Chris

Thanks I just went off to Google what exactly an Amp was again lol So Amp x Volts = Watts. In that case if we allow for 5 Amps usage at 12V for 3 hours then that would be 180 Wh. In that case I would need to be looking at least 100W solar panels considering summer/winter and battery reserves.

Thanks, that's great info Well I estimate the mount uses about 3amps, I don't use dew heaters but will be getting a dew shield for my 8" RC. The camera is stand alone off a battery or my planetary cam runs via my laptops battery. I guess it's just LED lighting and the mount, so I'll probably need something like at least 15Watt hours at a guess? I estimate I would use the obsy about 3 hours a week on average so hopefully plenty of time for a trickle charge. I guess if I got a large leisure battery for some head room that might help. I could get this 30 Watt kit and a good battery perhaps: https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en/catalog/full/142-30W-12V-solar-charging-kit-with-5A-solar-charge-controller-and-battery-cables-with-crocodile-clips.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwMP9BRCzARIsAPWTJ_Hrw9vig2RqPR7Zll621rf_H6ZXmcZ9lb5-UpwuzkQBxM357KCN44YaAsf6EALw_wcB

Hi, I'm seriously thinking about running my newly built upcycled RoR obsy off solar, I'm just not sure if my plan will work as it seems too simple to be true? I'm not that clued up with electrical engineering so thought I'd ask for a bit of help with this. My plan is to buy something like this 20W 12V solar kit plus a 12V leisure battery to run my EXOS2 mount and maybe LED lighting? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monocrystalline-Charge-Controller-Extension-Battery/dp/B07RZBVTGR/ref=asc_df_B07RZBVTGR/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=375423088030&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17417217163303623566&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045074&hvtargid=pla-843716935674&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=82457260731&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=375423088030&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17417217163303623566&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045074&hvtargid=pla-843716935674 Am I missing any vital ingredient? Thanks

I think a boiled egg would make a great eyepiece at f12, no seriously, even super cheap EP's work well at f12

Cheers Rob I reckon the 8RC can do a little better still as the secondary was covered in dew and the seeing wasn't great. There's so many AVI to stacked image planet videos out there that it makes me want to do things a little different to try and capture peoples imaginations

I watched a video advertising these on Face Book, and they used the exact same footage from a Nikon P1000 video I had watched just weeks before. I of course called them out in the comments for stealing footage and claiming it as their own but sadly my comment was drowned by others being absolutely wowed by this 40mm monocular marvel!

Which 32mm EP are we talking about?

That's good to hear, thanks I was wondering if they were possibly made in the same factory?

I'm also intrigued by the 50mm. It would give 32x and a 6mm exit pupil with the Stella Lyra 8RC. I will need to buy the Stella Lyra 2" diagonal first of course as I only have a WO 1.25"

Ah that's typical about the capture Dave, but great you had the best views of Mars ever It might have been the same night I got amazing views with the Heritage 150p, that must have been my best view to date.

Thanks! Yes, this was officially the first object imaged from the new obsy, shortly followed by some short subs on the Pleiades

Thanks Dave, that's interesting, you have me beat on both focal length and the aperture with the Meade 10" SCT plus 2x Barlow, so perhaps the seeing conditions level the playing field a lot of the time? I know my secondary was completely dewed up by the end of the night, so that couldn't have helped, so I'm re assured by your comparison!

I've had first light with the Stella Lyra 8RC and surprisingly it was on Mars because I could just about see it from the obsy and I hadn't nailed the goto's on my new mount at the time. The seeing was very damp/almost misty and RC's are of course designed for DSO imaging so I've cheated with some NASA CGI 🤣

The atmosphere was damp and the secondary covered in dew when I took this footage, so I'm sure I will get better out of this non planetary telescope, but to help compensate I thought I would spice things up with some CGI.

It's a beast Steve! 😜 Seriously though, I'll be interested to hear how you get on with a spot of imaging with it....and dare I say observing

Thanks Steve, yes I'd better pull my finger out with the electrics and dig the trench for some armoured cable before the ground gets too frosty!

Thanks, me too!

Just electrics to go, so this will be the last Vlog for the recycled obsy build:

Excellent John, we must have been Looking at Mars at around the same time. Here's a snap with the 8" RC and there is sort of an upside down Y shape? I think the features were rapidly changing though.

At some point I'll try and work out the total build cost? I have a bunch of receipts to add up but I'm guessing it's around the 600 quid mark.

Wonderful to hear, Hals, fantastic, go for it!

Thanks Lee, much appreciated

Great stuff, and you're welcome

Some kind of focus? Check, image merges? check. Sounds very positive Robert I bet 175x will be fine for Lunar and planetary when the seeing is average or above. I'm looking forward to your BV adventures!

I had lots of fun putting this together, so hopefully it's fun to watch as well as educational.