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Camelopardalis
01-03-2015, 11:33 AM
Looks a beauty Matt :thumbsup:

FlashDrive
01-03-2015, 12:03 PM
Very nice indeed Matt .....:thumbsup:

Col....

FlashDrive
01-03-2015, 12:06 PM
Thanks for the ' heads up ' but the way I have it mounted now...I have no issues ..
You'd be surprised just how ' sturdy ' this arrangement is ....

Col....

MortonH
01-03-2015, 12:10 PM
That setup looks great. I see you swapped the heavy Delos from the previous pics! :P

FlashDrive
01-03-2015, 12:35 PM
2'' inch eyepieces are no problems at all.
In fact I put my camera on the LV30 2" eyepiece and took this photo... 3rd pic
The LV30mm 2" is quite a large eyepiece.
My hands were completely off the mount.

Col....:D

Kunama
01-03-2015, 12:58 PM
That's a beaut little system Col. Love it !!!

(When is the other 'thing' due from Mexico? )

rrussell1962
03-03-2015, 01:50 PM
Waiting for the clouds to roll in as usual.

Kunama
03-03-2015, 01:50 PM
Post them up Flash :evil2:

FlashDrive
03-03-2015, 01:53 PM
Absolutely delighted to see this come back to me .... sold it some months back ... now I have it back. ....:evil2:

Col.....:D

Kunama
03-03-2015, 02:04 PM
Nice pick up Col !!! Dibs!

rrussell1962
03-03-2015, 02:23 PM
Old Vixen ED80S on GP mount with Skysensor 2000PC. TSA120 on same mount.

FlashDrive
03-03-2015, 02:29 PM
I'll be over to look thru' those Russell .. ;)
Especially the ' BIG DOB ' ..

Col .....

rrussell1962
03-03-2015, 02:35 PM
I hope very soon Col. I do feel that my inconvenient work hours i.e. nights mainly!, the weather and other circumstances have conspired against us lately.

Allan
05-03-2015, 09:08 PM
That's some very nice gear you've got there Russell.

LewisM
05-03-2015, 09:14 PM
Haven't updated this for a while since selling half a dozen scopes, but reacquiring ONE...

1988 manufacture Takahashi FC-100, with lots of extras (many custom made)

She not only looks beautiful (IMHO), but performs incredibly well.

codemonkey
05-03-2015, 09:33 PM
Only managed to properly image with the OTA once, and never used the mount, but this is my current set up.

Kunama
06-03-2015, 10:32 PM
Pelican 1740 case arrived today, bought it from Norman Camera in USA on Monday (4 days ago)

Perfect size for the TOA130S

FlashDrive
07-03-2015, 12:32 AM
Perfect Fit ... nice and snug...:thumbsup:

Col...

Allan
07-03-2015, 01:49 PM
Very nice Matt. I reckon you should paint it Tak green.

Kunama
07-03-2015, 02:11 PM
Looking good Richard !

rrussell1962
07-03-2015, 02:41 PM
Thanks Matti. It's odd how I have moved from "the heaviest mount you can move" to "the lightest mount that will do the job"

Kunama
07-03-2015, 02:47 PM
I tried to get the green version but they were out of stock !!
I have the pick and pluck foam in there at the moment but eventually will replace that with a Lightware Flip Lid 8 soft case that will fit inside the Pelican.
The Pelican is the perfect size to slide under the bed in the camper van.

sn1987a
12-03-2015, 09:35 PM
Just finished a few tweaks and upgrades to my Ultralight with 20" f4 Zambuto mirror. Ready to go for tonight. :D

clive milne
12-03-2015, 09:45 PM
No light baffles?

Is that a Bruce Sayre design?

sn1987a
12-03-2015, 10:09 PM
Built by Bruce Mills UK. http://brucemills.webs.com/20inchf4telescope.htm

Awhile ago I bought a 20" f4 Zambuto off an Astromart auction on a whim, as you do. When to my surprise my bid actually won I then had to decide what scope I was going to put it in. Doing a bit of googling I came across Bruce Mills scope and long story short he offered to sell it to me.

alocky
12-03-2015, 10:29 PM
You going to bring that next new moon? Zambuto 20" , what's not to like?
Cheers
Andrew

sn1987a
12-03-2015, 10:49 PM
Yeah I was thinking of bringing it. I may not be able to go though due to work commitments as this cyclone means the shut I was due to finish early next week is delayed and now won't finish until the 21st atm. Goddamn weather gods :sadeyes:

clive milne
12-03-2015, 10:50 PM
There's some very nice workmanship in that scope.

(It really needs some baffles to work properly though)

sn1987a
12-03-2015, 11:09 PM
Opps here it is with baffle.

Allan
13-03-2015, 10:17 AM
Very nice Barry. That mirror is going to give killer views. Do you use a shroud? I would expect you need one to keep the mirror clean and dew free.

sn1987a
13-03-2015, 02:46 PM
No shroud. The mirror does get dirty easily ( also easy to give a quick distilled water rinse ) and dew will be an issue. Not sure the best way to solve those issues yet, still thinking.

Luckily I have other scopes that are more tolerant of dew conditions. :D

I got this one together with the idea of it being the ultimate grab and go, a big ultralight dob easy to throw in the back of the 4wd when traveling.

I got great views in my light polluted backyard last night. Jupiter, Saturn, Moon, Homunculus, Ghost of Jupiter ( I could easily see the central star ), split Sirius and Antares with ease, M46 planetary, Sombrero, Cen A, Omega Cen.

clive milne
13-03-2015, 09:20 PM
An easy way to solve the primary dew issue is to arrange a row of muffin fans on one side of telescope such that they blow horizontally across the mirror. It will have the added benefit of disrupting the boundary layer of turbulent air convecting off the primary. I would put them on the opposite side of the ota from the eyepiece.

fwiw) I've just been looking at the construction pics... the workmanship is impressive.

traveller
19-03-2015, 02:36 PM
My latest setup
Mead LXD55 10" f4 Schidmt newtonian mounted on EQ6. The OTA has been flocked, with upgraded Moonlite focuser and 8x50 RACI finder.
At last, a fast scope :D

FlashDrive
29-03-2015, 06:08 PM
Acquired this ' beauty ' the other day.
TeleVue ( 101mm ) 4" Aperture, Petzval Design. ' Fluorite ' Rear Lens
First light tonight I hope...been cloudy lately.

An extract from the Web.....

6) TeleVue Genesis SDF (101 mm f/5.4 refractor.

These popular refractors throw up an impressively bright, wide-field view. The design is a hybrid, and involves more optical sleight-of-hand from Al Nagler. The doublet objective lens operates at f/12. Near the eyepiece lies a second doublet, which brings the optical train down to f/5.4. The second doublet uses a fluorite element, which is said to reduce chromatic aberration to nearly imperceptible levels. The scope is very well-built, almost overbuilt.


Flash.....

Kunama
29-03-2015, 07:56 PM
That is a little classic in beautiful condition, well worth hanging onto Col ........... but just in case .....DIBS !!! :D:D

LewisM
29-03-2015, 08:24 PM
No, you sre not an imager, so dibs!!!! ��

Louwai
02-04-2015, 04:22 PM
I think it's been a couple of years since I posted a pic or 2 in this thread...
Nothing much has changed, except for maybe the tow vehicle.....

