Totally Hooked - want to upgrade

[dmahon]

Is the 9.25 Hyperstar compatable? If so, you can use that for DSOs as well (with the right CCD and an adapter [which is quite expensive for what it is]).

[hayju01]

Something else I'd not considered/didnt know existed! Some quick research found this

A 9.25" model is coming in early 2011. Some telescopes of these sizes will need to be converted to HyperStar compatibility

and it is available but not all 9.25 take it http://starizona.com/acb/HyperStar-3-Lens---925-Celestron-P3206C773.aspx

I have posed the question to FLO.

Thanks for the heads up on this one.

[ollypenrice]

Check out what Damian Peach says about the C9.25 for planetary imaging on his website. Then check out his images. He's the best planetary imager in the world and loves the C9.25...

Olly

[hayju01]

Thanks Olly that is some praise for the C9.25 and just when I was vering towards the MAK180 :-)

[hayju01]

OK so the decisions been made

NEQ6 mount with C9.25 OTA

now i just have survive the bank holiday before it turns up

[ollypenrice]

Your choice will give more flexibility by far than the Mak.

Olly

[hayju01]

Thanks Olly, great to know I made a good decision

I love Les Granges will have to make some time to come down and visit maybe when the kids are older.

Thanks to everyone else for their input on this really appreciated and I'll let you know how it goes.

Clear Skies for you all,

Justin

[KE400]

Really enjoyed reading this post Justin, lots of good info discussed and I really look forward to hearing how your new set up performs.

Good luck & clear sky's

[Nexus 6]

OK so the decisions been made

NEQ6 mount with C9.25 OTA

now i just have survive the bank holiday before it turns up

Great...hope you see some brilliant objects with it all

[hayju01]

Hi All,

Figured i'd update this post with the current status.

NEQ6 and C9.25 saw their First Light last night.

Having read, re-read how to Poalr Align (my first proper use of an EQ mount) I carried the kit outside at dusk so had some light to assemble it by without getting too many odd looks from the neighbours

Needless to say while assembling it the clouds rolled in but I continued unperturbed and soon it was together and balanced, about 30 minutes but I wasn't rushing especially as I knew it need some Cooling Down time too.

By this time I knew Saturn would be long to show herself and Arcturus was already shining bright(ish). BUT no Polaris even if it was there it would have been clouded out so all I could do was a manual PA also known as guessing, then on to the 3 Star Alignment but hold on I can only see 2 stars 2 Star Allignment it is then Arcturus and Procyon...sorted!

On to Saturn via Goto and some tweaking there she was

25mm crisp clear but very very tiny

10mm crisp clear and tiny but it that a moon

6.5mm crips clear and small and yes that's at least 2 moons (may be 4)

Called the family down to prove my new purchase was worth it.

Hey let's go crazy

6.5mm - BarlowedX2 - Not so crisp but very clear and 4 moons

So next on imaging this marvel, clouds was a very thin vail with some darker patches but they were few and far between and blowing across quite nicely.

Dell mini and SPC900 all hooked up and ready to go, Sharpcap primed and of we go, super images but why are they blue? (covered in another thread here) never mind lets keep going 2.5 mins on the tracking wasn't too bad (I reckon the SPC to be a 5mm equiv) cloud was much more of an issue with imaging but thats to be expected got a couple of 4x 4min subs, right time to barlow this......

All set and the image is looking real good now but still blue oh well on we go 'Start Capture' oh no SC has frozen....wait......wait.....wait.....Win7 telling be its not responding (yeah right like i cant see that) Op!!!! there we go BSOD

Decided that rather than come in and check the machine out I'd continue the evening visually as I knew it was nearly midniught and this session was coming to inevitable cold end.

One last peek at Saturn with 6.5mm.......... now let see is we can find M3 and more to the point how well will synscan do in getting us there........wurr hiss wurr.......seems ok kind of the right area let have a look around 25mm oh yes there it is.....17mm....nice.....10mm really not making alot of difference but hey my second fuzzy whooo hoo!!!

So all in all a pretty good night for a cold first light night

I have to say I am VERY pleased with my new kit, glad I went with the C9.25 and not anything bigger would have needed to have some kind of permenant setup then.

I can confirm that it IS HyperStar Fastar Compatible so that options open to me further down the line should I need a faster scope.

A BIG thank you to all of you that helped in this decision making process, especially to Olly for pointing me towards Damien Peach's review of the C9.25 and to Martin at FLO for all is assistance/advice and in gettings this equipement to me asap.

Kindest Regards,

Justin