billdan

I use a MPC-III on my Newt, I never realised the curvature was that bad. From what you have shown that is shocking compared to the Paracorr. I will have to keep my eyes out for a second hand one.

Found this on the QHY forum, about new mono cameras coming, I imagine ZWO will do the same.

That's a really good resource, I saved that link for later. Thanks 👍

What I do is put all the subs into DSS and register them, once registered it will give the number of stars it found in each sub and a score for each sub (a low score could be a Sat trail, passing cloud or dew starting to form etc). I usually then delete the subs with the lowest 20% score , and stack the best 80%. Its a pain in the neck visually looking at each sub to see whats good or bad, especially if you have 80 or more subs to appraise.

Hi, This is my experience sending a QHY12 back to China for out of warranty repair. First off with QHY you must go through their ticketing system, on their website you go to the section of raising a ticket for repair, they will then email back to you a shipping address for their repair centre, and a form to fill out, ticket number, return address, fault description etc. I then used Australia Post to send the camera back, air freight (no insurance) and cost in 2017 $ Aust 65.00. A week or so later I got an email for the repair bill and it was $70 for a new main board and I paid an extra $20 to have the sensor cleaned and finally $65 for return air freight . 5 weeks later Aust Post delivered it back to my door. So please don't send the your camera back to ZWO without a Return Authority Number (or ticket number) otherwise it will sit on an in-bench somewhere in China with no paper work.

I just came across this thread. You have done a professional looking and well thought out project with that ONAG (thank God for 3D printers). Is it necessary to have a movable guide cam? Just fixed in the centre would take care 90% of good guide-stars. Simply fine tune the RA/DEC controls and adjust the main imaging camera framing to ensure a decent star is near the centre of the FOV. Please keep us informed with your testing, as I wouldn't mind having a go, if it works OK -- ( I have a 3D printer).

This is the backlash I'm getting with the Mesu 200 Mk1, which is very low. You may want to check your DEC balance and make sure its OK.

The major problem you will have to resolve with the camera replacing the secondary is a method of accurately achieving focus. The Critical Focus Zone of a F5 newt is 70 microns and about 90 microns at F6. (The width of a human hair is about 100 microns). Focus is not a set once and forget about it, you have change focus as the temperature drops during the night. Also the Coma free zone of an F5 scope is only 3mm in diameter at the focal plane and about 5mm for F6. So you may be disappointed without a coma corrector attached. If you use a cooled camera, warm air will be pushed out by the TEC cooler fans making the seeing worse than it actually is. My advice, don't bother, stick to conventional. Cheers Bill

Before you commit to buying one, get Lucas to give you all the measurements, just to make sure it will fit inside the Obs and you can still close the roof. Bill

You may have an issue with height as well Davey, my garden shed (Obs) is 9' x 6 ' and 6' tall.

I agree Davey, or at least still make available the original Mesu 200 for those of us who have an existing pier and looking to upgrade. I can't imagine many astronomers would want to dig out their piers to accommodate the new version. This new bended knee pier looks very tall, I don't think my roof in the Obs would be tall enough to use it. I'm glad I have the original Mesu 200 before it disappears.

That should be OK, if the wedge an handle all the weight on top of it.

It looks like the Mesu 200 Mk2 can only be used with the bended knee pier as it has no latitude adjusters.