DaveS

Pod booked.

PM sent, hoping to book a pod, but not a disaster if they're already taken.

They're Here Plus other updated and new SX Trius cameras.

Would you go for a humongous mosaic or use NB filters with your ASC? The problem I foresee with a whole-sky mosaic would be spherical mapping at the edges.

For late summer into early autumn, how about the whole of the Cygnus Loop, really come alive in NB, or the North America / Pelican nebula, that really quite wide.

I remember, when I was at a boarding school in Dorset, nights where there were so many stars that it was difficult to pick out the constellations. But that was the late '60s - early '70s, not a chance of that now .

Being a lazy little tyke I use the 'scope / sensor tool in Stellarium or in Astronomy Tools.

What goes around...... Meg 90 and ST 80 guide scope back on the HEQ 5. Last used this setup a good 2 years ago.

Maybe, just maybe this year. Being retired now I don't have to worry about term dates, though I think this year I'll try to book a pod with 'leccy.

Possibly a 6" f/8 triplet apo on a good mount, Mesu 200 minimum. Add a small pixel camera and you can get good images of galaxies, add a reducer and big sensor and semi widefield imaging is possible. But I have to say that one scope can't really do it all.

One advantage of DDM mounts, they can correct wind gusts before they register on the sensor. I really don't want to be stacking dozens of 12mp subs. Much prefer 600 sec subs. But I'm prepared to wait and see before passing judgment.

OK, getting back on course, does anyone have better data sheets than I could find? All the ones I saw were from machine-vision camera manufacturers, and quoted maximum exposure times of 30 seconds, as I mentioned above, which isn't going to be of much use for astro-imaging. Do you know if SX has been able to get round this obvious design flaw?

I've found SX to be very good at resolving problems, I've had my Trius 694 back to them twice, once to re-flush the sensor chamber, and again to remove some dust that had got on the sensor. It's just that when I did the sums the Atik / EFW3 combination worked out significantly cheaper than the route I would have taken with the SX46 and std filter wheel, the Maxi-wheel being even more out of budget. I have no doubt that the SX46 is a better camera, and it was with some regret that I didn't go down that route.

Oh yes, agree. It's just that the extra cost pushed the SX46 out of my budget. Olly recons the Atik service is pretty good too.

Just had a look on line for data sheets for that sensor, they all quote a maximum exposure of 30 seconds, which isn't much use for imaging unless SX can fix it. Looking at SX Trius cameras, £2k is about par for the course.

Which is why I'm going for the Atik 16200 rather than the SX 46. Pity if they price it too high.

That's very interesting, though SX aren't known for inexpensive kit, their SX 46 16200 is the most expensive of the mainstream versions, leaving out the ruinously expensive FLI offerings. Speaking of which, have you seen their Kepler 4040 cameras . I'll keep an eye out for these. Waiting for @FLO to stock them .

Yes, looks a lot better than the Skywatcher one, and don't have to use an allen key to loosen off the azimuth adjustment. Wonder if FLO will be stocking them? That little apo is looking increasingly attractive.

I'm going on Saturday so will have a look.

And with a ZWO, or Atik camera on the end.

Only if "L" is for Leica. I think it will have to be going some to beat my 180 mm f/3.4 Leitz Apo-Telyt-R. Having said which, if I didn't already have that lens it would be on my hit-list.

The Anycubic printer is a bit cheaper, with better delivery options as far as I can see. How much it costs to run depends on how much, or how big you want to print. For my needs both are quite small.

As a (Retired) chemist with a background in photochemical organic synthesis, these UV SLA printers have a certain attraction. Yes, the resin monomer is a bit expensive and requires careful handling, but I'm OK with that.

Really looking forward to seeing your images Gina. It's been a while.

I'm not spending any money just yet, and I still think I'll get the resin printer to start with, but I haven't ruled out a conventional printer later.