DaveS

Rupert has said he won't invoice me until he has the invoice from QHY, so likely to be a while yet.

Hopefully the electronics will be essentially the same, allowing for the extra readout mode.

OK, it was just a thought.

I don't know if it applies to the IMX 571 sensors, but according to the Astrograph site the ASI 6200 uses the cheaper "C" (Consumer) grade sensor while the QHY 600 uses the more expensive "K" (Industrial) grade. The QHY 600L, using the "C" grade sensor is "£500 less than the ZWO camera.

On the Astrograph site they list the normal prices of the colour version as £2069, and the mono as £2099, so only slightly higher. Both are currently on offer. I would not be surprised to see the colour version match the mono after the offer. Astrograph are now mainly QHY dealers.

That is true, and has me considering if I want to stump up the difference for a QHY wheel. Given that I will need to order a couple of 54mm plates as well as a 36mm wheel for the SX, it might not be enough of a saving as might be thought. Plus I may need a 48mm plate if I cannot get a stuck ring off the one I already have.

TS (If they are delivering to the UK) do an adaptor from 69mm to 68mm, plus 68mm to 54mm. I can get 54 and 48mm plates for the SX wheel. They also have a "Massive Variable" 48mm extension, plus Astrograph have several 48mm and 68mm extenders. It's a matter of working out the correct combination. I may end up putting a QHY268C on the little 'scope with a filter holder, for which I already have spacings worked out. I had been thinking the QHY268M would have the same dovetail ring as the colour version, which has thrown my calculations into the bin.

Assumes: a) that you need 55mm BF, b) that you are using the QHY wheel, c) you need 48mm thread. My 130mm apo needs 88mm with the TS flattener, but 74mm with the APM-Riccardi reducer, while my 80mm f/4.4 needs a very precise 73mm from the built in flattener. And only the adaptor for the APM reducer is 48mm, the TS flattener is 69mm (Yes, NOT 68mm), and the 80mm f/4.4 is 68mm. Plus I want to use the spare SX wheel I have kicking around. I'm still trying to work out exactly what I will need.

Also, on consideration, for anything short of premium (Mesu / 10 Micron) I think th e150 Esprit would be too much. Not in terms of mass, but moment arm. For that reason Vlaiv's suggestions found good.

I know you said DSOs, but they come in many shapes and sizes, so are you mainly interested in galaxies for instance, or emission nebulae, or..?

Well then In that case. But don't forget the flattener.

And what is your budget? For a 'frac to replace your 200P newt you could well be in second mortgage territory, as in the Skywatcher Esprit 150, but that would push your NEQ6

I have a pre-order in from Astrograph, even before it went up on the site. The kit I've bought from Rupert is worth a small car. Actually more than a small car. Would trust them completely.

I don't know about newts, but my ODK12 has a CNC spider and throws fairly sharp spikes, Still getting to grip with it though. Permacloud, grrr .

Is there any point in a dehumidifier if one's obsy isn't hermetically sealed? My RoR has so many gaps I think I would be trying to dehumidify Dorset, and I'm only a mile from the sea.

Good idea. I can see another trip up that long river place coming on. I was going to ask if anyone had a greenhouse heater in their obsy.

OK, five from me. All with TS Photoline 130mm set up, with ASI1600 and either Baader LRGB or Astrodon 3nm NB roughly in chronological order M33 Leo Triplet M13 Tulip Nebula Fleming's Triangle I do have another 5, but thought these to be representative

In any case I'm wondering if there's any longer any point in buying astro kit with this permacloud. UK amateur astronomy might be a thing of the past. Unless you can afford remote hosting.

It's not immediately obvious that the piece you've ringed can connect to the camera rather than the FW. I've left a question on the FB page you've linked to. Not everyone is using a MPCC with 48mm thread and 55mm BF. But it's OK, as I'm in no raging hurry, quite prepared to look at the thing when it turns up and work out what I need then.

Well yes, but I was hoping to use my spare SX filter wheel with a 54mm adaptor plate. If the mono can only be used with a QHY FW that adds £300 to the cost, wiping out the pre-order saving.

No, what's confusing me is that in our emails Rupert said the BF was 23.5 with the QHY dovetail adaptor, which adds 6 mm to the nominal BF. I see that the colour version is 17.5mm. If the BF of the mono is 12.5mm, then I would be expecting 18.5mm with the adaptor. This will mean recalculating the spacers I will need. If the 12.5 mm BF camera can be bolted directly to the FW (As the diagrams seem to imply) that will considerably reduce the possibility of vignetting with 36mm filters.

More information on the Astrograph site Here. Though I'm now a little confused as to the back focus.

I put my order in even before it went up on the site, Rupert mentioned it to me in an email about another matter, so I moved a couple of months before I had intended to. I may have to wait before I can afford the filters, but the price was too good to turn down.

I think (And according to Olly) if your sensor isn't orthogonal to RA / Dec, then after a meridian flip your subs won't align, and you get diagonal cuts along the edges. in the extreme you can get stacks that are octagons.

I have my cameras set to 90 deg (ie straight up and down). The only target I can think of that would need anything else is Markarian's Chain at 0 deg. I'm following Olly's advice regarding keeping everything orthogonal to avoid diagonal cuts after meridian flip.