Alan White

I was blessed with a clear sky after delivery so mounted up varios scopes to see how things fitted and got a spin in WL Solar of the 80mm f6 Long Perng that I have recently aquired for use in my Camper Van, but it might be a WL wonder as well....but that's another thread. Smooth as anything with a full disk at 50x, all that the sky let me have, but its very smooth and slow motion is not required, but I have not used slow motion on a mount since I had the Skytee some years ago. And it is sat on the 1.75" standard S/Steel Sky-Watcher tripod that's years old, handles it very well, In fact made for each other, this does not hit me as a Planet requiring mount in anyway. Clearly a very nice UNi28 or similar will look great, but as of the minute, probably not needed.

Well here are some pictures from unwrapping today for starters. Stu's on a tripod are nicer than these ones, but I have been distracted since its arrival. It has new Vixen Rail clamps, made just for the AZ75, really nice and solid and the siblings of the AZ100 clamps. Very impressed with clamping so far, I only use Vixen Rails, so perfect for me and my scope/s.

No slow motion, it’s a push to mount, part of its simplicity I have started an AZ75 thread in Mounts section.

Well as the Cat is out of the bag... New from Rowan – AZ75 Mount I have been a Rowan AZ100 admirer since its very public testing and launch, I openly admit I would love one, but in reality wanted a smaller version for my style of Astronomy and the scopes I own and didn't want slow motion either, all my mounts of late have been manual tracking, no slow motion and simple in design and lacked a certain something that perhaps the AZ75 brings. My dear Mum always used to tell me Patience was a Virtue and that waiting for something to work its way through was time well spent in anticipation, so I have been patiently waiting, like a good boy. I talked with Dave and Derek Rose at Rowan about a smaller, non-slow-motion mount of the same high standard and finish, firstly at the IAS when they launched the AZ100, as I know others did as well. They said yes, but it will be a while as other things are ahead of that. Things such as further goodies for the AZ100, which are also on the way very soon and have been seen on Facebook and Astronomy forums. Well those gentle chats or nudges and my patience has paid off. I can inform the world that my wish is no longer a wish but a prototype reality, several prototypes are out in ‘The Wild’ having escaped the Rose’s grip and are now being tested. One of those most fortunate testers is me alongside @Stu I am most honoured to be trusted to do so. The mount is named the AZ75 and is the smaller sibling of the AZ100, the numbers refer to the body diameter, so the new sibling is a slimmer 75mm diameter to the more solid 100mm of the AZ100. The change of 25mm does look more when side by side, but be assured it really is only a 25mm change. The mount shares many similarities to the AZ100, high quality machining, high quality materials, high quality bearings, good design and above all made here in Britain. You cannot escape the Family resemblance or the quality of finish, its anodised to the same standard as the AZ100 and has the same design of knobs and fitments. The mount has a good and decent capacity of 15Kg per side, dedicated Vixen sized clamps and Tripod fitting sized for my mount sized tripod, which is the HEQ5. I think the mount will be highly suited to refractors, but also very good with reflectors. My testing will tell of course. It should be noted that the mount has the ability to be fitted to an HEQ6 tripod as well as 3/8 photo threads as well and has some clever tricks in how it does so, more to tell later. It weighs 4.5 Kg with the Vixen Clamps. The mount will be available with or without encoders fitted, the version I am testing has them fitted, and I will use them with my own Nexus DSC unit that I already own and use on my OOUK Dobson, so something that I am familiar with. The mount is at this stage a prototype and some final design tweaks may yet happen, subject to the testing feedback from myself and others. This testing is live now and subject to the weather being kind intended to be completed ASAP for any final changes and then production readiness, I hope for Christmas if we are all lucky, and then buying from our friends at @FLO. As many of Stargazers Lounge (SGL) know, I was fortunate enough to make a factory visit to Rowan in September and jokes aside abou having my memory wiped as I left, was shown the production facility and the AZ100 and AZ75 being made, down to single component level, some of which I can share during this feedback of the testing. It was a delight to watch the machinery in action and be shown the development that has gone on and is continuing at Rowan Towers, as I jokingly refer to the factory. Rowan have been highly innovative with many products, they serve the Astronomy Market well. They have a saying of ‘Sometimes perfection is not quite good enough’ and although banter between the Rose brothers, it really has a truthfulness to it, they aim to make things perfectly. I will report some more, such as specifications etc. at a later date once I get some testing under my belt, we all know how fickle UK weather is to us poor astronomers. Please do remember this is the ‘Prototype’ and some tweaks may be made, as they were with the AZ100 during the development and testing phase, so the final mount may change a little, or perhaps not, testing will tell after all and why they are out in ‘The Wild’ Images to follow later over the weekend later within this thread. It has already been christened in White Light Solar already today, showing itself as an invisible mount, something a mount should truly be in use. So here we go, watch this thread and ask away, where I can answer I will, where I cannot, well I will go try things.

