First Light for the WO 102GT

[griz11]

It was raining heavily when I left Houston this morning. Cloudy and windy most of the day then about 2 hours before UPS usually shows up it cleared up. High clouds and some heavier stuff floating through so not good for imaging but I did get to set it up and play around with it a bit. I need more weight or a longer truss rod to get it balanced. I'm having to lower the Dec axis almost to the weight and there isn't enough room for the scope to rotate 180 with it like that. It will hit the RA servo. But I've already thought it might be a problem and talked to the guy at ADM and he can make a solid truss any length I need. So I'll get out my calculator tomorrow and figure all this out. Rather do it this way instead of adding more weights. The scope camera guide scope and Lodestar weigh in at 20lbs. Actually a couple of lbs lighter than the dual saddle set-up. But it will work just fine as long as I watch that RA servo. It has to be way past parallel with the ground before its a problem so not much chance of it hitting and with the clutches if it impinges it just slips.

The scope is a nice piece. Even nicer than I expected. The focus is butter smooth. Holds the 7D2 and the Flat6 with no problem. Their t-ring is a full 2 inch bore and it comes with the Flat6. I was a little worried at first when he put the box on the porch I noticed a big scuff on one side and the cardboard was pushed in a bit on the corner. So I had him wait till I removed the inner box and checked it out. Not a mark or scratch on the inside the inside of the outer box was perfect too so it was just superficial but one of those oh no moments for a bit. It sure gathers more light. The atmosphere was so bad though. FWHM was changing so much it was impossible to pin down the focus. I turned off the guiding by mistake and shot a 900 sec Ha image of M42. Outside of a little drift it was fine though. I didn't drift align either getting pretty good at lining it up with the polar scope. The finish is like a fine pebble so it doesn't show fingerprints. Love the rotating focuser.  Although once you rotate it you have to think about those direction arrows on the controller a bit to get it right. Everything is beefy and well built. Lots of baffles inside. The front element has that disappearing look to it. That usually indicates excellent coatings.

Looks like Sunday or Monday before its going to clear again. But you never know this time of year. At least its all set up and ready to go for the next clear spell.

Griz

[griz11]

I did snap a few of the moon before I started with trying to get some DSO's. Only pics I ended up with. Tried again tonight just to shoot some moon shots. Disappeared about the time I had the focus set. New scope blues.

Griz

[ronin]

I assume a single shot, it has come out good.

I like that 102, nice size scope for a multitude of sins.

May have to get myself on one day.

It is the right colour for a WO - Gold, the Red is a bit bright.

Your bit of Texas must be well South of us here, the moon is well rotated.