skippyinspace

10 years down the line update Issues Point 1, Will be done in the next month Point 2 Sealant worked but water pools on the flat surface as the roof surface slopes inwards Jobs still to do. As per the above list! Make some sort of Pi Cabinet for Allsky Camera, GMS Meteor Camera and soon to arrive Allsky Seven Camera Improve Wi. Jobs in progress 1) Repaint walls 2) New mount purchased and to be installed after rear walls retrofitted Dome its self has fadded to matt but wont be repainted

Thanks for that, The ioptron power supply is currently on the way back to me with the faullty mount, So will check then, Still I could just spend £20 and get a 240V mains plug with ciggerette socket and know its right and keep the ioptorn power supply as a back up. Or sell it with the faulty ioptron mount when I get that back.

Have recieved my new Skywatcher EQ5 moterised mount and it comes with a ciggeteete style power supply, Yet my ioptron power supply plugs straight into the 240V mains . Before I spend money on a Ciggetette to 240v adapter for the skywatcher would the ioptron power supply be suitable. Dont want to damage things with it bieng the wrong polarity or sending 240v direct to the scope Thanks

Agree about keeping one Tripod and potentialy one mount But that still leave me with 2!

What does everyone do with thier tripods after converting to a pier. I have a tripod for a C8N, a tripod for an Ioptron Gem 5 , never used and today got a skywatcher Heq5 with tripod replace the ioptron mount that has had a board failure. Thoughts

I probbably should rea up on the setting circle and angle. Thanls for the advice

I have an Android, an old Samsung Note 9

Ok I have an old Celestron C8N and original mount, I had updated the mount to a goto but the goto has died so am thinking of going back to the manual mount, while I save for a new goto mount. So my question is if polar aligned how wasy is it to use a phone app or simialar mounted to the scope to manually find your way around the sky . Also what would people suggest for a phone app Scope is on a pier if that helps Thanks in advance

I sent Celestron a email as the unit is close to 20 years old if not more. There response was helpful and gives me a new starting point. Thoughts on a replacement? Thank you for contacting Celestron Technical Support. If you have the original C8N Newtonian telescope that came with a CG5 mount, there is no "upgrade" kit for it. In order to attain computer-controlled GOTO functions, the CG5 mount can be replaced with the Advanced VX mount. I know you are on a pier, but unfortunately, the Advanced VX mount is only sold with a tripod.

Interesting but my technical skills are not upto it.

Initial failure was the wieghts had pulled the motor gears appart so that they didnt mesh nd then there was a coms error, I replaced the cable with a new one as that was what the manual said to do. Still had the same error so sent it of for repaire but the card for this mount was not in production so a second hand one was sourced. The mount is still not working and Iopton say it could be a motor issue and the repairer has said that going down this road may incur high costs. At the end of the day I belive the ioptron unit is an equivielent to the one of the first skywather goto mount kits.

My ioptron EQ goto mount has died, Its been away for repair and now been informed its BER So Im looking at the celeston EQ mount that came with the C8N many years ago and thought is there a kit that can turn it into a goto scope. my main use is visual observing but have an zwo asi 120 mc camera so would probably give that a shot. Dont have mutch of a budget and as the mount is going on a pier I dont need a tripod if anyone suggests a new mount rather than a mod kit budget would be around 300 to 500 pounds Thanks in advance Ian

I bought a new cable and it didnt work, I also tried all the other ports and that didnt work either.. Which is why I think its something more terminal.

Starting to wonder if get the mount repaired might be the way to go and possible use it as a part exchange..

I have a Celeston 8" Newtonian, C8N, I have had for over 20 years and I like it as a scope. About 8 years ago when I built an observatory I got a ex display Ioptron EQ mount "Gem5" and it sort of served me well, but had a nasy habbit of the gears becoming un meshed and during Covid sent it for repair but when it came back when I put the weights back on it pulled the gears out of alignment again and is now suffering from "warning can not communicate with DEC Motor controller. Im sure in the right hands and the right technical knowledge It would be a great mount. Me Im not technical, Fix one thing ang another error occours. To be honest every winter I hear when are you going to use the telescope and the responses are it not polar aligned, the gears are slipping etc. So Basically Im think about cutting my losses and want to start observing again with out any issues. So Im looking for a GOTO mount that would be suitable for the current telescope (Unless there is a good package includes an OTA that just as good if not better), That I can use a ZWO 120 mc camera with. And more importantly easy polar alignment, (I do have a polar alignment cameara). I know things have moved on since I last looked at mounts. Budget is probably around £300 (Please stop laughing) I want to become relaxed with my observing and making it fun again. What should I be looking at? Thanks in advance Ian