CraigT82

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/skywatcher-auto-focuser.html I also needed to buy a toothed belt and pulley for this fitment but they're easily found online

I bought my mak 150 new and the factory focuser was stiff at first but loosened up over time. There are a couple of screws on the side which are redundant and I attached the motor bracket using these, not sure if they are present on the smaller maks though

Is this the mirror moving focuser (knob on the back of the scope) or an aftermarket crayford/R&P focuser? The skywatcher motor focus unit is cheap and can be fitted to all sorts of scopes with a little imagination, reduces vibration to nothing. This is how I fitted one to a Skymax 150 I used to have...

Very interesting project.... How would you focus the camera? I guess that the faststar system in SCTs uses a camera in front of the OTA and the cabling/thermals don't seem to present a problem there so there is no real reason why you can't do this with a newt? I wonder if there is a way of using the spider vanes as a heatsink for the camera?!

Shorter threads may be suitable to hold a camera but not for a mount and scope. Anyway it would still be too long... trust me I've been down this route with my eq5 and SA.

If you're thinking of these type ones (image) they don't work.... add too much length to the bolt. At least, that was the problem when I was trying to fit my star adventure to an eq5 tripod. Ended up buying the bullet and buying the berlebach one.

The EQ5 tripod uses an M10 bolt to attach the mount, whilst the AZ5 head takes a 3/8" bolt that you normally get on photo tripods. You an get a really nice M10 to 3/8 adaptor from Berlebach but it aint cheap.

Sounds like a plan. Tough to do it by eye though... Don't suppose you could substitute in a colour camera to set the Adc (using the Adc tool in firecapture or similar) then switch over to mono for capture?

Only thing I can think of is to leave one position in the FW clear and use that to set the adc? Maybe not very helpful Sorry!

I wouldn't have thought you'd need a adc with a mono camera? As you'd refocus for each filter the align in post process??

Heads up for any Fullercopes fasn in Scotland... https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/fullerscopes-telescope/1290837361?utm_source=savedsearches&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GT.TRIGGER.SA&utm_content=none

If refractors could be made with 2m+ apertures they would use those I think. I follow quite a few professional astronomers on twitter and I've sen them complain - more than once - of getting around to their precious alloted scope time only to find that their intended subject is obscured by a bleedin' great diff spike!

Congrats! Nice to see these instruments being passed from one loving enthusiast to another to be enjoyed... maybe one day it will end up in my hands (fat chance!!)

As to the why.... I believe it makes sense in that it makes diagnosing tracking errors easier if you know which way things are moving in your image

Superb Catluc! Does your Dobsoniam have motorised tracking or a EQ platform?

Very nice! I'm planning on trying something like this myself with my mak, your info on gain and exposure will come in very handy so thanks very much!

I've had exactly the same choice to make recently, Bresser 152 mak or Skywatcher 150. On paper the bresser looks good, includes tube rings and also uses a crayford focusser (I'm not sure if the primary mirror is fixed or not). In the end I went for the SW as it's qualities are well documented. The only stuff I could find on the bresser was a review on here by Parallaxer (I think), he ended up sending it back as he was disappointed with it optically. BTW most maksutovs don't operate at quite their full aperture, not due to undersized primaries (certainly the SW maks have sufficiently oversized mirrors) but due to overly tight baffling. On the skywatchers the secondary baffle vignettes the light path slightly. I've read that this is to improve the out of focus star image, as with the baffle removed the out of focus image look horrible (very different eitger side of focus) due to the changing FL inherent with a moving mirror design, though apparently the in focus star image is still spot on.

This is probably my best effort, iPhone 5 handheld through barlowed 10mm BCO in my 200p F6.

How long has it been running? I've never heard of it before. Not that I'm a big festival goer but this sounds pretty interesting to me!

Heard this being touted on the radio... It's a three day music/arts/cultural festival at Jodrell Bank this July. Thought it might be of interest to some on here, good music line up too! http://www.discoverthebluedot.com

Quite a few people guide their Star adventurer, it helps to eliminate tracking errors due to the fairly large periodic error. It will work best with spot on PA so your polemaster will be very handy. As above you need to set it to 'on camera' in PhD then connect cam USB to computer and St4 on cam to st4 on mount. With a 50mm lens and PA using polemaster youll be able to get 10min unguided subs easily, you might have to throw the odd one away though.

The next person to refer to the ASI1600 as a CCD will get a poke in the eye! P.S.apologies to the OP, I can't help with the spacing question at all!

Will be interesting to hear how the ED120 compares to your Skyliner, and also to your Leica spotter (CA control that is!)

I think 1&2 are supposed to be the reflection of the focuser in primary, they're in the wrong place though, should be at the 9 0'clock position in that diagram. You shouldn't need to do any 'displacing' the offset is built into the secondary assembly. I think the issue with he shifting illumination is due to the focuser not being square to the light cone??

Nice looking set up, look forward to seeing the results Can I ask, what is the second ZWO camera for (with the meteor lens is it?)