Stephenstargazer

If the design, build quality and focuser are as good as the originsl OMC 140 then it may have promise. The Rumak Maksutov is very good at what it does well, but not exactly an all rounder. This never hurt the 7" Questar but there are a lot more Cassegrain competitors now!!!  

Following with interest as considering simìlar possiblity after house move 🫰. Do the 'pro domers'  have a minimum size to recommend ?

22 hours ago, JeremyS said:

The beauty of the Tak clamshell compared to other rings I’ve tried is that it’s quite to slide the OTA to adjust balance

I concur and the large area means the tube is well gripped without over tightening. Second advantage is to put the clamp forward on the dovetail or mount clamp to help balance your 'heavy back end'. For those nervous of the single screw I recommend a safety split pin. Specially for JS I have added a handle.

Look carefully and the Tak dovetail has stops added at each end too. The scope can slip but not fall out, though some dovetail clamps are a bitt suspect - hence the handle until all is balanced and checked. 

1 hour ago, GirtAllerton said:

What would you suggest for this set-up as absolutely necessary and as nice to have.

The mount, especially when motor driven, is fairly tolerant of a little out of balance. Perhaps this gets more of an issue with really big scopes. Using a Planet I doubt you would need  a counterweight for stability with your scopes. So strictly neccessary IMHO is just the two clamps. (And the Vixen AZ75 ones are fine too)

Now each individual will value certain of the accessories as 'nice'.. You say occasionally dual mounting so how much would you value alignment plates (making 2 scopes exactly parrallel) ? You may also need a spacer plate on the left side to clear the AZ motor if you have a long dovetail on that side which clashes?  Going from an eyepiece to a binoviewer or nightvision might make the ep counterweight nice. However you could just switch off the motors, lock the alt axis and rebalance....because you wont lose your encoder alignment by doing that 🙂. Personally i always like a panning handle....but perhaps less so when we get the hand controller?

If you are prepared to be patient I would buy no accessories at first and that is not just about cost, a fully loaded up AZ100 can get quite heavy! Using it for a while will  tell you what extras you personnaly need or want.

I admire your patiencd and persistance! The APZ is a very nice mount with smooth slow motions far better than the Porta. Go to try one if you can. However, my experience of them is that they dont like being overloaded, and a 100mm refractor would be on the limit and should be carefully balanced.

If you get an APZ then  I suggest using a Vixen HAL tripod with it which will help control the SW100. There are still many less expensive mounts, as 3yrs ago, and some more expensive too! Look for posts about Rowan AZ75 if you want to treat yorself. A better mount makes a scope a joy to use.

On 05/04/2024 at 17:48, R26 oldtimer said:

Now, how can I get two of those for a binoscope?

Well looking at the pictures and the 2"  nose piece, I guess you may need a very large interpupilary distance 🥸. Unless they later build a binocular version.....two screens, two focusing eyepieces,  or with prisms.

I like the implied simplicity and wonder about the Sky Safari input, other than  the obvious tie in to the mount. However living with one 'eyepiece' might not be so easy? No doubt a bit of digital zoom is feasable?  

Me too! I also recommend Jim Alkhalili's books.

On 24/04/2024 at 14:31, bobo99 said:

setting changes doesn't seem great

On the main screen of the controller web page there is a button (red/green) to switch motors on/off - no big deal at all and useful during alignment. There is also a screen joystick to use, instead of the manual slow motions, if you prefer for small alignment moves.

(The logic behind the warning is that the motors will be tracking already and you would be fighting against them by using manual slow motions, which the motors are already driving through a belt. However since the mount also has friction clutches and encoders you can always 'nudge' or push the scope in any direction any time you like even when it is tracking/motors running and it wont lose it's sky position.  This is not like a conventional geared goto mount)

Not the most elegant looking or lightest of SW mounts from,err, SW, but I might like the price? 🤔

Put simply it does not control motors but provides a connection to planetarium apps (including Rowan's) for manual mounts. DSC = digital setting circles, enabling use of encoders without 3rd party hardware. 

Heads up ! The DSC 100 (or75) Controller for manual mounts is now listed on the Rowan website. 

https://rowanengineering.com/products/dsc100

Maybe the Handset will be next?

