View Full Version here: : At last my 20" CDK arrived
After 5 long months of waiting, my order from Planewave Intruments finally arrived today.
After many many months of comparing scope designs and looking thru many more, i found the CDK produced the best images out of the box. The RC came close second, but it required the added expense of the field flattner and in turn reduced the imaging circle too much for me. The extra 20K diddnt do much to tempt me either !:eyepop:
I almost went for the Tak Baker RC, but it was too small and i needed size.
I visited a freind of a friend in the States some time ago who had one of the first CDK telescopes, and once i looked thru it and had a look at the image and collimation abilities, i was sold.
I have been bragging about this design for over 2 years, and finally put my money where my mouth is. After 2 years of saving up, i finally splurged. Thank kripes i did it when the dollar was better, as i would be paying $31 K more today. I was actually tempted to cancel the order and pocket the $31K after the refund, but i stuck to my guns.
The scope came in a crate that was very well put together, and firm.
An added benifit was the shock dye sensors place around the scope to make sure that there was no drop that went unnoticed.
Then there is the Mathis MI-750 mount. My god, it looks smaller in the pictures, but when next to it, its HUGE, and i know huge, i had a 22" fork mounted newtonian.
Its going to take longer than i thought to put this baby up and running.
Explains why the shipping weight was 440 Kg.
I'll update as i put together this behemoth.
Theo
Dennis
23-01-2009, 03:59 PM
Oh my golly gosh – you must be one happy person right now! It looks a real beauty of an instrument. I’m sure you’ll enjoy setting it up and getting to know its behaviour – can’t wait to see some piccies!
Cheers
Dennis
Alchemy
23-01-2009, 04:09 PM
:eyepop:$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$:lol:
hope it performs ..... wait for the results , it should be special.
Screwdriverone
23-01-2009, 04:10 PM
Hi Theo,
"It's dead Jim!" - its still in its coffin!
Very nice mate, I suspect there is not much drool left, now that its all over the floor.
Sweet scope, nice little "grab n go" you have there! :rofl:
Cheers
Chris
renormalised
23-01-2009, 04:19 PM
Only if you're Arnold Schwarznegger!!!!:eyepop::P:D
Theo, that is one hot scope!!!....can't wait for first light piccies!!!:)
snowyskiesau
23-01-2009, 04:27 PM
What recession? ;)
Can't wait to see a few pictures of the mount for this beast.
Screwdriverone
23-01-2009, 04:29 PM
Ha Ha, I'll be BAAAAACK, just heading to the backyard for some Astronomy Maria!
I also like how Theo took a photo next to that FULL size ATV to show the comparitive scale of the scope, really helps us appreciate the size of it. ;)
Yeah Geoff, Theo has single handedly fixed the "Global Economic Crisis™" with that ONE purchase.
Cheers
Chris
Matty P
23-01-2009, 04:35 PM
Awesome looking scope... it's a beast! :) Well worth the wait.
Really looking forward to first light.
May I ask how's the weather looking? :lol:
:thumbsup:
rogerg
23-01-2009, 04:52 PM
Wow.:jawdrop:
Good on ya :thumbsup:
GrahamL
23-01-2009, 04:56 PM
Very cool way to spend 50k Theo :thumbsup:
was wondering why that other monster you had got sold .
toyos
23-01-2009, 05:12 PM
How much is the central obstruction? Looks like a pretty large secondary mirror there.
Well, i had to get rid of a scope, as i had a 14" RCX as well, so after seeing an advert for a "large scope wanted" i decided 1 needs to go. But i didnt want to get rid of the 22", but i said to myself if i do sell it, i'll get the dream scope i wanted. If i sold the Meade, then i'll spend the money on the 22". Well, after i sold the 22", i really missed it. Optically it was a dream (22" f4.5), goto etc etc. Yes it needed a little TLC and cleaning up, but the images were stunning. Richard (The new owner) put a post of it some time ago, and now he is the loving carer of that monster too.
Anyway, i tried a few times to talk Richard out of it, but it was too late. He knew it was a great scope and didnt budge, so then i decided to put a deposit on the CDK, and 5 months later :D.
Now im deciding do i need the 14" RCX, so i think it may be going for sale too.:(
Theo
AlexN
23-01-2009, 05:36 PM
Theo,
Very exciting indeed! :) You going to mate a QHY11 to the rear end of it?
