#361  
Old 16-02-2008, 05:49 PM
Kal's Avatar
Kal (Andrew)
1¼" ñì®våñá

Kal is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,845
lol Fahim, that 4th pic of your two borg refractors is a very sneaky pic!!! I immediately thought you had 3 refractors there
Reply With Quote
  #362  
Old 16-02-2008, 05:58 PM
netwolf's Avatar
netwolf
Registered User

netwolf is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,948
Andrew, yes the illusion is nice but short lived. It would make a nice binoscope.
Reply With Quote
  #363  
Old 24-02-2008, 12:11 AM
bloodhound31
Registered User

bloodhound31 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,628
update on my equipment

As I cant get far enough back to take one photo of the entire inside of the obs, I have to take a few and stitch them together....
here goes..
http://i27.tinypic.com/2cnv8nq.jpg
and
http://i31.tinypic.com/2qkttn4.jpg
Reply With Quote
  #364  
Old 07-03-2008, 06:52 PM
Escortitis's Avatar
Escortitis
George

Escortitis is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Greenwood, Perth WA
Posts: 72
Show us your equipment!.....OK!

Wanted to show you all my gear. It's been a while in the making but I've finally got my setup to a point where I might start enjoying what we do rather than running into problem after problem. I spent a lot of time trying to make several different types of dob platforms but none where up to the job of imaging, quite obvious now..................but I am a newbie and the learning curve is steep! (vertical in some cases!)

Anyway, I've ended up with a modded 12" lightbridge on a G-11. The lightbridge is probably not the best imaging scope but once aperture fever takes hold.........I also like the idea of imaging straight onto the chip, no glass to go through seemed like a good thing. I've had to move the mirror up the tube about 30mm and use a motorized low profile focuser. This leaves me with about 8mm of in focus to spare. The plate for attaching the dovetail was my little creation, it's ultra solid and so far has shown no flex as it moves around the sky. The trusses have been tweaked to make sure they stay put, again they seem to be doing just that. The most important thing I found I had to do was upgrade the collimation locking screws to make sure the mirror didn't shift under it's own weight.

Guiding with the little 80 on Losmandys' side-by-side setup seems good, and that's my 900spc inside a bit of 50mm alli tube sticking out the back of it. I'm yet to test out long guides with this setup, but it should be OK.

Now all I have to do is learn the finer art of imaging! Keep posting everyone, I find it amazing the amount of knowledge you can find in one spot.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (IMG_0636.jpg)
156.8 KB774 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0637.jpg)
149.8 KB828 views
Click for full-size image (P08-22-07_16.23.jpg)
12.1 KB712 views
Click for full-size image (P08-22-07_16.24.jpg)
73.1 KB685 views
Reply With Quote
  #365  
Old 07-03-2008, 07:00 PM
iceman's Avatar
iceman (Mike)
Sir Post a Lot!

iceman is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Gosford, NSW, Australia
Posts: 36,794
Wow, first time I've seen that!
Nicely done!
Reply With Quote
  #366  
Old 07-03-2008, 08:21 PM
h0ughy's Avatar
h0ughy (David)
Moderator

h0ughy is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEWCASTLE NSW Australia
Posts: 33,284
mmm wonder how a 16" lightbridge would go?
Reply With Quote
  #367  
Old 07-03-2008, 09:50 PM
Escortitis's Avatar
Escortitis
George

Escortitis is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Greenwood, Perth WA
Posts: 72
Give me a Titan, I'll 'ave crack at it!
Reply With Quote
  #368  
Old 07-03-2008, 10:15 PM
Ric's Avatar
Ric
Support your local RFS

Ric is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wamboin NSW
Posts: 12,405
Very nice setup.

Cheers
Reply With Quote
  #369  
Old 30-03-2008, 09:21 PM
Maverick's Avatar
Maverick
Registered User

Maverick is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ellenbrook,WA,Australia
Posts: 34
Here's my GOTO.Nice and easy.
Cheers
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (7288.jpg)
4.6 KB633 views
Reply With Quote
  #370  
Old 13-04-2008, 10:32 AM
anthony.tony's Avatar
anthony.tony
Registered User

anthony.tony is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canowindra NSW Australia
Posts: 1,218
Canowindra Ed 80mm piggybacksetup.

