Moonwrecker

Cheers Dan, I’ll have a look. 👍

From one new comer to another, hello and welcome.

Hi Andrew, further to our other correspondence I think I am going to head down the JMI route. For my immediate needs of done focus it is dual speed and for future needs (hands free, then auto) I know I can with relative ease attach the ZWO EAF. Where did you buy yours? Looks like RVO are about the only people that list them? Also, do you know if the stock SKU comes with the insert providing SCT 2” at the rear end (where the eyepiece would go). And does the stock Crawford come with 2” to 1.25” reducer? Sorry to bother you with this, it’s just that the descriptions don’t seem to be great. Cheers Chris 👍

Love the way you can see the reflection on the panels.

Really super images!!! Manual tracking too. Nice work 👍

Hi Peter, Yes, I think you may well be right there. I have a habit of making life rather more difficult for myself than is perhaps necessary. My logic behind it was this; I wanted a way to reduce the shake on the scope whilst achieving best focus through the camera. So, I thought hands-free focusing is the way forward. Unable to find something simple that would clip, screw or bolt on for the Meade, I started digging. It wasn't so much the "Auto" side of the ZWO that draw me to it, more the fact that it could be operated either with hand controller or via the laptop. Also, I have the disease of "more" and a rather nasty affliction of being drawn to rather expensive hobbies. In order to limit my long term expenditure, I figured I would do my best to futureproof my purchases. I know that once I achieve perfect focus, I will end up wanting auto guidance, better camera, ASI, APO bla bla and so on a so forth. Therefore, I thought, I'll try and buy it once and hopefully (wishful thinking I guess), that will be me done for a while . Rather than treat this as, I just want perfect focus, by perhaps purchasing an expensive feather touch micro focuser or just a Crayford, I would aim to build a system around the current optics and then upgrade them once they become the weakest link. I figured, get the focusing sorted, ensure I am getting the most out of the optics and the camera, sort the tracking, stick with Lunar and planetary, then move on to DSO? I made a Bahtinov Mask, using a really handy tool from the internet. First out of paper and then transferred onto black plastic. It works a treat when used with an eyepiece, but I haven't yet had the opportunity to test it out with the camera (which I'm also trying to get my head around, and that's another story ). Happy to receive your input and thoughts. Best Regards Chris

Thank you all once again for your welcome messages. I have never signed into a Forum before and I hadn't imagined it would be such a great way to meet friendly people (be it virtual) with such huge experience in something that has really captured my interest over the past couple of years - It's brilliant!!

Hello, If I’m honest, probably not when I bought the scope, although it wasn’t my first and it won’t be the only one I purchase. Once I has satisfied myself that I’m getting the best from the optics I have and achieve best results I can on lunar and planetary, I’ll probably move on to DS with refractor. Would happily receive any advise. CR

Hi Andrew, Many thanks that’s super useful. Really appreciate the time put in to your response. I will check out the links. If I can get straight on to the existing focus mech that would be nice. However, understand the back focuser will help with any mirror flop, which although I have noticed, doesn’t seem too bad on scope. Is imaging with SCT really that painful? I’m was only really going to use it for close up Lunar and planetary work. Thanks again.

I really need your help folks!!! This feels like a prayer I am trying to solve an ongoing brain teaser that is actually starting to drive me nuts. I want to get an ASCOM compatible (preferably ZWO EFA) Auto focus onto a Meade LX10. Yes, I know it's an older scope, but the optics are good (scopes never really been used before I got it) and I am about to de-fork it and invest in, and whack it on an EQ6 PRO Mount to future proof my astronomy for the medium term. I am going round in circles and I feel like a dog chasing it's tail. Question 1 - Can I get the original focus knob of off the scope? If so how? And after the two visible allen grub screws are removed does it screw off? Once off what size is the spindle. Question 2 - Once the knobs off, will the ZWO kit for use with Celestron 9.25 (with the flexible adaptor) fit straight on? Question 3 - If not is there a belt drive system that will work? If so, any idea what components are needed? Question 4 - If questions 1 - 3 are unanswerable or simply don't work, I could stick a Crayford style draw tube on. Right? - This leads to Q5 onwards???? Question 5 - Dual speed Crayford, without spending a small fortune on an old scope. Which one will take the EAF? Question 6 - I've looked TS optics 2 inch SCT dual speed - Link Below. In conjunction with the Wega 3D printed bracket. But don't know if the two are compatible??? https://www.astroshop.eu/focusers/ts-optics-focuser-crayford-2-/p,11264#tab_bar_0_select https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ts-focusers/wega-attachment-kit-for-zwo-eaf-motor-focus-on-tsfocn2-and-tsfocn2m-crayford-focusers.html Apparently they are from the description but it's not exactly clear from the description - Your'll see what I mean. Question 7 - Will the Skywatcher (or equivalent) Dual speed Focuser work with the ZWO EAF if so How to I attach it ? Question 8 - If all else fails - has anyone seen or used this product? See below link - If so is it any good? https://www.365astronomy.com/jmi-event-horizon-robotic-telescope-focuser-evr-ascom-cassegrain-adaption-for-zwo-eaf. Looks like a perfect solution and exactly what I am trying to achieve but I don't want to Shell out on something that turns up having been made by someone in their garage and wish I'd have answers Q1 through 7 and got a better result. If you are able to help before my head implodes I would be eternally grateful. Amen! CR

Thank you for your friendly welcome messages. I’ll try not to bore you all too much. Does anyone know where I might find a specialist on a Meade LX10?

Just a quick Hello. Nice to be in touch with some like minded people. I am enjoying reading some your posts and looking at your images as I crawl deeper into the wormhole. CR

Cheers Michael, super help full and it’s just given me an idea. Where did you sorta the gears from?

Hello All, I have an old Meade LX10 which is in really good condition and having now started to crawl into the wormhole that is astrophotography, I need to attach a means of electronic focusing. Ideally I want to attach a ZWO EAF to the scope directly onto the factory focused (with the knob removed) Does anyone out there know if this is possible. looking at the factory install instructions from ZWO relating to Celestron scopes, it looks like it should but my guess is it won’t. Alternatively, I’m thinking of fitting a Crayford SCT setup then attaching some thing electrical to that. Thoughts, suggestions, help and experience gratefully received. Regards Chris