I've been eyeing the CDK since you mentioned it to me, although I'll be going for the 17" (after a year or so of saving)
Looks like a very serious bit of gear, I look forward to the first light pics as well as the pics of this behemoth sitting atop the MI750... Dude - they are a seriously seriously large mount! :D Did you go for the GEM or the Equatorial Fork option?
Congrats on an awesome new toy mate..
Alex.
Hagar
23-01-2009, 05:49 PM
Glad to see it arrived in one BIG piece Theo. Can't wait to see some imaging results.
Heres the mount, i couldnt get the Fork arms out properly, sorry... but managed a shot with the Dec Drive and a little of the arm.
But mate, its freaking heavy, ALL of it, and any of it.
I was pretty peed at the cost of the head from Mathis, but after seeing it close hand, and the quality (And size), i can understand why.
Theo.
Where were you Doug !.
Nicked off back to the mountains knowing you might have been needed.
Dont want to make the cake, but hey, i'll have a piece when its ready thanks :whistle:.
But you should be out tonight imaging with your new gear, and im hanging out to see the results. Your 2 minute test was a real suprise.
Theo.
mrsnipey
23-01-2009, 06:25 PM
That is a thing of beauty.
Lucky lucky you.
Very nice i guess there will be allot of rain around everywhere now.
Phil
renormalised
23-01-2009, 06:47 PM
Yes, you want to keep the RCX because whilst the beast is doing one thing, "baby" beast can be doing something else at the same time:)
I did think of this idea, but cant do it inside the dome, even at 4.5 meter diameter, the dome is too small for both scopes. But i thought about a portable "Take away" telescope to setup up at sites, etc. But i thought "Yeah right", im not going to too many of these now, and i havent brought along a scope to one for years. But, i'll try and sell it, then if no one wants it, i can use that as the excuse to keep it (To my wife).
Theo
Hi Theo,
Congratulations on the new scope.
I had the opportunity to see one of the early instantiations of the
CDK scope at the Riverside Telescope Maker's Conference in 2007. Planewave were
set up in the booth right next to ours and I got to chat with Richard Hedrick
about their new venture. There was quite a buzz and they were pretty excited about
it so it is great to see the CDK being delivered on this side of the pond.
Enjoy! :thumbsup:
Best Regards
Gary Kopff
Mt. Kuring-Gai
Thanks Gary, you would have had a busy time there, and basically you would have seen the same setup with the fork mount as mine.
Hi Alex,
I went for the Fork option. I really dont like the GEM's mainly for the Meridian flip, counter weights protruding out and the area it takes up.
Mate your also right that they are huge mounts. My head looks like a tennis ball against a basket ball ratio.
I hope to have it up and running in the next couple of days.
I still need to weld up the 18" wide pier, fill it with sand and weld the upper base plate before i even start on assembling the mount.
Jees, maybe 3 or 4 days before first light after thinking of what needs to be done...
The CDK-17 is a perfect in between telescope. Not too big where your buggered trying to move it, and big enough to do some serious work.
Your pick is just right, and further, i beleive they are looking at releasing a 14" version as well.
Too boot, the long awaited Reducer is being released in a couple of months. Supposed to be x0.67, making my scope a 20" f4.5, hmmmmm.
Theo
AlexN
23-01-2009, 09:31 PM
Hrmm.. If they release a 14" That would be even better for me!! It'll be going on an AP1200GTO, so the 14" would make the system "Portable" to a point... :)
Good news about the reducer! 20" F/4.5 would be fantastic with the wide view from a KAI11002 :)
Cant wait to see your setup images and first light mate...
renormalised
23-01-2009, 09:50 PM
Nothing a shed or another dome can't fix...providing you have the room:D
KenGee
23-01-2009, 10:48 PM
I feel sick.
Well done Theo can't wait to see it in action.
Octane
23-01-2009, 10:50 PM
Theo,
You could always use the RC as a finderscope on the CDK. :P
Regards,
Humayun
P.S. You lucky so-and-so; that is a thing of beauty.
Well, after a nice sleep i decided to strip down and remove the 14" RCX-400 from the observatory and start installing the new baby.
All i can say, that was the easy part, because the rest of the day was murder.
I called my Brother inlaw who's very good at welding and all metal work and asked him to giver me a hand with the pier and mount.
Considering he was the one that got me the pier in the first place, i thought it fitting to scab off him as much help as i could get before he gives up.
