johninderby

If I hadn’t already had a spare Altair saddle would certainly have bought the Rowan one. 🙂

Test fitted the 8” Classical Cassegrain. Feels so different to the TS-AZ5 (Skytee). Much more stable with no feeling like the whole thing is going to tip over without a counterweight unlike the TS-AZ5. Movement is so much smoother and find the OTA balances a bit further backwards than the TS-AZ5.

Found I could back off the Alt clutch so it just kept the OTA in postion but could move the OTA manually without the slo-mo controls but the slo-mo controls still worked fine without tigtening the clutch.

WOW what a mount. Thoroughly impressed even without having it outside yet. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

7 minutes ago, Piero said:

Looks great! Is that a Uni18?

Yes it is with an EQ5 top that I converted into an EQ5 or EQ6 fitting.

Thought at first it was just a box of foam chips. 😂

12 minutes ago, FLO said:

It is good to see your mount has arrived, John 🙂 

Steve 

Hi Steve

And very nice it is too. 👍🏻

Now if only the forecast for some clear skies on Sunday is accurate. 🙏🏼

First pics.

Not short of mounting holes for the saddle. I used the Altair dual fit saddle as I had one and didn’t see any sense in buying the Rowan one and the Altair matches the mount very well.

29 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Eyepiece?

15mm Ortho ............... 😁😁😁

OK actually the long awaited Rowan AZ100 🙂🙂🙂

Pics being posted in the Rowan AZ100 Owners Thread

A box just arrived by DPD. Wonder what’s inside. 😁

Arrived about a minite ago. 👍🏻

365Astronomy sells them but not cheap.

https://www.365astronomy.com/search.php?mode=search&page=1&keep_https=yes

Think with the stock ED80 focuser being a simpler “less expensive” unit there does seem to be quite a bit of variability in how well they perform. 

Have a Baader Steeltrack refractor focuser on my 8” cassegrain and it does work extremely well. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

The Baader is more durable than the Moonlite and having owned both would go for the Baader on an 80mm scope. 

There is a solution but of course more expensive. The 130p on an AZ5 mount with tripod.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az5-deluxe/sky-watcher-explorer-130ps-az5-deluxe.html

Edit. Amazon link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-Watcher-Explorer-130ps-Alt-Azimuth-Parabolic-Newtonian/dp/B077RXQBZ2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=skywatcher+130p+az5&qid=1577447149&sr=8-1

The dob is the easiest scope to learn how to use. Would recommend avoiding those scopes with cheap lightweight EQ mounts. Not good at all.

Also better to buy from someone like FLO than Amazon. Cheaper as well.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

Not much longer to wait now. 🙂

Rotation is pretty well standard with all crayford focusers. The Baader also has 5 mounting posrions for accessories so more than one finder shoe can be used. 

Or Montreal?

BTW Montreal is on a volcanic island although long extinct. 

One of the good crayfords such as a Baader Steeltrack, Moonlite or if the budget allows a FeatherTouch would be my choice.

I’ve tried the cheaper R&Ps and found that they aren’t as smooth although they do hold weight well.

Best of all would be a FeatherTouch R&P but they are very expensive and more suited to a bigger scope.

Nope. Too far away. Would have to be within 50 - 100 light years for damaging levels of radiation and it’s 642 light years away.

Lunar Map HD and MoonGlobe HD are my two favouotes.

Available for Android or Ios

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.omegacentauri.LunarMap.HD&hl=en

https://appadvice.com/app/moon-globe-hd/376000038

Think they should loan one to John for evaluation. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind doing a review for them. . 😂😂

Don’t forget the Explore Scientific and Opticstar versions of the Powermates. Most can’t tell the difference in using them.

I’m sure Richard Branson will pick one up with some loose change he has laying arround. 😁

Bit like watching one of those car shows reviewing the latest Ferrari or Lamborgini. Interesting but how many watching could actually afford one. . 🤔

Spring cleaning today before the relatives arrive on Saturday. Oh the joys of dusting and cleaning and vacuuming........not. 🤬

More fun than watching the utter dross such as Gavin and Stacey on TV though. 😁

The regular HEQ5 and HEQ5 Syntrek are now discontinued so your best hope of finding one is to look for a used one. Would think all the dealers have sold out of these old mounts now.