Robindonne

Very nice finish

The good thing is, you know for sure you’ll have a very fast internet connection once you make the switch to Starlink.  You’re right under the crossroads of multiple tracks

Since having seen an eastern clip i often dream about sitting on soft chair between 2 20” f/6 mirrors on a clear night, feeling the tracking motors through my whole body, sailing thought the sky😍.  
 

of course having two eyepieces poking in my skull

Keep in mind that besides the drawtube diameter, the drawtube length can also have dimensions like 2” or 3,5”.   Its probably mentioned later in the list and revered to as focus travel!

Hm of course a dobson is probably the best choice for your budget. Your initial question had me more thinking about an eq5 mount, controlled by hand, but with the option to add motors after a while.  The dobson isnt really upgradable to do Photography.  I think you have that mount for 300/400£.  With a bit luck you’ll find a small used refractor to use both for visual and AP (after adding the motors to the mount

18 minutes ago, jacko61 said:

Jumped on the 'Making every photon count' bandwagon at the weekend. Arrived from FLO this morning - the usual superb service; they won't have seen the order till monday morning. 

No point posting yet another picture of the book. Suffice to say I'm looking forward to an informative read.

Graeme

Im wondering how old this book is.  And if its still a musthave considering the enormous amount of digital info, videos etc.   
 

im aware the age of the content isnt that relevant and probably still accurate.  But like most of the encyclopedia nowadays spending their life as a still life due to the amount of digital info.  

On 23/05/2021 at 15:57, johninderby said:

Any discussion of Mak vs SCT should also include the Classical Cassegrain. The Classical Cassegrain while an old design has only recently become available in a competitively priced version. I’ve had an 8” SCT and a Skymax180 but have now moved to an 8” Classical Cassegrain. A great performer with no dewing problems and quick cool down and a proper crayford focuser. wouldn’t want to go back to the Mak or SCT in the 8” or there about size range.

What is your opinion on the views when extending the focallength for e.g. the CC8” from f12 to you name it.  Do you think a good focal extender like the powermate will bring the view to the same quality as a scope thats off the shelve in a longer focallength?

Would a C8 f/10 when extended x1.2 give the same view as a CC8” f/12?

I hope its informative for the op’s question but also for my doubt when seeing a Meade sct of 10” or larger show up on the used market having a shorter focallength.  Will it be as versatile to have a short focallength sct + Powermate as a long focallength sct + Reducer?

I hope and think all turns out to be fine.  I assume if the coating on the drawtube is intact all will go smoothly.  Glad the lens is still a bit dirty and not cleaned by this amateur amateur

Could it be that they are slowely forming back to a straight surface and somewhere during that process get a circular shape.  Or is that nonsense on a scale from here to Tokyo (means big nonsense in my language)

Sticky velcro on a Takahashi?? Whats wrong with you?  Im not sure pictures with that are accepted here. But great you’ve found a solarfilter.  

Sometimes when i see the new prices i start to cry

I think an eq6 is not really an “over”mount for an 8” newtonian.   I had a short 8” quattro on a heq5 but it was on the edge.  So maybe an heq5 but i would definitely go for the eq6.  You must be able to carry a bit heavier set all together, but transport it seperate and it will be doable. What model are you aiming for?  Normal eq6/eq6r/azeq6.  Its somewhere between £1250 and £1700.  I went for the azeq6 because im a bit in love with that mount but also because it has the option to use it in alt az mode and dual load option. You basically combine a normal eq6 with a Rowan az100 for example.   But with goto😉.  
 

Anyway, the 6 series is much more a real mount and possible future proof.   
 

2 hours ago, nfotis said:

The diameter of the Skymax 180 tube is 216mm, AFAIK. That's not a typical tube diameter, very few companies offer to create suitable rings, like Orion Optics UK.

N.F.

 

Hm ok. So that would be a c8 losmandy bar. Or something that fits a c8.   

I think im going to try this one:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/celestron-cge-dovetail-bars.html

thx for all the help both 

Yes i saw them one of your pictures a while ago.  If there is no other solution than i have to go for the tube rings.  The Celestron losmandy bar looks like its made not for a specific curve.  Looks a bit like the finderscope brackets.  So much room in between the edges that it will fit multiple curve sizes.  But im not sure if someone can confirm, or point me into another brand losmandybar.  
 

The new holes in the tube are probably heartbraking to make

Are there any users of the 180 Skymax who swapped the vixen style dovetail for the larger losmandy style bar thats attached to the Celestron version of the 180 Mak? I know the mounting holes are probably not aligned but im curious if someone changed the bar without using tube rings? And if so, did you buy the bar from Celestron or another brand? 
 

Thx

https://youtu.be/FDWoYKVDeQE

looks like the restrictions are slowely disappearing 

Bob?

I would also rate it a very bad deal.  90mm etx sells for €200 used here in NL.  

7 hours ago, Chefgage said:

Looks like we both had a long wait then

There is a hot topic coming called “what the postman did not bring”

I dont know why someone should be banned for posting a possible bad experience before contacting the seller first.  I could work two ways.  Last week i read a post from a guy who bought a new scope with some minor spots of glue inside the tube and some dust on the lens.  He wasnt sure to complain or not, so he asked the forum first about his concerns.  The seller also read his post and although some forummembers answered that the spots are no issue, the seller immediately offered a new scope and apologized for this mistake.  
 

So no worries, you did nothing wrong.

Yep.  You wont make it long after this post

I would also buy a lawnmower.  But i think these meade eyepieces are not bad at all. 

Glitches.  I had them also like 3 times a year. All data filled in correctly, the mount was way off.  It ruined some nights, thinking what it might be, to find the next day all seems to be fine again. 

Hello peter.  Welcome. 

Oh i meant this one 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/misc/jtd-dual-rig-telescope-alignment-saddle.html