Allan
02-04-2015, 06:26 PM
Nice looking Dob Bryan, is that a 20"? Pity about the gloomy sky in the background.

Louwai
03-04-2015, 04:40 PM
Yes Allan. SDM #31 - 20".....

The 20" is 5yrs old this yr. It visited Peter over Christmas 2013 for a little touch-up. It is an awesome scope. I will never be selling it.

The C8 I've had forever. Treated it to a new mount 18mths ago..

Slawomir
10-04-2015, 06:48 PM
My latest setup.

She is not the fastest nor the sharpest scope out there, nevertheless tracks and guides nicely.

Kunama
10-04-2015, 08:06 PM
Whilst on a business trip to Sydney I managed to pick up the newest member of my scope collection ...... Thanks JohnOz :thumbsup:

The Edmund Scientific Astroscan 108mm @ FL 445mm Newtonian reflector complete with Finder Guide, Base, Strap, Correct image tube and RKE28mm eyepiece (or the Rank Kaspereit Erfle 28mm to be perfectly OCD about it :P )

Once at home the scope was treated to a complete stripdown then an hour of polishing and waxing (no not the Brazil kind !) the RKE was also disassembled and every component cleaned and checked before reassembly and testing.

This will be a scope for my daughter and granddaughter to share :D

FlashDrive
10-04-2015, 10:18 PM
Nice Matt .... Nebula Red ... ;)

Col ...:D

Kunama
11-04-2015, 07:25 AM
Thanks Col, my post had 83 views overnight but yours was the only response so is very much appreciated :D:D.

If the little Astroscan had feelings they could have been hurt. :(
Taks don't have to put up with such indifference :shrug:

rrussell1962
11-04-2015, 09:19 AM
Good pick up Matt. I may give mine a polish so that it looks as good. I had mine out the other night just for fun, very nice views with the 15mm Panoptic.

Kunama
11-04-2015, 09:29 AM
A bit of car polish followed up with synthetic car wax and clean micro fibre cloth is all that's needed Richard. I just tried the RKE last night but will try it out with the new LVWs tonight!

Just need to make a bracket to hold it at the right angle on my Manfrotto/Markins tripod to get the right height.

My granddaughter is drawn to red objects and headed straight for the Astroscan when she saw it, though it will be a while before she understands what it is or does.

RickS
14-04-2015, 06:55 PM
Astro-Physics AP140EDF (thanks, Greg!) and the re-purposed guide scope :lol:

Joshua Bunn
14-04-2015, 06:57 PM
Drool!!
Do you have 2 rotators on that Tak, Rick?

RickS
14-04-2015, 07:17 PM
It has the Captain's Wheel thing which is not really that practical as a rotator and the CAA which works quite well, Josh. I just keep the Wheel screwed up tight and ignore it.

LewisM
14-04-2015, 07:20 PM
My latest anti-aperture fever tonic - as new 2001 Takahashi FS-78.

3 prior owners, 2 of whom are IIS known and loved :)

It came with the vari-extender, reducer, Tak prism diagonal, Tak finder, custom aluminium case and clamshell (not shown in pictures) - all for 1/6th the coast of Rick's new toy (and almost 1/6th the aperture :) )

Next Tak.... FSQ-130...HAHAHAHA

Also the FC-100 with newly restored Tak 7x50 finder in full imaging setup outside catching some sun from the upper balcony.

Joshua Bunn
14-04-2015, 07:22 PM
The CAA is a great piece of gear!

RickS
14-04-2015, 07:56 PM
Nice looking scope, Lewis! And the magical Fluorite too :thumbsup:



Yes, they work pretty well, Josh. I have heard of people needing to tighten them up but mine has not shown any flexure even with 5 or 6Kg on it.

Slawomir
15-04-2015, 09:54 AM
Beautiful scopes and well looked after. Looking forward to your new images Rick!

FlashDrive
16-04-2015, 06:43 PM
A decent sky tonight ... ready to go .... not a cloud to be seen.:2thumbs:

TeleVue Genesis SDF ( 101mm ) Petzval...

Col......:D

Joshua Bunn
16-04-2015, 06:49 PM
I needed to nick mine up just a tad, I say *needed*, but I like a rigid image train, its pretty tight now. There was not an alen key in town that would fit the small ones it has, needed to make my own, they are tinny!

Kunama
16-04-2015, 07:24 PM
Don't mention the cloudless skies too loudly, nice binos :thumbsup:

brian nordstrom
20-04-2015, 09:09 PM
:thumbsup:beautiful old mate , just beautiful .
You found the scope for life ? :shrug: , I have always liked these , well done Flash .
Brian.

TV76
21-04-2015, 09:35 PM
Hi Col,

Nice set up, hows those Televue bino to use? That thought if getting one has crossed my mind of late...

Cheers,
Alec

PS I found another TV76...

Larryp
21-04-2015, 10:04 PM
Nice set-up, Col :thumbsup:

cometcatcher
12-05-2015, 02:37 PM
Sorry North Queensland, I have bought rain! The cats (Rigel and Orion) wanted a new box. They told me the 8" box they previously had was very nice but they got box fever and wanted a bigger one. Reluctantly I got them a bigger 10" box. We came to an agreement that I get what's inside the box and they get the box. :lol:

Last pic is a size comparison between an 8" F4, a 10" F4 and the Ragdoll Orion.

RickS
12-05-2015, 03:04 PM
For a pair of cats I would have thought that a 12" box would be the minimum size, Kevin? And perhaps a box from a larger mount? :lol:

cometcatcher
12-05-2015, 04:03 PM
No 12" before I get an observatory lol. Now I need a bigger mount. Or get a decent drive for the Samson.

Ric
13-05-2015, 02:22 PM
I could just imagine what the cat's were saying.

"Quick hurry up and dump the junk out, we want to sit in the box" :D

cometcatcher
14-05-2015, 06:47 PM
That's exactly what they were thinking lol.

LewisM
14-05-2015, 07:17 PM
Update - Tak FS-78 now "promoted" to portable imager on the GPD2.

Now just to get that Atik 420...

FlashDrive
15-05-2015, 06:39 PM
Looks good Lewis ....:thumbsup:

Col...

Larryp
15-05-2015, 11:16 PM
Nice, Lewis

FlashDrive
25-05-2015, 01:03 PM
Very nice Mount Setup I purchased a couple of days ago....

Half Hitch ( FTX ) Mount on Berlebach ' Planet ' ( German ) Tripod.

I thought I had used ' smooth ' Mounts in my time ( and they have been )... but this Mount goes way beyond that... this has extremely ' silky smooth ' movement in both Alt/Az direction.

The Mount itself is an Engineering Marvel..... beautifully machined from Alloy.... superbly construsted and put together with absolute quality in mind.

These Mounts are known to support larger Refractors than mine.... right up to a TEC160.

Where the Mount connects to the Tripod, it may look like a ' weak ' point... but I can assure you it is very ' solid ' and no flexing.

A quick release adapter can be purchased from the USA ~$500.00AU.

.....I definitely don't need to look any further for another Mount.

Col.....:D

FlashDrive
25-05-2015, 01:12 PM
A couple more....

It has some ' weight ' in it...but still easy enough for 1 person to handle.

