Silent Running

Oops, I didn't notice you asked this back in 2022... maybe no longer relevant!

Hi Dr Mike,

I then asked TTS if they could make me a dedicated adapter plate to attach Q to the Panther mount which in due course they did! I did all this while I was working in Saudi Arabia, but then got worried about all the dust in the air and took my Q back to Scotland several years ago. I completely forgot about the adapter until I saw your post! I like the challenge of trying to use the Q for some deep sky astrophotography. Of course, with a Duplex, you can easily take the OTA off the fork and attach it to a vixen plate or piggyback it to another scope. While I was over there, I also acquired the Questar dec drive and Wildcard Innovations Argo Navis digital setting circle and encoders for the Questar 3.5. In theory, if you use the digital setting circles to get fairly close to a target, you should be able to use a Powerguide-3 tomake final adjustments! I have yet to try this though. 

What I want to do is set up my standard portable rig, small refractor controlled by asiair pro, then spend time trying to do astrophotography with the Questar! Now that Ive returned home to Scotland its on my agenda... I just miss the clear nights of Scotland!!

Hi Dr Mike,

I have done this! Initially, I used the hole on the bottom of my Questar to screw it to a Primalucelab Losmandy-style plate and then attached it to my TTS Panther 160 mount. I did it with a Vixen-style plate too but didn't feel it was as secure. I guess you could attach it in the same way to any mount...

Ian! You were absolutely right, and I've got egg on my face, hahaha, there was an adapter ring tightly screwed on to the filter!! After removing it fits perfectly! I can confirm if anyone else had doubts that the IDAS LPS-D2 filter is completely compatible with the Baader UFC filter system. Thanks again

Ohhh! Thanks for pointing this out! Yes you're right... I've got screw threads top and bottom. When I get home I'll check. How embarrassing if I've got another adapter screwed onto it!!!

Has anyone encountered compatibility problems of standard filters with the Baader Universal Filter Changer (UFC) system?

I have the Filter base assembled with their camera adapter for wide T-ring and telescope-side M48 adapter, together with a couple of M48 filter drawers. It seems beautifully engineered but not cheap when fully assembled. The filter drawer fits nicely into the filter base when its empty. I then tried inserting my Hutech IDAS LPS-D2 filter into the drawer... no problem screwing it in. But then trying to slide the drawer into the base, I found that it gets stuck half way! On closer inspection I realised that the height of the filter means that it stands slightly proud of the rim of the filter drawer! Pics below.

Does anyone have experience of using other filters with this 'universal' system. Optolong? Triad?

The Rainbow RST mounts are very interesting too. I have a Rainbow RST-135... very light and compact, no counterweight, yet with a large capacity. Can be used in equatorial or AZ configuration. The RST-135 costs a bit less than the M-Uno, while the larger (though still small and compact) RST-300 costs more than a 10-Micron GM1000. If you need a mount to go through a small opening this type of mount or the similar Hobym Crux mounts seem hard to beat.

Its great to hear about this project. I think are are several people on this forum with observatories up here in Scotland...  I am still at the planning stage, for when I get back permanently from the Middle East. 

Over there in the desert its mainly shielding from the never-ending Sun and clear skies in the daytime, and dealing with occasional sand and dust storms. Oh, and one of our group knealt on a scorpion last year when packing up his tent. Luckily one of the big black ones which are less venomous than the wee brown b*ggers, still had to rush him to hospital for antivenom!

Hi thanks for this. That is useful info on the threads on the reducers and explains why none of my other adapters fit!!! 

I was reading a few threads here and looking at some surprisingly good images taken with the baby Tak... I recently acquired an FS60cb which I would like to use as an ultraportable imaging scope. I wonder if I could ask for advice on imaging setup. I find the Tak system chart a bit inconsistent.

I have the dedicated 0.72x reducer. I want to use it with a Canon dslr. I couldn't find any reference to the back focus/metal back distance of the reducer in the official Tak material, although online I found people quoting 56mm? The system diagram for the FS60cb though doesnt seem to add up to 56mm, unless I am misreading it. Do you use the stock focusser or change to a feathertouch? Have you found adapters to attach to the Tak reducer?

I would be grateful for any help on imaging trains that people have found to work, and if possible  a pic or diagram/sketch of your imaging train with the FS60cb ?

Clear skies and keep well everyone

Jo

Hi Stuart,

I recently acquired an FS60CB but haven't had much chance to use it yet. I like the fact that Tak provides the system charts which not all makes do... but then I too found they are rather capricious! Have you been able to resolve the back focus issue? Could you post any pics of your imaging setup for guidance?

Thanks,

Jo

Oops sorry, missed this. The Revell is much larger at 1:96 scale. I think the Airfix was 1:144 scale so maybe not fair comparison. I also added a bit of extra detail this time... there are accessory kits available, I think for both scales. 50 years ago... yes I dont think my painting was that hot! I seem to remember wanting to run round the garden with it!

Hmmm, not sure about much Sun in Scotland! Im at work in the Middle East at the moment.

Window open! I'm on 3rd floor, so they don't insist on hermetic sealing!! Now I'm just waiting for repeat test at weekend... and hoping to get back home to sunny (???) Scotland for Christmas

I'm recovering from Covid at the moment and confined to my flat... At least I have a West facing window and get nice views of the Sun and Moon. I've been practicing some solar imaging over the past week. It's great to see we are well and truly into Solar cycle 25. This afternoon, two groups of spots.

