Mai Ai Bing

Thanks for all the great advice. I'll get to work by disassembling the focusser again and check that I got all these important details right. I'll be back tomorrow. Hopefully with a story of succes - or if not with some more questions. For now you have all been of great help! 👍

Don't remember I screwed the focusser on. It seemed to fit in a "grove" with the tiny screws. Have some homework now!

Thanks for the warning. I can see the smaller tension screw on the photo in the middle of the focuser beside the long locking screw (I guess that must be it).

1 mio. thanks for the picture. Yes - there is a "locking" screw in the package. Had no idea what it was there for. One step ahead!

1) I'll see if I can get an extension tube and test it. Can it be my eyes needs the extension to focus? I am using the LUNT zoom, and it should fit nicely to this pre-configured package by LUNT scope/focusser/diagonal/eyepiece. 2) looked to see how to adjust the focusser play/slip (or anything), but could not see anything available to screw or tighten. Where do I look to do that? (Sorry for all the questions, but I really hope to find a solution with the help of people here at the lounge)

Thanks for the pictures. What made your's slip? Is there something I can/should look for? Mine is super loose - like no hold at all. The unit seemed fine (unharmed) as I put it back onto the scope.

Thanks. I did that. And it seemed that everything should be fine afterwards (I did use some - but not excessive - force. Just "tight"). Not sure why the focusser is running wild though.

Will maybe be next step. But it was sent from the US to the Middle East - so I'd rather avoid that unless it's actually broken. Seems a lot of fuss for just re-mounting one little screw. But what do I know?

Got my new LUNT solarscope doublestack today. However, to my horror it had "snapped" between the lens and the focuser during transport. So it came in three parts: lens, feather focuser and diagonal (see pictures). There's only three tiny, tiny screws holding the diagonal to the scope itself. One had simple "fallen" out and was lying in the plastic wrapping, so my guess is that is was not properly assembled from LUNT and the two other screws could not hold it together during the transportation stress. Anyway, I assembled the lens with the focuser using the three screws - all looked and seemed well. BUT: 1) the focusser is so loose that it slides directly forth and back into and out of the scope. So it does not hold focus when looking "up". Feather focus or not - that has to be a mistake?? 2) I can for the life of me not get any proper focus. I am a newbie, so it could be user error. But it could also be I made a mistake putting it together? Have an automated setup - so the scope slews correctly into position. There's no problem "finding" the sun. Whats's up? Have I assembled the focusser wrongly? It is just completely broken and needs to go back? There where no other parts lying around and everything seems and looks nice - its just not working. Should add that the seeing was not the greatest in that it was afternoon and the sun was over an urban district. But I should still see something - right? Thanks for any advice!

In other news saw someone is working on a 0.4x reducer for the Edge HD to come in 2021. Maybe be a good compromise to have 0.7x and 0.4x reducers and skip the Hyperstar. Time will tell.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I understand about the gradient. But that's mostly a management problem here. Did see a couple of pictures of isolated scopes - its an option that I'll keep in mind if need be. Happy seeing!

Thanks! I thought so. Just wondered when reading so many "complain" about bad seeing because of scope airflow, preferring using closed scopes etc.

Newbie question here. I understand the need to ensure relative equal temperature within the SCT and the ambient temperature. However, I always leave my photo gear outside in a sealed bag for a few hours before shooting in extreme humid, hot or cold weather, sometimes with some added Scilica gels bags. Any reason not to do the same with the scope and be rid of any problems with unwanted air flow.

Nice place for sure. That's were they shot some of the "Spaghetti Westerns" if I remember correctly? My wife and I have planned a Bortle 1 "astro" week next year. That will ensure a few days of great seeings! 👌 Happy seeing!

Live by the dessert and have 95%+ clear skies. But I cannot seem to get hold of a scope without going through leaps and bounds for months - and I'm still not there. Go figure.

Thanks. So a white/yellow cover for my 8" SCT would give "additional" views? Would I need specialized filters to get the best out of such a shield?

Got myself the all-in-one Lunt 50mm double stack (yes, I know many here see it as a compromise, but its enough Ha scope for me). However, if I could get another distinct wavelength solar viewing platform I would consider that. I of course looked at the Ca option, but I think its not adding enough to the Ha viewing - and "white" solar spots have no interest. Am I wrong about Ca viewing - and are there any other realistic options unless I climb Everest or fly into outer space?

Thanks. I understand that the dedicated asi camera can do a lot of pictures fairly fast. But it will apparently have to be a compromise between time and viewing quality.

Thanks! I am looking at this right now. If I do this am I right to expect that I can use a Zwo camera to better see DSO objects etc. realtime on the ipad in a light poluted area. Or will the camera need to stack pictures over many minutes (so not that useful in real life). My ideal situation is to get the Asiair Pro and the Zwo 1224MC color camera and view the skies on a screen when looking from my heavily light polluted big city garden.

Noted. Thanks to everyone. Not ready to get a dedicated Astro Camera yet. So I rest my case for now. Maybe when someone comes with a solution without a wire 👌.

Thanks - I hear you, but Celestron seems more optimistic (?): https://www.celestron.com/pages/fastar-technology

Getting a Celestron EDGE HD 8" StarSense that is FastStar "compatible". I can see from pictures that my FF DSLR (Canon) goes onto the back and I have to remove the mirror up front. But what do I need to attach my Canon FF DSLR to the back when using the FastStar option? (newbie, so sorry if its a silly question).

This is what we ended up with: Explor.Sc. 68 / 40mm 2" Explor.Sc. 82 / 24mm 2" Explor.Sc. 82 / 14mm 1.25" Explor.Sc. 82 / 8.8mm 1.25" Televue Powermate 2x 2" Baader Hyperion 8-24mm Mark IV zoom Full set of Baader Dielectric Diagonal 2" clicksystem w/parts to manage the lot. With the Powermate it gives us the following options with the fixed lenses: 40 / 24 / 20 / 14 / 12 / 10 / 8.8 / 4.4 Expect this will serve us well (for starters if I am to believe the eyepiece collectors on SGL 😅). Thanks a lot for tips and thoughts!

Thanks again. Expect to order next week and will leave a post here with the end result. Accessories run up but my wife is clear - and its her birthday present: "We get what it takes", so also getting a LUNT Solar Scope for daytime viewing. 🤩 (Of course lucky we have the choice)

Thank you for persevering with all my questions! Learning a lot here and certainly avoid a mistake or two. I can buy from more or less anywhere in the US. My biggest problem is that it seems difficult to find any single supplier that can ship the whole "set" at a competitive price. B&H have some stuff on sale right now, so that's why they are my preferred option. I also used them a lot in the past together with Amazon.