A few photos of my Eq6 and Intes M500

[h0ughy]

Happy, yes! i thought I would show what I have at the moment and while I have the time. I am looking after my Daughter at the moment (she has chicken Pox) and i just started to have another play with the toys.

The mount is rock solid, and one day I might get another threaded bar made up and put in on the meade tripod I have. But for now I am very happy with it.
For the scope I was able to find a temporary mount block for and adapt it for the mount.

I also bought a new solar filter for it. i had to pad out the filter to fit the scope, but it is a snug fit and doesn't move.

the scope moves extremely well and smoothly, and with the 3 5.4kg weights, an appropriate sized scope could be accomodated :thumbsup: .

The version of the synscan is 2.04.

Note the baffeling in the the M500, I beleive it helps the contrast and reduce stray light.

Hey Paul, notice the finder scope!

Still a huge learning curve. More later.

[[1ponders]]

Nice h0ughy. Looks like your going to have a good time with it. I'm glad your enjoying the finder. It is nice and clear and sharp to look through but unfortunately I found it a pain to use:P

[Starkler]

As someone not familiar with the M500 , whats its specs houghy ?

[seeker372011]

that mount looks like a really solid piece of work-the scope in comparison looks puny!
should be a great imaging system

[atalas]

Great looking setup David !


Louie

[davidpretorius]

nice one!!!

where are the nagler stickers???

[h0ughy]

Intes Micro Alter M500 5" F/10 Maksutov-Cassegrain OTA

Clear aperture: 5" (127 mm)
Secondary mirror diameter including baffle: 42 mm
Percent central obstruction including secondary baffle: 33%
Tube diameter: 158 mm
Tube length: 345 mm
Tube weight: 3.3 kg (7.26 lbs)
Internal baffles similar to the Alter M603
Percent reflectivity of mirrors: 96%
Mirror substrate: Pyrex
Minimum optical quality for the system: 1/7th wavefront p.t.v.
Photographic field of view: 1° 45'

Scope comes with certified optical test report, one year warranty on coatings , owner's manual with complete collimation instructions and unlimited customer service for as long as you own the telescope.

[Miaplacidus]

Now I finally see what Hendrix was on about when he sang "Excuse me why I kiss the sky"! Great looking rig. Hope to see some photos shot through that there cannon real soon.

Congrats,

Brian.

[h0ughy]

Can you send me some :poke:

[33South]

Wow,

If it performs as good as it looks you're in for a great time with some amazing images.

[beren]

:thumbsup: Wow nice set up Houghy

[Striker]

Worst mount I have ever seen.....joking.

Enjoy your new set up Huffy.

[davidpretorius]

wow nice setup on the avatar beren, love the knobs....

oh and yes houghy your mount is good too!

want to sell your mount houghy????

[h0ughy]

Thanks Striker, i am in good company for the worst mount ;) .

David,

yes you can have it for $5000, plus postage :nerd:

[davidpretorius]

:scared:

[gbeal]

Nice Houghy, almost an overkill for the poor wee Mak, if there is such a thing as an overkill. I had one for a while on a G-11, same deal, but man was it solid.
Get a decent focal reducer and shoot some sky.
Gary

[PhotonCollector]

Hi Houghy,

The baffling in that telescope will improve the contrast incredibly. I installed baffles in my 12-inch 'scope and the improvement was astonishing, both visually and photographically.

If you shine a torch down the end of the scope from an angle, you'll see that the light might make it past the first few baffles but not too the primary mirror.

Have fun with your new equipment !

[Rodstar]

Pardon my ignorance, Houghy, but how is your scope an improvement on the 12"LX200, or are you keeping your Meade too?

[h0ughy]

What, sell the Meade, O Rod wash your mouth out :drink: , i would never give that up, even when the electronocs eventually die, that's why i got the EQ6. to use now and learn with the smaller scope and to parallel the camera on and guide (autoguider next aquisition). i wanted something a bit more portable :lol: .

[Rodstar]

Good to hear Houghy. For a minute there, I thought we had a traitor in our midst..... :whistle:

[xrekcor]

Nice setup there Houghy, this must be the project you were working on.
Look forward to seeing some images.

regards,CS

[h0ughy]

Yes it is Rob, after or should I say during Qld Astrofest it dawned on me that I needed a equatorial mount that works and is very stable. The meade wedge actually bounces and is a complete pain to set up and i cannot even get to the horizion with it very well if needed. So I thought ai would rationalise it a bit, a smaller scope to use visually and as a guide scope, and somewhere to mount my camera (as well as on the guide scope). I came up with this. It is very "portable', just bring your own forklift :lol: . the Eq6 is heavy, very heavy, but is able to be moved better than the 12" LX200. ;)

[h0ughy]

Well today wasn't the best of days weather wise, so I decided to do a make do construction for the EQ6.

