After an almost EXACTLY 4 month hiatus, I am back in the saddle tonight. Not as perfect as last night, with SOME passing cloud (SLOW passing at that), but the seeing seems easily a 7/10.
Using the Tak FSQ85 and FLI ML8300 OSC (using an IDAS LP filter on it tonight) for their first times, all riding on the Vixen GPD2 mount. I have to say the Tak is really sharp, but as usual, needed a kilometer of spacers... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR - will Tak ever make a sensible length drawtube????? The FLI is.. well, beyond words. In a word, simply phenomenal - and to think I almost bought an SBIG ST2000XM instead.. ay yai yai!
Had initial guidescope problems - first time using the William Optics helical focus guidescope. Will be reverting to my converted Tak finder again tomorrow, as I simply cannot space the WO precisely for my Lodestar without making a custom locking ring. The Tak conversion just works out of the box
Then MaxIM refused to stabilise guiding, even though the calibration plots were perfect L's. Odd. So, fired up good OLD PHD, and bang, been rock solid for the last hour. Doing 10 minute subs, but may crank that up to 30.
Here's the 5 minute test shot for framing (moved it some later) - scaled down from original