baggywrinkle

I am looking for a control unit to use with my LX850 mount. I need to control dew heaters (up to 4), a focuser and either a Canon DSLR or a range of Altair CMOS cameras. Is anyone in the group using either of these or another system. I'd be interested in your opinions.

I have been having issues with the LX850 mount as the Starlock tracking went down on me. It has taken weeks to sort out but luckily it seem I am in time for winter... Downside? In 3 weeks I am in hospital to have a full left knee replacement, the result of praticing kendo for 25+ years and a busted achilles to boot..no pun intended. I wanted this sorted so I can get back to some deep sky work. I have the mount hypertuned in the summer by Darkframe and now it is showing an improvement. Last night | had a go at M31, total 50 mins exposure at ISO1600 in one minute exposures and then the Double Cluster 35 minutes again at ISO 1600 on a Canon 650D. I was using a Prima Luce Airy 65mm OTA on the side of the LX850 mount. Nice round stars and a good flat field as their is a field corrector inbuilt. Now I need to learn more on Photoshop

The Moon this morning at 03:00 BST. Seeing was poorer than on the 20th so the detailed images using the Barlow are of a lower quality. I would estimate a 3-4 on the Damian Peach scale. For Lunar imaging 24 hours can make a major difference in quality. LX850 12" Meade + Canon 650 for the mosiac full shot and the Altair GP290M for the detailed shots. Click the link to go t the Flickr page. https://www.flickr.com/photos/165584972@N02/albums/72157711001549803

My first scope when I came back to astronomy when living is Aus was the 6SE, great scope and a good mount. But as advised above add the dew heater...SCT's are dew magnets. I still have a 9.25 SCT on the Evolution mount and use it for outreach. Simple and easy to set up.

If it is just for visual and video but not astro - photography I would stick with the AZ mount. I have the LX850 12" SCT and that is a beast, I've seen the 14" OTA at Norwich Astro Soc' and then realised I had made the right choice for my home obsy.

The waning Moon this morning at 04:00 BST. Seeing was around 4 on the Damian Peach scale, so good, I was able to add a 2.5x Barlow to the imaging chain to get the detailed shots. All done on the Meade LX850 12" SCT using a Canon 650D for the whole Moon shot and the Altair GP290M for the detailed shots. I was limited to 2000-3000 frames when using the 2.5x Barlow as I was getting drift. I stacked the best frames above 60% quality in Autostakert, tweaked in Registax and finished in Photoshop. I was really pleased to get the tiny craterlets in Plato and Archimedes, 1-3 Km diameter, not bad from 380,000 Km!

The EQ5 would offer more future proofing with its higher payload than the EQ3 versions. But that depends on how far down the slippery rad of astro photography you intend to go. Along with a heavier payload it does mean a heavier mount if you intend to move it around or take it to dark sky sites. I have had both Celestron and Skywatcher over the years and both are well supported for technical advice and user experience for apps like EQMOD. I mention Celestron as they come from the same maker but operate in a slightly different way for alignment. They too have the equivalent of the SW EQ5. Both Brands often come up for sales on second hand sites.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/flo-125-inch-t-mount-camera-adapter.html You need the above and the adaptor it screws into. That adapter should replicate the Canon bayonet lens connection. This will allow direct connection of the D250 to the OTA. On some EP's there is also a 42mm thread that allows connection of s camera to the EP to allow eye piece projection.

You wont regret having a permanent set-up, especially with UK weather being so variable. Whatever type of roof you use make good provision for securing it in heavy winds, turn buckle catches on the inside are a good option, plus spring loaded catches on the outside if it is a roll off.

They are non camping sites, but nearby is the Burnham Deepdale camping and backpackers. Kings Lynn & District AS has been doing stargazing outreach their twice a year as an outreach. At their Hygge and at their Music Festival. Both the Discovery sites are within 15 minutes drive. Titchwell has parking and is also a superb RSPB site, we've done outreach their too.

The Kings Lynn and District Astronomy Club has been (via its Chairman) heavily involved in getting two new Dark Skies Discovery Sites registered https://www.darkskydiscovery.org.uk/dark-sky-discovery-sites/map.html These are at Barrow Common and Titchwell RSPB on the North Norfolk cost not far from Hunstanton, both are AONB sites too. There are more registrations due. We might seem a bit of a remote county with funny narrow roads and no motorways...but that has its advantages.

It is an F6 so a reasonably fast reflector, so good for DSO and with reasonable magnification you will get good views of the Moon and planets. A good all rounder. It would not be suited to astro photography as it is a manual push too scope.

My son has been truly bitten by the astronomy bug.. currently he is visiting the UK and he came along to one of our outreach events and one of our meetings. In NZ he has been going to astro events and really enjoyed them. Never sure what to give a 30+ year old on his birthday I have handed over my Altair Starwave ED70 plus the Starwatcher AZ GTi head and tripod for him to take home along with a couple of decent EP's. He does not drive but uses public transport so the kit had to be truly grab and go. He can now enjoy some spectacular NZ skies....providing he gets away from Wellingtons lights...

I have used Hyperions on both <F10 and >F10 with no issues I could see.

Contact W&W, https://dewheater.com/ I have bought dew heaters from Barbara and all are good quality, she is also prepared to do custom jobs.