Nothing wong with the skies Steve, I can still see the Moon naked eye!!!
Had long promised a Russian mate a view through the FS-102 before we left (they'll be down to CBR to visit). I had to sucker-hole all the time, but managed to give him a simply glorious view of M42 with a 32mm EP - he too saw colour in it, despite our absolutely sordid street lighting and building lighting around. The Trapezium stars were all so easily split , even with that wide field el-cheapo Orion ultrascopic! And Betelgeuse was a ruby with not even a hint of CA on it or Alnitak or anything else we jumped around looking at. A doublet no less! Simply magic.
Having much fun getting to grips with a new to me FSQ106N.
I added an MEF4 focuser just to help things along and even though it's destined for imaging, it gives great views with, god forbid, an eyepiece attached.
The Finder scope on this thing is awesome..
With the stock focuser it's been very solid with an STL6303 and CFW on the back of it, no apparent flexure so far. It's been a real pleasure doing some NB imaging from Sydney and self guiding behind the filters with 20 seconds guiding subs. I did try shorter binned guiding subs but Maxim DL thinks they are hot pixels so giving star fade errors but unbinned and with a well polar aligned mount at this focal length longer subs work well.
Looking forward to trying this at a dark site.
Still can't find the happy as a Pig in &h@" smilie though!
I see so much on this site and DROOL! But this is how its done in the bush with little funding, and at the end of the day I still love it! 150mm solar scope (pinhole lens and translucent screen in finder / homemade); Bush binocular mount; 12" Dob with a 90mm Mak finder(cause I cant see the 8x50 crosshairs on dark nights, and the grandson can also view the same target through the Mak when I'm on the Dob) The digital compass mounts on the turntable and is used in conjunction with a digital inclinometer. I couldn't afford a DSC so use this with Stellarium. It's rough (cost $53) but it works fairly well. Too damn heavy to move lately so a sliding roof ob is being built, lower half in stone (plentiful/cheap) and a ply over steel two half sliding top. Then there'll a homemade steel wedge mount to replace the wooden Dob base. 114mm binoscope also in design stage.(Just for the fun of it) And I've got the most priceless gift of all......a truly dark site on a quiet no through road, nearest neighbour 1/2km away.
Cheers to all and thank you for the advice and support I've been given.
Rod
My EQ8 + Long Perng 126mm triplet apochromat (thanks Adox) + Atik 420 mono imager (thanks Screwdriverone) + ZWO electronic filter wheel (LRGB+Ha) + Orion ED80T CF used for finding with a Baader Zoom + Orion SSAGPro camera and guidescope + a red dot finder.
Ten degree horizon 360 degrees around from the back deck on a concrete platform.
Cowra dark skies and a retirement to enjoy it in. Some pics at:
Here's my big beast. It's way bigger than I thought it would be. I call it 'Kororia'. The name is Maori for 'glory' and it comes from Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God." It's a fully laden 28" f/3.3. It was made by Peter Read, SDM Telescopes, in Bunbartha, VIC, Australia. It's a real work on art - aesthetically pleasing to the eye and tests revealed excellent performance.
The mirror is by Mike Lockwood of LCO in USA.
It has ArgoNavis and Servocat (with two handboxes - one on the stalk and one at the eyepiece.
Kororia has an 80mm f/6 Explore Scientific Triplet APO Finder with a 20mm Nagler. That has a 3.4° FOV at 24x magnification. A Telrad is fitted. There is also an 11x60 RA Finder to help balance the scope (which is as near to perfect as you can get).
I use Nagler eyepieces and have ordered a Stellarview 20mm 100° eyepiece as well.
It has fans fitted to cool the mirror and heater straps around the smaller instruments and eyepieces.
The rocker box is larger than usual as Peter wanted to raise the height to see closer to the horizon over my 1.200m fold down walls on the observatory.
It's permanently set up in Pukemaru Observatory, on my property near Kaitaia and about 100m up f the house.
I will be using it for visual variable star observing (CVs, RCBs, NLs, and a few Mira/LPVs). Plus of course, public viewing.
I have asked people not to ring me if it's a fine night between Last and First Quarter. I will be busy (unless it's raining).
Oh and by the way, it's been stormy for the past 2 days so no viewing and rain/storms/thunder predicted for the rest of the week so I haven't had a chance to observe yet. That is so often the case with a new telescope.
Beautiful dob Stephen, you must be very happy. I saw it near completion in Pete's workshop, and you have to love the quality and attention to detail Peter puts into the dobs he's building these days. Certainly in my travels around the world observing with friends and at star parties, I haven't seen another dob that rivals what Pete builds.
So it's your variable star scope. Do you plan to turn it onto some other deep sky objects?
I actually bought two identical ladders today, then dismantled one of them and used the treads and a few other bits to make this one.
I cut about 16mm off each of the donor treads and fitted them halfway between the existing ones. I also installed a second brace on the back and then drilled some 53mm holes in the top for 2" eyepieces.
I will also be installing a taller folding handrail once I work out how to lock it securely in the up position....
Simply magic.
150mm solar scope (pinhole lens and translucent screen in finder / homemade); Bush binocular mount; 12" Dob with a 90mm Mak finder(cause I cant see the 8x50 crosshairs on dark nights, and the grandson can also view the same target through the Mak when I'm on the Dob) The digital compass mounts on the turntable and is used in conjunction with a digital inclinometer. I couldn't afford a DSC so use this with Stellarium. It's rough (cost $53) but it works fairly well. Too damn heavy to move lately so a sliding roof ob is being built, lower half in stone (plentiful/cheap) and a ply over steel two half sliding top. Then there'll a homemade steel wedge mount to replace the wooden Dob base. 114mm binoscope also in design stage.(Just for the fun of it) And I've got the most priceless gift of all......a truly dark site on a quiet no through road, nearest neighbour 1/2km away.
