Clarkey

I think if you look at the FLO website it says it won't work. Link below - read the note.🙁

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/pro-series/skywatcher-85x-reducerflattener-for-evostar-72ed-pro.html

Can you get focus without the rotator? I'm guessing this adds a few mm. Not sure if the ED80 flattener may be a problem on the 72?

I think if you are imaging it is less wires dangling all over the place and less connections to go wrong. This is particularly true if you are using a scope mounted pc.

12 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

No wonder newcomers get this round their necks.

I thought confusing newbies was the whole idea? AP seems to have so many technical bits of 'mumbo jumbo' it makes it look like we all know what we are doing and are clever🤣. I've been at this game for a couple of years and I still consider myself a novice.

(Apologies for those who do know exactly what they are doing!!)

What has been said above is correct but you might find the 1600 is not recognised at all using a hub. Plugging in or out, even restarting the computer would not get it to connect or even be recognised. I have tried multiple software, cables and drivers but if decides not to work it just doesn't! As I said, reluctantly I eventually moved to a mini pc mounted on the rig.

4 hours ago, Stefan73 said:

but I've read to go for something more sturdy to attach to the OTA than the finder-shoe base.

Svbony do a cheap set of guide scope rings that are perfectly useable and slot into the guide scope mount.

If you have the original finder you could convert this to a guide scope with a converter:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-sky-watcher-9x50-finder-to-c-adapter.html

I think it is personal choice. If it bothers you then 'yes'. Otherwise no.

I have big scope envy...

Very nice bit of kit on my "when there is room" list.

2 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

. Have to be careful setting it down on it's end. Everything sticks out the bottom

Looks like there are 3 additional holes in the base. Could these be used to attach some small 'feet' or are they grub screws?

22 hours ago, Wonderweb said:

I currently have an rc6 which is a swine to collimate and im never fully happy with.

Not sure why. Yes they are a bit fiddly, but the collimation should not be too bad. There are a number of guides available, I use a modified version of the DSI method. Once set up they are ideal for galaxy imaging. I have an RC8 and I have to bin to get a reasonable pixel scale so there is not too much benefit in a longer FL. I think the 2000 plus requirement suggested is excessive as at that scale an AZ-EQ6 is probably at its limit and the scope will be quite slow. Ok for planetary though.

I would not take the back focus as gospel. Some reducers flatteners seem to worm as published others need adjustment. My f4 coma corrector is extremely picky, but other flatteners seem to work at 55mm or there about. I would just experiment to see what works.

Like Vlaiv I have the 8" and I was very reticent initially due to the collimation issue. It did take a bit if time to get right, but now I have a method that works for me and once dialled in, it does not move really.

I would agree that up to APS-c you can probably get away without a flattener. I've not got anything bigger so cannot comment.

Personally I am a fan, and this scope is a definite 'keeper' in the inventory. I think the focuser on the 10" is the same as the 8 so I expect you would want to change.

I had to look twice at this one as I thought it was something I have imaged. I did a NB version which looks totally different to the extreme. I think mine was the car crash version😁.

Certainly a bargain. I spent more on a Celeron mini pc. Having said that, I am quite pleased with the Mele Quieter2. A good Asair alternative (apart for the Edge thing).

3 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:

I think you have that the wrong way round, a Barlow will make it f8 a reducer does the opposite hence the term reducer

I was thinking Barlow but wrote reducer. It must be catching. D'oh.🤪

15 hours ago, Robculm said:

Hi Stuart, so as a starting point I could use the reducer

Don't forget, if you use a 0.5x focal reducer you are increasing the focal ratio. F8 will be quite slow for guiding.

I have used the standard SW finder with a c-adaptor with the asi120mm for guiding my 200p. It works fine. 4x lower pixel ratio with phd2 will not be a problem. (I have also used an ST80 to guide an RC8 which is similar in scale).

I used the NINA AF routine with the GPU for the results above so I think your assessment is right.

FWIW I would use the f4 scope more but it gives such awful halos I bought a 90mm refractor instead. Shame because it is fast and gives pretty good results. When I can afford the Chroma’s........

I think the 1600 is a bit notorious for the USB hub issue. Mine started loosing the connections regularly and I have reluctantly taken the step of using a mini pc at the rig. To be honest it works well, but I could have done without the faff and cost. On a number of occasions I have had to abandon imaging session because I could not get the 1600 to connect whatever I did.

The scales on the GPU and the maxfield spot diagrams so it is difficult to compare precisely, so technically they probably not that far apart. Have you adjusted the backfocus to see if you can get an improvement?

I just go by what I see as at the end of the day that's what counts. 

Great image. Really nice 3d look. Not sure my skies are dark enough for dark nebula.

11 hours ago, tomato said:

714 arcsec/pixel

??

I have used the SW Aplanatic which is the same as the TSGPU I believe. I tried the Baader MPCC with my F4 6" Newtonian and it  did not perform as well as I had hoped. The Aplanatic however is spot on but it is sensitive to sensor distance. I had to shim it out a fraction of a mm. I use it on my 1600 pro which is marginally smaller than APS-C and it gives pinpoint stars to the corners. I did consider the paracorr and others but I was put off by the price. The other option is the ES HR, but I don't know much about it.

Here are a couple of images using the kit described. These equate to about 1.3"/px at a FL of 600mm.

On 08/02/2022 at 08:31, Elp said:

What if IKEA can come up with a foot stool flat pack dob?

Flat pack observatory - now that would be something!

For 1 hour that's a pretty good result. Filters won't really help with the colour, that's more of a processing issue.

12 hours ago, Robculm said:

Regarding the mount, I hadn't really considered the EQ6-R as although it's belt drive (and I've already belt modded my HEQ5 pro) & higher load capacity, I assumed it would still have the poor worm gear issues of the HEQ5 pro? Is it really a significant upgrade, in comparisson to something like the iOptron GEM45 (which for sure is somewhat more expensive).

I have an AZ-EQ6 and as well as the weight capacity, the quality is all round better. The guiding is typically twice as good as the heq5 and it is more forgiving of slight imbalances. I can't comment on iOptron as I have no experience.

With regards the scope I would have to agree with Alacant. Get your 200PDS fully optimised and you won't see the difference to the other scopes. Get a good focuser (personally I rate the Baader Steeltrack very highly) and carry out the other suggestions as above and you won't be disappointed.

I do keep thinking of cloud storage in case the NAS even gives up the ghost. Amazon photos claim unlimited storage - would this count for hundreds of subs I wonder?