robbymain

On 25/10/2020 at 09:14, robbymain said:

It’s arrived =O Hollywood General Machining’s finest engineering all the way from Burbank California! Just awaiting the Weight System now...

Very late update now but it got returned unfortunately. It was very shaky with my 10.5kg CT8 (worse than a GP-E) and wouldn't settle at all even at lowest magnification with significant lack of required stiffness in the vertical axis. I suspect the head would be better on a Berlebach tripod. I have heard some surprise at my experience from other AZ8 owners but it didn't work for me.

It also taught me that a Newtonian on an altaz mount won't work due to the OTA completely blocking the azimuth slow motion control =(

What a shame as its a nicely made mount.

Hi John,

I haven't had this issue occur to mine I'm afraid. Have you tried degreasing the mating surfaces with a suitable solvent?

Cheers,

Rob

Hi All,

Having discounted an AZ100 as a possible option for my OOUK CT8 reflector due to the OTA blocking the Azimuth control, what equatorial mounts can you suggest for nice solid visual use? My trusty GP-E isn't up to the job. I have a Wanted ad up for a GP-DX but am struggling to find sensible 'modern' alternatives. I really wanted an SX2 but is discontinued and rare as hen's teeth on the used market (ebay has one from an astro dealer in Japan at £1800 plus delivery, import taxes and the rest...)

Not really interested in a Skywatcher mount - and not sure about iOptron. 

Load is about 11kg all up.

Thanks friends,

Rob

These are really good - so natural and true to the visual observing experience!

Hi there

I'm in Callington just South of Launceston - moved here just a few weeks ago in fact! Were are you based?

Cheers,

Rob

I have the same issue as you. I wanted an SX2 to mount an OOUK CT8 which is about 10.5kg all up. My GP-E groans under the weight and I like a really solid mount, even for visual lowish power work. The SX2 (Starbook One version) is out of production and to get one sent from an eBay shop in Japan will cost me £1900 once import duties and tax is added! So do I go for an SXD2 from a UK dealer which is way out of my budget - but the beautiful StarBook Ten and tracking performance (neither of which I really need), or do I give up on Vixen and get an iOptron GEM45, IF it has the real world capacity I'm looking for....?!

Oh The agony of choice lol

Another vote for Melotte 20 and the Double Cluster! Both absolutely spellbinding 😃

Hi All

I've been planning a move to the Plymouth area from Bristol for some time now and probably would have already if it weren't for the pesky Covid-19!!!

My wife's family are from down there and I did some looking for decent spots on Dartmoor. The best I found exploring from the Plymouth side was the 2 car parks on the Whiteworks road a couple of miles South of Princetown. I haven't visited at night so I don't know what the city skyglow will be like as it's about 9 miles NE of Plymouth. The further North and East you go, the better it will be I guess!

Anyway once we sell our house here and do finally move (early in 2021 I hope!) I'll definitely be looking to meet up with more South Devon astronomy types 😃

Cheers,

Rob

Hi Brendan

I've been through a similar thought process and recently ordered an AZ8 plus Weight System as an observing only setup for my OOUK CT8 which is about 10.5kg all up. At a future date I MAY add a Nexus DSC kit for stand-alone push-to 😃

I did consider the Skytee 2 very briefly but honestly I just wanted something better engineered, even if I didn't originally have Losmandy in mind!

The AZ100 looks fabulous but higher capacity than I needed  as @johninderby has said - it also costs a chunk more than an AZ8 once you add on a mounting plate, Berlebach tripod, counterweight setup etc. which is why I plumped for the AZ8....

Let me know how your thinking progresses,

Rob

On 11/07/2019 at 21:21, John said:

I use a Rigel Quickfinder which is just this side of the RA finder - It's not a good photo !

This shows the arrangement better and the Moonlite focuser that I now have fitted:

 

Hi John!

We have the same RACI 😃 although I have mounted a Skysurfer III onto mine for coarse pointing duties.

Having now installed the new red CR2 focuser onto my CT8, I'm finding that even with the 1" + 0.5" thick mounting blocks, I am still 4-6mm away from being able to focus with some of my Radians. I guess the focal plane is just particularly far out from the tube axis as the CTs are primarily designed as imaging Newts? Anyhow, I have had to order up a 1.5" Moonlite extension tube from FLO which I am now waiting  4-6 weeks to come into stock =O

Looking forward to catching up with you face to face again one day soon!

All the best,

Rob

It’s arrived =O Hollywood General Machining’s finest engineering all the way from Burbank California! Just awaiting the Weight System now...

