bosun21

When I tried a 2m USB2 cable it was much slower than a 2m USB3. The USB3 cable that was supplied with the camera is faulty. It just causes my laptop to beep incessantly and Sharpcap can’t see the camera. It’s now in the bin.

I have just downloaded and installed the v4.1 11137 and deleted the older version.

Which length of USB3 cable do you use John? From the camera to laptop and still maintain a respectable frame rate.

The 127 Maksutov is a great Lunar and planetary scope providing sharp, crisp views. However with your 130 and the addition of a barlow lens I don’t see any need to spend money buying a 127. You will also have very little cooldown time with your 130. This isn’t the case with a Maksutov.

I use a Celestron LT fastened to the tripod leg. It comfortably runs my EQ5 pro using go to throughout the nights observing.

The Sharpcap I just bought is version v4.1 11137. Which is the most recent?

The 24mm SL UFF 70 degrees is another good eyepiece at this focal length. No good of course if you want only ES in your collection.

I bought Sharpcap pro on Saturday but I don’t know if it has the plate solving ability you mentioned. How do I check? and if not is there an update to add it? Knowing my luck I will have missed it by a day or two. The version I bought is v4.1 11137 64 bit.

Thanks for the information but I have already bought a Lenovo ThinkPad 16GB i7 processor with a 512GB SSD. I also added a 1TB plug in SSD. It’s amazingly fast but I have yet to try it out for astro.

Much more pleasing imo 👍.

Hi Nick 👋, welcome to SGL.

As has just been mentioned when extending the tube there's two positions the first one is for to allow cameras to reach focus and the second is fully extended for visual. This is why the Flex tube scopes have an oversized secondary mirror to compensate for this.

Thanks once again Steve 👍.

As already said a USB C to USB A cable connected to the USB C port on the air and the USB A to your computer is the way to go. I don't believe that the mini has the facility for a TF memory card.

I know the feeling very well as this hobby gets expensive fast. Have you tried it yet to see if it screws on to your 127?. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it does 🤞.

You will be able to view a multitude of targets with your telescope. These include the planets although the addition of a barlow would be of benefit for them. Globular and open clusters, asterisms, nebulae, and some galaxies. To get the most from your telescope you should learn how to collimate it properly. This can make a big difference in how clear the targets appear in the eyepiece. As I already said a barlow lens would be beneficial. Good luck.

Welcome to SGL 👋.

Another option is the Stellamira 125. It’s a carbon fibre tube so nice and light. It’s a doublet though but has the equivalent of FPL53 glass. If you want a triplet this size then the weight will be considerably more.

I bought one of those from eBay when I owned a 127 but found that the threads were wrong on the telescope side. I ended up buying one from FLO. I still have it. Why I know not 🙄. I hope you have better luck than me.

I’ve just noticed that the OP specified a quick set up. With this in mind a refractor will be the best choice with a short cool down. I also agree that a second hand 100-102ED would be my preference. I have owned a 127 Maksutov and now have a 150mm which I have to give a minimum of 1 - 1 1/2 hour cooldown time.

I would go for a 127 Maksutov on a basic EQ5 mount which both together come in on budget. I would choose the Bresser 127. Much easier to manage than the Evostar. It's also got an additional 500-800mm focal length which is ideal for planetary/lunar. If you want a quick set up you could replace the EQ5 for an AZ4. The Maksutov will provide crisp views without the CA.

I think you are doing a very good job already. Your knowledge of the Vixen scopes and mounts is impressive. I've been loitering on this thread too long already. Far too much temptation.

Great advice. Thanks Peter 👍. I'm almost there now and just waiting for a clear night to give it a try. ( after checking everything indoors of course)🙂.

Just ensure that you are pointing the open end of the telescope and counterweight directly North or as close as you can get it. If you don't do this before you start observing the mount will actually work against you. Once done just loosen the clutches that has been highlighted in red for you and pivot both axis to aim at your target. Once close you can use the slow motion cables and red dot finder to centre the target in the eyepiece.