Quote:
Originally Posted by lazjen
Bill, I've got the same scope and I'm also finding it good as well. I added a Sharpsky Pro motorised focuser to it to control the focusing from the computer. The focuser that come with the unit is good and holds position well.
I've got a reducer that I'd like to get set up with the scope, but I haven't got the correct spacing as yet - I need to shave some mm off which is a bit hard with the FW and OAG in the mix as well. Theoretically I can do it, but it's getting the "shorter" connectors between some pieces that's the key.
I am having issues with dew and I've now got a dew strap. The Sharpsky Pro unit comes with a heater controller as well, so once I learn to RTFM  and work out how to operate the heater controls, I should hopefully have the dew issues sorted as well. |
Very interested to hear from someone who has the same scope. Sounds like you've got a different reducer. What do the stars in the corners of your field look like?
I don't use an OAG, using an autoguider instead, so my train isn't quite as long, I guess. I think I'm going to be adding millimetres. I think I'll end up doing it by replacing an M48-M42 stepdown with a slightly longer one. There are a large number available, none all that expensive (mostly around $15), and all different depths.
I focus using my fingers. I know it's old school, but my technique is that I take an exposure of a handy cluster or something, then look at the preview zoomed to the max, then adjust and take another. While tracking, if you take a number of exposures, you can flick through them all at max zoom, and get a pretty good understanding of what the best one is. You then have to get back to it, which is the trick...
I'm planning a visit to a dark sky site next weekend for Centaurus A (weather permitting, of course) and at this stage they're forecasting freezing temperatures both Friday and Saturday. I don't have any dew zapping equipment, so I'm going to take my daughter's hair dryer! A few seconds blowing on low power and warm heat down the dew hood between subs should do the trick, and I'm hoping it won't upset the optics too much. I'll get a couple of dew straps, but I have to pay for school fees and a final payment on a bathroom before that's going to be possible.
Strangely enough, and this might be not using the scope to its best abilities, I don't use it for visual work, and I don't have any (decent) eyepieces, I just use it for photography.
Bill