On 03/10/2020 at 17:23, gilesco said:

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but if anyone would like to go to Dark Sites, in Devon, possibly Dartmoor, then please join the Devon and Cornwall club on here. I'd like to get involved, although socially distanced, with dark site visiting, but would feel a lot safer and less bored (AP schedules through the night) with likeminded company!!

Hi there Currently Bristol based but still intending to move to Plymouth area soon, Covid and career options dependent! Definitely interested in quality dark sky locations on Dartmoor and around 😃

I also took in Mars using a 150P and 10mm and 6mm Radians last night and despite it's obvious size, very little detail was visible (could just detect the dark southern regions, but not a hint of SPC). The seeing appeared to be quite poor indeed from suburban Bristol. Last week was definitely better with a clearly defined SPC.

In fact achieving best focus was so tricky I might re-check collimation today... =(

Also I wonder if I need to invest in a Contrast Booster of some kind...?!

Well done to all the nice imaging results on here!

On 25/09/2020 at 15:35, Pain in the Neck said:

If you can put up with a complete beginner tagging along, then please count me in. Happy to receive a PM, or attend a planning meet (rules permitting).
Charles.

Hi Charles I just PM'ed Richard in here about arranging a drink one evening to meet up and talk potential dark sky options so please do the same 😃

On 25/09/2020 at 15:35, Pain in the Neck said:

If you can put up with a complete beginner tagging along, then please count me in. Happy to receive a PM, or attend a planning meet (rules permitting).
Charles.

Of course, the more the merrier 😃

On 21/09/2020 at 20:00, Richard Wesson said:

It seems like there are a good number of us scattered around Bristol. I wonder if it may be a good idea to look at observing together on occasion and covid restrictions permitting? Obviously BAA do sterling work, but this may augment that and allow sharing of locations.

Definitely - let's make this happen! I suggest we explore Velvet Bottom and Wellow as prime candidates? They are both 50 mins from my house so I am happy to try either!

I am happy to meet up for a socially distanced coffee or beer to get things rolling. I'm in farthest North Bristol within earshot of the M5 but can easily pop into town via M4 and M32...

13 hours ago, Pain in the Neck said:

Count me in too! Getting a bit fed up with the streetlight outside my back garden outshining just about everything. Jupiter and Saturn are still drawing me in every time I set up, as they are bright enough to be worth watching despite Bortle 8 or so. The sky isn’t stupidly bright, I just can’t get any night vision.

Have you thought about approaching the council and asking them to shield it for you? Patient and repeated polite pestering can work wonders with even the least motivated bureaucracies 😃

An OOUK CT8 which is about 10.25kg with finders and a Televue on board....

Hi Richard and Welcome to SGL

I'm based up in North Bristol and joined BAS last year (that reminds me I am late with my subs!). They are a lovely bunch and I've also volunteered for their public outreach events which are good fun. They did one at The Downs overlooking the Gorge last December plus one at Victoria Park this year before Covid-19 stopped the fun - just when BAS were starting the regular Failand weekend events =P

I'm probably one of the folk on here you've read banging on about Wellow and Velvet Bottom etc.... I am yet to take a scope to either location lol

However this autumn it's all going to happen so if you would like some company then count me in 😃

Post deleted

Thankyou very much indeed for the comprehensive overview of this mount - I may just have treated myself and ordered one plus the Weight System. Like you I was looking for something a cut above the Skytee-2 but I didn't want to spend as much as the AZ100 plus plate, counterweight kit , a Uni-28 tripod etc.

Should suit the CT8 beautifully and I can add the Nexus DSC and encoders at a later date if so desired...! 

Thanks for the info on the AZ8 guys - I may just have placed an order for one plus the Counterweight and Shaft kit....!

I've been meaning to give Wimbleball Lake campsite a go for some time now - its in the Eastern part of Exmoor National Park not far from the M5 so travelling from Herts should be straightforward. They seem to be quite stargaze friendly and even have a link to a telescope rental service on their website...

On 30/08/2020 at 16:30, Dantooine said:

I use a losmandy AZ8 with my F7 and love it. It’s solid, we’ll machined and would take the F11. It’s quite expensive and there’s not much I could find between this an the SW stuff.

I'm considering one for my recently acquired CT8 so I'd be really interested to hear some more of your views on it?! The ability to add Nexus DSC at a later date is a big draw for me too.

The Vixen APP-TL130 tripod is a lot better than the standard one supplied with the Porta II....