Chris

7 minutes ago, AstroAndy said:

Hi Chris

these ZWO cams. are quite something, aren't they. Even though they're finnicky (they want their own powered hubs), I quite like mine (an ASI294mm pro, and an ASI 120 s). We seem to use them oppositely, lol, you use yours for DSOs, and I use my 294 as an op guidecam (due to the long focal length of my C11, it's hard to focus with small sensors, especially in PHD).

Andy

Hi Andy, you're not wrong, I had the Altair version of the 294 for a little while and ended up using it for planetary and lunar more often and not hehe. I keep winking at the 533mc but I quite like the idea of seeing what I can get out of the 462mc first

Ah that's an interesting point, kind of makes sense you would need a larger sensor when guiding at long focal lengths. That's one serious guide can still, do you mean off axis guide cam? in which case it must be a tight squeeze with the optical train with that big a camera body?        

1 hour ago, happy-kat said:

Noise isn't too had at 30 seconds

That's re-assuring I've not tried that long yet.

1 hour ago, happy-kat said:

I assume you tried that target with an ir block and with your pro planet filter judging by the video title image.

 Obsolutely no filters, darks etc as I was testing out the camera in it's raw state, kind of like a control. I did want to try with the Pro planet filter, I had it out ready, but my laptop ran out of juice and my bed was calling me so I called it quits for the night. Next time I'll try the Pro planet : )

EDIT: I did spend quite a lot of time processing in GIMP which I think helped a lot. 

52 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

I'll watch that, )I've still not used mine in any real purpose yet).

 Well it seems to do a fab job on small bright DSO's, I just need to test it on some more challenging targets with proper integration time. I'm looking forward to that   

I intended to take some wide field shots of the Cygnus region but there were the usual skyline obstacles to deal with. I settled for a quick grab of M57 with the ZWO462mc planetary camera and was glad I did! I was pleasantly surprised by how much detail I managed to get in the short space of time before my laptop died. I think I'll try some more DSO's with this little camera...and perhaps a full laptop battery next time!

Awesome! I've got my eye on the GEM28 with iPolar for a portable setup 🤩

19 hours ago, iapa said:

Just be aware that neither will give a flat field across the sensor.

The Evoguide is an apochromat. Backfocus is 60mm when you remove the extension to be to add your own DSLR camera adapter, 20mm is extension in place.

Spaces may be will needed.

There is a flattener for the Evoguide. Both the Evoguide and flattener come in within the OP's budget. Also there shouldn't be any vignetting as the Flattener has a 28mm image circle and 533 sensor has a 16mm sensor on the diagonal. So in theory that could work.  

It's really great to read how brilliantly you've been getting on with the Starbase and it's perfect now it has the finder, looks ace! Clearly good things come from consuming too many sherbets 🍺🔭👍 Enjoy!

I'm glad the Meade brand has been rescued, it was very sad when they filed for bankruptcy. It will be interesting to see what happens

Very impressive detail! 

4 hours ago, Grumpy Martian said:

It's getting me to wonder what the view would be like through a 150 mm F/5 or F/8. Probably too large for me to enjoy though.

The 150 f/8 is on my dwindling list of affordable scopes I've never tried, it's just mounting the things despite how cool it would look once mounted. The Evo 120mm is probably the better trade off, and your ST120 is well in the grab and go territory so a great compliment to your Dob  

This is literally why you can't be into scopes and just have one scope! 😆 Although if I was forced at gun point to only own one scope it would be a 4" f/7 Apo.     

16 hours ago, Goldfinger said:

I'll just set up the scope and see what's up in the sky. I'll just point it wherever until I find something interesting then try to identify it using the the Stellarium app.

A Dobsonian sounds perfect for this purpose. It's more of an all rounder compared to the Mak which is mainly considered a planetary lunar scope, and the Dob has a simple Alt/az (up down left right) mount which is perfect for just plonking down and having a look around.

Don't worry about height, my smallest Dob stands about 9" tall! As said you can raise the scope up or lower your self down with an observing chair : )   

1 minute ago, AstroNebulee said:

It was me Chris, how can you forget me so easily 😢😂😉 only joking thanks for the reminder though plenty will of missed this gem else, clear skies and good luck for the 7th 👍

I couldn't quite remember how you spelled you user name so just went with someone 😂

Someone posted about this a couple of weeks back, so this is just a reminder that a new 4 part series starts tonight at 9pm on BBC 2. It feels like a while since we've had anything spacey on the BBC ? 

First Episode is entitled "Space, how far can we go"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wtdj

1 hour ago, faulksy said:

true lockie, sorry i mean chris.

big congrats on your job with flo as well

Cheers Mike!  Either Chris or Lockie I don't mind 👍

It's great to see this thread resurrected, more recent SGLr's will get to see this fantastic build

It's also a reminder that I should pull my finger out with certain shelved project! 

