#2321  
Old 01-01-2020, 04:54 PM
Wilso
Registered User

Wilso is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 427
Tak heavy

Here’s my new to me Tak heavy set up thanks to classified Ice in space members!
Compared to my grab and go Pm-1 mount set up it’s a brute. The big tripod alone weighs 15kg. The em-200 temma2 mount balances beautiful, super smooooth and quiet.
Hopefully the smoke and fires abate tonight for everyone’s sake.

Take care
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (020B5FAE-8D3C-4B42-AD00-6ADC9275E280.jpg)
189.9 KB894 views
Click for full-size image (9ACC50B5-2531-40EE-86DD-8DD457D6AE40.jpg)
192.5 KB901 views

Last edited by Wilso; 01-01-2020 at 07:22 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2322  
Old 09-01-2020, 07:57 AM
Rainmaker's Avatar
Rainmaker (Matt)
Strictly Visual......

Rainmaker is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Canberra
Posts: 596
Nice setups Darren.

That TMT70300 tripod is by far the best I have used and whilst not a bargain price, worth every cent. No matter what setup I have used, it has been as steady as a rock.

Hopefully soon we will be able to see some stars again, lately I have kept everything sealed in cases
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (MIS_7706.jpg)
199.9 KB883 views
Reply With Quote
  #2323  
Old 10-01-2020, 05:19 PM
Wilso
Registered User

Wilso is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 427
Cheers Matt,
Yes it’s an impressive tripod, very sturdy indeed. They don’t come up for sale here too often either. I’ve been impressed with the mount also, unlike other mounts I’ve had has a retractable counterweight shaft. Makes it very easy to fine tune balancing, transport and storage.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (77F93E24-A8C0-4B4A-BECE-2653BBA0C77C.jpg)
184.4 KB833 views
Reply With Quote
  #2324  
Old 12-01-2020, 08:15 PM
AndrewSmith
Registered User

AndrewSmith is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Springwood NSW
Posts: 4
"BlueMeade" imaging setup

Thought I'd finally share a post about my imaging setup, before it goes the way of the dinosaurs. Meade LX200 GPS 10" on a Meade Ultrawedge, piggybacking an old Orion ED80. Imaging with a ZWO ASI1600C. Two unusual features: the finder I use is an Orion 70mm Multi-Use Finder Scope for the wide field. This is a tricky beast to align & focus, and needs at least a 20mm eyepiece to reach astronomical focus with the diagonal, but I've finally got it working OK. The dew heater is an old barrel heater from a home brew kit. This works from mains so needs monitoring but works OK.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (BlueMeade.jpg)
221.9 KB849 views
Reply With Quote
  #2325  
Old 12-01-2020, 08:46 PM
Imme (Jon)
Registered User

Imme is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Kyneton
Posts: 840
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndrewSmith View Post
Thought I'd finally share a post about my imaging setup, before it goes the way of the dinosaurs. Meade LX200 GPS 10" on a Meade Ultrawedge, piggybacking an old Orion ED80. Imaging with a ZWO ASI1600C. Two unusual features: the finder I use is an Orion 70mm Multi-Use Finder Scope for the wide field. This is a tricky beast to align & focus, and needs at least a 20mm eyepiece to reach astronomical focus with the diagonal, but I've finally got it working OK. The dew heater is an old barrel heater from a home brew kit. This works from mains so needs monitoring but works OK.
Re the keg dew heater....Although I’d never recommend playing with 240 volt power because that would just be stupid I may have, in a previous life, attached a dimmer switch to a keg heater. It allowed excellent heat control. (Although it did only need about a 90’ turn of the dial to go from cold to full power
Reply With Quote
  #2326  
Old 12-01-2020, 10:22 PM
Outcast's Avatar
Outcast (Carlton)
Always gonna be a NOOB...

Outcast is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Cairns, Qld
Posts: 1,289
Finally got all my OTA's & paraphernalia organised onto some solid storage shelves...
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (Equipment Shelf.jpg)
193.3 KB870 views
Reply With Quote
  #2327  
Old 14-01-2020, 10:00 AM
AndrewSmith
Registered User

AndrewSmith is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Springwood NSW
Posts: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imme View Post
Re the keg dew heater....Although I’d never recommend playing with 240 volt power because that would just be stupid I may have, in a previous life, attached a dimmer switch to a keg heater. It allowed excellent heat control. (Although it did only need about a 90’ turn of the dial to go from cold to full power
Great idea, why didn't I think of that?! Thanks.
Reply With Quote
  #2328  
Old 14-01-2020, 10:02 AM
AndrewSmith
Registered User

AndrewSmith is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Springwood NSW
Posts: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Outcast View Post
Finally got all my OTA's & paraphernalia organised onto some solid storage shelves...
Nicely done. Lucky you have enough space indoors. I'm storing my own gear as well as my mate's, so my wife made me build a shed just for the astro gear!
Reply With Quote
  #2329  
Old 22-01-2020, 01:06 PM
UniPol
Registered User

UniPol is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,674
Sky-Watcher Evostar 150ED