Col...:D

Kunama
25-05-2015, 01:13 PM
:eyepop: :thumbsup::eyepop:

That is a beautiful mount Col and I think you have picked the right tripod as well !!!

FlashDrive
25-05-2015, 02:20 PM
Thank You Matt .... Yes ...I've still got a smile on my face....:D

Col...

Larryp
25-05-2015, 04:30 PM
Nice setup, Col :thumbsup:

LewisM
25-05-2015, 05:06 PM
Now, sell me the Berlebach Col and I will be happy :)

EDIT: nevermind, my Planet just arrived from Finland Express :) :P

rrussell1962
25-05-2015, 06:15 PM
I must admit Col, you have impeccable taste in equipment.

E_ri_k
27-05-2015, 03:40 PM
It's been so cloudy lately, I got bored and built my own refractor :P

killswitch
28-05-2015, 10:39 AM
haha love it. It just needs an obsy now.

sn1987a
28-05-2015, 07:14 PM
I just mowed my lawn.:D

Ric
29-05-2015, 12:38 PM
Blimey, the grass must have been long if they suddenly appeared. :D

Camelopardalis
29-05-2015, 12:43 PM
I just want to know what fertiliser you use :confused2:

sn1987a
29-05-2015, 06:56 PM
I concentrate all the bulls hit life throws at me :D

alocky
29-05-2015, 07:26 PM
OMG is that a real Questar?! Wow!
:rofl:
Next month...

sn1987a
29-05-2015, 10:37 PM
good seeing/fortune favours the brave :D

sn1987a
29-05-2015, 10:49 PM
Saturn's lookin' pretty good at the moment! :P

MLyons
04-06-2015, 03:50 AM
Was renovating the observatory and generally checking to make sure all the family members were still in tip top shape.

Here they are in the garage..........:help::P

FlashDrive
04-06-2015, 07:47 AM
You definitely need another one ...... :P

Flash....:D

Camelopardalis
04-06-2015, 09:16 AM
Looks like a fine gaggle to me :D

Ric
05-06-2015, 11:49 AM
Can never have enough scopes Martin. :D

frankly1
13-06-2015, 09:42 AM
I enjoy looking at other peoples telescopes so thought this one should be put into the mix.
Finally finished, 18" (460mm) f4.7 mirror except for the odd tweak that will probably go on for ever... Mirror made from a 25mm thick piece of glass and silvered.


183602

ausastronomer
13-06-2015, 04:35 PM
And I bet you weren't looking at it through the very expensive over rated finderscope sitting in front of the real telescopes:poke:

Been there done that. It doesn't matter how good a 3.5" telescope is, it is still only a 3.5" telescope.

Cheers,
John B

FlashDrive
24-06-2015, 01:30 PM
A nice example of an early WO102mm f/7 Megrez....

I've had it out a couple of times ... no complaints... really nice to use..

A piece of William Optics history .... haven't seen many of these around either.... or are they ' hiding ' .

Col.....

Larryp
24-06-2015, 01:31 PM
Nice! Like the colour, Col :)

AlexN
24-06-2015, 08:45 PM
Hey col, I was the original buyer of that scope prior to its voyage to NZ. I got it cheap on account of the colour. The distributor was unable to move it because it's too wild for the general astro population.

I've only ever regretted selling two scopes. My c11xlt, and that one.

Enjoy it. It's a beauty.

Camelopardalis
24-06-2015, 08:49 PM
Looks a beauty Col :thumbsup: more makes should give that a go IMO

AlexN
24-06-2015, 08:55 PM
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showpost.php?p=373266&postcount=441

This was when I first got it. Looks as good now as it did then.

FlashDrive
24-06-2015, 09:00 PM
Thanks Larry ... yes.. not bad at all ... it's grown on me...:thumbsup:



Alex ....it certainly is nice to view thru' ... thank you.



A ' classic ' beauty mate...:D

Col.....

Camelopardalis
03-07-2015, 08:25 AM
...or Percy for short :D

This is my new, improved imaging rig. I know it's "just wrong" to be using a mere 1100D on such a scope, but one step at a time ;)

Many thanks to Astro Pete (http://astropetes.com.au) for such swift and friendly service :thumbsup:

LewisM
03-07-2015, 08:40 AM
Had Fatso a little while now (3 weeks or so), never taken baby pictures except when I first unboxed it.

FSQ-106ED "Fatso"

Still haven't used it in true anger yet - tonight is looking GOOD (but COLD)

Camelopardalis
03-07-2015, 08:43 AM
I hope the weather gods gaze kindly on Brisbane for our sins, Lewis...

Fancy a shoot-out? :P

LewisM
03-07-2015, 09:04 AM
Target - M8 suit? M8 always makes a fine test target :)

Let's hope the wind dies off...

Camelopardalis
03-07-2015, 09:36 AM
Yeah it's pretty windy today! I'm in the City so hopefully I can escape the LP some time next week and get some proper subs.

M8 sounds like a good test to me :)

RobC
03-07-2015, 10:48 AM
Dunk/Lewis,

What Marquess of Queensberry Rules will apply for the shootout ?

Cheers

Rob

Camelopardalis
03-07-2015, 01:10 PM
I had to look that up :lol:

No hugging is a deal breaker for me :help:

FlashDrive
03-07-2015, 01:20 PM
Lewis / Dunk ...
Nice gear ... both of you.
A' shoot ' out eh ... oooooooh ..... :evil2:

And the ' winner ' is .....

Col.....

LewisM
03-07-2015, 01:22 PM
I think that only this shall apply:

Should the contest be stopped by any unavoidable interference, the referee to name the time and place as soon as possible for finishing the contest; so that the match must be won and lost, unless the backers of both men agree to draw the stakes.

:P

blink138
17-07-2015, 04:22 PM
well it seems to be working! just started ccd imaging and here is my rig
pat

FlashDrive
30-07-2015, 05:06 PM
A ' BIG ' thanks to ' Bob the Builder ' for sending me this Heavy Duty Scope Case.
My TV SDF 101mm Scope sits perfectly in without any alterations at all.

When I close the case, the 2 upper inserts hold down the Scope in place to prevent any movement.

The lower compartment will be lined with a foam of sorts for padding to house the accessories.... I have ideas of dividing this compartment into several sections, so everything is not just ' floating ' around.

The ' original TV Case ' was a bit of a disaster inside, although useable.... I salvaged the TV Logo from it and placed it on the new Case.

Very pleased with my purchase.


The objective lens of the 101 is of an SD air spaced doublet design where two lenses (crown and flint) are matched to work as one; the positive element is of a fluorocrown substitute with special dispersion glass. In fact this design allows excellent color correction without annoying purple fringes (secondary color) common to less sophisticated achromatic refractors, and better than a number of older triplet and modern doublet apochromat designs. A fluorite doublet telecompressor/field flattener lens group provides flat field, wide angle capability. Spherical correction is very good also with the air gap objective contributing to this correction. Images of the stars and the planets are presented in their natural colors, daytime objects viewed at commonly used magnifications will appear quite three dimensional and sharp and contrasting.

Col.....

Atmos
30-07-2015, 05:39 PM
Nice looking scope there Col. Although the first thing I noticed was your Bias... I mean carpet ;)

Paul Haese
30-07-2015, 06:46 PM
Wow, I cannot believe this thread that I started way back when I was RR has had 212,000 views and is 68 pages long. HUGE!

