Skyline

Hi I have a manual focuser, it's my hands 😀, I am using a Baader coma corrector with 58mm back spacing with a ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera. I do remember someone on sgl buying a feather touch focuser for the 130PDS. But for any premium focuser upgrade I would rather by another scope.

I never needed to change the focuser on my 130PDS, the only thing I done was change the focuser collar to a thinner version so my focuser tube does not need to rack in further which protrudes into the light cone, but also it looks like skywatcher might have shortened the draw tube length as mine looks shorter then my previous 130PDS versions.

I'm too very meticulous about selling and buying astro gear, I really don't like buying equipment which has been not looked after. I can remember buying an ED refractor once and the owner stating the scope was in excellent condition prior to purchase. Once received I noticed the owner had flocked the inside of the refractor and the baffles were held in place with the flocking material. I only buy s/h scopes now, when I know the person who is selling them or from this forum. @Adam J I wouldn't buy a triplet s/h after having a nasty experience buying a new AA115T. Hence the reason I stuck with doublets, due to lack of confidence in buying triplets under the 2k mark. However I do fancy that StellaMira 85mm Triplet. Because of dealing with @FLO for many years I trust them with my money, and any issues I have with the scope will be dealt quite fast. Sticking with a honest dealership and buying their products certainly makes a difference.

Invest in a good mount and get a cheaper scope for now @SamAndrew Buying a good mount will dictate later on which scope you want to buy. Example something like an Skywatcher MN190. Fantastic 7" APO performance (my biggest regret of letting it go, even worse my condition dictates I cant have one now) the minimal mount would be an EQ6, s/h market approx. £600-700. Maybe even cheaper. The ED scopes are of high quality and even cheaper on the 2nd hand market. I too like the idea of a 120ED, but still how wildering the bulkiness is compared to my 100ED and the weight.

Thank you

Hi, Do you have a schematic for the box I can have? Nadeem.

There is another version of the pegasus power box, which I think is a smaller in dimensions which can run as a standalone device instead of it being connected to a pc. Can this box do the same?

Thanks Buddy, Ideally I need a power distribution box. I don't need for it to be computer controlled on needing a usb hub or a focus controller. Just power outlets. Another option would be just getting a decent multi channel 12v splitter box, then just making shorter 12v cables. I like things simple.

Hi, Is there any other good power distribution boxes like the Hitec Astro, which I can feed from a leisure battery. Currently I have a 110ah battery which is housed in a battery box. From there i have 3 outlets connected with power cables to connect onto my mount, camera and a Ring 2 socket to power things like dew heater controllers. I'm just trying to minimise long cables. It would be nice for one output from the battery box into a power distribution box, then power distributed to my equipment. Thanks.

I use my 130pds on my pier.

Hi Chris, The 4" ED refractor is a formidable scope to have and very much versatile. I have often compared my C100ED with others like the 120ED, even though I would love another 120ED I am not sure that I could handle one due to my recent health condition, but saying this just investing in a reducer for the C100ED would give me a very close FOV to the 120ED and cheaper. The 120ED without a reducer sits quite comfortably in between the C100ED at f9 and the 130PDS. I did look through a XLT127 SCT once and it did blow me away ! I was thinking in investing in a 6" SCT or Mak for lunar or planetary imaging, but I do always seem to refer back to my C100ED, cool time is faster and without optical obstruction and no CA ! Nadeem.

I don't think the reducer spacing is st fault here since the op says the reducer performs well with the ed72. Was you using a dew strip around the lens cell? Send the scope back and get a refund.

I love my C80ED and C100ED, same lens as the Skywatcher equivalents. They have a nice old stocky r&p focuser. They have the same spot of glue on each side of the lenses.

Do you warm the sensor after your imaging session. I cool my 294MC Pro down to -10c then use the warming aid to raise the temp to 6c before unplugging it. Nadeem.

This Covid-19 outbreak reminds me of a film called Contagion.

I don't like those clamp shells. Maybe having tube rings would have pushed up the retail price.

Wonderful image with nice processing

I love newtonian spikes showing the spectrum effect, just hate adding them with processing software.

The colour rendering is wonderful.

Try spacing upto 60mm. What total length of spacing do you have?

I have 4 renditions of this. I found the decreasing the stretch to reduce the red blotches also the faint stuff would be faint as well. I did use a noise reduction filter but not aggressively. Even though it would have giving a slight better balance of colours. I do wonder are the blotches are more apparent due to the length of subs taken, as the noise levels on coloured cmos cameras to be much more then a conventional ccd sensors. Maybe someone with more knowledge then I can comment. N.

Buy one of these. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/primaluce-lab-240mm-plus-vixen-dovetail.html

It's a beautiful rendering close up, what are your acquisition details may I ask? N.

I think you are quite right. I have tried a couple of coma correctors but always found the Skywatcher 0.9x corrector to be better especially when it comes to using a DSLR as I never needed spacing. I found baader to be fiddly in spacing even with a DSLR. I have found spacing around 60mm to be better when using SW CC with my ASI294MC Pro and the 130PDS This image is my latest using the above equipment. Regarding reflections, the only time I observed reflections was when I was using LRGB filters on a mono camera using the 130PDS. I put it down to filter coatings myself. Nadeem.

I took this image of NGC2264 from Monday night, while processing I realised I might have lengthened my subs too long using my ASI 294MC Pro instead of taking shorter subs, I let you be the judge. Taken with 36x300 Subs with using a Optolong L-Enhance filter using a Skywatcher 130PDS & SW CC 0.9x N.