dmahon

Anyone thought on how to motorise the focuser on it? Without that, it's a dead duck for me.

My obsy should be here before Christmas (fingers crossed) so I may be in the market for a top notch triplet. At the moment, Takahashi is still at the top of my list,

I have never seen a M48 CCD

SX offer M48 (and many other alternatives) on the front of their filterwheel.

What happened to Gina's scope - was it a one off problem?

What is the backfocus requirement for an Atik camera/filterwheel/OAG combo (inc glass effect)?

It's about 58mm for the Starlight Xpress equivalent, which is usually within tolerance for 55/56mm designed flatteners (certainly is for TRF-2008) - especially with a relatively small chip.

You can get M48 extension rings to go in front of the OAG. If you extend between filterwheel and camera you'll need to extend the OAG camera too.

I agree, making things with a 55mm backfocus is backwards in the days of CCDs. I'd have thought most people buying the scope will use a CCD.

You should be able to get a zero length M48 to T2 adapter.

Have to take a look at that Riccardi flattener/reducer after all Gina - I think that gives you an extra 15-25mm of useable space (and 0.75x reduction).

Me, I might just go back to saving for a Takahashi after all.

The TRF-2008 0.8x should work, and then there's the Riccardi 0.75x as well.

I suspect it will just need a new fitting adapter. The Equinox 80 takes a 2.5" feathertouch, so the focuser is likely to be about the same size as the Esprit. Anyway, you can always attach a smaller focuser with the right adapter.

Will any of the mainstream power focusers support this type of unit? If not, who will buy it?

Unfortunately it now puts the old shed behind it to shame. The roof looks like it may need some attention in the future.

Can you knock through to that to use as a warm room?

Apart from the the and effort involved, how much are these sensors?

it takes after the SDP.. adding a 2x televue powermate 2" actually adds some curvature..

The focuser will be a boon for robo-focusing too.

I'd have thought there were far more auto focus units already developed for regular focusers - were there many adapters for the SDUF?

Do you have to use a specific spacing to get a flat frame, and if so, is it more than the 55mm that some manufacturers hamper their scopes with?

Is it easy to motorise t focuser?

Sorry, I only mentioned 2 6x2s as that is what the span tables suggest. I expect 1 will be fine though I'd buy an extra £10 of wood myself and do it to proper spec if you haven't already ordered. If you have, we'll, I wouldn't bother changing your plans.

My treehouse is built (by my predecessor) from single beam 2x4s and is screwed, without notches, to the 4x4 supports. It's been up at least 8 years, maybe 10. The decking needs replacing and I'll stick some coach bolts in to take the wright off the screws, but I'm not rebuilding with double 2x6s nor 6x6 notched uprights.

If you haven't ordered timber yet, I'd put a double 6x2 on the rear pillar.

I think it's a fine idea. After going to all the effort I would personally have built walls all around, but tbh I wouldn't have gone to the effort in the first place and would have just used supports at the corner, as above plus as necessary according to span tables. But as you're low off the ground (so it's easy) I'd probably add a few vertical 4x4s here and there to the beams and the joists too (but wouldn't bother with concrete pads underneath, nor sink them into the ground)

Using walls on the visible sides for cosmetic reasons only is perfectly valid.

I presumed the brick wall would be the rear of the observatory.

I was thinking he would screw a bit of wood (ledger) to the existing wall to hang joists from, as you would when attaching decking to a house.

I would hang the joists from the blockwork, so they won't add any height.

What size? Are you building from scratch or converting a shed? What are you doing for a pier?

Good luck - I really ought to get on with mine.

I don't screw it directly in due to the fact that my scope is not observatory based so I need to use an eyepiece for alignment etc.

Plate solving sorts that. Look at AstroTortilla and Elbrus.

Approx a mm for the refractive effect of the filter.

Minus a mm isn't it?

I recently enquired about the specs of the H16 CCD, with a view to upgrading my H9 - I was told I might want to wait a fortnight until after the show when a new CCD would be announced.

I have now ordered the new H694 (from FLO). I have also ordered, and taken receipt of (also from FLO) a lodestar, an OAG and a filterwheel.

I enquired about an M48 fitting for the filterwheel/OAG to connect it directly to a Skywatcher flattener/reducer, and was told that they made them - unfortunately none of the distributors, including FLO, list it. So I was asked for my address - and an M48 ring arrived a few days later.

Although not a retailer as such, thumbs up to Starlight Xpress.

I looked into the permissions more - if it is under 2.5m you can have it right up to the boundary. Don't know why some sites mention keeping it 1m from the boundary.