About to pull the trigger on a C8 + HEQ5 Pro. Need some advice!

[ollypenrice]

I can't say I've ever felt the need to use a Bahtinov for visual observing. Since changes in altitude bring small changes in focus I think it would be a bit of a pest putting it on and off and disturbing the dewsheild as well.

You can focus by eye for visual observing, I'd say. It's best to focus an SCT by moving the mirror up the tube and not down it because this eliminates shift due to the take up of slack. I don't know which way that works on Celestrons, though, clockwise or anticlockwise. It's easy to see in the flesh, however.

In Ireland I do think you'll want a dewheater. Ireland isn't green for nothing!

I don't know if you've thought of getting a caravan leisure battery? These are far better quality than powertanks which are designed for restarting cars rather then providing deep slow discharge. Depending on your circumstances you could leave it in the car and have it hooked up to a simple relay so that the car charged it in use. This is routine on camper vans and any auto electrical place will do it cheaply. You cannot flatten the car's own battery with this system. And then, if you car is near your observing site, you wouldn't need to move the battery at all. Just run a cable. This is what I used to do when I used a camper van as my mobile observing home.

Olly

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I do not use a Bahtinov mask for visual. Clockwise or anticlockwise focusing advice is in the manual (I must have that somewhere ).

[Xiga]

Wow, lots of good info, you guys are awesome!

Ok, I'll speak with someone at FLO for guidance on which dew shield will best fit my setup. Dunkster i know a dew shiled would be pretty easy to make (even for me with my 4 thumbs! lol) but considering FLO charge £39 for an 8" heat strap alone, it's only another £25 for an all in one heated dew shield, which should be slightly less hassle to operate so i think it's probably worth it.

I will of course need a due controller, and FLO seem to have a nice cheap one here at £39:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/hitecastro-single-channel-dual-port-dew-controller.html

I know it's only single channel and only has two ports, but i'm hoping to only have to use it on the corrector and crucially it looks as though it lets you control the heat output. Has anyone had any bad experiences with this particular controller? If not, i think i'll add it to the list. For really bad nights when the findr & eyepieces dew up i think i'll just give 'em a quick blast with a 12v hair dryer.

Olly that battery setup sounds amazing. Maybe i will get to the level one day, but for now i'll stick to the baby steps! With any luck my current 17Ahr pack shold suffice for the mount & 1 heat strap. Hopefully once i want to start imaging, which mught be in a year or so, we will have moved from our flat and into a house and i can have the option of using home elec.

Ok, so it's coming along nicely. I should be placing the order tomorrow, so i'll let ye know how it goes.

Once the scope arrives, i will have the included 25mm eyepiece and my Celestron X2 Barlow (both 1.25"). This should give me about x81 and x162 mag. But pretty soon i will want to pick up a couple more, one higher power, and one lower. I read somewhere that there is a limit to how high one can realistically go in mm depending on your scope/barrel size. For the C8, can anyone tell me what that upper limit is in terms of max FOV? Don't want to do something stupid and get a 60mm widefiels eyepiece only for the FOV to be half barrel! lol

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

You can make a dew shield out of an old camping mattress, very cheaply. A battery pack is very handy. I worked out that my GP-mount (which does not have a huge current draw) went through a set of 6 C-batteries in about 3-4 nights, and 4-5 of such sets cost the same as a 17Ah rechargeable pack. Easy economics to work out.

Do keep such a pack topped up!!

[Dunkster]

...

I will of course need a due controller, and FLO seem to have a nice cheap one here at £39:

http://www.firstligh...controller.html

I know it's only single channel and only has two ports, but i'm hoping to only have to use it on the corrector and crucially it looks as though it lets you control the heat output. Has anyone had any bad experiences with this particular controller? If not, i think i'll add it to the list. For really bad nights when the findr & eyepieces dew up i think i'll just give 'em a quick blast with a 12v hair dryer.

...

Once the scope arrives, i will have the included 25mm eyepiece and my Celestron X2 Barlow (both 1.25"). This should give me about x81 and x162 mag. But pretty soon i will want to pick up a couple more, one higher power, and one lower. I read somewhere that there is a limit to how high one can realistically go in mm depending on your scope/barrel size. For the C8, can anyone tell me what that upper limit is in terms of max FOV? Don't want to do something stupid and get a 60mm widefiels eyepiece only for the FOV to be half barrel! lol

I've been using one of those dew controllers for about a year - not had problems with it yet. The only disadvantage I can see is that it powers both channels equally, but I only have one dew band to power, so it's irrelevant for me at the moment.