So we assembled the pier, fitted the gussets then welded them flush, drilled and tapped a 10mm steel plate to hold the head onto the pier, filled the pier with sand then welded the plate to the pier. We also added the fine adjustment stops to allow fine moving along the azimuth.
Thats my brother in law in the image, so thanks Lenny Grech, i owe you one.
Next, while i had him, i asked him to help me put the mount together. He had to say yes, and i knew that, and took advantage of it. So we started to bring in the mount bits into the dome a little at a time. My god the mount parts are heavy, and everything fitted perfectly.
Tomorrow i hope to have the telescope mounted n the next 2 days, maybe Sunday if i can get him to come down again..
Anyway here is the progress. Hopefully i have enough energy to continue tomorrow, im not so young anymore !.
Theo
AlexN
24-01-2009, 11:02 PM
Duuuuuude!! They are so much bigger in real life than they look in the photos on the Mathis Instruments website.. :) Holy Crap!!
Looks like its going to be a mega impressive setup to behold... it will definitely make you feel awesome to open up the dome, walk in and gaze upon that huge mount sporting a 20" CDK... :) Talk about dream come true!! :)
Good luck tomorrow mate!
Cheers.
Alex.
renormalised
24-01-2009, 11:10 PM
You need one of those handle trolley fork lifts and a small gantry crane to put this beast together!!!:eyepop:
Guys, i kid you not when i say it took everything we had to go this far, and we honestly couldnt move after this. Im sitting now, and me back is killing me, the legs are like 2 planks of wood being so tight, and im dozing off.
Its really stuffed us up. You really arent wrong when you say its bigger in real life. Everything was so well machined, it just fitted perfectly. No play, no wiggle. I even tried to thump the the polar head, and nothing, not even a slight vibration on the forks or anywhere. Thanks to the sand, which i recommend over cement.
Just to give you a pespective, that pier is 18" in diameter. and 20" high not to mention 10mm thick.
I have to see how my back is tomorrow.
Theo
Spanrz
26-01-2009, 12:05 AM
That's the godzilla right there.:tasdevil:
So green with envy. Love that fork setup. This thing is going to own the sky!
I pity my 12" DOB now....Hahaha.
renormalised
26-01-2009, 12:33 AM
Been having a good look at the Planewave's at their site....I'm very impressed with the scopes. I hope they go onto making larger scopes. I'd love to see a 32" or 40" version of the scope. Even a 24" would be impressive. They're one nice piece of kit!!!:)
Well, spent a little time on it in the afternoon putting on the dove tails to the fork arms.
But i thought before i dynabolt the pier down into the concrete i'd better make sure its pointing pretty close to the south.
So i placed the azimuth adjusment in the middle to allow a +/- 4 deg either side, then rotated the pier till i estimated a good accuracy to the south and waited till dark.
With darkness on me, i jigged up my 4" f5 refractor with a 5x barlow and a 12mm cross hair and mounted it to one of the Dec arms. Setup for a drift alignment with the scope pointing at the meridian, and in about 35 minutes had a good alignment, and now the forks point dead on south. Once bolted down i can do a really fine adjustment using the adjusters on the head.
Kinda funny seeing a little 4" on the huge forks.
The scope should be on in the next day, then teething issues with the fine alignment and electronics etc.
Theo
AlexN
26-01-2009, 08:54 AM
lol! wheres the pic of the 4" on the 750!! Lol! did you even bother to balance it? hahaha..
g__day
26-01-2009, 10:33 AM
Theo,
it's with great interest that I read through this. I am wondering how you get the CDK on the fork - it looks plenty heavy. Do you invite four friends to lift it while you have to bolt it into position?
Have you decided how much time you want to spend doing visual with this rig (if any) versus doing astrophotography? If you plan to do more that 5% - 10% visual how are you configuring things to swap between visual and astrophotography set-up easily?
Lastly what cameras are you planning to image with? I'm curious as you rarely get to see someone plan and execute a $50K+ set-up!
Matt
AlexN
26-01-2009, 10:40 AM
I too am interested in camera selection... I would like to think Theo will be using a QHY camera in it :) That said, For simplicity in guiding such a big scope, perhaps an SBIG would be a good option??
