Antares_856

That’s an idea I’ve been considering too. I agree about last nights extravaganza 🙂. 
 Jupiter at 275x with the 9mm Delite in the Mewlon was awesome.  I was out till dawn came!

I’ve got a 4mm and 9mm Delite, which are great.  Does anyone have experience of using the 3mm with a TSA 120?  When seeing I decent this scope would I think handle the 300x magnification for plantetary and close doubles.  However at 0.4mm exit pupil I wonder if the image would be too dim?

7 hours ago, cnahm said:

Omg.... you guys are seriously making me want to change out my EdgeHD 8 for a Mewlon 210!!! I've been fiending for one of those for a while now, with everything I've read about the quality of planetary viewing. 

I’ve owned an 8 Edge HD.  I did have various issues with mine, but it’s a capable scope when it’s right. 
Absolutely rubbish weather in my part of the UK since I got my new rig last week, and the forecast is not good any time soon.

I will post up my findings on everything when I get chance to test properly on some decent skies 🙁

2 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Everything about that setup exudes quality, @Antares_856 !

Yes Jeremy looking forward to giving the mu210 its first starlight!  FLO had it checked out for me by Es Reid so I collected it from him on Friday rather than have it couriered.  He gave it a very slight tweak to get collimation spot on... he thinks it’s a good one 🙂

I’ve made no attempt at all to balance the set up as shown, but I loosened the azimuth clutch and just gave the pan handle a slight nudge, and it did a full 360 slow turn...smooth as silk!

Here’s the beast.....

I’m just bowled over by the quality and sheer beauty. 

47 minutes ago, johninderby said:

I thought the centre bolt should just unscrew through the top plate. On the Uni tripods it does and have read of people just unscrewing the bolt on the Planet.🤔

Perhaps someone here with the Planet can confirm this. 

I had tried to unscrew it but no way.  Just fiddled with it for another 20 mins, about to give up, got a flashlight on it and realised there is a small, difficult to see rubber ring in a recess  under the bolt thread that is stopping it meeting the plate thread....completely unnecessary!

Anyway, removed it and could then unscrew through the plate 😬

Will mount up the Mewlon later....

Thanks John

12 hours ago, johninderby said:

Just use some stainless washers or a nylon spacer on the bolt. 

Hi John

12 hours ago, johninderby said:

Just use some stainless washers or a nylon spacer on the bolt. 

Hi John

I tried but problem is I can’t remove the captive bolt from the plate. I tried but I fear I may damage it if I use more force. 
I may have to look for some sort of collar with a gap in it to allow me to slip it over the bolt to fill the space (underneath the plate). 
 

Hi guys

Received the AZ100, Planet tripod and M210 yesterday.  All looks absolutely awesome quality. 
A small problem - see photos - the captive bolt on the tripod seems to be about 10mm too long, so I cannot tighten the mount ont the base?  The top plate looks correct and is labelled Rowan AZ100

2 minutes ago, fireballxl5 said:

This is the same justification that I've used a couple of times now "for a lifetime setup" 😉

I do keep my cars for many years though, current one for over 11 years.

Wait a couple of years and reuse lol👍

Andy

Never say never, I guess 🤣

5 hours ago, John said:

I think that is called "going the whole hog" !

I'm sure you will absolutely love those choices

John, no doubts about that. I feel really privileged to be able to buy a set up like this. I’m not exactly wealthy and it means sacrificing other things. 
I justify it like this...my car has done 130k miles and 10 yrs old, but it’s still fine.  For the money I’ve just spent I could have bought say a 3 year old Vauxhall Astra which would immediately be on a steep depreciation curve.  
When I thought about that it was no contest really for a lifetime setup 🙂

I’ve joined the ranks.... sold all my other gear and my order has gone in with FLO today:

Berlebach Planet

AZ100 full accessories + Nexus DSC

TSA 120

Mewlon 210

Many thanks to the excellent Mr Ian King @FLO for his help and advice, and also Dave @Rowan
 

Close to wetting myself with excitement... can’t wait 😃

John

Having so far viewed through an 8” sct, what can I expect from a good quality 5” apo?

can you give descriptions/ comparisons with 8” sct for the various types of target I.e. globular and open clusters, double stars, galaxies, nebulae, planets and moon?

wider field of views and sharper stars appeal to me which I know I would get, but what are all the pros and cons?

thanks

I did a lot of reading on here about this mount and was very interested, so rang Rowan with a few questions.  I spoke to Dave and had a long chat, and he invited me to visit them to see the mount for myself. 

I went over there a few days later. Beautiful mount, superbly engineered and silky smooth, I was very impressed. 

The AZ100 is available through FLO now, with fitted encoders and Nexus DSC, which I had a demo of, and looks so easy to use.  

Motor drive if required is under development and will be a simple add on, as the mount is already prepared ready to accept it.

I just need to decide which frac I’m going to buy to put on it with my SCT, then will be putting my order in very soon.

I really believe in the people at Rowan... they put quality and customer service first.... and it’s great British engineering too!