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I used castor wheels and a C channel on my build and 8 years later it's still working well, apart from the channel getting clogged with ice on those thankfully rare occasions when we get heavy snow. Having said all that, if I was to build another observatory in the future, I would go for the V groove metal wheels as by all accounts, they give a smoother running action. Probably more pricey though than casters.

Good suggestions here. In addition to solar system objects, I've particularly enjoyed views of double stars, globular clusters and some other tight clusters through the 180. Galaxies didn't seem to view that well for me.

Sorry to hear about this but glad the damage was minimal and nobody got hurt. Did you have any method of keeping the roof locked down? I've done a belts and braces approach on my roof as we often get high winds: Turnbuckles that clamp the roof to the observatory walls (a bit like Nigella's approach) A 'captive mechanism' that provides an additional protection Finally, when it gets really windy, I employ ratchet straps over the top of the roof Hope you get up and running again soon.

Great images. We installed our first Solarcan on the 21st December. Looking forward to the Summer Solstice to see the results.

+1 for Telegizmo. I used to use one to cover my stuff outside before I built my observatory.

Hi Asim, If you're using EQMOD then it's easy to define custom park positions. See this link: I'm not sure what is possible with a SynScan handset as I've never used my NEQ6 with anything other than EQMOD. Edit: Jiggy's post above answers the SynScan solution.

+1 for Superlube.

You can get them from Pietro Astro here, though it looks like they are currently out of stock: https://www.pierro-astro.com/materiel-astronomique/montures/kits-de-modification/capot-de-vis-sans-fin-pour-eq6_detail

Very nicely done, you should be well pleased with that.

AstroPlanner is worth a look. https://www.astroplanner.net/

If the Wi-Fi signal from the house to the observatory is not going to be strong enough, how about using PowerLine adapters to carry the data communications using the mains cable as a carrier? This means you'll just have the one cable between the observatory and the house. I've been using Powerline for a good few years now and it has been very reliable.

John, you can go directly to the latest post by clicking on the part where it states when the last post was, e.g. Click on the bit that shows "3 hours ago". Edit: clicking on where it states the number of replies looks to do the same thing.

I use a combination of rubber strap wrenches and filter wrenches. I got the filter wrenches from ScopeStuff in the USA: http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_fwrn.htm Will have to try the trainers technique sometime.

Hi Steve, That's odd. When I do Ctrl-z, I get a layer called 'After Action', above the background layer, which can be deleted and the background layer contains the image pior to the action. That's with version CS3 mind you.

If I recall, the scope was quite light and easy to carry. The NEQ6 mount was more of a handful.

I also had an LX90 some years ago that I deforked and mounted onto an EQ6. I also used a Losmandy plate which I think was made by Farpoint Astro. The process of deforking went surprisingly easy, as did the refork when I later sold the scope.

Completely agree it being an excellent book and I did wear my copy out too. I bought another copy off eBay a few years ago along with the Moon, Mars & Venus book that you also mentioned. Like many others I also had the Observer's book (a later edition than the one pictured by Mark, I had the one with purple aurora on the cover), and also had the Ladybird Book of the Night Sky- another classic.

It's okay, I'm still alive and kicking. I didn't use any spacer with the DSI, I just used it without the 1.25" eyepiece adapter and screwed it directly onto the top of the OAG. I did however have a 7.5mm spacer between the back of the OAG and my QHY8L camera. I've attached a pic showing it connect to the back of Star71. Hope this helps.

It wasn't that clear cut. When I ordered mine in 2010 it was still advertised as the EQ6 Pro, but when I received it, it had the NEQ6 badge on it and came with just the Vixen puck and no extension. Shortly after that I think they started shipping with the accessories you mentioned.

I have a similar setup for my 8" RC and it works well. I have the TS focuser and the M68 to M48 adapter (also from TS). As you say, the CCD67 screws onto the front of the adapter and then it sits inside the focuser. I can get focus on my setup with or without the FR in place and do not have to add or remove any extension tubes. If I recall correctly, the focuser has to be racked in about 4cm when the FR is installed.

At our previous house, I set up a garden pier, and like Kaliska, I had a Telegizmo 365 cover to protect it. Build details here: http://northernskyobservations.weebly.com/garden-pier.html

Interesting looking product. Trying to get my head round how it actually works, from the pictures.

This is clearly a common problem - I also get a puddle of standing water on my warm room roof after rainfall. Mine is due to the plywood covering the warm room being too thin and it has sagged. Like Chris, the roof is covered in a sheet of MDPM rubber which is keeping the water out and has done for 5 years now. If I ever have to build another observatory, I'll certainly use rubber sheeting again but not skimp on the thickness of the underlying wood sheeting.

Don't know whether you came across this but there is one CN thread from somebody who owns one: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/606306-ioptron-cem-120ec/

We discussed this in your other thread on your LX200 and as I said there, if you googled for images of the focuser it becomes clear that the jack on yours is definitely not the original. It doesn't surprise me that the jack may have been changed. I used to have an LX90 and added the 1209 focuser (the one you have) as an accessory, but before that I had the 1206 motor focuser which wrapped around normal focusing knob. The jack on the 1206 became faulty and I had to cut it off and replace it.