My 2 guesses.. Keep costs low (after buying a 20" and MI-750 :D) and continue to use QHY8, Upgrade to something with the KAI11002 sensor like the QHY11/STL11000M/SXVF-H35... These are my guesses because these are my plans for my CDK.. Depending on how much cash I can get together :)
I wouldnt get the STL11000 as its too old, slow and big/heavy. When the newer models come out from Sbig, i may have a looksee....
I am looking into the QHY-9, but i think i'll get QHY to make me one with the KAF9000 CCD, as it has the best QE of the bigger size sensors. Or just get the QHY-11 when its finally released.
But for now, im sticking to the QHY-8, and maybe i may just play with the QHY-9.
I'll grab a photo of the scope and post it soon.
Matt,
I will be doing around 70 - 30 in favour of imaging, so i ordered special machined adapters to connect my camers directly on without and focuser droop etc. Everything just bolts up and is stiff as a board. To go visual, its a matter of loosining 3 bolts and place an eyepiece adapter in. Thats it.
You have to be carefull though, as costs keep going up, like TCS control, and remember the GST. All up including GST a setup of this size is going to set you back $100K Aussie bucks now. I scraped in before the dollar plumeted so i save 30%.
Theo
Heres the 4" f5 as requested, mounted on the fork arm.
Finally mounted the 20", and what a job to mount it too.
It took 3 guys to place it on the fork arms and tighten her up.
Had a quick peek during the night at Orion, and images where absolutely magic.
Havent even done a proper alignment yet, but it looks to be pretty spot on.
Sorry about the quality of the images of the 20", as they where shot in the dark. I'll get better ones tomorrow once i mount the electronics and hand controllers etc.
Theo
theodog
27-01-2009, 06:07 AM
Looks fantastic Theo.
I was just starting to think you lacked a little motivation in construction.:lol:
But its back on track.
I'm not green...,
I'm not green...,
I'm not green...,
Bugger it -yes I am.
gregbradley
27-01-2009, 11:00 AM
Wow Theo - how's my new best friend?
Great choice. I have been watching these CDKs with some interest for some time as well. I think you made a great choice.Roland Christen of AstroPhysics was very impressed with these so there's a hell of a recommendation.
I think you'll be extremely happy with that scope.
How much does it weigh?
Would a Paramount ME handle it?
Greg.
Paddy
27-01-2009, 12:36 PM
What a fantastic set up, Theo! I suppose that you will probably have a great deal of fun with it - green as others have said is an appropriate response. Look forward to seeing some of the images!
Hi Greg, i think i seen your questions on the Planewave user group.
As i mentioned numerous times, i had first got wind of this design nearly 3 years ago, and made some comments about it here on this form and also at cloudy nights. The specs looked really good, and i looked into this design and potential. After seeing a couple of them in action, i decided to get one, so i started to put away a little at a time.
As yourself, i looked into the optical performance and comparisons with other designs, but none were at the same cost level vs performace.
My second choice was a RC from OGS, but as i said, to match the performace of the CDK, i would have had to also purchase the Flat field corrector option, and its just way too much. It would have also provided a smaller imaging circle too, so i opted for the CDK.
Even Dr Clay (Meade Expert) has ordered one, which says something as he also is an expert in optical and mechanical fields.
I really recommend you look at one of these close up if your serious. I did this and was sold to the idea of having one in my observatory.
If you speak to Rick Hedrick again, tell him you spoke to me about the scope.
The scope weighs about 140 lbs, and the paramount can hold it, but you need a couple of extra bits, like a bar extender for the couter balance weights, and also a couple of extra weights.
Its on their website.
Theo.
AlexN
27-01-2009, 04:11 PM
Man that 4" looks out right silly on the MI750 :D
Fantastic looking setup with the 20" + 4" on the mount mate.. I look forward to some better daylight pics :) (and obviously first light pics :D)
Well, spent 3 hours drift aligning my mount, then spent a another hour playing around with the CCD camera on the scope getting used to focusing etc.. Totally buggered, but had fun.
I took a picture, although not too clear, again taken during the night, of the size of the whole thing. I will take a clearer shot guys once i have some time during the day..
Anyway, as you can see its freakin huge.... I stand 5 foot 5", and it towers me.
Operation is as smooth as silk. Anyone with the Astrophysics GTO3 control gear knows. Poetry in motion !.
More soon.
