#61  
Old 13-03-2005, 09:58 PM
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trufflehunter
Purveyor of fine truffles

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<em>Here's a trip down memory lane for me while I'm desperate and scopeless! Hope you enjoy it!</em>

<hr><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/60mm.jpg" width="215" height="300">
<strong>Early 1970's</strong> — Hanimex 60mm Refractor. My first 'real' scope. It ain't much by today's standard, but at that age I loved it!

<hr><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/Newt1.jpg" width="194" height="300"><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/newt2.jpg" width="262" height="300">
<strong>1974 to 1985 — 8" F7.6 Newtonian.</strong>
This baby had a few mods over the years. I added a 60mm guidescope, declination slow motion control and motor drive. It was purchased in kit form from Astro Optical in Crows Nest, although at the time they were known as "The Amateur Astronomers Supply Company"! (showing my age). It had the best optics of any scope I've ever used.

A friend of my brothers is a panel beater, so he organised the spray job. It was deep blue with an overspray of white, looking like spider webs. I thought it was pretty 'groovy'. The original photo was black & white, but I used Photoshop CS to colourise it back to its 'original'. It's pretty close! Gotta love Photoshop's colour replacement tool!

... I sold it in 1985 to pay bills! It was my first year out teaching and I was getting posted around the countryside and couldn't justify keeping it. Big mistake!

<hr><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/AR6.jpg" width="277" height="300">
<strong>2002 to 2005</strong>
After nearly twenty years (how time flies when you're having fun!) I decided to buy a Meade LXD55-AR6. That's not me in the photo, in case you were wondering! I thought I'd come back with a vengeance! 6" refractors were unheard of as amateur scopes in the 'good old days'. The AR6 was a treat! Nice optics, reasonable Go-To mount and all the bells and whistles. After about 18 months I was finding it a bit of a hassle to assemble when I wanted to do some observing.

I'd always wanted a SCT, ever since Celestron first brought them out in the 70's. So I bit the bullet, put the AR6 up on ebay, sold it and...

<hr><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/lx90.jpg" width="150" height="236">
...ordered a Meade LX90 from Bintel!
...it's not here yet...
<hr>
<strong>Here are some photos taken back in the 1980's with the 8" Newt:</strong>

<img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/Moon.jpg" width="100" height="150"><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/jupiter.jpg" width="150" height="150">
Moon: 16/7/83. 9mm eyepiece + projection, 2 secs
Jupiter: 13/7/83 6mm Unitron Orthoscopic (aah memories!) + full projection, 2.5 secs

<hr><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/messier8.jpg" width="150" height="150"><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/swan_nebula.jpg" width="150" height="150">
Messier 8 (The Lagoon Nebula): 13/8/82. 20 mins, prime focus. Tri-X film
Messier 17 (The Swan Nebula): 19/8/82. 10 mins, prime focus. Tri-X film

<hr><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/orion.jpg" width="150" height="150"><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/owl.jpg" width="150" height="150">
Messier 42 (Orion): no date, but probably same as previous 2 mins, prime focus. Tri-X film
Messier 27 (The Owl or Dumbell Nebula): no date 30 mins, prime focus. Tri-X film

<hr><img src="http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/trufflehunter/astro/omega_centauri.jpg" width="150" height="150">
Omega Centauri: 19/8/82 12 mins, prime focus. Tri-X film<hr>
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  #62  
Old 19-03-2005, 05:21 PM
bird (Anthony Wesley)
Cyberdemon

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Location: Rubyvale QLD
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Here's a pic of my shiny toy...

It's a 10" f/6 newtonian, sporting a precision primary by Mark Suchting of Sydney (Deep Sky Optics).

The tube is aluminium, which minimises tube currents (aluminium doesn't supercool like other metals).

The focusser is a JMI DX1-M, and you can see my colour wheel and camera are fitted in this picture.

The scope is sitting on a Losmandy G-11 mount, and an old sony vaio acts as my scope computer in the instrument case on the ground under the tripod.

You can just see the heatsinks at the mirror end of the tube from my homebrew peltier cooler that I use to fast-cool the mirror.

regards, Bird
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  #63  
Old 20-03-2005, 07:21 PM
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Striker (Tony)
Whats visual Astronomy

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Ok...I better put a pic in here....
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  #64  
Old 29-03-2005, 10:35 AM
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robin
Brave Sir Robin

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Location: Warrnambool,Victoria
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Here's my stuff....10" LX200GPS with rubber dew cap, nikon FE film camera & 300mm f:4 lens.12ah motorcycle battery, laptop & EP's.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../scopegear.jpg
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  #65  
Old 02-04-2005, 11:39 AM
thomo
Meh

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Here is my new beast!
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  #66  
Old 04-04-2005, 11:02 AM
Strgazr27
Member

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My back couldn't take the 12" Beast any more so I've put this together over the last 3 weeks My Best scope to date.
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  #67  
Old 08-04-2005, 09:12 PM
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frogman (Anthony Lord)
Host to the Stars

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Its nice to be able to say i have 12 inches.............across.....