Slawomir
30-07-2015, 08:43 PM
Hi Rumples Riot aka Paul Haese ;)

Indeed, it is a huge thread...in 2004 I did not even know telescopes existed... ;)

brian nordstrom
31-07-2015, 05:04 PM
:fight:
Brian

batema
03-08-2015, 05:31 PM
All is ready. Now just go away moon. Sunday night I head off to the middle of nowhere at Ayers Rock, which in itself is the middle of nowhere, to a very dark place. My boss the Astronomy Manager at the Ayers Rock Resort understands my enthusiasm and has organised three days off for me for my first imaging run. Bring on Sunday night and thanks Mike.

Very excited.

Mark

FlashDrive
03-08-2015, 10:27 PM
Very nice Scope you have Mark .... Top Quality Gear. :thumbsup:

Col.:D

Allan
04-08-2015, 06:46 PM
Mark, that's an incredibly beautiful setup you have put together.

It's a tragedy to put a camera where the eyepiece is supposed to go. :D

pgc hunter
09-08-2015, 09:42 PM
Is my quest for my perfect Grab n Go setup finally over?

codemonkey
15-08-2015, 09:36 AM
Well if this one doesn't satiate my appetite, I think the wife might divorce me!

AlexN
15-08-2015, 10:00 AM
Beautiful!

codemonkey
15-08-2015, 12:15 PM
Not bad eh? :D Now I just need to sort out the balance issue this beast causes. Got a couple of free weights in between the two stock EQ6 ones but they move around a bit so I don't think that's going to be a real solution.

Slawomir
15-08-2015, 12:25 PM
Beautiful telescope and a sure reason for the end of good weather in SQ...

I see your cat is into astronomy as well :)

AlexN
15-08-2015, 12:56 PM
Try packing the holes in the freeweights with blutac or something similar to act as a shim between the weight and the cw shaft. I once used a duct taped plastic bag full of sand as an extra weight when k was in desperate need.

AlexN
15-08-2015, 01:06 PM
Ps. It's looking suspiciously cloudy out Lee. Not pointing fingers or anything but you know. Nice new scope.

codemonkey
15-08-2015, 02:18 PM
I caught them both trying to nibble on the QHY5L after I left the scopes on the bench for a bit; cheeky little buggers.



Good idea, thanks Alex :-) I jammed them up with double-sided tape which has reduced the movement a bit. Hopefully enough until I get the new counterweight shaft, or the OAG... with the OAG on and the GT-81 off I might be able to balance with the stick counterweights alone.



haha. It's supposed to clear back up again according to clearoutside (http://clearoutside.com)

AlexN
15-08-2015, 02:35 PM
Awesome. I'm ready for more imaging. I've managed 7 nights out of the last 10.

Atmos
16-08-2015, 12:07 AM
Picked it up on Thursday afternoon but hadn't had a moment to even open a box until about 1pm today!
Had a little play with my brand new Sky Rover 130mm, QHY9 with QHYCFW2-M-US. Was having some serious pointing issues which cut my session down to not too long after I setup sadly. Need to find a new place in my back yard to setup after all of the rain we've had down here. Corner of the tripod sunk a tiny bit throwing everything out!

Just need one more piece of equipment and then I am all set, a bar to mount my guide scope onto. I had a plate that I discovered this evening is about half an inch too short :(

Although I didn't get a LOT achieved I managed to calculate that it runs at F/5.66 (736mm) with the 0.8x flattener reducer which should theoretically be within 0.5mm of optimal.

AlexN
16-08-2015, 12:28 AM
Looks the goods Colin. Should suck down the light something fierce af 130/5.66.

Don't buy a dovetail plate to mount a guide scope to.. Waste of money. Go to any engineering shop and get a 4mm thick aluminium plate offcut. Will probably get it free then drill a couple of holes and bobs your uncle.

Atmos
16-08-2015, 12:45 AM
That is the plan, I just had a spare laying around that I was hoping would fit it.

pgc hunter
17-08-2015, 01:06 AM
My 8" dob.

barx1963
23-08-2015, 05:50 PM
Well I have finally bit the bullet and purchased a decent mount for my Solar scope. Pic attached is of a brand new Orion Sirius EQ-G (Same as a HEQ-5 Pro) with my little Lunt attached.
Very happy with it so far, easy to setup, kept the Sun in centre of FOV despite my rough attempt at daytime polar aligning and it is really nice being able to focus without the image jumping all over the place.
Now I have to buy a scope so I can try it out at night!!

Malcolm

Graham Sanders
30-08-2015, 05:53 PM
I've had my 24" f/3.3 SDM for about 6 months, the scope is, in my opinion, the perfect visual setup! not toooo big however big enough for my physical limitations. Lockwood optics and Peter Read know how, offers deep space, planets and moon viewing with snap too focus, this scope puts smiles on faces! I can be viewing in around 10 minutes including collimation and star alighnment!

Dave47tuc
30-08-2015, 06:15 PM
Hi Graham,
I normally don't comment on people's scopes each to their own. But your quote "the perfect visual set up" I have to agree all my observing years behind me and many scopes as well your set up would be the one I would love to own.
Would love to read observing reports on that scope.
Really nice telescope congratulations.
Kind regards David.

Kunama
30-08-2015, 06:59 PM
I've been admiring your scope for months (and using your pdf of the build as a guide for making my current project :thanx::thanx::thanx: )

If my plans come to fruition I hope to build a clone of yours as my next project. ;)

Dave221
07-09-2015, 07:56 PM
My 152mm Adcock refractor.

stefang
08-09-2015, 11:03 AM
Avalon Instruments T-POD 130 Tripod (Italian Perfection),
DiscMounts DM-6 AltAz with 8" Pier riser,
10k Encoders
Nexus DSC
Celestron EdgeHD 11"

Black is the new Black
:)
stefan

brian nordstrom
08-09-2015, 11:03 AM
:thumbsup: Nice !
Brian.

Allan
08-09-2015, 09:53 PM
Very nice setup Stefan. I have a DM6 coming soon. My DM4 has been so good to me over the last couple of years it was a no brainer to get the 6 as well. I opted for the Losmandy FHD tripod instead, but did consider the T-POD. Interesting you went with the 10k encoders, did Tom put them in for you?

RickS
09-09-2015, 07:13 PM
Greg Bradley's loss is my gain :) AP140EDF and Apogee U16M on AP900GTO ready for more testing at home. Hoping to take this setup out for first light under dark skies this weekend at Glen Aplin.

AlexN
09-09-2015, 07:53 PM
Who sells an AP140EDF? (someone taking delivery of an RHA I guess).

Looks the business. Have fun with first light!

RickS
09-09-2015, 08:16 PM
Thanks, Alex :)

strongmanmike
09-09-2015, 09:35 PM
:eyepop: :love: yep.....

codemonkey
09-09-2015, 09:42 PM
Eh, not bad, Rick :p

RickS
09-09-2015, 10:06 PM
I hope to come back from the weekend with some great data, Mike & Lee :thumbsup:

strongmanmike
09-09-2015, 10:55 PM
Greg will be watching his baby....so make sure it is ;)

Mike

DavidTrap
09-09-2015, 11:01 PM
Hope the camera is fixed Rick!

Enjoy!

DT

batema
09-09-2015, 11:09 PM
Looks fantastic Rick. Have fun.

stefang
10-09-2015, 12:47 AM
Hi Allan
Yes tom did the install after I sourced them Here and shipped them. I'm so impressed with the mount. Handles the edgeHD 11" as if it wasn't even there. I'm amazed at how smooth the friction plates are, and according to tom they only get better with age like a good red!

Clear skies
Stefan

Allan
11-09-2015, 02:35 PM
Good one Stefan. I'm going to the WSP in Florida next February and I've already talked to Tom about it. He brings his TEC180 along on a DM6, so I look forward to spending a few hours with him. He seems like a top guy.

FlashDrive
11-09-2015, 10:26 PM
Stefan ..... nice rig you got ...love the Tripod .... the whole setup oozes ' QUALITY '

Col.....

Slawomir
12-09-2015, 10:22 PM
The telescope + mount and the "attachments" look very good Rick :thumbsup:

I hope you don't mind me asking- what power distributor and power supply do you use? I am looking at replacing...let me do the math...5 power supplies with just one of good quality.

PeterHA
14-09-2015, 01:57 PM
Hi Stefan,

Great setup.
Hope you have the new firmware 1.1.8 with the new catalogue updates.


Adds:
Asterisms, Bayers, Flamsteed, Palomar, SAO and Terzan as well as Asteroids and Comets
As if 1.6 Million objects would not be enough!

New Functionality to Find mode and Tour mode with altitude limits and indication in Find if objects are below limit.

Regards,

Peter

Allan
22-09-2015, 10:12 PM
My all new travel setup came together today with the delivery of a Gitzo GT5532S carbon tripod. Mount is a DSV-M from Desert Sky Astro on a 6" extension, and of course a TV85 sitting on top.

All up weight is 8.6kg, which is perfect for what I plan to use it for. Now waiting for some holes in the cloud to use it all for the first time.

brian nordstrom
25-09-2015, 01:24 PM
:) Perfect.
Brian.

Retrograde
26-09-2015, 01:38 PM
A quick pic of the ED 102 on the new AZ-EQ6 from when I first received it.

GC - South Aus
26-09-2015, 05:21 PM
G'day All

Love this thread! It is so inspiring to see all these setups and to gain ideas for your own.

It is amazing how far this thread has come.

Keep them coming. :thumbsup:

Regards

Gav

PeterHA
30-09-2015, 09:09 AM
All,
I have upgraded from my Argo Navis to the new NexusDSC, a super dimmable OLED display, 1.6 million objects, GPS, numeric key pad and smaller form factor is just great.
Works on both my 12" Dobson and my AOK AYO mount with refractors.

Kunama
04-10-2015, 07:20 PM
Nice setup Peter, I am thinking of the Nexus DSC for my ATM build as well.

Kunama
04-10-2015, 07:28 PM
After trying out just about every reasonably affordable Takahashi, I have settled on this combination as my travelling companions (my wife said I couldn't take the big Dob travelling with us).....

Considering the CN-212 is a 10 year old scope, it is absolutely immaculate in every way, thanks Steve (Unipol) for taking such good care of it :bowdown: it truly is a credit to you and the meticulous way you look after your gear....

The little one alongside is my Grab and Go FC76DC, a lovely little Takker.

FlashDrive
04-10-2015, 08:32 PM
Just beautiful Matt .....superb condition ....really really nice indeed.

Col....:D

ariefm71
10-10-2015, 12:25 AM
Just another CN-212... shipped all the way from Perth :)

Not as nice as Matt's CN-212 cosmetically, but the mirrors look pristine... think I've finally found a keeper :D

Now how do I mount this...

Kunama
10-10-2015, 05:04 PM
Hello Arief, Great to catch up the other evening.
Cosmetics are nice but it's the mirror that counts !!
Did it come with all the Newtonian bits ?
I haven't had a chance to use mine yet, (no mount) but am taking it tonight for the Canberra Astro Society Dark Sky night (if these clouds will dissipate).....

I have an SXW that I will try it on but it is at the top limit weight wise for the little Vixen mount.

casstony
10-10-2015, 06:27 PM
Finally got my FLT132 up and running. To cut a long story short, WO cut me a deal on making a substandard used purchase into a brand new scope. The old lens had astigmatism, SA and soft high power images; the new lens is very nice and the R&P Rotolock focuser works well. The old lens is now out of circulation.

ariefm71
10-10-2015, 06:52 PM
Great to meet you again! Yes, it comes with both Cass and Newt secondaries and bits. The Tak collimation scope is not included though, which I don't think is part of the original package anyway.

I'm using the William Optics V dovetail attached to the tube rings. Seems to work fine riding on the Celestron Evolution mount with CPC11 tripod.

Kunama
11-10-2015, 10:59 AM
A thousand words .............

Atmos
11-10-2015, 01:30 PM
That second picture makes it look like some form of death ray! Brilliant looking piece of equipment, looks fantastic :D

Kunama
11-10-2015, 01:39 PM
Thanks, it is pointed toward Mike Sidonio's place at Wallaroo :P bouncing a few extra photons in his direction...

(while set up at Stromlo I had a few people come up to look at it, including several who asked: "What is it ? "

LewisM
11-10-2015, 03:00 PM
Yeah right, more like sucking a few million photons AWAY from Wallaroo.

He'll blame ya... beware, he could have Cosa Nostra influences :P

Allan
11-10-2015, 07:18 PM
Beautiful Dob Matt. You should be very proud of what you have achieved.

DJT
11-10-2015, 08:23 PM
:shrug:

I may need to redefine portable..

First time out on the Berlebach Planet Tripod. Seriously good bit of kit. Its very solid indeed. This is the first time I have used the mount outside of the obsy so a bit of a learning curve but a lot of fun.

GSO RC8, STL 6303 on an AP900. Happy as a pig in S*&^

FlashDrive
11-10-2015, 08:38 PM
I can vouch for that David ... very stable indeed.

Col....:D

Kunama
16-10-2015, 12:16 PM
With thanks to Steve for the scope, Dave for the mount, Lewis for the Tak/Vixen adapter and to Australia Post for not losing it !!! I now have a working telescope setup for my travels.......

Pic 1. Takahashi CN-212 on Vixen SXW-Starbook


Pic 2. My little Grab&Go FC76DC/Porta II on Manfrotto 055CX3 and
Berry & Mackay 3.25" F15 c1880s to show how function has overtaken form to a degree.

LewisM
16-10-2015, 12:34 PM
Time for an update.

My recently acquired through trade (I traded my FSQ-106ED) FSQ-106N, fitted in the new K-Astec 114mm rings with K-Astec accessory plate and new style Vixen rail. SBIG ST-8300C. Riding on my venerable Vixen GPD2 mount that I have fitted the Synscan system to.

Only thing soon to change is the guidescope - got a spare Tak 7x50 finder, and will convert it as the converted Celestron shown suffers astigmatism. Fine for a finder I guess, not great for a guidescope.

Also shown is the name plaque I had made for the GPD2 - I call her Eris for 2 reasons - Eris is the one TNO that truly fascinates me, and also, Eris was the Greek goddess of strife and discord - whenever I do imaging, my wife rolls her eyes and get's huffy :)

ariefm71
16-10-2015, 12:35 PM
The SXW color is a bit off... just kidding :D
That's a sweet combo, Matt. I really like the battery compartment as well.

