have a toucam (& guidedog). The mount is a Meade LX-75 which works amazingly well. It aligns , drives & guides so i cant complain. I think a more robust mount would not hurt, but i would hate to give up the autostar software & handset - it really works well. I will post some photos soon.

Andrew
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (IMG_0385.jpg)
106.9 KB211 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0386.jpg)
79.0 KB180 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0387.jpg)
105.3 KB148 views
Reply With Quote
  #176  
Old 03-06-2006, 04:05 PM
toc's Avatar
toc (Tim)
Registered User

toc is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Victoria
Posts: 826
Here is my C8 atop a home made fixed tripod...Note the cute Autostar modded gears...
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (06-03-2006-IMG_9232-01.jpg)
141.1 KB186 views
Click for full-size image (06-03-2006-IMG_9234-01.jpg)
84.3 KB123 views
Reply With Quote
  #177  
Old 20-06-2006, 07:51 PM
DaveO's Avatar
DaveO (David)
In Search of Photons

DaveO is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Brisbane, QLD
Posts: 285
Talking The scope (and rain) arrives

Hi all

After much soul searching and the inevitable wait for stock to get to Australia, I finally have my new SkyWatcher 10" on an EQ6 GOTO mount.

Thanks to all those who attempted to help (or confuse) the decision.

Of course the arrival of the scope was predictably accompanied by the breaking of months of dry weather here in Brissie!
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (Finally.jpg)
20.6 KB192 views
Click for full-size image (The Scope and I.jpg)
21.7 KB293 views
Reply With Quote
  #178  
Old 20-06-2006, 08:32 PM
dugnsuz's Avatar
dugnsuz (Doug)
Registered User

dugnsuz is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hahndorf, South Australia
Posts: 4,261
Hi DaveO,
Very nice set-up.
The mount matches your speakers too!!!
I would love a GOTO mount for my 12"!!!
JEALOUS!!!!!!
Now for premium EPs! (The WO's don't count unless they are UWAs!!!!)
Cheers
Doug
Reply With Quote
  #179  
Old 20-06-2006, 09:02 PM
DaveO's Avatar
DaveO (David)
In Search of Photons

DaveO is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Brisbane, QLD
Posts: 285
Quote:
Originally Posted by dugnsuz
Hi DaveO,
Very nice set-up.
The mount matches your speakers too!!!
I would love a GOTO mount for my 12"!!!
JEALOUS!!!!!!
Now for premium EPs! (The WO's don't count unless they are UWAs!!!!)
Cheers
Doug
Oh, there's always more toys to spend your hard earned dollars on! The WO is only a SWAN, not an UWA, but this too shall come!

I just want the rain to stop now so I can move to first light!
Reply With Quote
  #180  
Old 20-06-2006, 09:28 PM
ballaratdragons's Avatar
ballaratdragons (Ken)
The 'DRAGON MAN'

ballaratdragons is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: In the Dark at Snake Valley, Victoria
Posts: 14,412
About time I updated my posting in here since I have made a few changes.

What was a GS 12" Deluxe Dob is now a monster!

Pic 1: GS f5 12" reflector/dob with John Dobson's Autograph, Cooling fan, Crayford Focuser, Saxon ED80 Auxillary scope with GS right-angle finder with adjustable red-light crosshair illumination, Orion Accufocus electronic focuser, Toucam 840k Pro II, Red Dot Finder.

All perched on top of a montrous restored Home-made Heavy Duty GEM mount, and all computer controlled. (no GoTo)

Boy! That's a mouth full!!

Pic 2: The guts of the Mount! To give you an idea of the size of this beast, this section sits at about eye level when standing next to the mount.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (all wired up.jpg)
67.6 KB338 views
Click for full-size image (the workings.jpg)
68.9 KB332 views
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 06:53 PM.

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