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Crunchard

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Crunchard

Crunchard

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I had a 250PX flextube for exactly 1 year ... I had an EQ5 Pro with an ST80 on for about 4 months. In the entire year I used the dob less than 10 and the EQ5 about 20!

This led me on to change my entire setup...

Gone is the 250PX flextube

Gone is the EQ5

In place I now have a HEQ5 (picked it up today so I am assuming it is in the boxes :()

On it will sit my TAL150P tube, and (once I get it sorted) the ST80 for guiding (really need to decide how and what I will be using to guide, Synguider, USB EQMOD, etc).

In to the TAL I will be plugging a lens or two, my Canon 1000D and the SPC880/900 (clearly not at the same time!).

Am I looking forward to this setup? Oh yes I am!

Whilst I liked the aperture of the dob I found visual was only giving me so much of a thrill, don't get me wrong, I liked seeing grey fuzzy blobs, clusters, star fields that made you feel like you were floating in space (gotta love the Panaview), but I really wanted to keep looking at them ... so that mean't AP was where I needed to go.

Anyway, just wanted to share my astronomy related direction for the coming year (at least) :)

Once I have it all setup I'll post some pics so you can all help point out the numerous faults :) kidding

Cheers, Jeff

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  • 3 weeks later...
Crunchard

Crunchard

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Ok, finally got my new dovetail.

Original green felt in the tube rings, same as in the crate.

The attachment to the dovetail feels solid, although one of the small locking screws doesn't tighten as it has lost the first part of its thread.

Will get more pics up as the build progresses.

post-13336-0-80313100-1339334124_thumb.j

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Crunchard

Crunchard

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Here is the first pics of opening up my lovely new HEQ5 Pro.

Had a major wobble when I couldn't find the SynScan handset ... luckily it was stuck in the top-half of the packing for the mount-head /doh!

It seems to work fine, carried out a few moves, alignment on imaginary stars, that sort of thing. The one worry I have is a rather large rattle on both engaging movement and stopping. I will try and capture some sound of it.

post-13336-0-41213200-1339336150_thumb.j post-13336-0-12660000-1339336158_thumb.j

post-13336-0-46269000-1339336164_thumb.j post-13336-0-79216800-1339338063_thumb.j

Cheers, Jeff

Edit: Just realised I can't post sounds.

Edit 2: Just read up that loads of HEQ5 mounts do the annoying rattle :)

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Crunchard

Crunchard

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I've just tried to check and adjust the collimation on the TAL150p.

post-13336-0-69062200-1339698478_thumb.j

This is the view down the collimator (which is the silver Orion Cheshire style).

I can't seem to adjust the cross-hairs any more than what is shown.

Any advice?

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Crunchard

Crunchard

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are you talking about the crosshairs on the cheshire? they are fixed or they should be. if that is a straight, head on shot, i would say your secondary isnt aligned

Yes, that is a straight-down-the-little eye-hole-on-top-of-the-collimator picture and is exactly what I see visually as well.

Crash course in secondary mirror alignment coming up :)

Cheers

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