Kunama
16-10-2015, 01:18 PM
Might have to get another can of Tak green paint for the mount :D


Nice combo there Lewis!!!!
I have listed your scope in my signature just in case ;);)

LewisM
16-10-2015, 01:25 PM
You never got the GPD2 back, so don't count your pollos :P

FlashDrive
16-10-2015, 03:39 PM
.......:rofl:

Nice setups by the way .... Lewis / Kunama

Rather ' Flash ' I thought.....:P

Poppy...:D

N1
16-10-2015, 03:46 PM
Nice collection Kunama.
Although - I've always been wondering about your avatar, but too lazy/busy to be trawling the archives - is that a Perseus? And if so, what happened to it?

Kunama
16-10-2015, 04:03 PM
Yes, an Istar Perseus AT150 F10 , a nice achromatic beast but it became 'collateral damage' when I succumbed to a bout of Takitis.

FlashDrive
17-10-2015, 05:39 PM
http://scopeviews.co.uk/TakFS102.htm

http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/entryvotes.php?sectionid=12&entryid=21&page=3

FS102 ... Look at her gorgeous lines.....

Flash......:D

dreamstation
17-10-2015, 07:16 PM
Where do I place my order? Looks absolutely stunning. Excellent craftsmanship! I wish I had the know how to start a project like that but alas wood and metal working is not my forte.

Kunama
17-10-2015, 07:56 PM
That is beautiful Poppy, I am very glad to have got my 'Dibs !!' in before anyone else .......... Might have to release my Dibs on Lewis's 106N.

in the meantime the clouds have again foiled any attempt to get out to view here in Can-beer-y


Thanks James,
I am going to begin the UTA for the next one this week (from the left overs of this scope), A 10" F6 Zambuto deserves time under the heavens ..........
I did a 55 page PowerPoint presentation today on the build of the "Sweet Guinevere"

Kunama
05-11-2015, 05:28 PM
My Ultimate Grab and Go setup..... an Original ES Astroscan Made in USA with the ES Parabolic mirror , a fine rich-field scope....

I enlarged the Astroscan base mounting hole and re-tapped the thread to 3/8" and fitted it to my Markins ball head atop the Manfrotto 055CXPro3 tripod.
Eyepiece is the ES RKE28 'Floater'

Ultra Light ...... Ultra Portable ...... Astro Chic :D

FlashDrive
05-11-2015, 06:20 PM
Way to go Matt .... ' The Kunama Grab and Go ' Wide Field Array. :D

They'll be lining up to get a look thru' that :thumbsup:

Poppy :D

MortonH
05-11-2015, 06:43 PM
Wow, the Astroscan looks brand new!

brian nordstrom
09-11-2015, 10:21 AM
:thumbsup: Way to go Matt .

Yes as you say a very fine rich field scope , a fellow club member had one of these when I was in NZ , she got Her's from Cashies for a song ( don't think they really knew what it was , this was before the 'Google' days ;) ) but it impressed us all cruzing the southern milky way with the 28mm and the Pleides were spectacular ! .

Also those 'peep' sights work very well , enjoy mate , perfect grab and go scope .

Brian.

iandix
10-11-2015, 05:26 AM
I have an Astroscan in my garage that I have been thinking about cleaninh up and using again. Nice to see others out there:D

Slawomir
12-11-2015, 04:53 PM
My current set-up for astrophotography. I hit a hurdle while simplifying wires and power supplies, but all has been sorted.

brian nordstrom
23-11-2015, 04:15 PM
:thumbsup: Nice solid looking set up , I would love one of those mounts ,,,, but sadly not right now .
Brian.

Frostyricho
24-11-2015, 08:48 AM
Hi everyone, i thought this might be a good place to post this but is there anyone here who does astrophotography with a 8" dobsonian on a equatorial mount. I want to see if there is anyone using a dobsonian for astrophotography, i know it is hard to do but i know it is possible with some money put into it, just want to see some set ups and that.

Cheers:)

sn1987a
26-11-2015, 02:11 PM
I use an iPhone 6 for astrophotography with my dob setup here :D


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh00nv9wtqQ

LightningNZ
27-11-2015, 11:24 AM
I've got a friend who does a bit of astrophotography in NZ on his 12" tracking Skywatcher dob and a Canon DSLR. His results are pretty darn good. I think his exposures are usually around 30 seconds to avoid field rotation. PM me and I can put you touch - he doesn't post here as far as I'm aware.

Cheers,
Cam

Slawomir
27-11-2015, 11:29 AM
Thank you Brian.

These are good mounts and I hope you will acquire one sooner than you think :thumbsup:

FlashDrive
02-12-2015, 03:24 PM
FS78 ... real nice ... 1st light for me the other night...didn't disappoint.

Poppy .... :D

FlashDrive
02-12-2015, 03:58 PM
FS102 .... big brother to FS78.

Had it out a few times since purchase .... just superb in every way.

I got hold of a machined Finder Bracket and fitted the Star Beam RDF.


Poppy....:)

FlashDrive
06-12-2015, 03:23 PM
The other one.... Genesis SDF

Col....

Kunama
06-12-2015, 03:48 PM
I hope you're taking good care of my FS102 Poppy !!!
I have just the mount for it too, just finished repainting the counterweights which were the only blemish on an otherwise near new condition EM10 USD3.

FlashDrive
06-12-2015, 04:01 PM
Fabulous Mount Matt....

Looks real nice....:D

Kunama
07-12-2015, 08:14 PM
Thanks Flash,
My new T-Rex also arrived from Barry of Kokusai Kohki, Japan, today resplendent in its Takahashi Green livery....
The T-Rex is such a smooth mount, I had almost forgotten how good it is.

Here is a preview on the Tak EM10 tripod ......

The custom paintwork is a perfect match for Takahashi scopes !!!!

LewisM
07-12-2015, 08:52 PM
That EM10 is going to look PERFECT with my old FC-76 on it.

Remember to gift wrap it Matt

FlashDrive
07-12-2015, 08:56 PM
Now that is one good looking T-Rex Setup.:thumbsup:

Col....

barx1963
10-12-2015, 10:00 PM
Now I will probably get in trouble with my visual observing buddies, but here is my imaging setup as I have put it together over the past 2 months.
Orion Sirius G Mount
SW ED80 Pro Gold Tube (modified with carbon graphite lookalike wrapping!)
Orion ST80 Guidescope
Canon 760D Camera
Orion Star Shoot Pro Autoguider
A little 11" Toshiba Laptop
PHD2 and Backyard EOS
A few other bits and pieces and a little friend under the lemon tree.

Malcolm

Allan
13-12-2015, 05:40 PM
I've never seen a TOA130 in the flesh, and my immediate impression was how imposing and beautiful it looks, as nice as any refractor I've seen. Photos don't do it justice.

So I got it home yesterday as the last piece of my all new setup. I've been slowly buying parts over the last couple of months while I waited to collect the telescope. I went for an AP MaxBright diagonal and a really nice BT Tech dovetail plate that's machined to accept the Tak clamshell. I bought a DM6 to mount it on, and a Losmandy FHD tripod with a 12" extension. Finally a Nexus DSC and TV Starbeam sit on top of the DM6.

