DaveS

Well, several reasons 1) I'm notoriously cack-handed and likely to make a complete bodge-up. 2) I don't, as yet, have a workshop where I can build stuff. 1+2 also means I probably need to print the parts I need, rather than make them. 3) Being a contrary cuss, the idea of going "the other way" with printing holds a certain attractiveness. 4) I'm seeing plenty of comments regarding bed temperature, hot-ends and the risk of fire from thermal runaway. I don't want to go there. Maybe when I've got the garage properly insulated and condensation free I'll put in a work bench and power tools and be able to have a go at building a 3D printer, but not yet.

Sorry, tried to link from my 'phone didn't work. On the main computer now, so maybe I can do it. I was browsing this thread, and the couple of posts about resin printers sent me off up that long river, where I found this: Anycubic 3D Printer Can't justify it yet, got too many serious expenses, and even some more "urgent" frivolities, but any thoughts? Edit: I'm not looking to print massive stuff, but small precise parts. I've an Amici prism that I'd like to build into a spectroscope, and this looks like it could be precise enough for printing components.

Changed my mind.

Actually, according to the map, down the road a bit (Not saying how far or what direction) the West Bexington beach car park hits 21.72, or Bortle 3 with a deep sea-horizon

Map says 21.66 and Bortle 4 where I am now. Will have to buy a SQM to check, but it does get quite usably dark, unlike Ruislip. The nearest artificial lights (Not windows) are on a farm building about 1/4 mile away, but they're only visible from my bedroom, not glaring, and not on all the time. I think the nearest streetlights are in Bridport, about 4 miles away. Unfortunately there are a lot of them!

Something to remember is the cost of filters. 1.25" aren't too bad, (Though 3nm Astrodons are ruinous in any size) but when you get to the 2" or bigger that you need for APS-H or larger the costs become crazy. Regarding resolution, the measure you need is "/px, not number of pixels, that just gives you the FoV. As an (Extreme) example the camera on the Liverpool telescope (2m f/10) has 4096x4096 15micron pixels. Even binned 2x2 it's still working at 0.30"/px. Now planning the network in my new house. Will include at least 2 external cat6 links. My next camera is likely to be one of the 16200 variants. Debating between Atik, Moravian, and SX in order of cost.

Following this with some interest as I'm planning on remote control for my (As yet in planning) obsy. I'm expecting the computers at either end to be Win7 Pro. I'm also planning to control my small rig from the conservatory as well. Hmm...two computers with two screens each in there, with remote computers at each telescope. I may be using a 55" Panasonic OLED TV for the final colour grading of my images, due to its very good gamut (They're used in pro grading suites), rather than just resolution.

I have my 130mm triplet set-up on the DDM60 on a Rigel pier bolted down onto a concrete block under the patio under a Telegizmos 365 cover. The cover was £195 from The Widescreen Centre, but FLO do them now.

Thanks Vlaiv. Been looking at 12" / 30cm RCs. The CFF one is light enough to go on my DDM60, but the GSO RC will need a heavier mount, probably a DDM85 (I do like DDM mounts!), which is more than the cost differance. In either case I'd be looking at a FT focuser.

I've been looking at their RCs and asking myself if I can justify the cost difference between CFF and GSO.

http://cfftelescopes.eu/reflectors/ If you want an f/20 classical cass.

I meant to post another couple of pics from the other side to show the cabling on the scopes. From the rear, showing the power cable. And from the front showing the USB hub on the mount.

I thought I'd posted on this thread, but here goes Main scope is the 130 f/7 with ASI1600MM-C and filer wheel. The FW has Baader LRGB and Astrodon HII filters. This is set up for the Leo Triplet The piggy-back is the 80 f/4.4 with ASI183MM-C and filter wheel. The FW has ZWO LRGB filters and Baader HII. This is for Markarian's Chain, so the sensor is E-W. All the power and data connections run through the mount. The slightly odd arangement of cables etc help the balance around the telescope axes. This mount is *very* sensitive to balance.

Tell me about it. I reconfigured my scopes, one for the Leo Triplet, the other for Markarian's Chain, thinking that with the school easter holls I'd be able to get *some* data without having to be up at stupid o/c for work. Not a chance. I go back on Mon with nothing so far and little chance of anything until then. Forecast says it may improve next week. Typical . Mind you, it's the families with kids home from school I feel for. They must be going nuts.

I'll add that I regard imaging as a long game, being prepared to carry projects over more than one year. I have one I started last Oct that I'll pick up again when the targets come round again. It's when projects don't even start that's frustrating.

This spring has been dire with near constant cloud and rain. The few sunny days quickly clouded over come evening, just to rub it in. As an imager it's nearly impossible to grab the odd 5mins.

I would take what TS say with a pinch of salt and look at the spot diagrams. If the spots corrosponding to the corners of APS-C are OK for you then go with it, else crop. Myself, I'd rather go with a normal triplet apo and either a plain flattener or a reducer, as I did with the 130 I bought.

This is nearly the last of my images from the 80 f/4.4 and ASI1600 MM-C The Rosette in NHO, lost count of the number of hours I collected data, but is was several, some of it from last year. The corners don't bear too much inspection, and it's a crop as I had severe alignment issues in all data. But you know what? I don't care anymore. It is what it is, OK for "pretty pictures" provided you don't look too closely. I've now set it up with the ASI183MM-C for Markarian's chain. Whether I'll get any data is unknowable, given our rubbish weather lately. Edit: Looking at the TS site, it should give reasonable stars out to 6.5mm, and usable to 10mm. Beyond that they start to get bloated. So imaging circles of 13 and 20mm respectively. The ASI183 runs just under 16mm, and the ASI1600 runs 21mm.

I've been persisting with mine, but agree with Paul that the corners are hard (Impossible?) to get right. I've been sort-of bodging along with an ASI1600MM and now with a ASI183MM.

If you're lookjng for more FL for galaxies, then I think you'll find the 130 f/5 too short. Have a look at the various 130 f/7 apos, then add a suitable flattener.

The 130 Imaging Star is a triplet apo with a matched 3-element reducer. The spacing is very critical, I have the 80mm f/4.4 and it's a real pig, not helped by the picture on TS not being the same as the actual scope. Trying to get a meaningful figure for BF out of TS was like blood from a stone. When I was looking for something longer I went for the 130 f/7 with 2.5" flattener. At least I had a usable figure for BF. I also added an APM / Ricardi reducer.

@FLO Any chance of this becoming available in 1.25", or 31mm? With the proliferation of LED streetlights this could be a very good L filter within a LRGB set.

This weekend I'll probably be swapping cameras over. Getting the new ASI183 on the 80mm, and maybe putting the ASI1600 on the 130mm, though that will require a rebalance of the rig if I swap the Trius for the ASI.

Just turned up today Thanks to FLO. Website said 7-10 days for the filter wheel, turned up in 2 .

The 200P is a thumping great sail. Not unusable on a NEQ6Pro, but you'd be better off with bigger pixels. Use the Astronomy Tools resoursces ftom this site to look at suitability. The ASI294 looks attractive.