Maximum FOV strictly is about 1.07 degrees if my maths are right (38/2032 x 57.3), but I occasionally use my ES82 30mm with mine giving approx. 1.2 degrees and I'm not observant enough to notice anything untoward at the edges. I'll look more closely next time

For a wide viewing EP, you need to consider be a little careful if you observe from a light polluted area. Where I live, the light pollution is so bad that I find anything much below about 70x to be affected by the sky glow (my 30mm is the longest FL I use). If you have darker skies you will be able to get away with lower magnifications, or alternatively, you might find it doesn't bother you

82 degree EP designs ("UWA") exist up to 31mm, 68-72 degree designs ("SWA") up to 42mm... the wider FOV tend to be presented by more pricey EPs than your average plossl...

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

In the C8 I got 1.34 deg FOV with the Paragon 40mm with no visible vignetting. The 31T5 I use now has 1.25deg FOV, enough for the double cluster. Anything bigger than that is great in the little APM 80mm I have.

[Xiga]

Okay, I'd like to apologise for all the incoming cloud cover because......

I finally bought my first telescope yesterday!

I went for the C8 with the HEQ5 plus heated dew shield and the dew controller. All in it came to just £1,509 excl P&P, which I think is an amazing deal, so a big thums up to FLO, who were very helpful and prompt with any queries I had.

I'd also like to thank everyone who contributed to the thread. It really helped re-affirm my decision to go with this particular setup.

It should be arriving early next week and then it will be a matter of playing the waiting game for first light (heaven knows how long that will take!).

[Dunkster]

Congrats Xiga! Keep us posted with pictures and your experiences when you get it

The HEQ5 is supposed to be a great mount, btw

[Xiga]

Cheers Dunkster. Once it arrives i'll set the whole thing up indoors and post a pic or two. Then i'll practice the polar & star alignment procedure. Hopefully then first light will bring some actual observing and not just frustration. Being a first scope, i really hope i haven't bitten off more than i can chew!

[boris sputnik]

Okay, I'd like to apologise for all the incoming cloud cover because......

I finally bought my first telescope yesterday!

I went for the C8 with the HEQ5 plus heated dew shield and the dew controller. All in it came to just £1,509 excl P&P, which I think is an amazing deal, so a big thums up to FLO, who were very helpful and prompt with any queries I had.

I'd also like to thank everyone who contributed to the thread. It really helped re-affirm my decision to go with this particular setup.

It should be arriving early next week and then it will be a matter of playing the waiting game for first light (heaven knows how long that will take!).

Congratulations Xiga ! I'm very happy for you man....you will not regret it ! But sometimes there will be a little frustration ,it's part of the hobby

Whenever you have a question feel free to ask ,I will always be happy to help you if I can.

Maxx

[boris sputnik]

I almost forgot to tell you : The instruction manual of the HEQ5 pro is full of errors for the polar align chapter...here is a link to a very nice dude who corrected the situation and explains what to do the right way ! Trust me ,the instruction manual will lead you to major headakes ,I've been there...

http://www.dulcemelos.ca/astronomy/HEQ5/index.asp

Good luck !

[Xiga]

I almost forgot to tell you : The instruction manual of the HEQ5 pro is full of errors for the polar align chapter...here is a link to a very nice dude who corrected the situation and explains what to do the right way ! Trust me ,the instruction manual will lead you to major headakes ,I've been there...

http://www.dulcemelo.../HEQ5/index.asp

Good luck !

Thanks Boris. I've bookmarked that site for future use. I had watched AstronomyShed's video on Polar Alignment (i think theirs was for the EQ6 though) and it was very similar to the method in that link, so that's good to know. I'll basically just ignore the PA section of the HEQ5 manual then.

So, after everything i've read, this is my understanding of everything i need to do, right from receiving the mount & OTA, to getting it up and running (please correct if any of this is wrong)

At home...

1. Connect the mount head to the tripod.

2. Check the Polar Scope alignment and correct if necessary (this is a one-time-only thing). Do this during the daytime.

3. Align the finderscope to the OTA. Again, do this during the daytime.

Then when in the field...

4. Connect the spreader plate to the tripod, and use a spirit level to make sure the tripod is level. Then connect the mount head to the tripod and point the tripod leg labelled 'N' Northward.