A few thoughts about the setup. I don't find the scope overly heavy, contrary to what is often written. It's all a matter of perspective I guess, but all dressed to go with clamshell, dovetail plate, diagonal and the counter weight it comes in at 14kg. My 12" Orion OTA weighs 24kg, and I carry that around no problem, so by comparison the TOA130 is of little effort.

But, the tripod/mount is a different story. It weighs 27kg, which is starting to feel on the heavy side, because it is a lot more awkward to carry. This is my first foray into larger refractors, and I can see how the mount is what becomes a hassle as the size increases, rather than the OTA. Anyway, I should be good for at least another 20 years, but when I turn into an old geezer I might have to get a wheel kit to move it around.

First light was this afternoon after I took the photos. I put my Baader solar wedge in the scope and did a bit of solar observing. I was amazed at how much more detail I could see compared to my NP101, lifetime best views of the sun straight up, so that was pretty nice. I'm not much of a solar observer, so I have my fingers crossed it stays clear for tonight and I can get down to business.

I spent a long time weighing up choices along the lines of the TSA120, FS128 and TEC140. So far I am extremely happy with my decision, but time under the stars will tell.

Camelopardalis
13-12-2015, 07:03 PM
"when" :P :lol:

Looks a beauty Allan, look forward to seeing it in action sometime :thumbsup:

Allan
13-12-2015, 11:24 PM
Thanks Dunk. I'll probably take it to SPSP next year. If you're going you can have a session with it then.

First light tonight is going well. The sky here is great, no cloud and pretty good seeing. I'm looking forward to observing Jupiter in a couple of hours when it rises.

Camelopardalis
14-12-2015, 12:25 PM
One extra reason to go Allan :D

Kunama
14-12-2015, 12:37 PM
NicE !!!!! :eyepop:

MortonH
14-12-2015, 12:44 PM
Never looked through a Tak. Wouldn't mind this being the first!

Allan
15-12-2015, 08:40 PM
No worries Morton, pencil in the SPSP and we'll go nuts.

AstroApprentice
19-12-2015, 07:29 PM
Hi All,
I would like to show you my Travelscope kit based on a Borg ED89 F/6.7. It's very light & portable with the entire setup weighing only ~7 kg.
The kit includes: Borg OTA with helical focuser & padded bag; 2" WO durabright diag; Gitzo 2541 tripod; Desert Sky DSV-M alt/az mount; Baader Skysurfer V rdf; & 2 x eps (2" Baader 8-24 mm zoom & 1.25" Edmund RKE 28 mm).
Importantly, I love the optical quality of the objective and with no offence intended to the white tube traditionalists, I'm also rather fond of the Black Borg appearance.
Thanks to the many posts on this forum that informed my decisions on each & every component.
Regards, J.

jenchris
19-12-2015, 08:18 PM
Ed100, ssag, f5 102 guider, neq6pro. Deepcycle110ah ....
Wyaralong dam.

GrampianStars
20-12-2015, 02:30 PM
WoW :eyepop:
talk about a solid setup there :thumbsup:

DJT
20-12-2015, 10:57 PM
Orion optics VX12L on an AP900

Managed a first light image tonight with a 10 minute NGC2070, dslr, guided and with a Baader MCC and happy as a pig in blah,blah,blah.

Admittedly , not all that sure what I am going to do with it but looking forward to finding out. Either way it's destined for the dark site and am already enjoying the views.

Cheers

ian fry
22-12-2015, 09:19 PM
Hi all

well after a very long wait about 4mths and then 3 weeks stuck in customs my Tak FC-100DL is here.
The Black 6x30 finder bracket is still stuck at customs , so im using a black 7x50 finder bracket and the Kokusai Kohki EF-508 finder scope for now.

cheers

Kunama
22-12-2015, 09:24 PM
Nice one Ian !!! That should perform like your previous FL102S. Look forward to your thoughts, I have been considering placing an order for one of these as well to put on the EM10 USD-3.

FlashDrive
22-12-2015, 09:31 PM
Mickey Mouse Ian .... looks real nice indeed ...glad you have it now...:thumbsup:
Great photos .... f/9 awesome.

Col...:D

ian fry
22-12-2015, 09:44 PM
Thanks Matt, had to convince Claude that tak was doing the FC`100DL F9. After a couple of emails to Tak they said yes. Been a long wait , placed the order in august. just waiting for clear night now:)

ian fry
22-12-2015, 09:47 PM
Happy days col :) Hope you like the black 7x50 bracket

ian fry
23-12-2015, 10:05 PM
Hi

The rain stopped got out and took some new photos of the ota . Also had a gap in the clouds. got to have my first 5 min look at the moon before dark , :D very sharp and great contrast.
Just need a nice clear night and i'll do a side by side with the tsa.

Larryp
23-12-2015, 10:56 PM
Looks great, Ian:thumbsup:

FlashDrive
23-12-2015, 11:21 PM
Happy days have just begun.....:D

:hi:

ian fry
24-12-2015, 05:39 AM
Thanks Laurie. Have to get together after Xmas and do a side by side:thumbsup:

ian fry
24-12-2015, 05:42 AM
:cloudy::cloudy:[QUOTE=FlashDrive;1221099][I]Happy days have just begun.....:D

:hi:

Yeah very happy :D just need the cloudy sky's to clear. May have to take a holiday up north :)

Allan
24-12-2015, 09:18 AM
Looking good there Ian. Do you plan to keep both? I hope you post your side by side opinion on these 2 great scopes.

ian fry
25-12-2015, 08:22 AM
Hi Allan

I'm thinking about keeping both, but if the FC is that close when I get to the side by side i will sell.
Friend from Japan did say that the DL has been getting amazing reports 😊

I did this photo with the iPhone 5 last night hand held no tracking in bad seeing using 24 mm LE

Profiler
27-12-2015, 10:06 AM
A side by side comparison will be pretty meaningless as both are beautiful pieces of optics but the 20mm aperture differences throws everything out the window.

What is however very interesting is the colour/contrast variations in the lens which are presumably attributable to where the glass is being made and who is coating it. A number of folks o'seas have commented on the green hue on some Taks and now the new FCs are returning to the original clear/transparent coatings.

Kunama
28-12-2015, 09:12 AM
I, for one, would like to see a side by side of these two scopes both being 900mm focal length, the TSA with its perfect colour correction would make a great scope to compare the performance of the FC100DL. Yes, the extra aperture will give an edge to the TSA overall but I would not consider the comparison meaningless.

"In the blue corner, the incredibly well corrected 120mm F7.5 Super Apochromat versus in the red corner, the 100mm F9 Fluorite Doublet .......... let's rumble !!!!"

The referee for the match, also from Japan, the beautiful Tak FC76DCsv on EM10 USD-3

The green hue of the coatings is only visible looking into the objective from the outside, these is no visible hue in the TSA120 when viewing with it. The light coffee colour of the FC100DL is an interesting change, given that the FC76 has deeper green coatings.

