cfpendock

Thanks for your confidence, Ray, but I'm not at all sure of that! It's just that my system seems to work, for whatever reason, and like you, I also look forward to seeing some more of Rodd's images, which I am afraid leave my own looking distinctly amateurish.... Exactly. I was lucky as the C11 has an enormous range of focus, so once the Tak was ok, then it was easy to make the C11 work also. Chris

And that is exactly what I was picking up on. My original point was that I use my OAG "package" with both the Tak and the C11 - vastly different focal lengths. When I originally got the Lodestar, I set everything up for the Tak - it's lighter and easier to manage than the C11! When I subsequently transferred the package to the C11, sure, I had to fiddle with the focus on the C11 in order to achieve focus, but I made no change to the package (Atik 4000, filter wheel, OAG and Lodestar) itself. No spacers, nothing. That is why I think maybe I was just lucky. On the other hand, there is no change to the length of the light path within the package, whichever scope I am using. This all explains why I cannot really understand Rodd's problem, unless he has a faulty Lodestar, or that the imaging camera he is using has a light path which is absolutely incompatible with his filter wheel / OAG assembly. I don't understand......it should work! Chris

Thanks for clarifying that Ray. I think that I read your post too quickly. But I also agree that I have probably been just lucky... my OAG package works the same, with or without the focal reducer - but I can only say this for the Tak 106. Sadly I don't have a reducer for the C11.... Chris

I think my test would be more definitive......and can be done from the comfort of indoors. But from what you say, your camera is certainly sensitive to something..... As Allinthehead indicated - it is often easier to do some tests in daylight - I also set up my focus in the daylight, keeping the computer in a nearby shed so I could see the screen in daylight. Chris

You won't see any words without a lens. But whenever I get a new camera - including the Lodestar, I connect to the computer (indoors...), and using the SX software or any other suitable software, switch on the camera (without any lens). It should register the difference between dark and light, so you can test this just by covering and uncovering the camera. Then if you run your finger (or something similar) from one side of the camera to the other, you should see the image go dark on one side, then dark when your finger is completely over the camera, and then dark on the other side as your finger passes across and away from the camera. This will at least demonstrate that the camera works. Chris

No. I make no changes whatsoever to the "package". Both scopes have the same size opening for the nosepiece, so it is just a question of removing it from the one scope and fixing it to the other. The only change which I do make is to recalibrate the focuser (Lakeside and Focusmax), for whichever scope I am using. Chris

That is very interesting. I use a Lodestar X2 together with an SX filter wheel and OAG. These are coupled directly to an Atik 4000 and make my "imaging package". I use this package for both my de-forked CPC (2800mm fl), and my Tak 106 FSQ, with and without reducer. I make no changes to the "package" when swapping from one scope to the other. Chris

This is my de-forked CPC1100 Edge, sitting on a Temma 2 mount. Chris

I had a CPC on a wedge, and from what I remember, I always used the main scope rather than the finder for polar alignment. Chris