Here's my little girl
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  #68  
Old 08-04-2005, 11:21 PM
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janoskiss (Steve H)
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I have an 8" Dob with ample protection.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~jano...protection.jpg
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  #69  
Old 09-04-2005, 09:48 AM
De-Gen
nothing

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Not exactly a great shot
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  #70  
Old 09-04-2005, 11:48 AM
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cuttsy
Old Hand

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Hi,

My scope is a handmade 10" f5 Newtonian on a Dob mount. It started out many years ago as a Meade but the mount was unstable and poorly made. My father, a retired fitter, made the new mount. It allows the tube to be moved up and down, and easily rotated. It is fairly heavy but moves very easily in alt-az. The eyepiece holder is great in the dark.

I have added a 8x50 finder, Telrad and JMI focuser. My eyepieces are the usual range and my next project is to add an Argo Navis.
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  #71  
Old 12-04-2005, 11:19 AM
bytor666
Cygnus X-1

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well I did post a shot of my rig in december I think....i've since been modding my scope like mad!!!!......anyhoo...here is my 12" gso scope...I actually spent 9 hours converting my scope so that the eyepiece and finder are now on the right hand side. I did this for mere convenience. I got so used to having things that way with my old 12.5 '" reflector that I just had to re-convert my 12" scope. you can see the left hand pic as it was before I modified it. Then on the right you can now see everthing on the right. All I did was move the altitude bearings and flip the focuser around...Cheers !!!
--------------------------------
Mark
12" GSO SCOPE
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  #72  
Old 12-04-2005, 01:34 PM
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astroron (Ron)
Supernova Searcher

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Location: Cambroon Queensland Australia
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Hi here is a shot of two of my scopes and a quick moon shot with at f/10 with the 20cm SCT. Ron
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  #73  
Old 12-04-2005, 02:52 PM
stringscope (Ian)
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My much modified mid 90's vintage 8" F6 Celestron Starhopper. The only bits left of the original scope are the tube, altitude bearings and rocker box.

Discovery primary in UO cell
Protostar secondary
Kine Optics HC-2 focuser
Baffled tube
70mm F5 Finder
Telrad
4.4AH battery capacity
Dew heaters X 4
Mirror fan
Dew shield
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  #74  
Old 14-04-2005, 09:04 PM
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Chrissyo (Chris)
Is always sleepy

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My 10" Dob (note Iceinspace Sticker ) and 60mm refractor.
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  #75  
Old 16-04-2005, 04:25 PM
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mick pinner
Astrolounge

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Well the Meade is back in it's box awaiting more repairs so l deceided to set up the 10" reflector, l've never done any imaging with this scope so it will be interesting to see how it goes.
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  #76  
Old 19-04-2005, 09:49 PM
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5ash (Philip)
Earthling

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Location: Hunter valley. nsw
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This is the home of myLX90 . The roof rotates on a large metal ring and has two openings.One panel from the side of the hexagonal roof lifts out and a circular perspex cap on top hinges back . It can be opened or closed in less than a minute.
philip
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  #77  
Old 20-04-2005, 04:12 PM
rumples riot
Who knows

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This is the latest shot of my observatory, now that the painting is done and with all the gear that goes on the scope. Well not all of it.
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  #78  
Old 21-04-2005, 08:10 PM
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Robby
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Ok, Here is my latest setup... I have been busy upgrading the scope & mount, and have been lucky to have a few good nights out lately to play! Albiet with the brightening moon...
New set-up consists of....

Celestron C9.25. Yes, Celestron!! Better than those Meade's.
Losmandy G-11, with standard motor drive, & Star-Mate Remote control system.
ArgoNavis DSC's also under the remote control of Star-Mate.
ST80 guidescope
Full Credit Tripod. Enuf said!

Cheers
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  #79  
Old 28-04-2005, 06:47 PM
Thiink
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Location: Bathurst, NSW
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Here's my stuff finally.

http://users.on.net/sjeriksson/img/i...ce/myscope.jpg

- 10" GSO dob including Ice mods (slew knob top, foam scope stopper bottom)
- 60mm DSE refractor

And my 0x mag quick finder (stolen from the refractor, optics removed). I was making one similar to ballaratdragons using piping, but since the refractor has been sitting doing nothing since getting the dob I just used that.

http://users.on.net/sjeriksson/img/i...uickfinder.jpg
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  #80  
Old 28-04-2005, 09:29 PM
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h0ughy (David)
Moderator

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here are mine
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