I am very fortunate to have met Ian at several Preston Montford SPA  weekends, including last year, bravely despite his health. Incrediblly knowledgeable, but able to converse with everybody, and so willing to advise,. One of science's true gentlemen,  a polymath and communicator.

I too hope his Digest can be preserved with a suitable tribute. My signed copy of his book of Gresham lectures will alwys be treasured. Best of all I have fond memories of time in his company at a telelescope and in the lounge.

I went into a (very wet) field near my house at the end of twilight on (windy) Tuesday with 15x50 IS bins and picked out the head of the comet nicely. For a bonus Uranus was an easy find too. It is a good Western horizon but by no means dark sky. No idea what I stepped in though.....

If you like to mix eyepiece and camera views then a flip mirror is the easiest solution. Getting them parfocal can be fiddly, a simple helical eyepiece holder helps. It tends to rule out a focal reducer as you are likely to have insufficienf back focus.

You should be able to pick up a Vixen one cheap as they have included them with many scopes sold.Try a want enquiry?

Oh for goodness sake stop it ! I have stew and dumplings for tea and glad to have it too. 😛

Congratulations! It occurred to me that the only possible effect this side of the pond was a dimming of twilight. As it was raining here I stayed inside and followed news coverage. How sad that a response of so many was to get out a bright phone during totality ☹️ 

I believe to make a pinhole camera you would need to remove the objective lens first. 🙂

@Alan WhiteThe telescope count is meant to be static pending house move! In fact quite a lot may need to go into storage. Thanks for encouragement,  6" Newton sounds a natural with the 75 !  

Viewing positions (at my age) will be much easier than my long departed truss dob, amazing though its views were. A low tripod and adjustable chair beckon 🙂. My telescope   journey nearly started with a 6" Newtonian, but I chose a compact Maksutov for 'convenience' and I wonder how that may have affected subsequent choices.

(Excuse temporary deviation from topic)

10 hours ago, Ratlet said:

Hope you're not coming down with Aperture Fever. 

No, not really, I have been up to 14" and returned. My f/9 8"cat is enough. However a light 6" f/5 reflector would be a nice widefield to push around on AZ75, easier than a 125mm reffractor in several ways, including wallet.

On the AZ75 that must be just like pushing a small dob around, very natural and potentially even smoother. Even easier eyepiece position so I can feel a Newtonian coming on.......... 😈. Just need one more good reason.

When next in Cornwall try Stargazy pie !

On 29/03/2024 at 16:13, Chaz2b said:

Questar 3.5”…

I have the  plain field scope version (ex WD) , which does not come out much but so wondefully constructed I doubt I will ever part with it. The full bling and mount ones dont tempt me, but I can see the appeal.

On 13/03/2024 at 18:35, Lumos said:

DarkClearSkies.co.uk.

Did you not spot the irony in  the title... 🙂 but thanks for the link !

Perhaps this can be launched for the motorised users at the same time as the DSC control box  for the manual hardliners?  Looks very appealing and user friendly ! (Mainly due to myj touch screen phobia)

Only just clocked the spiffing new website 😋 congratulations @Dek Rowan Astro 

On 15/03/2024 at 22:24, PeterC65 said:

the additional cost and effort of the built in screen

Actually Peter the screen is a standard plugin that fits  the RPi. Having controls or the view on a 2nd screen is user friendly in practice.

I am glad Arnaud @Astrowl has explained his personal aims with the project. He has been prepared to share this with his users and is always making improvements. A look at the exemplary manual.will show how neat and easy the controls are - great for those like me who are not tech savvy. 

As for mixing with visual I can put an Astrowl Box on a turret with a couple of eyepieces. It is so  small and light. And yes I, (or we)  could go in to the warm to watch remorely, maybe for a transient event. (Eventually I may even need to !)

I dont think there is a comparable single device yet, but who knows..

On 15/03/2024 at 23:07, Astrowl said:

Except if a big company like ZWO produces a similar product, I will probably buy it immediatly and stop the Astrowl Box. But, I think it will never happen.

I know it is selfish, but I sort of hope that does not happen for some time, mon ami  🙂