57 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

As I know you’re part of the @FLO team now, I have to say you guys have all been most helpful to me over the last year. Even yesterday, Alex went out of his way to get me dimensions for all the relevant Oklop bags so I could choose one that matches the Mewlon closely, so thanks again to the whole team there 👍

I won't count myself in with the team just yet as I start on the 7th of June, but hearing feedback like yours tells me how rewarding I'm going to find it working for FLO : )

I'm of course biased as a pending employee, but I first realised how above and beyond FLO were when they sent my wife and I a present out the blue when our identical twins were born 7 years ago! I had been a regular customer for 2 or 3 years at that point in time, but still! It blew me away that they thought to do this! 

Now I'm not saying I'll be including free baby grows with every purchase 😆 but I'm looking forward to doing my best by our customers, or community might be a better word  

I'd better start revising those bag dimensions! 😁

3 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

Most unusual to get a “free” adaptor with any Tak 🤣

You're not kidding, I was surprised you got the finder 😆 it's a seriously nice scope though, you must be itching to use it! Good luck for you first light : )

6 hours ago, HollyHound said:

Finally got 5 minutes to open the box.... packed in the usual lovely way of Takahashi 👍

As a complement to the refractors, providing a bit more aperture (and focal length) when required... a Takahashi Mewlon 180C 😃

Wow what a purchase! I bet it will knock your socks off for planetary and Lunar. These Mewlon's have the most securely attached looking finders I've ever seen.  

1 hour ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Ok , so I’ve seen lots of beautiful scopes on this thread ... but I am just as happy as I have collected a scope ( thanks Widescreen Centre) that I have always wanted to own . Yes it’s an achromat and yes I know the limitations but for me it’s a beautiful wide field opportunity to spend a few relaxing hours out in the garden .  

 

Great refractor for those low power DSO views, congrats and enjoy

3 hours ago, Roy Challen said:

I am wondering what the Takahashi connection actually is. It's made for them, but why is it listed with the scopetech products?

Hi Roy, Here's a quote from Takahashi America which might shed some light. The optics company in Japan is ScopeTech, and I have slightly more than a hunch that FLO probably wanted to be clear that it's not a Takahashi (just commissioned by Takahashi) hence they placed it in the ScopeTech section. This product did come up in conversation with FLO, but I just need to be a bit careful about misquoting them hence me using words like "slightly more than a hunch"    

The Starbase 80 is not manufactured or designed by Takahashi Japan.  It is made for them under contract by an optics company in Japan.  It is sold in Japan through Takahashi's company-owned telescope store, Starbase.  

In conjunction with Takahashi Japan, Takahashi America introduced this telescope at NEAF this past April.  It is Takahashi's goal to introduce beginning astronomers to Japanese quality optics, with the hope that one day they may become Takahashi customers.  Takahashi prides itself on being 100% Japanese made, and is continuing that tradition with the Starbase 80.

Thanks for your interest!

Takahashi America

15 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Get one pf them, you’ll love it.

Only problem is if I sneak one in, I would need to sneak one out....my poor Heritage 150p is looking nervous. I keep making the tactical mistake of moaning about the clutter 😄  

1 minute ago, IB20 said:

it is Takahashi crack.

In that case I think Takahashi's plan has worked 😆

On 23/05/2021 at 16:42, Roy Challen said:

 I agree that the scope package looks nice. I think it is a little expensive for what it is though.

You know what Roy, I'm not sure about this? It's made by Scopetech of Japan, and I was very tempted by their 80mm f/12.5 and f/15 OTA's achromat offerings at around £430 just for the OTA with finder.

I'm not saying the Starbase's OTA is quite up to the same standard, but having read a couple of reports I bet it's not miles off. Adding to that, the package comes with a great looking mount, and 2 Japanese Orthoscopic eyepieces and what looks to be a decent prism diagonal. I think the money probably adds up. 

I do wish it came with the finder though hehe

I don't know, I've probably just got hungry eyes for it as I've not owned a vintage style frac for quite some time 🔭🤩🤣

Nice one charl! and Hazy! when I was a lad I could only dream of it being hazy lol Wall to wall cloud here although on the plus side I don't feel so bad about not having a solar rig.  

10 hours ago, Kon said:

Thanks very informative! As a beginner with interest in seeing nebulas it is extremely helpful on the summer delights upon us!

No problem  Nebula can be tricky depending on how dark your skies are, but your 200p Dobsonian is a good tool for the job. You can also try wearing an eye patch over your observing eye for a while before you observe, this will dilate your pupil and let in more of that faint light.