I found a bit of aluminium tubing (scrap) :confuse3: , found a few bolts in the shed and a heap of washers. Did a bit of precision drilling with the help of my 4 year old son :nerd: and marking out with my 8 year old daughter. I attached the little bit of the bar I had to the aluminium tube. So anyway here is the finished product :whistle: .

It is sort of along the lines I was wanting, a great place to start from to get to what I want. Mick P please turn away now :P , I know its rough :lol: but I needed to work out what i want to achieve. I don't know how I will get the two optical system parallel. or even if they have to be exactly aligned?

I intend to guide with the Intes scope, one day I might get a ST4 or STV to autoguide with (no laptop).

[beren]

:) Hey nice work there mate, one question why is the bar longish?

[h0ughy]

Good question Stuart, i don't know. I didn't cut the bar because I wanted to be greedy, i wanted to put in another scope in the middle, maybe larger like a 8" or a 80mm ED or something similar, possibly even another PST.

sound good?

[davidpretorius]

is it spamming to say that i think that this a really good idea!!!

well done!

pssst mick p, can we get round copyright easily???

[beren]

Perfect answer mate :) thats the way i work with little mods -find a dual purpose for everything

[[1ponders]]

Good ony h0ughy. How's the balance? I find trying to balance in three directions a bit tricky at times. Ie foreward and aft, left to right and top to bottom.

[davidpretorius]

hey mate, do you want three little right angle spirit vials to attach and adjust whilst flat.

i could sample some off from work. i am pretty sure they have two vials ie vertical and horizontal.

[h0ughy]

believe it or not it does balance both sides and the opposite direction. when i take the camera body of it doesn't ;) yes yaw, pitch and roll seem to be OK

[h0ughy]

Thanks Dave But I am not sure how I would use them (have taken several thick as a brick tablets ;) ). I won't say no though :)

[tornado33]

The rig looks good, yes we must get together and polar alingn it and try some long exposure imaging :)
Scott

[davidpretorius]

i thought that you could attach to the bases of scopes and camera bases and then turn eq to 0 degrees and then make sure all three little spirit levels are the same. then turn eq to 90 degrees and then check again. off the top of my head i am hoping that that will simplify allignent of all three scopes / cameras???

someone shoot me if i have taken the same tablets and am leading houghy up the garden path. but i think it will work?

[rumples riot]

Nice Mak, let me know how you go on the imaging of planets with this scope. f10 and bound to be sharp as a tack. This is one option I have considered if and when I replace the lx200. Only purely on the basis of its planetary capacity. Gary tells me they are great for planets and I trust his judgement in this. Would like a 13" though, that would rock.

I like the idea of the EQ6 as well. This is giving me ideas again. Sorry Rod. Maybe I could get a Mak and EQ6 as a secondary and purely planetary imaging scope.

Really cool looking setup H0ughy, glad you posted the images. Good man.

[h0ughy]

Thanks Paul, I was trying to cover all bases, and with a 6.3 focal reducer should help with a wider field of view thorugh the scope if I want later. the threaded back makes it easy for me to use all of the sct stuff I already have

[Ambermile]

No - only if you want them to be. I actually manufacture a dualmount system (I'm safe saying that here 'cos there's no way you lot on Oz are going to want one :) ) with a dovetail for the Synta/GP type dovetail system. However, it became apparent at the design stage that if I just made a copy of the dovetail clamp system then this alignment you are after would not work.

To get around this and allow alignment I use the clamp system on the enc. pic (please, nobody tell anyone about this... it's my living :) ) and as you can see I do not machine the 15 degree dovetail, rather just a straight slot. The M6 hole is the standard star-spinner bolt to initially hold the bar in place while the four M4 bolts are for fine lateral adjustment and main clamping/locking of the bar. Two of these are then bolted on an aluminium dovetail 330mm long, one at each end. I am assuming though that your dovetail has the adjusting bolts at each end to raise the rings.

Arthur

[[1ponders]]

h0ughy did you end up seeing the pictures I posted of my semi home made side by side? I can't remember it was a while ago I posted them.

[h0ughy]

I vaguely remember them, although i have to admidt I couldn't get a good look at the way it went together.

Edit: I do, but only a rear view. Paul have you got any closeup, side on and from underneath at the front?

[h0ughy]

Thanks Aurthur,

one question though, I don't have or use tube rings? your mount does allow for lateral adjustment, do you do something to allow for vertical? Or is that what the tube rings do?

[Ambermile]

Well, I've found that those scopes that do not use rings are usually pretty level wrt the dec axis - it's actually the use of rings that makes their adjustment necessary. Go figure!

