Jon
03-04-2013, 02:51 PM
I have mentioned here before that I'm returning to the hobby after a 25-year absence. I have a brand new Meade SCT 10" f/10 on top of a Losmandy G11, plus autoguiding kit, software, a 60Da DSLR all of which is going nicely.
But I also kept my first proper scope, a 27-year-old Vixen 5" f/5 Newtonian, that for the last 25 years has essentially been a spider breeding station and less of a light bucket and more of a rain bucket. It has been variously under the house, in the roof cavity, and outside on the verandah for the past 15 years. I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away.
Well, a couple of months ago I pulled it out, cleaned up the structure, replaced all the rusted screws, cannibalized the old 0.95" fittings to build something that would accept my new 1.25" eyepieces and camera adapter, and sent the mirrors off for recoating.
Last night I first got to attach the old scope to the new imaging kit. I gave it an hour (2 x 3 min subs) on the Horsehead/Flame nebula. I should have given it two or three! It worked a treat - and PHD guiding the light, short, low f/r scope was an absolute dream compared to the big SCT.
So this isn't exactly a "first light" shot - but the last time this scope collected photons, there were no laptops, no CCDs, and Craig Stark, the author of PHD Guiding, was about 12. So it's close enough. :-)
But I also kept my first proper scope, a 27-year-old Vixen 5" f/5 Newtonian, that for the last 25 years has essentially been a spider breeding station and less of a light bucket and more of a rain bucket. It has been variously under the house, in the roof cavity, and outside on the verandah for the past 15 years. I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away.
Well, a couple of months ago I pulled it out, cleaned up the structure, replaced all the rusted screws, cannibalized the old 0.95" fittings to build something that would accept my new 1.25" eyepieces and camera adapter, and sent the mirrors off for recoating.
Last night I first got to attach the old scope to the new imaging kit. I gave it an hour (2 x 3 min subs) on the Horsehead/Flame nebula. I should have given it two or three! It worked a treat - and PHD guiding the light, short, low f/r scope was an absolute dream compared to the big SCT.
So this isn't exactly a "first light" shot - but the last time this scope collected photons, there were no laptops, no CCDs, and Craig Stark, the author of PHD Guiding, was about 12. So it's close enough. :-)