iPeace

Now for a bit of lunacy...

I'm out and I'm freezing, but I'm having fun...

Indeed. The point is, that this design is a rework of the GM8 - and it incorporates parts which are manufactured in the original manner. This part could have been used on a GM8 - it has the polar alignment opening required for that mount. On the AZ8, it's just a curiosity with a very nice cap. Pretty cool. For those interested, look closely and compare the GM8 to the AZ8. It's like using a GM8 in alt-az mode. Apologies for not making this more clear in my post with the picture.

Count on it. Anything in particular you'd like to know about, just put it up here, and I'll be only too happy.

In case there was any doubt that this design is a rework of the GM8, the polar alignment facility has remained...

Will have made landfall by now.

It is really, REALLY nice - can't stop grinning, it's starting to hurt.

First impressions: VERY nicely made SMOOOOOOOOOOOOTH action From the bottom up, the tripod is very sturdy, and lighter than I expected. The legs extend and retract smoothly and surprisingly quietly. The included pillar extension aligns to the top of the tripod using several protruding bolts, and is affixed with a single bolt with wing nut. It is high enough to ensure the TV85 clears the legs; a 120ED, however, will *just* touch a leg with its dew shield, so something to keep in mind. Not immediately inclined to get an additional pillar, but they can be stacked at will. The pillar extension provides access to the azimuth clutch: The clutch is very nice to work with, wearing gloves will not be a problem. On one side of the mount is the altitude clutch, a similar item, works just as well. Loosening the azimuth clutch to its maximum still keeps the slo-mo on that axis engaged; loosening the altitude clutch to the max. will at some point practically disengage the slo-mo there. Loosening both clutches...gives you back your beloved Ercole! In fact, a fully loosened altitude clutch gives even more smoothness than the Ercole, making proper balancing of the tube assembly essential. Indeed, proper balancing helps the slo-mo to great extent on this mount as well. Fortunately, if you've spent more than twelve minutes within twelve miles of an Ercole-type mount, you'll know all about proper balancing... The supplied clamps come attached, and are VERY nice: The slow motion knob for altitude turns as the mount head does; the one for azimuth stays put, so it is possible to get it into an awkward position, we'll see. The slow motion action is very nice. It allows for very fine adjustments, and is very, very smooth. Is it perfect? Perhaps not. I suspect that it's nigh on impossible to get it any better than this at anything below double this price point. If you give one of the knobs a very short, sharp twist, you will get some wobble at the eyepiece, but it settles very quickly. If you go slow, it's... well, think of your own favourite metaphor for smooth and precise. With only a TV85 on one side, I noticed no difference between using a counterweight opposite and not. With a 120ED, a counterweight becomes more desirable, or indeed, a TV85 to help smooth things out. As it's been snowing out, and doesn't look like improving, there will be no "first light" - if that even applies, for a mount - tonight. I will surely continue my assessment and share it with all of you who may be interested. In the mean time, if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

It's here! First for some pics off the phone:

Read a bit about it on Cloudy Nights; it can get pretty severe over there... Let's just say I have had my reality check beforehand. Still went for it. I'll be glad to share.

Well, I certainly considered that. I could have gone the other way, already owning a full-sized Ercole, I could have opted to add a nice Berlebach tripod for a bit less. Still appeals. I may end up there someday. This time, I settled on letting some other well-loved kit go. We'll see.

Should arrive tomorrow... I've ogled this for almost a year - but none of my suppliers have had it in stock until recently. Perhaps as well, for the time has been well spent with my Ercole mounts, one of which is now winging its way to a new location just off the Bristol Channel. I harbour no pretentions; it could just be a big mistake. There are those who swear by Losmandy's products, and those who, frankly, don't. Having abstained from a SkyTee, I may well have purchased an overpriced, inferior alternative. The die is cast, though, and at least I may partake in the youthful joy of decisiveness as an advance against the adventure that lies ahead. I do most of my observing with a TV85. Hardly requires a mount at all, you might think, and there are certainly cheaper alternatives. And I may well fall back on one of those if this doesn't work out for me. But I just want to try it, for I would otherwise always wonder: what if? So, is there a alt-az, slo-mo Walhalla to be attained, short of a T-Rex, for the likes of me? You are cordially invited to find out.

It feels so coincidental that I have recently been conducting thought experiments on how to split up my eyepiece case into two smaller ones to improve my grab-and-go capability. Then, were I to find that I only ever used the one case... ...but the evidence would have to be pretty compelling.

Ah, quite. Hm. I understand. Didn't mean to bring that up. I was actually interested in the selection criteria for the cull, for instance whether you found yourself observing at high power less often than was worth keeping the shorter Ethos eyepieces for, or something similar. If there were no considerations meriting any such interest on my part, I apologize.

So, do you feel inclined to share the reasoning?

Yes.

Isn't that just perfect. My view is that the only thing we "really" get out of this business is good memories (apply terms and conditions as you see fit). This must be the most enjoyable, immediate and memorable way to confirm that the right scope has finally found you. Any other 120ED and it wouldn't have gone this way. I say it's well worth the wait. Surely even @Stu must agree. Congratulations!

Goodness Stu, even I knew about it!

That is simply excellent.

She's a beauty, and will not let you down. She is my workhorse and always gets it done.

That's just excellent.

The full suite of dew control makes this setup look cumbersome, but it is wonderfully easy to assemble and stow and a lot of fun to use. The Ercole Mini easily carries the TV85 without a counterweight, and the Induro tripod, surplus from @Stu, completes the package. Go anywhere and stay out all night without fogging up. Good times.

Oh, very well, if you insist...

YUMMY!

I'd like to know as well... It's on my list.