Jonk

The centre of mass of the pier (theoretically) is shown as: So it's very close to the middle. It's also lower than half the height due to the base having more material. A straight pier with wedge would be pretty much the same so I don't think this is an issue. The only other potential issue I can think of is the upper angle / weld - this may need to be reinforced somehow as I can't help thinking it could peel off if not welded properly!

I've looked at some photos online and made an educated guess on the length / position in the rings. This has let me improve the guesswork but still would really like someone to measure theirs in situ please, as I'm nearly ready to start asking local machine shops for prices and want to get this right first time. Who has a TEC 140... @ollypenrice @kirkster501 @gnomus? It's also an excuse to improve the 3d modelling and rendering! Thanks.

I'm in the middle of drawing up the modifications required for my bigger pier for the Mesu MK2 mount, and I'd like some help from anyone with a TEC 140 please. If possible, could you share some photos of it, with a camera / FW fitted, at full focuser travel, dew shield fully extended, on a mount with the scope in reasonable balance in the rings please? I'd like to know the tube length with dew shield fully extended, focuser length fully extended and the overall length in mm too please. I'm guessing the length of the bent part of the pier, and although I am highly unlikely to point it due N and let it rotate and hit the pier, I'd rather not have the possibility of it doing so! I do appreciate I could slide it forwards and add counterweights, but I'd rather not do this if I can help it. I currently have a QSI 683, but 'may' get an Atik 460 or similar, however the TEC 140 purchase is a long way down the road but I'd like to measure twice and cut once. This is my current 'estimate' based on some photos I've seen - I've drawn the scope tube at 1m in length and placed a 'block' on the end to represent a camera. Long term, I plan to have 2 x Star 71s and the TEC as a permanent set up.

Let's just say there's a reason there's no fixed purchase price on the website, so I don't think it's fair to reveal prices quoted by private email?

Exciting! Please keep this thread updated with your findings / experience as it will help people like me who are on the verge of ordering one of these mounts. Hopefully, you will be installed and producing results quickly. In the meantime, here is what I intend to do with my pier... anyone have any advice / comments? From this: To this (or something very close)... No it won't be floating, it's WIP 3D cad to enable me to confirm what will work and to get local quotes. I've also email Lucas Mesu for some dimension details so hopefully he'll reply quickly and I can get on with it.

The description is correct, but he hasn't added the mk2 photos for some reason yet. The photo on the website is of the original mk1.

That's the original mk1, there are some images at the beginning of the thread of the mk2 wedge.

Since I packed my gear up to move last year, I haven't done anything but before I did pack up, I had a plate solving issue with Ascom... that and auto focusing nb filters from memory were the main delays but I will try again, even if it's the az-eq6 on the tripod. When I say an hour, that might have been a slight exaggeration. I still like the idea of a non flip pier so will go down this route whilst I have the chance.

Yes, this is all part of it - when I decided to look at the pricing for the original Mesu 200, it was when I found this thread being the first news of a Mesu 200 MK2. I 'could' buy the MK2 as is, with the optional wedge for my pier / latitude, but I think I'll always regret not having the no flip option. Some people say a meridan flip isn't all bad, but we'd all rather not do it for a number of reasons. In testing last year, an automated narrowband run overnight would lose up to an hour to do the flip, plate solve, recenter, autofocus etc. and this is time lost I cannot afford. Not to mention 'upside down' images after a flip (no big deal of course), but if using anything other than a refractor, diffraction spikes and reflections would never line up. I have a dilemma - buy it with a wedge (Mesu's offering fixed to my latitude, or commercial adjustable wedge), or spend big on modifying my largest pier (which is 1700mm tall and weighs a lot!). I don't mind spending money on a proper solution, so I'm currently drawing my pier in 3d cad and producing a few ways of having it modified to become a bended knee fixed pier for my latitude. Luckily the dome is 3.2m diameter and 3m or so internal height depending on how I build it so I don't have a space issue. The obsy location is pretty much decided, and the ground clearance started a couple of months ago. The hole and concrete pour will not be until the mount / pier situation is sorted out. I really would like to see a Mesu 200 MK2 in operation before I decide, but that means waiting for someone else to buy it first who happens to be fairly local to me and have had to modify a pier / come up with a custom solution. It could be a while!