Theo
JethroB76
05-02-2009, 08:27 PM
whoa:eyepop:
renormalised
05-02-2009, 08:30 PM
Theo, now you have this spec' scope, you're going to have to do something about the decor of your dome!!!!. Can't have a flash looking scope next to a "park bench" with a "50 year old silicon moron" running the show!!!:eyepop::P:D
Needs a new table and some decent storage...and a new computer by the looks of it!!!:eyepop::P:D
Looks like a job for SWMBO:prey2:
Hey, stop being picky, its those cheap tables and old computers that saved me the money to get the scope..
Well, at least 75 bucks anyway.
A Quad core is going in there with a 20" LCD, just one thing at a time.
Theo
spearo
05-02-2009, 09:29 PM
wow
speechless
frank
AlexN
05-02-2009, 09:31 PM
i'd sacrifice near on everything else I own for that setup, park bench and old pc included.. I honestly would not care if I was sitting on a pile of rusty nails instead of a chair when in command of that monster! :)
Crikey Alex - close your wallet and cover your eyes. You don't know the power of the dark side.......
(either that or you'll have a lot of new Brisbane friends wanting to come around every weekend if you ever buy one of these!)
AlexN
05-02-2009, 09:58 PM
I dunno about using the scope, but you may sit on my pile of rusty nails Rob :D :) Thats the kind of fella I am! :)
renormalised
05-02-2009, 10:10 PM
I would....tetanus!!!:eyepop::P:D
Then you'd never be able to move to work the controls if you got that:eyepop:
renormalised
05-02-2009, 10:17 PM
I wonder if Planewave have plans to build bigger scopes??
LOL!
(you'll have to go to the loo sometime... ;))
renormalised
05-02-2009, 10:24 PM
That's right, Alex, you can't run fast with your pants around your ankles:P:D
But you can sure hop pretty fast..
Just be carefull on the way down..
Theo.
renormalised
05-02-2009, 10:31 PM
Not fast enough, Theo. Not fast enough:P:D:D
gregbradley
07-02-2009, 09:36 PM
As i mentioned numerous times, i had first got wind of this design nearly 3 years ago, and made some comments about it here on this form and also at cloudy nights. The specs looked really good, and i looked into this design and potential. After seeing a couple of them in action, i decided to get one, so i started to put away a little at a time.
As yourself, i looked into the optical performance and comparisons with other designs, but none were at the same cost level vs performace.
My second choice was a RC from OGS, but as i said, to match the performace of the CDK, i would have had to also purchase the Flat field corrector option, and its just way too much. It would have also provided a smaller imaging circle too, so i opted for the CDK.
Even Dr Clay (Meade Expert) has ordered one, which says something as he also is an expert in optical and mechanical fields.
I really recommend you look at one of these close up if your serious. I did this and was sold to the idea of having one in my observatory.
If you speak to Rick Hedrick again, tell him you spoke to me about the scope.
The scope weighs about 140 lbs, and the paramount can hold it, but you need a couple of extra bits, like a bar extender for the couter balance weights, and also a couple of extra weights.
Its on their website.
Theo.[/quote]
Hi Theo,
Good luck with your setup. I look forward to seeing your images as there aren't a lot posted on the Planewave site. There are a couple of 20 inch images and a number of 12 inch images.
I was looking at the feasibility of the 17 inch on a Paramount.
Perhaps next year as I have a setup I am happy with now.
Cheers,
Greg.
Peter Ward
07-02-2009, 11:57 PM
Wow! There's always a bigger fish!
Good luck with the new instrument Theo. What are you plans for such a big beast?
I will be using it for a variety of tasks.
Viewing, imaging, comet hunting, supernova hunting etc.
Just wanted the best gear for it, no mucking about with mount scope etc.. Just turn on and go.
Greg,
The smaller scopes are more popular, as price is a major step up for the 20". This is why there are more images from the smaller scopes.
There are a quite few 20" scopes around, but are more used in universities and professional use, thus not many imaging and posting on the net.
Theo.
toyos
08-02-2009, 04:42 PM
With nearly 40% central obstruction, how does this scope compare to a top-quality 18" Newtonian with 20-25% central obstruction in terms of contrast, resolution, sharpness and overall clarity under moderately light-polluted sky?
Man o man what a work of art.
Boy are you going to have fun with that baby.
