dweller25

Thanks for all the replies, I just checked the pressure adjustment plate on the DEC worm and it was slightly loose. Combined with a slightly back heavy scope I suspect the DEC may have been slipping ? I will check it tonight….. @mikeDnight - will try that tonight. @CraigT82 @AstroKeith - its the GP-E so it does not have a polar alignment scope BUT to my eternal shame I have NEVER polar aligned since starting out in 1985 😱, but this is way more drift than I normally get.

Hello, I have a problem with my Vixen GP, it is driven with Vixen motors in both axis and is not GOTO. For the past few weeks whilst observing I have been having to correct for upwards DEC drift of the planets by pressing the down DEC button on my control box. Last night I decided to adjust the altitude the mount was set to (52’) to compensate for the upwards drift, I ended up at 35’ before the upward drift reduced and even then it was still there, so put the altitude setting back to 52’. Then I unplugged the DEC lead to see if the Dec motor was getting some kind of false instruction from the control box but I still saw the same upwards DEC drift. I have also changed - out of desperation - the Vixen tripod for a Berlebach - that did not work. So, I have run out of ideas - if anyone has had this problem and/or knows of a fix please let me know. Thank you.

Great image 👍

Don’t worry. We all know clickbait when we see it 😱 Just kidding 👍 No I’m not 😈 Yes I am 😃

If I hadn’t I know someone who would have handled the situation 😁

So……… Now you can order the M180. 😈

Also @Sunshine check out Neil Philips’ 8” Classical Cassegrains planetary images - that has 4 spider vanes….

Here is a composite image by Fedele…..

The Mewlon 180 has three spider vanes which visually show up as 6 very weak diffraction spikes on the planets - they are much weaker than the four you see in a Newtonian. Fedele has posted planetary images on here using his M180, it would be worth checking those out. Visually if the seeing is good in my experience the M180 will outperform your TSA102 on the planets, in poor seeing they will show the same planetary detail.

Very good 👍👍👍👍

@mikeDnight nothing beats the look of a good refractor 👍🙂

Do let us know 👍

So if the old back was lower then the new back is forwards, so you would need more out focus ! It just does not make sense. I am assuming you have not changed the primary ?

Which is lower - the top of the mirror clips on the old back or the new back ?

Well that has me baffled as I thought you would need a lot more out focus - which I’m assuming you have tried and it has not worked ! I look forward to other peoples thoughts…… Nice scope 👍

Nice drawing Mike 👍 I am planning to get out for a look Monday evening……if my man flu improves 🤧

Welcome to SGL. The telescope looks complete, probably needs new batteries in. It’s a good scope and will show a lot - Mars and Jupiter are in the night sky at the moment. There will be a learning curve for you but stick with it as it will be worth it, feel free to come back and ask questions 👍 Did it come with any eyepieces ? Here is the Autostar manual http://di002.edv.uniovi.es/~cueva/aficiones/astronomia/Autostar-494-User-Manual.pdf And this free sky map software will help you find whats up in the sky….. https://stellarium.org/

Met him at a parachute convention a few years ago in the USA. A very brave and interesting chap. He signed his book for me. RIP

Sad news, he was a prolific poster and always had something interesting and positive to say. My condolences to @thunderbird02, the rest of his family and his friends. RIP John from Derby.

It’s a good upgrade, For best thermal stability wrap the Skymax 150 in two layers of Reflectix from B&Q

Just for interest, here is my (long gone) OMC200 Deluxe, it had an Strelh of 0.987 The deluxe version OMC’s are at least 1/8th wave and you will see that at the eyepiece 👍

Good job 👍

Nice scope, It will probably needs two layers of bubble wrap for best results.

Cannot remember the size, sorry. But - Just big enough to fill the gaps the rivets made and just long enough to allow a washer and nut to fit - the tube baffles hide them nicely.

The Intes 715 is fairly easy to work on. The rear is held on with 3 big bolts - do not touch the smaller screws either side of them as they will affect collimation. Take great care not to catch the edge of the primary against the OTA as you remove it. The front ventilation plate screws off to reveal three securing clamps, unscrew these and remove any shims and you can then lift off the corrector. Best to mark front corrector and back plate orientation and take photos as you go. Then you can replace all the rivets, I worried that one would fail causing the rest to fail and the OTA would drop off the mount 😱 They are very fine scopes 👍