Allan
28-12-2015, 10:47 AM
Matt, someone needs to install the Like button on IIS.

casstony
30-12-2015, 04:17 PM
William Optics FLT98. This is my second one, both having very good optics. The pic is a 30 sec snapshot from last night.
I also managed to get a faint image of the Horsehead and Flame, almost enough enticement to get into proper imaging. NGC3372 shows up well in a 30 sec shot too, but for some reason my pic was covered in a bright meteor shower :)

04Stefan07
10-01-2016, 07:23 PM
My Lunt LS50T Ha setup on my AZ3.

iborg
14-01-2016, 08:31 PM
Hi All

Since the thread is here, here are some photos of my setup.

The dew heater is installed in the photos, but, hard to see at the front of the telescope. It is made from high wattage, low value resistors, wired in series and sealed in heatshrink tubing.

Enjoy

Philip

stefang
19-01-2016, 06:03 PM
Here is a pic of my Xmas present to myself.

APM 100 mm 45° ED-Apo Binocular with 1,25" Eyepiece Sockets (http://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/binoculars/giant-binoculars-100mm-aperture-more/apm-100-mm-45-ed-apo-binocular-1-25-eyepiece-sockets2.html)

First light last night (18/1/2016) on My Discmounts DM-6.

As they say why have 1 x 100mm APO when you can have 2 with a handle. :)

First Light Report
Baader Mark III zoom (8-24mm) eyepieces- Sadface. There doesnt appear to be enough infocus travel to resolve focus using these EP's. I tried at every setting, and even swapped out barrels etc.

Dekmeier LOA's 3D Eyepieces
Orion looked pretty amazing last night even with a 1/2 moon. Certainly not as contrasty as when used in my Tak TSA , or 127. I look foward to trying them at Wiruna.

Denkmeier 21mm EPS'
These were awesome. Nice Exit pupil, great field of view and the best of the night.

Televue 24mm Panoptics.
Obviously a lower mag and larger FOV, but i didn't think they were as clear as the Denk 21mms.

I look forward to retesting under dark skies later next month at Wiruna, and also with a set of Docter 12.5mm EP's.

Merry Xmas and Clear Skies.
stefan

Kunama
19-01-2016, 06:45 PM
Now that is what I call a decent pair of binoculars !!!! Beautiful :eyepop:

FlashDrive
19-01-2016, 07:16 PM
@Stefang .... just a super setup .... very nice indeed :thumbsup:

Col...

mynameisearl
26-01-2016, 07:33 PM
Hi Guys

I'm not sure where to actually post this so sorry if this thread is incorrect.

We have been given a telescope and we would like to sell but know little about it.

From google it seems it is quite rare these days to have one. We just want to move it on and would like to know how much its worth.

Details are:
Celestron SP(super) C8 Schmidt-Cassegrain
8"(200mm)aperture...f/10 (2000mm focal length) product #11025

It come complete with accessories in a steel chest.

Judging by the research I have done today, its worth somewhere between $800-$5000 lol, just need to define that a little smile

We really would appreciate any help

Cheers Mark

brian nordstrom
26-01-2016, 07:46 PM
:thumbsup: well done ! these are not bad scopes , I would say between $1000- 1500 depending on extras and condition ., photos please ?

Mods this would be better in the Beginners Eq discussiion , dont you think ?

Brian.

RB
26-01-2016, 08:25 PM
Hi Mark.

Firstly I've deleted your other post because it was a duplicate of this one and it was in the wrong section.
Also just be aware that you won't be able to place an ad here on IIS until you've been a member for one month and you have to have made at least five posts.
This is to protect our members from potential scammers.

Also it's best if you start your own thread in the "Equipment Section' and ask any advice in your own thread.

This thread is for showing your equipment but I'll allow this post to stay for now.

Just be aware of the rules of the forum (Read the TOS) and welcome to IIS.



I'll leave this one post here for now Brian.

mynameisearl
26-01-2016, 10:10 PM
Thanks Andrew, very sorry I wasn't sure where to start, but thank you for the direction and comments :)

Thank you Brian, yes it's a very nice unit and looks expensive, very happy to have possession of it.
Once I have the full list of everything that is with I'll let you know

Cheers
Mark

FlashDrive
27-01-2016, 08:20 PM
Nice clean ' light weight ' setup .....

HAL-130 Tripod is light, but very strong and sturdy .... lighter than my previous ' Planet ' Tripod.

Col...

Somnium
27-01-2016, 08:31 PM
Nice Tak Col

Kunama
27-01-2016, 08:38 PM
Nice outfit Flash ! Might be a bit more G&G than the previous setup! :thumbsup:

Kunama
27-01-2016, 08:44 PM
Got home from Sydney to find that the DHL man had paid a visit.........

This is the new Baader Broadband Hard Silver - Sitall 2" ClickLock diagonal with collimatable dielectric overcoated silver mirror:
"
Perfect 2" diagonal mirror with BBHS silver coating and best mechanics from Baader
♦ Sitall glassceramics - no thermal expansion
♦ 1/10 lambda surface quality
♦ BBHS coating - broadband hard silver coating with protective dielectric coating
♦ 140 layers for 99% reflection - scratch-proof and long-lasting
♦ perfectly planar
♦ 2" clamping with ClickLock - clamps precise and stable, like screwed "

No guessing what the clouds are doing tonight :sadeyes:

The CN Kit is just about ready for the Tak-Attack in April, just need to make a DSC holder and fit the JMI-TNT motors.....

brian nordstrom
27-01-2016, 09:11 PM
:thumbsup: Woaw ! thats very nice Matt .
Brian.

FlashDrive
27-01-2016, 09:16 PM
@Matt .... oooh ... TAK Green T-Rex ... looks real nice...so does the 212.

:( ... and this is what I'm going to miss at the up coming TAK Party ...:(

That new Diagonal ' reeks ' Quality ....:thumbsup:

Col...

Somnium
27-01-2016, 09:34 PM
okay i need to break the string of Taks and bring it down to Newt town. this is my set up as is, it should be a little different soon with the arrival of my new scope.

Atmos
27-01-2016, 09:43 PM
So many Taks for me to drool over ;)
I think I spot and EQ6 tripod in the background too Adain!

Somnium
27-01-2016, 09:54 PM
indeed you do, it will be posted on the classifieds at some point, when i can get around to it.

glnn_23
29-01-2016, 12:35 PM
I have been looking to downsize everything and managed to get one of these 130mm refractors new.

I have a Half Hitch FTX in the post and am looking at getting a solid wooden tripod.

Camelopardalis
29-01-2016, 12:51 PM
Nice! Post more pics please when it's on its mount :D

MortonH
29-01-2016, 01:25 PM
Looks like you'll have to send it back. They've put the focuser on upside down.

Kunama
29-01-2016, 01:32 PM
Very nice pickup, Solid wooden tripod = Berlebach Planet :thumbsup:

sn1987a
29-01-2016, 03:11 PM
New scope for cloudy nights! :P

Somnium
29-01-2016, 03:45 PM
i have been thinking about getting a microscope, it would be extremely interesting but i have no idea what a decent one would be (bang for the buck), i wonder what the 10"dob of the microscope world is...

sn1987a
29-01-2016, 06:13 PM
The one pictured there with the two extra Eps was just $590 which seemed very reasonable to my untrained, never bought a microscope before eye. This guy Chris at http://www.opticalguru.com/ is trying to sell down his stocks and retire I think and is giving great discounts if anyone is interested.

Somnium
29-01-2016, 08:07 PM
thanks for that