BlueAstra

Not sure where the correct place to post this is, so please move if required. I have a ZWO 224c camera imaging through a C9.25. If I use SharpCap 3.2 I get the first image (single frame from video), which appears to be very noisy. If I use FireCapture I get the second image which looks much smoother. I'm pretty sure I used the default settings, more or less, with each software package. Can anyone explain what is happening and how I can get a smoother image in SharpCap? Or is it an illusion and just some display artefact which won't affect the final image? FireCapture Jup_002201.txt SharpCap 00_09_11.CameraSettings.txt

I have now managed to attach the Pegasus Motor Focuser to the Esprit 150. With the help of the focuser patent drawing I was able to identify some of the features on the bottom of the focuser: A – Threaded hole for grub screw. Not sure what this is for other than to hold a spare screw for the knob fixing screws. If you screw it right in then it hits the spindle and locks it. B – Access hole for knob locking screws. Rotate the knob until the screw is visible, loosen screw and pull off the knob. C, D – Not sure what these are other than to hold the spindle assembly to the focuser barrel. E – Screws to hold the bearings (12 on patent drawing) which grip the metal plate attached to the barrel. F – Tension screw which controls the pressure of the spindle against the metal plate G – Locking knob (221) which clamps the barrel plate and prevents any movement of the focuser. I wanted to remove the coarse knob to attach the motor focuser. However, it was stuck and would not remove easily. I removed the x10 knob (easy), loosened the tension screw F and withdrew the spindle with the coarse knob attached. I put the spindle in a vice (taking care not to grip the plate contact area) and twisted the knob off. Once off it went on and off quite easily, so something must have been holding it. I then re-inserted it into the focuser, re-attached the x10 knob and re-tensioned screw F. I now had a bare end of the spindle to attach the focuser to. I offered up the motor/L bracket and found the L bracket was too long. It interfered with the locking knob G. I removed some material to avoid the clash. I then set the motor position on the bracket and secured it. I removed two M3 screws at C and used two longer screws with washers to secure the L bracket. A locking cylinder connected the motor to the focuser (a selection is supplied with the motor). I connected the temperature sensor, 12V power and USB cable, and I can now control the focuser through its own app, or via Ascom in other programs. The motor is too stiff to allow manual focus via the knobs. You can get a manual control box but it’s quite expensive. I am currently trying to take out backlash by adjusting F, although there is backlash control in the software. I’m not familiar with focuser construction, but I was surprised that it operates by pressure of a bare metal spindle on a flat metal plate. I thought there would be some friction material between them. It remains to be seen whether it can cope with large camera loads at high declination. If not I may have to upgrade to rack and pinion.

Does anyone know the correct mounting points for a motor focuser on an Esprit 150? Looking at the bottom of the focuser there are four slotted screwheads that seem to be set in concrete. Are these the best place? Also how do you get the focuser knobs off. The x10 knob comes off easily by undoing a screw, but there are no obvious screws for the large knobs. Again they appear to be set in concrete if you pull them. The focuser is a Pegasus cube on an L bracket.

On iPhone or iPad, goto settings/general/accessibility/display accommodations/colour filters. Select ‘on’ and select colour tint. Move intensity and hue sliders all the way to the right. Then goto general/accessability/accessibility shortcuts and tick colour filters. You can now switch between a red or normal screen with a triple click on the home button.

oops. always read the instructions!

This is Mare Crisium, also taken 19.4.2018. Evolution 9.25 & ZWO 224MC.

This is Langrenus taken 19.4.2018. Evolution 9.25 & ZWO 224MC.

OK I have it now. You gently rotate the top plastic cover with the Fastar plate on it. I think the lower finger holes are for removing the mirror.

I have a Celestron 9.25 SCT, but I can't see any collimation screws at the secondary mirror. The manual shows the screws clearly visible, but mine appear to be under cover, as shown in the photo. I know this mirror is removable to fit a Fastar system so I don't want to turn the wrong thing and see the mirror drop out. What precisely do you do to access the collimation screws and not remove the mirror?

Thanks for the comments. Does the 150 have any significant advantage over the 127 (considering the 150 is twice the cost of the 127)? Should I buy two 127 instead of the 150 for the world's biggest binoculars !

Bresser and SW both do 127 and 150 Maksutovs, with the SW being a bit cheaper. Does anyone have any views on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two brands, and which to go for? Are there any other Mak brands I should be looking at?

I have a pier on about 500mm cube of concrete, the soil is pretty stable and I've noticed no movement. I drilled holes in the concrete and glued (as above) studs to mount the pier. The space under the mounting plate is useful for an EQ6 adaptor, storing my nettop PC and 12V PSU. If you end up with a Paramount mount, the holes in the top plate are pre-drilled for it!

Here are some reflecting systems I have own/owned: