adyj1

I have the 1145p and have used it with an AZ goto mount (although I have moved onto bigger things now) . I think it is a cracking scope for the beginner and is only really let down by the focus controls (they work OK, but can be difficult to get *exactly* right). In the beginning, don't put too much faith in the goto - it works, but in my mind you do well to learn to navigate the major objects manually before graduating to the lazier goto option. It won't be possible to see many of the fainter deep sky objects in a scope this small, so don't be disappointed if you can't see/find a certain object - start with the bright ones and then you will learn the limit of your equipment and viewing conditions. The Android app Synscaninit is an excellent free tool to help you enter the right information when initialising your AZ goto mount. Oh, and in terms of photography you can't connect a dslr to this scope unless you do some modifications, but you can take photos through an eyepiece with your smartphone. HTH Ady

And - as I understand it under the Consumer Contracts Regulations - the retailer does not have to pay for the return postage if their terms and conditions state this. (if it isn't stated, then the retailer must pay the postage). The retailer can also deduct an amount from the refund commensurate with the loss in value of the product. So if a retailer can only sell a returned item it if they discount it, then they can deduct this amount from the amount refunded. You have no legal right to buy something online, open it and then expect to return without any cost to you, unless it is faulty or not as described. Even though Amazon let you do it .

Exactly. Which is why my post is in response to the comment "In theory, the store loses exactly nothing"

I'm not sure many people would pay full price for expensive astronomy gear that had been used by someone else...

I should clarify that the subscription is only if you want further updates... for new users if you don't want updates after your first year, you don't need to pay any more - you can keep using the version you've got for no extra charge.

Just to add further info (so you don't have to go look at the SGP website like I did ), if you aren't upgrading from a previous version then it is $149.00 up front then $59.00 / year.

Ok, so the EQ8 has a flat base, apologies - I should have looked into that . (I think the comments on using a brake disk have probably come from the picture of an eq6 in the first post, and maybe your comment of 'eventually take an EQ8'.) Looking at the information provided by FLO, it appears you have all the dimensions you need to fabricate the correct 'top plate' for your mount out of a flat metal plate - without needing a brake disk or pier adapter; - You don't need the brake disk because the EQ8 mounts on a flat surface, and the purpose of a brake disk is to provide a raised platform with a hole for the pier's central mounting column. - If you bought the pier adapter, you'd have to fabricate a plate with the necessary mount holes to mount the adapter, which is just as much effort than as making a custom top plate to mount the mount directly. The following thread shows what I am talking about in terms of a 'top plate' onto which the EQ8 is directly attached (and goes into the level of detail probably required when thinking about mounting the EQ8) Mind you, I'd wait for confirmation from someone more familiar with kit at the more exotic end of the equipment spectrum - if you've forked out for an EQ8 you want it to be as close to perfect as you can, and I'm more at the 'let's see if this works' end of the aforementioned spectrum HTH Ady PS - I've just noticed from the FLO web page that the EQ8 is delivered on a pallet. wow

As Ade's pictures show, the point of using a break disk is that the centre well acts as the puck, so no puck required. If you want to use a puck (or perhaps need to because of the dimensions of your mount), you don't need a brake disk... I have brake disks for my eq5 and eq6. Different sized disks, of course. Ady

@JamesF, I think you've just had a lightbulb moment. Good result for you @fifeskies

I spotted a new AZ-GTI tuning video on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgEzeXrhhEg Not sure how good it is yet, but seems quite detailed... Ady

For a DIY job, brake disks are a good solution - I have an old black EQ6 which needed a 65mm centre hole. The investigations were quite lengthy, but I finally bought a "Genuine SKODA brake disc 1K0615601AC VW / AUDI / SEAT" from eBay for £15. The mount fits like a glove. It then needs a metal plate on the back to bolt the mount to, a pin mounted in the top for the alignment screw, holes drilled in the disk to mount on the pier a coat of paint It then replaces the top plate in your first picture. (Luckily I had a mechanic who owed me a favour, so for me the backplate plate was mounted with bolts and I got it sprayed for nowt )

Both have an impeccable reputation within the community and I wouldn't hesitate to use or recommend either. I went to Cheap Astro where Juan did an excellent job.

It appears to me that if things keep going in this direction I'm closer to what will be considered a 'good' astrophotograph than I ever thought (and I agree wholeheartedly with your point of view) The weird thing is that I can accept the 'prison' photo being given an award, even with what we would consider normally to be faults, because the finalists of this competition will receive massive 'general public' awareness, and so the impact of the new satellites can now be appreciated more by the non-astro community. And they'll think the halo around the star looks cool. But the macro-like illusion presented by the winner that suggests there are stars in front of andromeda as well as behind seems a step too far.

The postman brought something that combines my three hobbies; A Raspberry Pi4 (bought from the forums, thanks @Stuart1971) - that's my computing hobby. An sd-card running astroberry, to see whether I can finally get away from using Windows at the mount... Astronomy, obvs. All safely wrapped in an old filament box - and that's my 3d printing fix sorted too .

Looks good. Which Pi camera is that?