SuburbanMak

+1 on the Point & Track feature on the AZ GTi mount, its so useful.

That's cool - looks almost like a drawing. Here are the only two I managed to grab the other night, tweaked for contrast and sharpness in PS Express (attached). I am sufficiently encouraged to have since invested in the rings to connect my DSLR to the eyepiece. I sense this may be the start of a slippery & expensive slope toward imaging... Put up a thread here on that little project: I sense this may be the start of a slippery & expensive slope toward imaging...

My objectives on getting a new Skymax 127 were purely visual observing having parked imaging for a far-off time when I have time on my hands but, on taking delivery of a Baader Hyperion 8-24mm Zoom and fixed Hyperion 24mm 68 degree, I noticed a photo on the box and was intrigued.. My DSLR hardly gets an outing these days with an iPhone camera always on hand but I thought it has to be worth a go so I ordered a Baader M43-T2 thread ring and a Nikon T ring to connect it all together, perhaps this could be quick and dirty way of getting into basic imaging at low cost. It all connects incredibly simply in seconds and although I'm only using the supplied SW plastic-bodied diagonal feels nice and secure when its on the 'scope. It makes quite a chunky load on the little AZ GTi mount but with the Vixen bar at its extreme balance point the mount performs fine at what I reckon is the very top end of its published 5KG payload. Initially I just wanted to establish if there's a decently bright and focusable image that makes it to the CCD & given the absence of stars due to current weather and this being a bit of an operation to put together, a daylight test seemed a good idea. I have a very handy church spire about 500m away (about the maximum possible distance from a church in Winchester) and poking it all out of an upper storey window in failing light on an extremely windy Saturday I captured the orb below on a 2.5 s exposure - (distance view included for scale, the spire is centre frame partially in the trees). Verdict: focussing is tricky, as you can see, but on the Skymax 127 there's definitely plenty of leeway either side with the focuser which answered my initial exam question, it just takes some focus to focus! I've ordered the Baader heavy duty quick release system pictured on the box which should make this much safer and more practical in the dark and cold, although it does make this not quite the bargain-basement option it is with just the 2 rings. Given the light & time limitations of the test Id say its definitely worth trying on nighttime targets, if the clouds ever clear... Will post any results up here but this looks like a really promising way of resurrecting a Nikon D90 that has been on the dole for a while (it shoots RAW video too!) Any hints, tips or suitable targets appreciated!

Having tried this low-tech method of image capture the other night all I can say is outstanding patience & steady hand! Nice drop of Strauss too

Is running fine with both finders on board + a heavier eyepiece than supplied. At first it squealed when lowering the altitude but after moving along the clamp bar a couple of inches all sounded happy again and has performed as normal after.

Quite - although not that heavy & as I say, it works.

I mounted a Telrad alongside the SW 9x50 and finding & centring Goto stars is solved. Looks a bit weird to start with as is a big plastic box on a short tube but it has a certain WWII fighter-pilot charm and once I'd used it once there is no going back. Spent more time than I expected enjoying the wide field view in the finder too! Now finding Starhopping as quick as goto to acquire targets, then using the Point & Track feature on the AZ GTi mount to stay centred.

Hi from Winchester in the U.K. I've been an on and off observer of the skies since I was a kid & owner of a couple of disappointing starter telescopes along the way (Tasco 4VTE anyone?). I have recently passed an, ahem, significant birthday and the family wanted to club together and buy me something. I've plumped for the Skywatcher Skymax 127 Mak, AZ GTi mount, Baader Zoom & a Baader Hyperion 24mm fixed. It arrived at Christmas and I've been able to use about 4 times so far with the weather we've been having - despite my light-polluted location (town centre + neighbouring property is like Blackpool illuminations!) I am completely re-hooked. I seem to have kind of missed the boat on Mars (tiny disc at 188x) but immediately had great views of M42 (first time I'd ever seen the trapezium), M36, M37 & M38, the Perseus double cluster & a couple of double stars to test (Castor easy, Polaris, not so much). The Moon is also stunning & has been a hit with the kids! Posted a couple of shots here acquired by the not so technical iPhone-manually-hovered-over-the-eyepiece method. So far I've also failed to locate any globular clusters (M3) or galaxies (M33, M81) for which I'm blaming light pollution rather than the impact of my garden's proximity to the wine rack on late-night rising objects. The moon has also provided the ideal target for setting up finders etc (after a single evening of rolling around on the floor craning my neck to align the supplied RDF I quickly upgraded to a Telrad + SW 9x50 finder which both aligned in seconds & coupled with the very effective Point & Track feature on the AZ GTi seems to be the way forward). Suffice it to say the ghost of the Tasco is laid to rest and I look forward to an end to lockdown not least so I can get out from under these lights & find some dark skies.