mdstuart

..and what is this grouping in the Stephens quintet image. Just wow.

Sorry, yes follow the plan. I went for a smaller bolt but that was at my own risk! Mark

Yes m20 seems too big I used an M8 bolt for my pivot and it's fine. Mark

What about this for a supernova candidate? That looks like a supernova to the top left.

My picture of the M57 and surrounding star field taken with my home built equatorial platform and 8 inch dob with Samsung phone afocal. I had to line up with the finder and hope M57 was in the field of view of the 25mm eyepiece and thankfully it was. This was night one of using the platform to image.

It also allows me for the first time ever to take basic dso pics afocal with a smart phone. Recognise this?

20220705_222302.mp4 This video shows the moon with the equatorial platform running. It just hangs there in view.

Final completed platform. Just need to create a battery compartment.

First light. That's odd the stars are going up with the motor on but drift to the left when the motor is off. Top tip. The pointy end of the platform should be facing South NOT North! So a 180 degree rotation of the platform and then point at Albeiro...super sharp view from the Orion dob as always. Turn on the motor.... WOW Albeiro just hangs their in the middle of the field of view. Called the wife who has a look and yes the double is still in the middle of the field of view. So it all works perfectly. Next step is to add some paint to the platform.

You call that improvisation...what about my end stops. Interestingly it would be possible to chop off those sharp ends as only the inner curve is used...something for v2?

..and action...is it moving?

Nearly there. sorry Dave I cannot answer your questions. I am just sticking to the guide.

Such a privilege and responsibility to be a father.

My lads know me well.

Just browsing. Has the effect of making me want to be at the eyepiece now.

Another. I wish I had not sold post. Perhaps we need an organisation to buy kit from us when we have to sell it to be allowed another telescope and then held in case we want it back a while down the line Mark

Inspired by your post I checked and got a copy for £28 plus postage on another web site...:)

You might like to consider adding a brake to that alt ball bearing ring. Mine was a bit loose until I added some " teflon brakes" Mark

I just looked at the comet in my 8 inch dob. It's only a faint blob at the moment. It would be easy to miss unless you know where to look exactly. As above plot it on an atlas and have another go. Mark

Fine view of this comet tonight in my 8 inch dob. Looked very much like an elliptical galaxy with a supernova. The mag 12.6 star next to the comet core reminded me of a supernova but of course its just a field star. Despite the sun only being 13 degrees below the horizon it was plenty dark enough to spot the comet. Also enjoyed the fine nearby cluster NGC 6633 which looks like this. So don't let the fact its not astro dark stop you. Mark

Thanks. I probably was too gentle with the file. Mark

About 2 hrs of work and this the result. Maybe not a 1/10th wave but its a curve. How smooth should the curved surface be?

File acquired. I will report back on how it goes

File the segments you say....easy to work with? So sandpaper? Keep going until the segment just uncovers the curved line? Deploy the dremel? We shall see. Cutting the steel rods blunted my hacksaw blade. Now I know why I stick to spreadsheets. No seriously it is fun to try practical stuff.

This one is for my 8 inch Orion dob. Perhaps I might make a bigger version one day. Mark