Very happy with my recent purchase of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 150ED deluxe. Last night was the first decent sky I've seen in months. The scope was perfectly collimated showing pin point stars with lovely even diffraction rings. The scope is not overly heavy and is well suited to EQ6, EQ6R's and AZ EQ6GT mounts and is particularly good on my T-Rex. I used a set of Explore Scientific 100 degree eyepieces in 5.5mm, 9mm, 14mm and 20mm focal lengths which proved to give a nice spread of powers coupled with a Tak 2" diagonal. The 2" focusser is very solid and particularly smooth.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (ED150 - 1.jpg)
236.5 KB884 views
Click for full-size image (ED150 - 2.jpg)
234.3 KB852 views
Click for full-size image (ED150 - 3.jpg)
214.6 KB837 views
Click for full-size image (ED150 - 4.jpg)
232.1 KB847 views
Reply With Quote
  #2330  
Old 22-01-2020, 06:03 PM
MortonH's Avatar
MortonH
Deprived of starlight

MortonH is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,843
Quote:
Originally Posted by UniPol View Post
Very happy with my recent purchase of the Sky-Watcher Evostar 150ED deluxe. Last night was the first decent sky I've seen in months. The scope was perfectly collimated showing pin point stars with lovely even diffraction rings. The scope is not overly heavy and is well suited to EQ6, EQ6R's and AZ EQ6GT mounts and is particularly good on my T-Rex. I used a set of Explore Scientific 100 degree eyepieces in 5.5mm, 9mm, 14mm and 20mm focal lengths which proved to give a nice spread of powers coupled with a Tak 2" diagonal. The 2" focusser is very solid and particularly smooth.

Nice. Any pics of it pointed at zenith?
Reply With Quote
  #2331  
Old 22-01-2020, 06:20 PM
Quopaz (Nick)
Registered User

Quopaz is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: South Australia
Posts: 236
Here's mine, it's a Skywatcher 10 inch dobsonian.
It's my first telescope, and it was hard to decide which one to get.
Mainly for visual observing, but will also try to get some photos with it as well. Pretty happy with it so far.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (P1101066.JPG)
87.9 KB800 views
Reply With Quote
  #2332  
Old 23-01-2020, 03:57 PM
Rainmaker's Avatar
Rainmaker (Matt)
Strictly Visual......

Rainmaker is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Canberra
Posts: 596
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quopaz View Post
Here's mine, it's a Skywatcher 10 inch dobsonian.
It's my first telescope, and it was hard to decide which one to get.
Mainly for visual observing, but will also try to get some photos with it as well. Pretty happy with it so far.
Congratulations on your first telescope, a 10" Dob can give you a lifetime to visual astronomy !!!
Reply With Quote
  #2333  
Old 23-01-2020, 08:33 PM
Quopaz (Nick)
Registered User

Quopaz is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: South Australia
Posts: 236
Thanks Matt, 10" seemed like a good size.
Reply With Quote
  #2334  
Old 29-01-2020, 12:24 PM
Rainmaker's Avatar
Rainmaker (Matt)
Strictly Visual......

Rainmaker is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Canberra
Posts: 596
TMB-LZOS 152/1200 + Tak FC76DC + Tak FOA60Q = 288mm of visual excellence
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (MIS_7782.jpg)
157.2 KB831 views
Reply With Quote
  #2335  
Old 29-01-2020, 12:26 PM
LewisM's Avatar
LewisM
Novichok test rabbit

LewisM is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rainmaker View Post
TMB-LZOS 152/1200 + Tak FC76DC + Tak FOA60Q = 288mm of visual excellence
Hmmmm...I recognise a bunch of parts there. Where did they come from
Reply With Quote
  #2336  
Old 29-01-2020, 01:39 PM
Atmos's Avatar
Atmos (Colin)
Ultimate Noob

Atmos is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 7,001
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rainmaker View Post
TMB-LZOS 152/1200 + Tak FC76DC + Tak FOA60Q = 288mm of visual excellence
Now you need a bunch of beam splitters to combine the light of all three telescopes into one!
Reply With Quote
  #2337  
Old 31-01-2020, 03:13 PM
Rainmaker's Avatar
Rainmaker (Matt)
Strictly Visual......

Rainmaker is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Canberra
Posts: 596
With many thanks to Julian, I now have at home (after an all-night drive to Mexico last night) this beast:

Skylight AR101/15 ... Full Brass Edition by Richard Day, Skylight Telescopes, London

Just needs some clear skies (and more money, the bank balance has suffered lately )
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (MIS_7786 copy.jpg)
136.2 KB864 views

Last edited by Rainmaker; 10-02-2020 at 08:45 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2338  
Old 31-01-2020, 03:47 PM
casstony
Registered User

casstony is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Warragul, Vic
Posts: 4,494
You didn't consider staying in Melbourne for a few days Matt, to get away from the smoke?
Reply With Quote
  #2339  
Old 31-01-2020, 05:06 PM
Rainmaker's Avatar
Rainmaker (Matt)
Strictly Visual......

Rainmaker is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Canberra
Posts: 596
Quote:
Originally Posted by casstony View Post
You didn't consider staying in Melbourne for a few days Matt, to get away from the smoke?
Tony, I should have done that, the sky here is grey and we have ash falling like little snowflakes.....

I was surprised by how good the sky way at Doreen,VIC where Julian lives...
Reply With Quote
  #2340  
Old 31-01-2020, 06:58 PM
FlashDrive's Avatar
FlashDrive (Poppy)
Senior Citizen

FlashDrive is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bribie Island
Posts: 5,063
Gee .....that's nice....!!
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 07:28 PM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement