SAW

Hi, Anyone using one, how do you find it ? I'm interested in using one for my Fornax Lightrack II, Vixen AP-SM and maybe my HEQ5 Pro, more so on the portable mounts so I can go to darker sites without taking the HEQ5. The off axis kit for Canon DSLR looks good. Thanks.

Got my SW reducer screwed on to the rotator and then my 183MC attached BUT you can't get focus, not enough inward travel ! I'm guessing the rotator and reducer/flattener is only going to work with a dslr ?

Hi, I'm looking to get either one of these to compliment my widefield set up (ED72). I'll be using it with a ZWO183MC Cooled and the 0.9x coma corrector, this is the first reflector I would of owned as I normally use a refractors. I'll be suing it on a HEQ5 Pro belt modded. Looking at the astronomy tools ccd suitability the 130PDS is slightly more suited for my camera, is anyone using this set up with the 150PDS ? Thanks.

That's what I'm worried about.

Probably sold as it was on there a few days ago.

Yes looking to buy one, I'd love to have a look through one first really though before spending that amount of money.

Hi, Anyone got one or had one ? I'm looking to order one purely for planetary observing and imaging but can't find many reviews on them apart from a few regarding the company so I'm undecided because of the reviews. Thanks.

Does the OVL flattener has a M54 thread and the rotator has a M56 thread, is that correct ? Am I best waiting for the SW reducer/flattener ?

Hi, Already have the 178MM which gives me a full disc of the moon using my SW72ED but not with my Tak60Q. The 174MM would give me a full disc with the Tak but is it really going to be a better than my 178MM ? or I could just use the Tak reducer with my 178MM or just do a mosaic but I'm lazy 🙂

Don't you like the ZWO's ?

I should be I Fuerteventura for it.

Hi, Those of you that image the ISS passing the moon, sun etc do you use a dslr or dedicated CMOS camera ? Do you capture an avi or single shots with a dslr ? What software do you use for capture and for final processing to show the multiple images of the ISS passing. I currently use Fire Capture for my lunar, solar and planetary so would prefer to stick with that. I need to practice ready for the Mercury transit in November 🙂

So if I was going to add a x2 is it best to go power mate over barlow for visual and/or imaging ? Can't see me ever wanting a x5 one but I think I'd like to get a x2.

Hi, Longer focal lengths are preferred for lunar/planetary for example, an example SW72ED with 8mm eyepiece vs 15mm eyepiece and x2 barlow gives me roughly the same FOV, so what's best to use ? Thanks.

I'd like a 174MM

Nooooo, I'm going to have to sell the house soon. 😁

I've edited my original post as tbh I'm not sure I'd use two scopes at the same time on the same target ? Tonight I was using my Fornax Lightrack II with a Tak FS-60Q and while the mount is one of my favourites it's really not suited for making fine adjustments at high magnification, it's probably going to be ok for some whole disc lunar or solar viewing/imaging but tonight on Jupiter it was so difficult to get Jupiter in the centre of the eye piece ! and it's great when using a dslr and lens, so I do really need something that will have some sort of fine adjustment either from slow mo controls or a handset but needs to be lighter than my HEQ5. I've been looking at the Vixen Advanced Polaris SM (AP) Motorised Modular EQ Mount and the Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 PMC-Eight. Any views on these mounts, I know the Explore is very new. I do like the Vixen plus I can use it on my Berlebach tripod if I change the top fitting. I find myself wanting something much more grab and go as I just like to spend a little time observing lately, I really need to be in the imaging frame of mind to set the HEQ5 up for an evening which tbh is normally only weekends due to work unless I know I can leave it until the morning. Thanks.

Can a mod move this to maybe a more suited place ?

Hi, These are on offer at the moment with the mount, I've never owned a Celestron scope or mount but I have had a few SW Mak's (150, 127 & 102) and I've never been impressed with then, hated the focuser so a bit unsure about ordering the C8. I would purely use it for lunar and planetary observing and imaging with a ZWO224MC. I was going to use either a Tak 100 or the 76 with extender and 1.6 barlow but even with this at f/20 it's still twice as far out in regards to FOV compared to the C8.

Hi, Anyone make a light'ish mount that would hold two refractors ideally but one would be ok I suppose, doesn't need GoTo just tracking for lunar/solar/sidereal. Would need to hold a 60mm and 100mm refractors. Thanks.

Thanks. So might get the 9mm Abbe and maybe add the 3-6mm Nagler later on ?

Hi, What's the minimum exit pupil I should roughly be looking to go down too ? I don't wear glasses but I doubt my eyes I like they were when I was 20 ! Looking to get a 6mm or 9mm Tak Abbe, depending on what scope I select in astronomy tools it's saying anything from 0.44 to 0.90mm exit pupil. Is 0.44 going to be usable ? Thanks.

Can this accept 2" filters screwed directly in ?

Hi, Any reviews of the Daystar 80mm Carbon solar scope about ?

Hi, Trying to choose a new scope for lunar imaging and maybe solar with a Quark or white light as already have the Lunt diagonal. I already have a 178MM but this doesn't give me a full disc in the two scopes I'm looking at. The 174MM just about gives me the full disc in one of the scopes and it's plenty big enough in the slightly smaller one, the 183MM is easily big enough for both scopes but I'm not sure if the 183MM is really suited to lunar/solar imaging compared to the 174MM ?