This is one setup Ed80mm -Canon 350D sigma 100-300 zoom -Mogg lens adapter.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (IMG_0044 [1024x768].jpg)
87.1 KB678 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0046 [1024x768].jpg)
70.2 KB669 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0048 [1024x768].jpg)
87.1 KB674 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0056 [1024x768].jpg)
74.0 KB665 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0057 [1024x768].jpg)
77.8 KB662 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0062 [1024x768].jpg)
64.8 KB654 views
Reply With Quote
  #371  
Old 17-04-2008, 05:19 PM
Omaroo's Avatar
Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)
Let there be night...

Omaroo is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hobart, TAS
Posts: 7,639
Yay! I finally have a polar mount I can image with. I'm so over not being in a position to be able to guide. My particular EQ5 was junk, the worms were terrible and it didn't have any electronics. Basic motor-driven EQ5 with 60 arc-sec PE - the imagers dream!

Anyhoo - picked up this brand new non-Gemini guy from BinTel today. Thanks Don, Mike & Michael!

Coming soon is an Argo Navis - push-to appeals to me.

Should be great with the C8 and little Tak guiding it. On occasion I'll put the Megrez 80 on and use it to guide, and image through the Tak - or vice-versa. If I put on the Megrez to guide the C8 as standard configuration, I can still use the Tak on the SkyPatrol-II mount at the same time. Can't wait.....

This and the new (2nd hand) 350D I bought this week (off to Hong Kong soon for some mods) will get the astrophotography juices flowing again.... or I give up!
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (DSC_6959_800.jpg)
168.9 KB647 views
Click for full-size image (G11_first_light.jpg)
178.3 KB705 views

Last edited by Omaroo; 29-04-2008 at 10:58 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #372  
Old 19-04-2008, 12:14 PM
Dave47tuc's Avatar
Dave47tuc (David)
IIS member 65

Dave47tuc is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Mornington peninsula. Victoria.
Posts: 1,658
Time for a update. After just a few scopes one more for the road.

Got this one of Lars. Sort a second hand EQ5 then re greased the mount it moves very smooth and drives well.
Notice the tripod! enginered from 25mm square section!

Scope is a Takahashi MT 160 Newtonian. Not many of these around.
Aperture 160mm F6. Has a F4.8 reducer and I have a F8 corrector on the way.

Scope is very well built and you can see its a Tak scope. Focuser is super smooth. No its not a huge scope but is big enough for me these days.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (MT160 1.JPG)
114.4 KB697 views
Click for full-size image (MT160 2.JPG)
119.1 KB675 views
Click for full-size image (MT 160 3.JPG)
118.4 KB632 views
Click for full-size image (Tripod 1.JPG)
118.3 KB611 views
Click for full-size image (Tripod 2.JPG)
129.6 KB637 views
Reply With Quote
  #373  
Old 23-04-2008, 10:03 AM
robgreaves
Registered User

robgreaves is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Penrith NSW
Posts: 159
Hi everyone

You may or may not know I recently moved to Australia from the UK. I'm a keen imager, and was influential in the Campaign for Dark Skies (CfDS) in the UK, as a Local Officer for Cambridgeshire.

I've had loads of different astro gear over the years, various Astro Physics and Bisque Paramount ME mounts, loads of OTAs, more CCD cameras than I can shake a stick at, adaptive optic units etc.

My current imaging rig that I've settled on is my Astro Physics AP1200GTO (best mount out there in my opinion - and I've tried the lot), Takahashi TOA150 (best refractor I've ever used) and SBIG STL1100M camera.

I also use the STL for wide field with a Zeiss 75mm SLR lens, and a Canon 300mm f/4 L series lens, and also a Pentax 75 SDHF - the worlds best astro imaging secret!

I'm also nearing completion of an 18" f/4.4 Dobsonian with a Mark Suchting optic.

Future plans are a major CNC engineering project to design and build a custom truss RC for those smaller DSO imaging tasks, and to build another observatory. I really miss the one I had in the UK!