I am looking forwards to the tyre kicking, will post some bits later today. It's a very nice unit, truly the little brother or cousin of the AZ100.

Oops, sorry @johninderby, two naughty ones not listening....again

Remember a Yellow Box is not to be opened until Christmas Day, @johninderby said so 😉 So my one is already open.

Thanks, will look great. I just need that pesky cloud to clear off.

Oh, go on then, patience required 😉

DHL have just been with a big Yellow box from Rowan.... What might it be? Shall I open it???

Congratulations on the first Venus, be careful it’s addictive, you keep going back to see the phase develop or reduce. Wait until observing it more bites, it did for me and it became an obsession, all to see clouds on another planet! Nice one, the first views always bring a wow and are memorable, but if your interest develops, then the wows just become a bit longer between as you sit dumbstruck observing a target for longer. Sharing is great and very pleasurable, my dear Dad now long passed pointed me at The Moon and told me, it’s a wow now, but just wait until it draws you back again and again, how right he was. It often feels like he is still observing with me, but through my eyes.

Indeed not, looks great and lots of information, but truly lots of information. I know how cloudy nights will be spent for a while.... Mind you, I am still trying to cope with Luna Cognita, that's even more information and 3 volumes.

Pheww, shows as out of stock still.... Buuut, perhaps a little order might make things tickle along....watch this space.

Glasses on Finding, Looking up at the sky. Glasses on at the Eyepiece down to 10mm then Glassess off. Reading Glasses to read the start charts and any displays. I used to laugh at my dear old Dad with multiple glasses, I now understand what he went through, my Daughters now do the laughing at me.....The Circle of Life I suppose.

The bedroom being lit is the winner in getting something done if you need to involve the Local Authority.

A hood is good as are screens etc. My observing pad thread documents how I found a way of making observing at home possible once again. I must point out I have a very understanding other half, she could have said no to a lot of my project.

Indeed, that's what has driven LP so far backwards, cheap lighting.

Nice report and made me smile at exploring your new sky, which indeed you have been gifted. Sounds great and that you had a fun evening.

I think this just shows how common this issue has become and worsening over time. Somehow I was hoping the spiraling enegry costs would get some more lights turned off, but so far no luck. Ask the enighbour politely about turning the light off late at night, you may be pleasantly surprised, many are. Good luck with this quest, I know all about it and had to take very desperate measures to continue observing. (All legal and not inflamatory either).

Postie has been with a much anticipated delivery. I am very much into Solar Observing, but I had to admit my ignorance at what I was observing, this was during a recent Begginers Observing Session at my club. So I hope I will become more informed on this subject, we will find how I cope with it soon. And its the English translated version, do not be misled by the authors names.

I might need something bigger than a Planet tripod then, oh the Berlebach Gas Giant Tripod is needed, best e-mail Germany and see what they can do.

Oh yes you do.... All I can tell you is that it's Black and has Rowan laser etched on it....

Something Rowan is a coming, something NEW is about to be sent out to me... That patient waiting is about to pay off, watch this space.... or another thread soon 😉

Firstly @Stu I agree T-Rex have hands, the picture bears this out, but in my defence my hands are not alike 😉 And back to Astronomy..... The hole I made was actually 70mm, I have measured it and taken some images. It works very well indeed and was a simple change to the riser column, But please note my column was cut down from a longer one, the remaining bit now resides with @AdeKing

A hole saw, Starrett with cutting fluid applied as it cut, took a while. Hmmm, will measure and confirm. Did T-Rex have hands?