I thought people might be interested in this. I had my neighbour machine up a fitting yesterday which mounts my Astrotrac atop my Losmandy GM-8 tripod. Nice combination of semi-portable with great tracking accuracy of the Astrotrac. I'm hoping to get a night using it this weekend, having decided to not go ultra-portable and instead focus on some slightly longer focal length, longer exposure work.
Roger. Great idea. Should be very stable. Out of curiosity, is that an Astrotrac supplied polar alignment scope. It looks different to the ones that I have seen?
Roger. Great idea. Should be very stable. Out of curiosity, is that an Astrotrac supplied polar alignment scope. It looks different to the ones that I have seen?
No, it's a holder for a laser which I had made. I tend to polar align using lasers. Very easy and quick.
Hi Roger, if you have the wedge, don't you also have the pier? I've found the pier to be rock solid, wondering why you'd swap?
I bought the wedge with the AT but not the kit with the pier, so I don't have the pier. The pier didn't suit what I was wanting to do with the Astrotrac, but I wanted the wedge They do sell all parts individually like that.
I enjoyed using the new configuration of my astrotrac this weekend. Solid as a boulder (more solid than a rock!). Careful alignment with level, compass and laser meant for easy 3 minute exposures at 100mm focal length.
Using the astrotrac again after a long period of using the Vixen Polarie reminded me just how much more weight the Astrotrac can take without even noticing, and how easy the wedge makes ailgnment tweaks. A refreshing change in those respect. Each mount has it's place.
They do sell all parts individually like that.