Regards,
Rob.
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (rob and scope SPSP.jpg)
99.3 KB914 views
Reply With Quote
  #374  
Old 23-04-2008, 10:22 AM
Ric's Avatar
Ric
Support your local RFS

Ric is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wamboin NSW
Posts: 12,405
Lovely bit of gear you have there Rob.

Thanks for showing us the picture

Cheers
Reply With Quote
  #375  
Old 24-04-2008, 05:52 PM
g__day's Avatar
g__day (Matthew)
Tech Guru

g__day is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 2,854
Well I have the Lumicon off-axis guider in here - but they sent a 16" SCT attachment rather than a 2" extender for the 1.25" DSI - sigh. Still gear is starting to shape up!
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (IMG_0848_small.jpg)
154.1 KB749 views
Click for full-size image (IMG_0849_small.jpg)
147.7 KB691 views
Reply With Quote
  #376  
Old 25-04-2008, 06:43 AM
lknowlen's Avatar
lknowlen
lknowlen

lknowlen is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Mountaingate, CA.
Posts: 13
Ghlo

(1.) 6" F/10 refracting telescope housing vintage Jaegers objective lens. Observatory facility in background. (Mountaingate, CA.)
(2.) George Lutz with his large aperture refractor.
(3.) 10"F/12 Zeiss refractor (Norway)
(4.) 10"F/12 Zeiss objective lens. (Norway)
(5.) 12"& 9" Zeiss refractors (Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, CA.)
(6.) 10"F/15 refractor housing vintage Zeiss objective lens. (Los Angeles, CA.)
(J.Pons, telescope owner. Photo by Clintstars.com)
(7.) !0" Reflector designed and built by Alberto Montalvo in 1990 for lunar planetary work. (Burbank, CA.)
(8.) Set of Brandon oculars by Vernonscope&CO
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (ghlo01.jpg.w180h250.jpg)
12.6 KB705 views
Click for full-size image (ghlo07.jpg.w560h821.jpg)
112.4 KB633 views
Click for full-size image (10f1201.jpg.w560h393.jpg)
25.7 KB680 views
Click for full-size image (10f1202.jpg)
48.8 KB672 views
Click for full-size image (12inch.jpg.w560h349.jpg)
34.5 KB671 views
Click for full-size image (Pons10Ziess.jpg)
30.0 KB716 views
Click for full-size image (alberto2.jpg.w560h436.jpg)
35.1 KB692 views
Click for full-size image (photo.jpg)
99.9 KB635 views

Last edited by lknowlen; 25-04-2008 at 07:02 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #377  
Old 01-05-2008, 02:17 PM
TrevorW
Registered User

TrevorW is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 8,083
Hi All,

I've had this Astronomy bug for most of my life and have spent over the last 30 years probably several thousand dollars on the hobby and been through three scopes even built my own scope and mount in the early years.

One thing I've noticed is that as a group we all appear to be equipment freaks.

Attached is a photo of my latest scope and even now I'm dreaming of another scope and mount for those retirement years.

Click image for larger version

Name:	19042008032.jpg
Views:	710
Size:	84.8 KB
ID:	42080
Reply With Quote
  #378  
Old 12-05-2008, 03:10 PM
spikeface (Peter)
Registered User

spikeface is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 40
new scope!

sound the trumpets!

after lots of helpful advice from fellow forum people, i have finally got my meade lightbridge 12"!!!!!

so many, many thanks to those who helped out with my selection... it's first light tonight, and i must say, the sky at the moment looks crystal clear!

hoooooorrrraaayyyy!!!
Reply With Quote
  #379  
Old 12-05-2008, 08:59 PM
Ric's Avatar
Ric
Support your local RFS

Ric is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wamboin NSW
Posts: 12,405
Congrats Spikeface, hope you have a lot of rewarding nights with your new scope and hope it stays clear tonight.

Cheers
Reply With Quote
  #380  
Old 13-05-2008, 12:19 AM
Tandum's Avatar
Tandum (Robin)
Registered User

Tandum is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Wynnum West, Brisbane.
Posts: 4,161
Here is my current rig.

Click image for larger version

Name:	scope.jpg
Views:	698
Size:	162.6 KB
ID:	42668
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 07:42 AM.

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