Arthur

[h0ughy]

Now that does confuse me? ;)

[Ambermile]

Really? Most ring systems are cast or sintered and as such there is little about them that could be described as "precise". If your scope has a dovetail bolted directly on to it then it's usually a very good fit and so has been made to tighter tolerances and will sit parallel to the optical axis.

Arthur

[h0ughy]

That makes sense!

[[1ponders]]

If you look at the first picture Dave you will see that I have replaced the original GM-8 mount head with a G-11 (longer bearing plate which should help with flexure and offer more support for the Dovetail plate). The original head (its a round "C" series mount plate) is the mount head on the left side of the dovetail on top. I then used a GM-8 "D" series head on the right.

It is probably overkill, but this setup allows me complete control over positioning of the scopes fore and aft and side to side for good balance. I'm gradually marking mounting plates and dovetail plates with the points of balance for the different imaging equipment setups I may be using at any time. So swaping them over and re-balancing is relatively easy.

Using Losmandy gear it goes without saying that its nice and stable but also that its not cheap. :P I managed to save a bit by getting the dovetail plates machined free through a friend and buying the additional plates from the US.

One disadvantage of doing it this way is its not light. This setup adds quite a few lbs to the system. If you were to buy the same system from Losmandy it would add an additional 7.25 lb to the mount. Then there is the weight of the additional dovetail plates, around 2 to 2.5 lb each. But boy is it solid :D You could swing a C-11 of this baby with a 4" refractor for a quide scope np at all. Assuming your mount could take it of course

[h0ughy]

I agree Paul that is a very solid setup. Hopefully I will get something together of a similar nature

[h0ughy]

Aurthur,

I just saw one of your earlier posts and that you have added the picture of the mount. thanks.

I can see how you can get the mount assemblies parallel now with those "grub" screws and lock it in with the main screw. looks a very solid setup!

[Ambermile]

Oh. Right then. You won't want to see these then, will you :)

[h0ughy]

Arthur,
No total waste of time ;) :poke: .

OMG thats awesome :jawdrop: . Whats the blue bit :) hanging off the Meade N6????

I can see how you slide that bar to balance the Yaw of the system.

Nice pier, and construction details on that one???

now I notice that you have the Skyscan ,and not the synscan. how did you setup the computer link. Can you sync the camputer with the scope? Will that Sync the mount at the same time?

I am like a kid in a lollie shop, what to look at next.


Hey , hang on a minute is the Megrez II the guidescope? what have you got in it?

[rumples riot]

Ambermile that is a sweet looking setup you got there, whats your opinion of the EQ6. It looks to ge a nice mount and I think I will have to get one soon.

BTW, is that a bucket of plaster in the background, I am looking for some more ceiling fixers?

[h0ughy]

Paul
that's his other "light" bucket :lol:

[xrekcor]

1ponders,

How much weight can your Losmandy take or whats it's loading capacity.

Regards,CS

[davidpretorius]

hi houghy,


the df30 or the k5 or uz8 was what i was thinking you could use on each of the three scopes or cameras to try and align whilst flat.

let me know any way and i can sample 3 off and send over

[davidpretorius]

nice setup arthur!!!

[[1ponders]]

Rob carrying capacity of the GM-8 is around 14 - 15 kg (30 lb), but I try not to carry more than about 10 kg (20 lb) if I'm using it for imaging.

[Ambermile]

That "blue" bit is an Artemis, actually an ART-285AL, I'll have you know... Simple - there's a 24" lump of 8"x4" square section cemented into the garden with a drilled and tapped (M20) flange on top. The little bit of the pier you can see is 8"x4" with a flange drilled on the bottom and a plate on top. This is bolted to the bit in the ground and the mount sits on another plate on top - adjusted for level by the four bolts.



Oh yes, proper kit :) It is ver. 2.04 ISTR, just plug the two together really. Scope should be aligned first and then just put it into RS232 mode. Computer then can communicate and it's then just a case of telling the computer where the mount is pointing. On this syncing thing, I realised last night it's no big omission if you can get a list of the alignment stars. There's usually one near where you are pointing so you can do a quick one star align on the closest one to your target and away you go. Bit like the HPP but you have to do it manually.


Umm, yup, that's one of the Megrez semi's in there. It has a QC Pro in the hole in the pics which I took out of the original case and fitted into an old 50mm camera lens case I had laying around.



Truth be told, I believe that is Dried Fish Blood and Bones for the roses :lol::lol::wink2: Incidentally, that SN-6 is about to go off to somewhere as soon as I can find a buyer - looking at an SN-8 now...