5. Set the Altitude scale on the mount to whatever your lattitude is, dependant on where you are observing from.

6. Polaris should now hopefully be visible somewhere within the polar scope reticule. Time to Polar Align.

7. Enter your location & date info into the Synscan hand controller to get the most recent Hour Angle of Polaris. Make sure both the RA and Dec clutches are locked, then also lock the RA setting circle to zero. Then use the mount's alt/az adjustments knobs to move the crosshairs directly over Polaris. Now use the mount's altitude adjustment knob to move Polaris down so it touches the circumference of the big circle. Now loosen the RA clutch and rotate the RA axis until the small circle on the circumference of the big circle is at the 6 o'clock position, covering Polaris. Unlock the RA setting Circle and rotate the RA axis so that the scale on the RA setting circle equals the hour angle of Polaris. Lock the Dec axis. Finish by using the mount's alt/az adjustment knobs to move Polaris back into the small circle. THe mount should now be Polar aligned.

8. Set the Home position. This is done by using a spirit level on the counterweight shaft to make sure the RA axis is level. Once done, lock the RA axis. Then loosen the RA setting circle, set it to 18:00 (or 06:00, depending on whichever way you're rotating), then unlock the RA axis and rotate it down until the setting circle reads 00:00. Lock the RA axis and lock the RA setting circle, as we can now use 00:00 to get back to the RA home position. Do the same with the Dec axis now, starting by using the spirit level to get it exactly horizontal first, then making sure the Dec setting circle is loosened, set it to 90 degress (or 270 degrees, depending on which way you're rotating) then rotate it to the vertical until the setting circle reads 0 degrees. Lock the Dec axis and setting circle, as we can now use this 0 degrees point to get back to teh Dex home position.

9. Put the OTA on the mount, along with any accessories (diagonal, eyepiece, dew shield etc).

10. Balance the OTA. Do this by firstly balancing the OTA with the counterweights, i.e on the horizontal plane. Then lock the RA axis on the horizontal, unlock the Dec axis and balance the OTA so that it is parallel with the ground. The scope should now be balanced.

11. Return the scope to the Home position, using the setting circles as pointed out in step 8.

12. Go through the star alignment procedure as outlined in the Synscan manual.

Note 1: If the tripod moves at all during the session, you will need to re-do the Polar Alignment, return to Home Position, and re-do Star Alignment.

Note 2: If the tripod stays still, but either of the RA or Dec clutches are unlocked at any time during the session, then you will need return to Home position and re-do the Star Alignment.

Did i get everything right?

[boris sputnik]

Thanks Boris. I've bookmarked that site for future use. I had watched AstronomyShed's video on Polar Alignment (i think theirs was for the EQ6 though) and it was very similar to the method in that link, so that's good to know. I'll basically just ignore the PA section of the HEQ5 manual then.

So, after everything i've read, this is my understanding of everything i need to do, right from receiving the mount & OTA, to getting it up and running (please correct if any of this is wrong)

At home...

1. Connect the mount head to the tripod.

2. Check the Polar Scope alignment and correct if necessary (this is a one-time-only thing). Do this during the daytime.

3. Align the finderscope to the OTA. Again, do this during the daytime.

Then when in the field...

4. Connect the spreader plate to the tripod, and use a spirit level to make sure the tripod is level. Then connect the mount head to the tripod and point the tripod leg labelled 'N' Northward.

5. Set the Altitude scale on the mount to whatever your lattitude is, dependant on where you are observing from.

6. Polaris should now hopefully be visible somewhere within the polar scope reticule. Time to Polar Align.

7. Enter your location & date info into the Synscan hand controller to get the most recent Hour Angle of Polaris. Make sure both the RA and Dec clutches are locked, then also lock the RA setting circle to zero. Then use the mount's alt/az adjustments knobs to move the crosshairs directly over Polaris. Now use the mount's altitude adjustment knob to move Polaris down so it touches the circumference of the big circle. Now loosen the RA clutch and rotate the RA axis until the small circle on the circumference of the big circle is at the 6 o'clock position, covering Polaris. Unlock the RA setting Circle and rotate the RA axis so that the scale on the RA setting circle equals the hour angle of Polaris. Lock the Dec axis. Finish by using the mount's alt/az adjustment knobs to move Polaris back into the small circle. THe mount should now be Polar aligned.

8. Set the Home position. This is done by using a spirit level on the counterweight shaft to make sure the RA axis is level. Once done, lock the RA axis. Then loosen the RA setting circle, set it to 18:00 (or 06:00, depending on whichever way you're rotating), then unlock the RA axis and rotate it down until the setting circle reads 00:00. Lock the RA axis and lock the RA setting circle, as we can now use 00:00 to get back to the RA home position. Do the same with the Dec axis now, starting by using the spirit level to get it exactly horizontal first, then making sure the Dec setting circle is loosened, set it to 90 degress (or 270 degrees, depending on which way you're rotating) then rotate it to the vertical until the setting circle reads 0 degrees. Lock the Dec axis and setting circle, as we can now use this 0 degrees point to get back to teh Dex home position.