Cheers and congratulations
AlexN
08-02-2009, 06:13 PM
Visually, it might have a run for its money against a top quality 18" newtonian... That said, photographically, you'd be hard pressed to find an 18" newt to give as good resolution, an image circle and flat field of the same size without increasing the central obstruction to around the same size.. I think the CDK's are about as good as you can get when looking for an all round scope... they excel in imaging, however they do offer pleasing views through an eyepiece, something that other similar designs do not (usually) Its rather hard to find a good all rounder these days.. the CDK's have slid nicely into that void and filled it right up.
GrahamL
08-02-2009, 06:48 PM
you gota climb a ladder with this scope theo ?:)..18" scopes are way cool guys but you are comparing apples and oranges :)
In Moderately light polluted skies, the CDK wins hands down. Even my 22" Newtonian pales..
Why ?, well, yes the 22" newtonian does have better contrast, but when light pollution is amist, then forget it.. The light pollution brings up the contrast level anyway, so you loose that edge (As for the 18", dont matter at all, the CDK would have better contrast due to the larger area of glass.).
The corrected views produced from the CDK or RC, produces a sharper better defined view all over the field, as coma and other distortions are gone. Unless you add a field corrector to the newtonian, it will loose here too. Sharpness, overall clarity, the CDK's and the RC's will produce the best images (Refractors aside when equal aperature). Again, you need to correct for distortions on a Newtonian, and in fact the Classical Cassegrain can produce pin point stars, as long as its corrected.
Theo
theo,next step is parks radio telescope :thumbsup::D
AlexN
09-02-2009, 08:44 PM
Trevor - I'd take the parkes dish, provided someone could make the bottom of the dish 99% reflective, and turn the transmitter into a 2ndry mirror :) that would be SWEEET!
I Also Prefer Optical Scopes But First Ill Need A Decent Imager My Nexstar 6 Se Has Never Seen A Ccd Or Countrie Skies:(but Thats Why I Got A 12 Inche No Need For A Ccd Then
Im 13 Years Old I Must Be The Luckiest Kid In The World
Funny you mentioned that.. This was taken while i was building my dome..
Theo
astroron
10-02-2009, 02:50 AM
A fine AstroDome from Queensland you've got Theo:D
renormalised
10-02-2009, 08:36 AM
I see the "work surpervisors" near the dish there, Theo:)
BTW....what size Astrodome is that Theo??
Satchmo
10-02-2009, 08:54 AM
A corrected DK ( CDK ) is just Dall Kirkham cass with a coma correcter/ field flattener ( typical coma in a DK is twice as bad as the equivelent Newtonian) . You wouldn't do astrophotograghy with a DK without a corrector, just as you wouldn't do it with a Newtonian without a corrector.
Although a 25% obstructed instrument will always deliver a higher _range_ of contrast levels than a 40% obstructed one, I think the point is moot for instruments operating at the prime focus for deep sky imaging.
Mark
Its a 4.5 Meter dome, and well worth every cent. Its such a strong and so well made dome.
Its so good to just close the dome and go to bed.
Theo
gregbradley
13-02-2009, 04:48 PM
Well you've made an excellent choice. I know Roland Christen was very impressed with them and he is not easily impressed.
From my checking out on the net it seems to me that these CDKs rule the skies at the moment for performance and value for money.
Must be hurting RCOS sales. 20 inches, better performance at half the price.
Greg.
Hey Greg,
Well, the RC's just need the flattner to be competitive performance wise, but additional benifits with the RC like the glass and manufacture used for the mirrors etc etc, just place the price too far out for most.
This CDK design has only been around a very short time, and thus the acceleration of sales and reported abilities.
One, as i mentioned in an earlier post, was its collimation, and ease of adjustments. This was paramount to me if i was to enjoy the investment.
An example (Painful too by the way) was 2 nights ago. I walked into my dark observatory and assumed i parked the scope the other way (Pointing east), so while walking, i banged my head hard against the front ring of the scope (Was pointing west). Jeepers it hurt, and i was sure i must have knocked the collimation out. A check yesterday verified it was out by a bees d%$%^, so again i spent 2 minutes re collimating it by adjusting 1 screw to centre the secondary back in the middle. Image is attached on the ease of adjustment. Didnt need to be done, but because its so easy to do, i became a fuss pot, and did it. Still got the bump on my forhead to remind me of the event.
Sales will only effect he 20" and below sizes, as i have only heard of one 40" bieng made in the U.S.A for a University, so sales should be OK on the larger RC scopes.
I have been enjoying my time visually at the moment, and havent spent much time imaging. Which is amazing, as i spent 90% of the time imaging before, now its reversed. If your ever in Melbourne, pop in and checkit out if your seriously looking at getting one. Thats what i did before i got one.
Just hanging out for the x 0.66 reducer, which will make my scope into a 20" f4.5 widefield Astrograph.
Theo
renormalised
14-02-2009, 12:19 AM
That 40" they made for the uni would be something to see....just imagine how much it'd cost!!!.
Sheesh....20" at F/4.5....that's gonna take some beating in the local imaging stakes!!!!:eyepop::D
no siriusly your getting closer to parks every minute next thread will be
at last my owner ship certificate of parks has arived:poke:
gregbradley
18-03-2009, 09:35 PM
I have been enjoying my time visually at the moment, and havent spent much time imaging. Which is amazing, as i spent 90% of the time imaging before, now its reversed. If your ever in Melbourne, pop in and checkit out if your seriously looking at getting one. Thats what i did before i got one.
Just hanging out for the x 0.66 reducer, which will make my scope into a 20" f4.5 widefield Astrograph.
Theo[/quote]
Thanks Theo.
20 inch F4.5 sounds irresistible.
If I am in Melbourne I'll PM you.
Cheers mate,
Greg.
No worries, but you need to feed me while here, so bring some mars bars !.
Theo
Where's the data from this instrument Theo? You can only go visual for so long, given this is after all an imaging rig. Wack a fat internet pipe into it, define a rate per hour and provide me with your BSB and Account# for some online time. Lets see what it can do...
Tandum
18-03-2009, 11:02 PM
This one huge scope and I'm hoping it's not sitting in the middle of suburbia.
Well, its been an uphill battle lately.
Just as i completed setting up the telescope, we of course had the sad event of the fires. This caused 2 problems for me.
the first is the skies were all smoke infested and visability was poor at best.
Add to that, im contracted for a company that maintains the Broadcasting networks like ABC and SBS radio and TV.
So when we lost Marysville and Mt Tassie (near Tralagon) sites, there was a heap of work to be done to restore all services.
Then once this slowly cleared, i started to get into imaging.
I had some teething problems with the guiding, as i was used to using a OAG, so now that i have the guide scope, i thought i'd try and use it.
Oh man, i had troubles with it, always produced egg stars or slightly worse.
I figured it must have been the difference in focal lengths of the two and the inability for the guide scope to be able to detect the fine movement at 500mm focal length as apposed to the 3500mm focal length of the CDK.
So i mounted a 150mm f12 Mak on its back, but everything was too dark and hard to find a guide star. Man, what else i thought, but while talking to a customer of mine and a IIS regular, he told me he's using a similar difference in focal lengths, but he was getting nice round stars.
I first thought he was a little daft, but he seemed to be confident about what he was saying. Then when comparing his settings on PHD, i found the cause of my problems.
Because my previous imaging was done at a much lower focal length, i adjusted the step size accordingly (700ms), and as you can already imagine, its way way too much for the higher focal length im now using. So i adjusted it to 100ms, and bingo.
So technically i have just started to take images.
I just took some raw shots of NGC 2613 and have yet to do any processing.
Of course, now its overcast.
Theo.
Well, outer suburbia.
But still crappy at times.
Oh well, not as lucky as some.
Theo
Heres a RAW 2 minute alignment test exposure of NGC2613. Nice round stars to the edge.
Of course when i was ready to take exposures the clouds rolled in.
Theo
Spent a couple of minutes doing a little processing.
Not worth anything, just wanted to see the galaxy and how it looked more than anything.
Image is pretty bad, as some frames had clouds roll thru them, plus the glow of the town lights giving me terrible gradients.
Anyway, the galaxy looks ok, given only 65 minutes of total light (13x5minute), didnt set the QHY-8 gain and offset properly, so image is a little darker than i like, plus no flats or darks either.
Theo.
marki
23-03-2009, 07:13 PM
Looks very promising indeed Theo. Some nice detail in the galaxy and I like the second galaxy just off to the right. Imagine what this scope could do with a mono camera with a good set of filters. Looking forward to many more images.
Ciao Mark
I thought the same. The mono camera is really going to make a difference.
Maybe this time i can keep one rather than sell it.
Should be even better if the conditions were better too.
The moon is gone now, so worth time imaging now.
Theo
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