The first image is white light, using full aperture Questar filter on 3.5", asi294mc just placed in the eyepiece holder. Best 30% of 200 images in Sharpcap.

Second image is H-alpha, Lunt 80mm, single stack, asi178mm (for smaller pixels). Best 30% of 500 images in Sharpcap, composite iamge. Both processed with Astrostakkert and PS.

I've been interested to find that I am finding whole disc imaging easier with single stacked etalon, even though there is more detail with double stack. The sweet spot becomes more apparent in DS, and I find it difficult to get an even disc. Prominences also better with SS. But for visual observation, although SS and DS give great views, I now much prefer the double stacked view. The surface detail is just stunning.

Oh thats funny... just noticed, i have made 30 posts to date... the OP had made about 300... and you have made 3000, so I will be interested in your 2 orders of magnitude experience

Best wishes, Joe

Oh Hi, thanks

I am interested in using one with an Altaz mount specifically for field rotation...  Any ideas? You don't hear much about field rotators for this purpose. I have a TTS Panther altaz mount which has a telescope rotator but I was wondering about just a camera rotator, which could image for longer without a rewind

Hi, Geetings from Saudi Arabia. I just came across your post. Did you ever go ahead with the Pyxis LE field rotator?

Haha, that's an idea! I think a gantry would be much harder and more complex to make than the rocket! I was surprised,  for the tubular structure in this model, you had to roll up flat sheets of plastic... as I recall, from 50 years ago!!!... with the Airfix kit I just stuck together the two halves of the stages. Quarantine over, I'm looking forward now to getting back to stargazing

OK, a year too late to mark the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, with 2 week quarantine just finished, I finally completed my (Revell) Saturn V model. I hadn't made a plastic model kit in years, and this took me back to my childhood Christmas 1969 when Santa brought me an Airfix Saturn V... omg it was 50 years ago. Now I guess I'm marking 50th anniversary of Apollo 13!!

Haha same! I couldn't resist after reading your review. Over last week with beautiful clear nights I've been turning my refractor on the Moon a lot. Since I don't have my imaging gear here in lockdown, its visual only. Its been great! Now I'm looking forward to reading more about the Moon

Last week was just amazing and sadly a bit unusual here on the edge of Glasgow: night after night of pretty clear skies. I had the Rowan AZ100 out almost every night. Early impressions... this is a really great mount. I ordered a Berlebach Uni18 tripod with mine which was both lighter and a bit less expensive than the Planet tripod. The tripod and mount (minus counterweight) together are not lightweight but are not hard to carry out to the back garden. Separate trips for the counterweight and bar, and  the Telescope. Initially I didn't have the counterweight for my refractor which weighs almost 8kg. It worked OK without counterweight, but movements are certainly smoother now.  I also went for the Nexus DSC setup. This has been a revelation to me, never having used setting circles before. For alignment, jit asks you to point  the scope vertically press OK, then proceed to align on 1st star, press OK then on to second star, OK. Done. It gives a readout of the pointing error after the second star. After that I went to the Messier Catalogue. M13...spot on. The objects were always nicely in the field centering depending on how carefully I had done the alignment. I am quite limited here, with no widefield eyepieces and no reticle eyepiece for more accurate alignment. I only have zoom eyepieces in a binoviewer.  But the Nexus makes a beautiful paring with the Rowan. For large slews just release the clutches and move the mount... so smooth, following the directions on the Nexus screen. When you are close, tighten the clutches, and use the slow-motion controls... they are such a pleasure to use. I would strongly recommend the AZ100, with or without Nexus. But for me with rather limited starhopping skills the Nexus is a superb addition.

Amazing! I was fairly delighted to get barely perceptible smudges of M101 and M51 with my refractor last night. Reading your and others reports, I am starting to understand the allure of large Dobs...

Thanks, it felt fantastic just being able to see M101 and M51... even though of course no structure visible. Looking forward to more

Living in lockdown like everyone else, I haven't been able to return to my work in the Middle East. All my astrophotography gear is over there... so frustrating when the last few nights have been so clear. Luckily I had a refractor scope in the attic and put it on an alt-az mount. No motor, but I do have Nexus digital setting circles. Fortunately i have a binoviewer and a pair of 8-24 zoom eyepieces. I downloaded an e-copy of Stargazing in Suburban Skies from the Patrick Moore series, and decided to try and work my way through it. Armed with these i have been rediscovering the joys of observing from my Bortle 5/6 back garden on the edge of Glasgow. Although the Clear Outside app gave heavy cloud cover, the reality was a gorgeous crystal clear night... but cold. 

Starting with the gorgeous crescent Venus at dusk, I spent a long time looking at a Planet I had never really studied before. I concentrated on the circum polar regions mainly. I really enjoyed simple things like splitting Polaris, Alcor/Mizar group, Castor and Archid in Cassiopoea. Then a few star clusters in Cassiopoea and Perseus. NGC 457, the Double Cluster, alpha and the nearby Muscle Man Cluster. Sadly, zoomed out to 24mm (magnification x34) was too much to see the whole figure of the stick man. And my favourite, the Owl Cluster... many of these I had never seen before.

With rising ambition, I homed in on M51 and M101 expectantly. With averted vision and slight movements of the scope, I could make out faint nebulosity in both galaxies. They were at the edge of perception given the LP. M51 was slightly more prominent. I hope there will be more nights as clear as this. Clear skies and keep well everyone.