Yes, I like the EQ6, it's soooo quiet after the coffee grinder LX200 and tracks real well. Not actually got any LX pics with it yet as every time I get set up something goes wrong. Last time it was a dead PSU (after I had converted all the leads to fit!).

Arthur

[Ambermile]

Right, quick note here - I said I was "doing away" with the SN-6 so today I've taken it off the mount. Not too sure when the SN-8 will get here so I dug out an old friend :lol:

It is an Orion (UK) prototype f/5.6 158mm doublet refractor and I really do love it! Last year it was set up next to a 6" Starfire and stood up pretty well - losing out in contrast and also a bit of colour at higher mags but hey, you don't get an f/5.6 refractor to look at planets ;) It really excels at DSO's and that's why I bought it.

Sadly, the prototype never made it to production (costs I suspect - although the doublet is Chinese it is not Synta and the focus assembly is cast in aluminium) so this is the only one around. It was purchased from a workshop sale at Orion a couple of years ago and I got it early last year. Even then I was a WO "disciple" so stripped it and repainted to match. Mesed up the gold though :(

Arthur

[h0ughy]

looks impressive Arthur!

[h0ughy]

Dave,

I have a circular one (not quite like the one shown) that I use on the tripod, its not attached, there is no where to put it. I have the older mount, and there is nowhere to put it. I did think of the triangular brace but that doesn't mean the mounting flat is parallel to the earths surface! That really then brings up another topic, is the base machined level? That goes for all scopes I would think?

[h0ughy]

I took an image the other night to find out what the PE would be like on the scope. I am no expert but it looks good to me, very small :)

[RB]

:jawdrop: That looks good to me, although again I'm no expert.

[g__day]

Houghy - can I ask where you purchased your EQ6 + skyscan and at what price please?

Do folk who use the Losmandy G-11 + Gemini GoTo (Circa $5,000) find it runs rings around a EQ6 + Skyscan (Circa $2,200)? Given both have a similar carrying capacity is the G-11 so good that for anyone its to die for, or do you have to be such a cutting edge astrophotographer the difference will only be noticed by really talented practioners?

Lastly if you add autoguiders to both mounts does that significantly nullify the advantage of the more expensive Losmandy? I mean if both have rock solid stability, smooth gears, massive carrying capability and both were being automatically guided to keep some guide star on a particular pixel does that really level the playing field?

Now I'm wondering if you are interested in medium - longer duration astrophotography do you go for the best mount + cheapest auto-guider, or the cheapest solid mount and best auto-guider? How do you determine the best equilibrium point to match a OTA with the optimal (price/performance) mount and auto-guider combination?

Many thanks for your insights guys!

[Striker]

I have both the Losmandy G11 and EQ6 with Skyscan so I feal I can answer your question.

There is no Doubt the G11 out performs the EQ6 but so it should considering it's more then double the cost.

I can auto guide at over 2000mm focal length much easier with the G11 then I could with the Eq6...so I made my EQ6 a travel mount that I image at around 600mm....at 600mm it autoguides perfectly for me.

Autoguiding will improve your mount errors but remember their has to be an error for the autoguide to correct...if this error is too high well then it's too late...your image will turn out poorly.....less errors the better.

My answer regarding how to match the autoguide camera will take me too long but you will need to tell us what your going to be imaging and at what FL.

My ED80 works well guiding my C11.

[g__day]

Striker, I must admit I think your set-up looks like my ideal next step. As an interim I could put my 5" MAK on a EQ6 + Skyscan, but the dream scope I desire is basically yours in carbon fibre and maybe am SBIG CCD.

Being totally inexperienced with astro photography I'd like to image whatever I desire :) and not sure about focal lengths other than that of the 11" SCT.

Basically I read your reply as saying yes an autoguider will correct pointing errors, but unless your imaging hardware and software are smart enough to discard frames / pixels when the pointing is off (and most software isn't) you'll ruin your image if the pointing errors get to large!

[JohnG]

An autoguider will correct for most errors providing you are using the correct software with that autoguider.

I use an ST-4 attached to a William Optics ZS-80 (f/6 - 480mm) and have no problem guiding my Tak at f/8 - 820mm or with Focal REducer f/5.98 - 610mm, see attached image.

The ST-4 will track using either CCDSoft or as a stand alone unit with sub pixel accuracy. When setup and guiding you are using a 9 pixel by 9 pixel box to guide in and on average, on a still night my guiding errors are usually no more than + or - 0.3, in laymans terms this equates to the following:
1 ST-4 tracking unit equals .2 of a pixel or 3 microns. So an ST-4 unit movement of 4 equals .8 of a pixel, well within any film resolution.

You have to make sure you do a decent calibration, once that is done, my setup will track all night on the one star.

JohnG

[g__day]

Very professional set-up JohnG!