As you have a wedge already and don't need a bended knee pier (you have an sct on it from memory?) you could still go with the Mesu mk2? You could buy he mount head alone and make an adaptor plate. I have looked at various charts and comparisons but yet to find something that 'performs' like a Mesu for the same price or cheaper. Real world tests are important and everyone who has one can only report a system that just works. I want to stear away from gears, belts, worms and stepper motors so that really does narrow it down to a Mesu and..... what?!

But then doing that would mean having to farm it out to be manufactured which would defeat the purpose? I agree it's not practicle to achieve the end result. Someone once said when a customer complained to him about the price for a half an hour job he replied.....'You're not paying me for half an hour, you're paying for years it took for me to learn to do it in half an hour'. With the price I was quoted, it didn't mention counterweights, accessories or delivery or anything like that. Is it too expensive? I don't know as I can't compare it to anything at the moment. Should it be cheaper to manufacture as it looks 'less'? I doubt it, the price comes from the design / time spent improving the original on top of manufacturing I will certainly buy a 'premium' mount, but I'm not made of money, so if something is avaiable that's better and cheaper, I'll look at it - but from what I can tell, I don't think I'll find it.

It looks like I may have to go the distance with this and modify my large pier to suit of I were to go with the Mesu mk2. This will involve sawing it in 2, or even 3 pieces and changing it to a bent knee pier for my latitude. The other thing I'm "looking forwards" to is polar alignment using the drift alignment method. The adjustment on the new Mesu is via 3 bolts, much in the same way as a mirror adjustment would be made during reflector collimation. This means that drift alignment adjustments will be that much more difficult to get right. I'm guessing of course but that's my thinking.

Welcome, I'm in West End, recently moved here from Portsmouth. Do you plan on using the New Forest or maybe Old Winchester Hill for dark skies?

Saturn has only just popped round the trees so no moon for me yet. Looks like I've just missed out. Jupiter nice and bright, and Antares looking nice and orange. I did wave at the ISS as it went by though, as I always do!

The wedge for a pier or tripod is extra, not included in the price of the head. I haven't disclosed the price quoted to me as I believe this is only revealed to people who have a confirmed interest.

I've had a price from the UK distributor for the new MK2, and will ponder it. I will need a bespoke elbow made for my pier, so some calcs are needed. Has anyone else been given this info, i.e. have shown interest?

Also, the ISS will join in to make a lovely straight line consisting of the Moon, Saturn the ISS and Jupiter, at around 22:07.

Do you atill have the 4" f11 Ade? It'll be odd to see it again but fun nonetheless!

If you have large static double conversion UPSs and you have a fault on the inverter (overload, temperature, controls failure etc) then the UPS will automatically transfer the load to the static bypass (i.e. raw mains) IF the mains is in tolerance (voltage and frequency). If not, it will drop the load to protect itself. Many customers assume a UPS will hold on to the load in all conditions, which is not true. If you have rotary or diesel rotary then they probably won't transfer to bypass in a fault condition, just open their output to protect themselves. Just out of interest, who's UPSs do you have? The answer might explain why you have issues!

I hope so, ever since I started astro photography I lusted after this mount! Sad but true and hey, you only live once.

When I enquired about one, price etc. it was when I found this thread... a little annoyed but will aee how the mk2 pans out. I'll let someone else buy from the first batch and wait for a couple of reports! I think I will buy one anyway but makes me feel better after some research 🤓 I'm sure it'll be fine.

I think that may refer to the final tightening of the main central bolt holding the mount to the pier / adaptor plate?

Whilst at work today, I had to PAT test some items. Very spooky as I had not 1 but 2 separate astro related bits of kit to test, related in name only but still... I found it amusing so what else is out there?!

A FW upgrade on the weather would be nice! Agan, cheers for bringing this up, at least I won't have the issue when it finally comes to do some imaging. 👍🏻

Sorry for the late repsonse... Here's the result of the FW upgrade. 2508 bias to make a Master Bias. 150 x 1800s -20Deg C darks, calibrated and stacked to produce the Master Dark. All this in a freezer that had roughly a -15 deg C internal surface temperature and -5 Deg C camera surface temperature (measured with an IR thermometer). Image screen stretched and saved as PNG to share here. I would say it's now sorted, wouldn't you?