Mike Read

Looking for peoples opinions on whether I'm likely to have a back focus issue with a proposed config. Currently , I have an Edge 8" which I mainly use for lunar and planetary. I would like to be able to try image some DSO / Galaxies later in the year.  Im looking more at the Esatto 2 instead of the LP as I want to be able to use with and without the reducer , without - the LP looks as if it might get stuck with the mirror locks.  I'm assuming I cant put a spacers here to clear the "locks" - as I'm less worried about the image edge as this will be in planetary and lunar setup.
 

Celestron 8" Edge + Focal reducer + Esatto 2 + "OAG" + ASI 2600mc  - my calculations show this to be about 102mm (leaving 3 mm to play with) - if I use the ZWO OAG L . However, a google appears to show people cant get focus for the OAG as it hits the Esatto ?? Does anyone use this type of config?

Any thoughts would be gratefully recevied.

On 09/02/2022 at 19:21, fozzybear said:

to put your mind at rest watch this I did my rather small C5 after watching this Video

 

LOL - Thanks. I gave mine to an expert to clean, centre and collimate - picking it up at the weekend.

Hello,

I'm looking to get my Edge serviced, corrector plate and mirror cleaned and correctly collimated. Can anyone recommend someone please? 

11 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

Hi Mike,

Did your EQ6R fit into the Pulsar pier adapter ok? My AZEQ6 is too big or the recess in the adapter is too small!

Hi, Looks like the recess on the adapter is about 2-4 mm too shallow. I was hoping this "wont" matter when its tight. I may need to find someone with a milling machine!

Thank you. Where do you purchase the bolt from ? 

Hello, 
I've finally done a concrete base and attached the anti-vibration pier to it. I managed to install the pulsar pier multi plate adapter also. However, I cant for the life of me see how my EQ6R can be secured to the adapter plate. The supplied bolt (if thats what its for ) is a smaller diameter, and the primary rod from the mounts tripod is too short for the thread to catch. 

If you have this combination - how did you secure your EQ6R to the adapter plate? Did you go an buy a larger diameter bolt?

Evening All, 
Has anyone replaced their stock focuser on the Esprit 100ED  with the Featherlight (FTF3015BA) ??

I realise this is an "old" topic - but did you replace your focuser  on the Esprit with the Starlight?

18 hours ago, JamesF said:

If it's for imaging, do you actually need the pier to be any higher at all?  When I built my observatory I set a mount up on a tripod and looked at wall heights etc. given that I'd probably not want to image anything lower than about 20 degrees and worked from there.  Having a low pier may help with clearance for a roll-off roof.

James

Valid point, I will give it a check as I might not need to extend.

1 hour ago, JamesF said:

Is this for visual use, or imaging?  For the latter I think my first question would be whether the pier height actually needs to be increased at all.

James

Imaging - Do people look through telescopes? 🙂

2 hours ago, jacko61 said:

I'm in a similar situation to you - when I built my shed the pier is now too low - so I've bought extra lengths of threaded bar and some long nuts. I plan to extend the existing pier bolts with bent bar and pour another foot of concrete, sinking a new set of bent pier bolts when it's poured. I had a discussion with a builder friend and he's of the opinion that the bent bars I put in will suffice to keep the new concrete stable although I may take a few three inch chunks out of top of the existing concrete for an extra 'key'. 

graeme 

Thanks Graeme, thats what I was originally thinking too , although I might explore the pier extension first - as I don't really want to concrete ...again.

9 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

When we moved house I “inherited “ a fully finished 6 x 3 mtr Shed.

This has a substantial concrete floor. I split the roof and made a 3 x 3 mtr observatory for the C11/ NEQ6PRO.

The pier was extra height to give a view over the 2.7mtr walls. This is bolted to the floor slab with 4 x 18mm expanding bolts. It’s been in operation now for over  six years. It works well for me, no issues.

Thank you 

6 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

Yes, I see. I slightly misread your question. Would a pier extension do the job? 

"occam's razor" - Thank you. That makes perfect sense - and the simplest solution 🙂 I was over thinking and making it more complicated than it needed to me. 

1 hour ago, Ouroboros said:

If it were me I’d set up my telescope, polar align the mount and see if it is stable enough.  I wouldn’t jump up and down on the concrete. After all who jumps up and down in their observatory?  But I’d walk around etc. and see how stable the mount is over a  period of a few hours, or days if you’ve got a cover.   I’m guessing for observing it’s probably fine. Imaging on the other hand requires you walk around the scope, or be in the observatory at least some of the time. 

I set up and image with my mount on some concrete slabs loosely cemented into some underlying hard core and it’s fine. I sit in my shed 5 metres away, but even so I have to walk on the slabs occasionally. So what you’re describing is more robust than what I’ve got.  But really the proof of the pudding etc etc .... 

