Clarkey

Looks like we are in for cloudy days and nights now🙄. 🤣🤣🤣

Just to add to the comments above from @Stuart1971, I have run my Quieter2 from a 12v lead acid battery with variable voltage. I was a little concerned, but the second Mele PC I purchased actually had a sticker on it saying it required 12 - 19V.

I guess you can use the filter size calculator. This does not have 0.6 reducer - but close enough. The 0.6 reducer has 38mm aperture which suggests it would be OK. The 75mm is a guess at the distance from the glass. I suspect you will get some vignetting, but for a 1600 sensor this suggests it would be OK. (I would take a punt - but don't take my word for it).

I have used my RC8 with ST80 guidescope on the HEQ5 and it just about managed - but due to the longer FL I decided it was not quite good enough. However, at the RASA FL it would probably be OK. Also, the RASA is lighter and you can use a small guidescope.

Normally I would say "try it and see", but obviously this won't help! The standard 0.8 reducer is designed for full frame use, so would think that the 0.6 should work on the 1600. I suspect if you are a pixel peeper, the stars might not be perfect - but it should be OK. Might help...

Good advice above, but I would add that it is very dependent on your set up. I image with a 1600MM pro and a RisingCam IMX571 colour camera and I have no problem with a standard LED panel (tracing panel from Amazon) and very short exposures << 1sec. (Not recommended with a 294 sensor). This is particularly convenient when taking NB and LRGB flats at the same time as I do not need to alter the screen brightness. Similarly, with the RC8 I remove the dew shield for the flats and it is fine. Obviously, this may not be the case with an SCT due the effect of the corrector plate.

I struggled to find these too. I ended up making mine with a standard 5.5x2.1 male to male then adding a 5.5x2.1 to USB C adaptor. However, I suspect the ones in the link from @TiffsAndAstro would be OK for low wattage.

I tend to go for shorter exposures on globular clusters - maybe 30 or 60s. I then try to remove any with poor star shapes to give the crispest image I can.

Nice image. Always worth adding a bit of Ha to this one.

With Astro darkness soon to be a distant memory, here is probably my last image of the season. M3 over 4 hours evenly split between RGB using the 1600MM pro. Processed in PI. I think the processing of globular clusters is probably the most difficult to get good results - and this is OK, but I will probably give it another go later.

You can just put in the coordinates for the moon on the day you are imaging. I have done this for imaging comets.

You also need to remember that M101 has a very low surface brightness so is not the easiest target. It is relatively large, but quite dim. Many of the other Messier objects are much brighter. Also, don't be too hard on yourself or have too high expectations. AP is difficult and things are always challenging. I have been at it for 4 years now and I only feel vaguely competent. Have high aims, but don't expect to get there instantly without throwing money at it.

Mine is the same. I use a Reego for the secondary and star test for the primary. Cheshire or Laser is well off. In theory once you have the collimation spot on you could add a tilt corrector to get the secondary on the same axis as the primary. You could then use a Cheshire. However, I only collimate about once per year so it is not that critical.

Why not carry out the lunar imaging as a planetary image? You can then process in AS3 and Registax (or something similar). This will allow very sharp images and it won't care about field rotation or movement.

Found this online for a 14" Orion. Does not solve your problem as such, but it does show the whole assembly being dismantled. The motor appears to be spring loaded.