..when returning from a trip to the shops.
I had my rig under a telegizmo this morning but there have been some high winds today and I found the whole shooting match horizontal when I got back.
I figure the cover acted as a sail and caught the breeze.
The kit is a heq5 on a Berlach planet tripod with an fs60 and an st2000xm with a robofocus on the side so all in all it's pretty heavy.
The MF3 focuser is trashed and the shaft for the robo focus is also munted but looks like the rest of the kit should be ok. I still have the original tak focuser so will be ok on that front. Fortunate i think that the robofocus took the brunt of the damage.
Checked the scope and CCD by doing some flats and it seems ok but will see what happens tonight.
Now then, recommends for my next focuser. Sharp sky?
Gawd, I would be sweating on that one, I had my TOA130 hit with a lot less force than that and the collimation was affected, Mind you it was the front that was hit and not the focuser end, you might be lucky.
Gday Dave.
That's rotten luck but could have been a lot worse I guess.
A Sharpsky would be a good replacement as you suggest. I have two (one on the Tak and one on a Sharpstar 65Q) and I love 'em.
Hope it doesn't come to that and you can make some repairs.
Cheers
Jeremy
Well then, the optics are fine. I managed a few subs with no dramas. The robofocus has had it but the mount seems ok.
The Tak focuser though can't be resolved but in one of those moments of serendipity I just happened to have (as you do) a starlight FTF2025BCR I was going to use for another project (cheers Matt) but with an adapter on order can be used with the Tak objective. There is also an adapter to allow me to add on those peskie little takettes.
Should have it all back and running in a week or so. Colin, to your point, Carolyn backed quietly away as we pulled in to the drive way to allow me to beat my chest and wail in peace but I though I handled it quite well..