Thanks , I'm happy with the slab. The "jumping" test was just to make sure .....
 Its whether a small additional plinth will work . As when I "build" a shed around the pier, I don't want to loose the height

I had this wonderful idea of having a greenhouse, and in prep created a large solid 10cm -15cm thick concrete base. Plans changed - we are not green fingered.  I've now bought a pulsar anti vibration pier and later will build "somesort" of ROR Obsy around it.

I'm going to assume the slab is OK "IF" I wanted to bolt the pier directly to it. I've placed a bowl of water on the slab where the pier will go and jumped up and down. There were no ripples 🙂
If I build an obsy with a raise rafter floor - this will raise the floor by 10cm -15cm and would reduce the working height of my pier by the same amount - which I'm guessing I would need to compensate for with a lower wall / roof . 

Here is the question: If cut out a few "plug" holes in the existing floor, added some vertical rebar, and poured a concrete plinth ( 20cm wider than the base of the pier) of 15cm deep  - would this be stable enough for a pier? Running EQ6R and 15Kg of payload. 

7 hours ago, beka said:

 

Hi Mike, you have to fit the steeltrack focuser in place of the standard visual back adapter. You will then need a 2 inch to SCT adapter to fit the 6.3 flattener/reducer.

Best!

Thank you, was worried they wouldn’t be compatible 

Morning,

I currently have a Celestron 9.25" SCT and am in the process of upgrading the focuser to baader steeltrack. I have the f/6.3 FR on back order. My question is: where will the FR fit in the image train? Is it compatible?

Thanks Mike

Thank you 🙂  - the story is about me and my continuing journey. I also was interviewed on BBC Radio Somerset this morning. I've found since the article alot of people have had similar experiences. I share my pictures on local FB groups and the response is always very positive - people love seeing pictures of the night sky and deep sky - they find it quite therapeutic. I try and inspire people to go outside, lookup and enjoy the free night sky.

Thank you both. I have now bought one. Wow!!! , the focuser is (as you said) rock solid and accurate. I’ve transferred my sea to senso 2 to the new rig. The difference between my 80ED Evostar and this for clarity is huge. Both at 550 ish, the moon is tack sharp. Very happy.

1 hour ago, Craig a said:

I use this 

https://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-skywatcher-pillar-tripod-support-for-eq6-mount.htm

so it’s semi permanent the bolts on the end screw down to level it and lift it off it’s wheels once the mount head and scope is on it weighs a ton, I’ve had no problems of it moving upto 100mph winds, I will post a picture of it with its cover on when I get chance, this pier is black in the link but they are now white 

Thanks Craig

11 hours ago, Craig a said:

I did the same thing, and everything is kept on the pier, the scope and all the cables the only thing I take inside is my camera, I have the 533 also, I cover my setup with a telegizmos 365 cover and it’s excellent it’s really well made it’s been through some quite severe storms with bucket loads of rain and everything it’s kept nice and dry although I do take the cover off for a couple of hours on nice days to give everything an airing, but so far it’s performed flawlessly 

I know we are going off topic...but... would be great to see some pictures? and which pier?

On 22/11/2020 at 14:20, Shimrod said:

Hi Mike,

I bought the lightwave reducer and also a couple of extension tubes from Altair. I can now get focus with the reducer (using the standard 55mm extension tubes) and without the reducer using an extra couple of extension tubes. What's most frustrating is I have had only two clear nights since buying the camera!

LOL - Its everyone buying kit in lockdown. I'm considering a pier for my EQ6R to speed my setup times...

Hi,
How good is the stock focuser on the above scope? Does anyone upgrade it? Reason for asking - I currently have the 80ED DS Pro and upgraded the stock focuser to the Baader diamond steeltrack . Just want to know if I should budget for upgrading the 100ED stock focuser. From a load point, it will only carry an ASI OSC camera or a Canon 90D.

Thanks 

Mike

On 11/09/2020 at 22:34, Shimrod said:

Hi Mike, how are you getting on with this? I've just got the same camera to go with my 80ed and like you I don't have a reducer (I had the skywatcher one on order, but cancelled it for now). What length extension tube did you have to add to get focus without the reducer? I've been thinking of getting the Altair lightwave reducer to see how that performs in the meantime - are you still using the camera without a reducer or did you find that you needed one?

 

thanks

Hi Shimrod,  I purchased the Skywatcher reducer, and totally love it. As mentioned, everything is in the box to get back focus. Everything is crisp to the edge.

On 31/03/2020 at 22:24, Philter said:

They're great images! I particularly like the M3.

I've got the ASI553 on order from FLO and I'll be using it with an Evostar 80ED too.

Its a great setup - I'm still learning, the images and quality are only limited by my "in"experience. 🙂 Each time I go out I learn something new about the software, guiding and image processing..

Clear Skies - Mike