Deadlake

What did you make of all the cabling? I wonder if they have a motorised AZ100 only in the works?

Anyone with the motor drive, does the power cable get handled around the base? Would it be a good idea to mount the batter on top of the mount so the cable would never get tangled?

As anyone got their AZ100 motorised yet? Thinking of a xmas purchase...

You missed out https://www.firstlightoptics.com/harmonic-drive-mounts/pegasus-nyx-101-harmonic-gear-mount.html Now interestedly the NYX has self levelling help and also which direction to place it via sensors and phone app, Apparently harmonic mounts are sensitive to being level, the ioptron also are meant to have levelling technology to help with setup. Here it is, no problem with a C11...

Does anyone know if you can get a printed hand? The reason being to fit the distance between the rings that is defined by how far the dew shield comes back. I'd like the scope in question to be as small as possible.

Could it work Half Hitch style?

I’ve heard this elsewhere as well, interested if sky darkness would affect the conclusion. @jetstream was comparing them under 21.7 SQM skies.

If the pan handle was modified (i.e. made to look like a counterweight bar) it could easily be attached to the front of the saddle. A question for @Dek Rowan Astro

Has anyone tried the Rowan weight to balance their scope? It is meant to be used with the pan handle. I would of preferred a bar on the front of the saddle for it to be mounted, or really makes no difference using the pan handle to attach it?

FSQ 106 is at F5 without a reducer, lots of scope at F6. I was not going to post the above, however I then saw this: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p15878_TS-Optics-130-mm-f-5-Five-Element-Flatfield-Apochromat.html I like the price available on request.

You might want to message @Trentend. He has a C11 and AZ100 he uses as his portable setup. Quite a few people on CN use the AZ100 with a C11 as well.

Has anyone sourced spare parts for their ScopeTech mount? Somehow, maybe during a house move the altitude slow motion knob/shaft/worm gear has become bent. It was bought from FLO, can they source parts? I know due to a patent issue ScopeTech has suspended production until resolved.

If you want to see some pictures, joining the Meta group "Night vision astronomy" would be a good place to ask questions. Ray on CN maintains a best of NV post, see https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/653842-best-of-nv/ for useful information. I would describe looking through a NVD more like viewing thru a monochrome glass EP. Amazing number of different shared of grey. I do miss a pure glass solution so usually mount two scopes side by side. As far as does it make it easier, think of observing with an NVD as having a dark site in your back yard, main function is contrast booster. An NVD works even better at a dark site. You still need to use averted vision for example. A lot of the NVD observers in the States have years of visual observation, but now they use NVD as it allows H alpha observation which is really only possible using a NVD device and H-alpha filter.

I get very good performance when using a UFF 10 mm barlowed, compared with a TOE 4 mm. The Barlow is placed ahead of the diagonal. However the stack does become a little long, but the contrast is worth it…

I stayed in Norfolk this summer, just south of Plumstead. Although clouded out, there was a brief hole in the cloud and the numbers of stars you could see, wow. The jump from SQM 20.89 to 21.69 is significant.

If you look back at previous pages you really need a moveable weight. I believe Rowan is engineering a bar that can be attached to the front. When I say engineering they are tied up with other projects. This means you should be able to adjust the balance without moving the scope. Using two scopes does give the system more inertia and hence it's a little more forgiving when using BV's.

Will you be keeping your C9.25?

Very nice scope. Interested in how you find aclimination cpmared with the C11 you have. To get APO like views thermal currents need to be minimised, apparently insulation on an SCT does not cut it, so the open tube of the Mewlon is best and no mirror flop. Also how do you find BV usage, focus range makes this a little harder then the C11.

How stable are you finding the carbon tripod?

Here are two scopes side by side on an AZ100 with the altitude adjuster attached right hand side as advised. I would suggest getting the adjuster, both scopes above are using a 10 mm UFF EP, F6 versus F 6.25. After 10 minutes of adjustment both where aligned with each other. Used a target across a green outside during daytime. It would be to much fiddling to do with quite a few scopes so pick your pair…

I bought a baradv a couple of months ago, but only recently have made use of it for planetary usage with either BV or mono viewing. The Barlow is attached ahead of the diagonal with an extender to gain focus. Magnification will be around x3.5 turning a F6 I have into F21 I suspect from initial usage that it makes the 10 mm UFF I have perform very well giving very high contrast on the moon. Saturn is a little too low to draw any conclusions. Would I sell my TOE's or HR's. I need more usage to draw any conclusions, however it does make for a long stack. Using with a APM zoom would be very good for moon viewing and away around this. Also work in progress is use with a BV, however I suspect that will increase contrast as well. For cheaper alternatives the APM Coma Correcting 2.7x Barlow, around £150 new is meant to be good and only beaten by the Baader Zeiss or FCC Barlows. I have the Baradv as it's more accommodating for BV usage.

FPL53 is better, the main difference between brands will be: Lens fabrication Melt variability Usually as far as lens fabrication you get was you pay for, more time to produce a smoother higher Strehl lens. However melt variability means the fabricator tales this into account and adjusts the lens accordingly. I do not know your budget but TS has some Japanese made FPL53 APO’s which are very close or similar to AP/LZOS quality when placed on an optical bench, but better value. Same time I’d expect lens quality to be consistent due to Japanese manufacturers but at present it is an unknown quantity.

Mark you could replace the feather touch with the manufacture's version. I do realise this would be slumming it... 😀 Also my LZOS has some custom OOUK rings made for it, which weight 250 grams, more weight saved. I've used a vixen dove tail to further save weight, so around 1 kg removed in total.

I thought this too, I'd expected it to be around $3000 so around £3000?

Zoom or TOE's for BV usage, maybe you could report back? I'd like a zoom to fill in just the range provided by the APM Zoom, so I'll keep my eye open on reports.