Go Back   IceInSpace > Equipment > Equipment Discussions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread
  #1  
Old 09-10-2015, 09:29 PM
E_ri_k (Erik)
Registered User

E_ri_k is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Lakes Entrance
Posts: 846
Paramount MX, first use and thoughts

I bought Greg's Paramount MX a couple of months ago, and I now have it all up and running with the TOA-150 and the ed80 guide scope. Its a fair bit of weight, but so far it has handled it beautifully. I have the counterweights almost at the bottom of the shaft, so I might think about adding another one higher up.

I replaced the belts, as per Greg's advice, as the originals were a little worn, and I can't believe how well it is performing. I haven't had to throw away a single sub due to poor tracking/guiding.

My old G11 was a good mount, but there were times I'd fight with it in order to get round stars. I recall the RMS errors of the G11 would sit around the 0.300-0.500 range. I have the PMX at 0.050 That is totally new to me!

The homing feature is an added bonus, and I love it. Makes start up so easy. Also, once synchronised, each goto is pretty well centred on the CCD.

Being able to track further past the meridian is also new to me, although depending on the target I'm a bit limited as the back of the scope is on a collision course with the pier.

Its a really well made mount, I can't list any cons at the moment. The SkyX took a little time to get used to, but it wasn't too hard to work it out. I am only using it to operate the mount, so I haven't explored its full list of features.

MaximDL works really well with TSX also, so I'm still using that as my image capturing software.

I'm hoping it will give me many nights of joy

Erik
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-10-2015, 09:34 PM
RickS's Avatar
RickS (Rick)
PI cult recruiter

RickS is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 10,584
Good luck with it, Erik! A good mount just sits there quietly and works without giving you any grief
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-10-2015, 10:28 PM
Logieberra's Avatar
Logieberra (Logan)
Registered User

Logieberra is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1,644
Good for you Eric. I loved my MX too. Real pride of ownership stuff
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-10-2015, 10:57 PM
gregbradley's Avatar
gregbradley
Registered User

gregbradley is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 18,183
Its a good mount. I am glad you are enjoying it.

So now you can simply concentrate on the imaging and not worry about tracking and getting round stars. Its a relief when you get that.

Greg.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-10-2015, 02:49 PM
E_ri_k (Erik)
Registered User

E_ri_k is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Lakes Entrance
Posts: 846
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickS View Post
Good luck with it, Erik! A good mount just sits there quietly and works without giving you any grief
Thanks Rick, lets hope so. I haven't let it run un-supervised a whole night yet. Need to get a hold of a motorised focuser for it first. Focus drops out a couple of times over 2-3 hours.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Logieberra View Post
Good for you Eric. I loved my MX too. Real pride of ownership stuff
It looks pretty flash too in red and black

Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbradley View Post
Its a good mount. I am glad you are enjoying it.

So now you can simply concentrate on the imaging and not worry about tracking and getting round stars. Its a relief when you get that.

Greg.
Thanks Greg, that's the plan. Hows the AP1600 going?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-10-2015, 03:04 PM
codemonkey's Avatar
codemonkey (Lee)
Lee "Wormsy" Borsboom

codemonkey is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Kilcoy, QLD
Posts: 2,058
Quote:
Originally Posted by E_ri_k View Post
My old G11 was a good mount, but there were times I'd fight with it in order to get round stars. I recall the RMS errors of the G11 would sit around the 0.300-0.500 range. I have the PMX at 0.050 That is totally new to me!
Bugger me. 0.58 RMS is a good night for me, lately been 0.8 and sometimes higher. Is 0.05 even possible?!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-10-2015, 03:08 PM
strongmanmike's Avatar
strongmanmike (Michael)
Highest Observatory in Oz

strongmanmike is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Canberra
Posts: 17,689
Getting great tracking and guiding is such a wonderful feeling huh? Heck, occasionally I just sit and watch the star centroid plot with a big grin on my face

Sounds like it's all down hill from here now Erik

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-10-2015, 04:26 PM
LewisM's Avatar
LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

LewisM is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,389
Mike - funny eh! I have sat there with PHD2 all night just watching the centroid and the tracking plot in the rings I start to panic if the instantaneous plot goes outside the 0.25 ring, until I realise it was the wind or a bloody truck/bus out on the avenue...
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-10-2015, 04:28 PM
LewisM's Avatar
LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

LewisM is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,389
Quote:
Originally Posted by codemonkey View Post
Bugger me. 0.58 RMS is a good night for me, lately been 0.8 and sometimes higher. Is 0.05 even possible?!
Yep, it is

Worst I have seen my mount for a long while is 0.20. Not bad for a "lowly" GPD2
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-10-2015, 04:32 PM
E_ri_k (Erik)
Registered User

E_ri_k is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Lakes Entrance
Posts: 846
Quote:
Originally Posted by codemonkey View Post
Bugger me. 0.58 RMS is a good night for me, lately been 0.8 and sometimes higher. Is 0.05 even possible?!
Me neither....I'l post a screenshot of the guide graph next opportunity I have.

Quote:
Originally Posted by strongmanmike View Post
Getting great tracking and guiding is such a wonderful feeling huh? Heck, occasionally I just sit and watch the star centroid plot with a big grin on my face

Sounds like it's all down hill from here now Erik

Mike
Thanks Mike, yeah it's a great feeling when it al works.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM View Post
Mike - funny eh! I have sat there with PHD2 all night just watching the centroid and the tracking plot in the rings I start to panic if the instantaneous plot goes outside the 0.25 ring, until I realise it was the wind or a bloody truck/bus out on the avenue...
Haha, Lewis, I have also sat there watching the centroid, then the graph, then looking at the time, and an hour has passed
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 07:12 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement