tooth_dr

There are a couple of reasons why that didn’t happen 😊 but I don’t really feel like explaining myself. I’m happy with my work but thanks for your feedback.

Hasn’t welded in my life until a few days ago, gave it a go and ended up with this.

Thank you! Whatever way you look at it though, that’s a hell of an image of m31

IMO it looks asethetically better the other way round. Just like the horsehead looks better presented the way it does. M31 'looks' upside down that way.

Just wanted to continue the updates here. I was gifted the DN pipe so beggars can’t be choosers! The DN100 was a 2m length so too long. I established the required length for my observatory - 1.06m - then cut the flange off one end and shortened the pipe accordingly. Plan is to weld it up tonight.

Looks good apart from neck ache looking at it 👀

This will be down to errors in your mounting equipment, but the light rays are (basically) parallel. This is why you need an adjustment saddle. You need the light rays parallel, and this may not coincide with your mass produced equipment mounting points.

Just throwing in my view - I run a mono and a OSC IMX571 cameras on the same rig. Both cameras in their own right produce great images. The OSC produces great images but needs exposure time. I often think I’d prefer two monos but I’d miss not having the OSC. I run identical scopes, reducers and sensors so alignment is critical as the FOV is identical. This was not difficult using the JTD saddle, but helped by having a rotatable focuser too. I just centred the fixed scope on a bright star using the crosshairs in SGPro and adjusted the saddle on the other scope until it was aligned. Plate solving confirmed angles etc. Took a good hour but that’s a one-off. I used to synchronise my dithering using APT. This was important with 30 minute subs, not to lose one. Now with 2 minute subs I don’t bother synchronising dithering and only dither every 15th sub. I only lose a small % of my subs this way. I run all off a run of the mill mini PC with a few GB ram. One scope does the platesolving, guiding, controls the meridian flip etc. The other scope just keeps taking images all night. I don’t believe this is correct. The scopes will, for all intent and purposes, be completely parallel. This is due to huge distances involved to our targets - look up the ‘parallax method’ - astronomers use the orbit of the earth around the sun to create a large enough distance between their two scope to observe a minute shift in the image.

I was out last night and definitely need to be careful inserting anything into the focuser too far as the corrector is just in behind it.

Cheers Mandy. Originality isn’t high on the list at this stage 😂 I had a look and thought about it, but it’s not really practical, the altitude bolts are in that area. This is true, but the helicoil taps aren’t the same as conventional taps, so it’s one or the other. I would think you are correct. Having owned an eq6 for several years, steel bolts don’t be long stripping aluminium threads on these mount, it’s like butter.

I was attaching a recently purchased used NEQ6 to my pier last night but wasn’t able to tighten it to the metal plate, the bolt kept turning and wouldn’t tighten. I had a look and the thread are all destroyed. I was able to catch a few threads at the top using a longer threaded bar. Would there be any harm is rethreading this as M14x1.5? Or try an M12 helicoil repair kit?

I’m in the process of recommissioning my RoR observatory. I bolted down the pier last night and setup a newly acquired used EQ6 with my new VC200L to have a look at Jupiter. I could just look at this scope and mount all day though, beautiful.

Absolutely stunning. I’m currently in the process of recommissioning my Takahashi ε-180ED and D800E, so fantastic to see what is achievable.

Is this the same scope with a scratched objective?

Anyone know?

My new scope (VC200L) has a built in corrector that requires 149mm of backfocus. It isn’t a problem achieving this, but I’m just curious if this is important for planetary imaging, and secondly, if I use a barlow 2x how does this affect that spacing? Thanks

I use a 178MM-cool as my ASC but am considering changing to the type posted above, to free up the camera for use on a scope. However it is an excellent performer with the 1.55mm F2 lens so I’m a little hesitant.

Something like a Mintron camera would do this. It requires no software to run, just coax into the tv. Mono is much more sensitive than the colour version so bear that in mind. There will be lots of solutions, this is called EEVA. https://stargazerslounge.com/forum/287-discussions-eeva-equipment/

Hi David. That’s very helpful. A small piece of rectangular bar, that’s what I couldn’t think of, but can see how its obvious now for holding the eq6 onto the disc. Thank you!

Thanks David 👍🏼

I bought a used NEQ6. I’ve dug out the welder here, see what I can come up with 😬 appreciate the offer and might still avail of it. Cheaper than buying a lathe.

Probably a stupid question, but if the seeing is 2”, how can we guide at 1/2”?

Was there a specific disc you used David? Is there any chance of a photo of the underside?

Triggers broom more like