9. Put the OTA on the mount, along with any accessories (diagonal, eyepiece, dew shield etc).

10. Balance the OTA. Do this by firstly balancing the OTA with the counterweights, i.e on the horizontal plane. Then lock the RA axis on the horizontal, unlock the Dec axis and balance the OTA so that it is parallel with the ground. The scope should now be balanced.

11. Return the scope to the Home position, using the setting circles as pointed out in step 8.

12. Go through the star alignment procedure as outlined in the Synscan manual.

Note 1: If the tripod moves at all during the session, you will need to re-do the Polar Alignment, return to Home Position, and re-do Star Alignment.

Note 2: If the tripod stays still, but either of the RA or Dec clutches are unlocked at any time during the session, then you will need return to Home position and re-do the Star Alignment.

Did i get everything right?

You have done your homework Xiga...THREE things I would like to bring to your attention.

1 : always put the counterweights befores the scope...

2: MAKE A LIST of everything you have to do because the more you progress the more you wil have to add...don't trust your memory ,MAKE A LIST...BEST ADVICE GIVEN TO ME 'TRUST ME...

3: Don't rush things and have fun !

I know how you feel waiting for your scope ,it's a great feeling ! May sound strange but every day I think of you and wonder if you have recieve it . LOL

Maxx

P.S. Make a list ! LOL

[Fogboundturtle]

Time to save up for an F6.3 focal reducer. You will thank me later for it.

[Xiga]

I know what you mean boris. I've heard experienced astronomers often enjoy watching the reaction of a first time telescope user almost as much as when they first used one themselves! I'd say there's a 50-50 chance it will arrive either tomorrow or the day after. It will be delivered to my work address, I'm sure I'll get a few funny looks when this humongous package arrives for me!

Can't wait now. Don't know if it's right for a 34 year old dude to be this excited about anything but I tbh I don't really care.

Good idea about making a list. I was just thinking the same thing, as it will be a while until it's second nature to me.

Fogboundturtle, I will look at getting a focal reducer next month. Have to let the bank balance heal for a bit, it hasn't been this traumatised since getting the car!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Congrats on getting yourself a very nice combination. I am thinking of getting an HEQ5 as well. It can handle either the C8 or be used for the 80 mm for AP, while I use the GP mount for the C8 for visual.

Looking forward to your first light report

Clear skies!

[Dunkster]

An alternative to the FR is a 2" diagonal and nice long focal length EP or two...

You have every right to be excited, it's some great kit

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

A 2" visual back and diagonal is the best for visual, for imaging the focal reducer is better.

[Xiga]

Interesting. I think i'll prioritise the move to 2" accessories then over a focal reducer, as i don't envisage doing any imaging for a while yet.

Steve at FLO phoned me today to say that my order has been delayed by a few days. He sounded like a very nice chap indeed i have to say. No big deal really, as even if by some miracle the weather is good here at the weekend, i wouldn't have had a chance to get to use it anyway. So it will be towards the middle of next week before it arrives. Once it does, i'll post a pic or two of the whole thing assembled, and i'll report back once i achieve first light.

[tingting44]

hows it going mate!!! just read this from start to finish, you got the beast yet? cant wait for ya mate,

clear skies

Martin

[FLO]

In theory it is on a FedEx van in his area

[tingting44]

niceeee lol the C range SCT's have to be my dream scope now! i cant get enough info on them, there is hardly any youtube vids also on the c range which sucks a bit

my dream scope would probably have to be from the C9.25 - C14....maybe in a few years i will be able to afford one

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

niceeee lol the C range SCT's have to be my dream scope now! i cant get enough info on them, there is hardly any youtube vids also on the c range which sucks a bit

my dream scope would probably have to be from the C9.25 - C14....maybe in a few years i will be able to afford one

Why just the one scope. A C8 for travelling and my own C14 in an observatory in a dark site would be my dream combo

[Xiga]

Hi guys

Well the HEQ5 Pro & C8 arrived at my work address yesterday (wouldn't you know it, i was actually off yesterday! ) so i went in and collected it. It came in 3 boxes, one long & heavy (for the tripod & counterweights), one smaller but also heavy one (for the mount head) and one biggish but actually quite light one (for the OTA), as can be seen here:

Got everything opened and noticed something straight away - the black tightening scew on one of the counterweights had snapped off and broken during transit. Here's a pic:

The heated dew shield i got also wouldn't fit over the end of the C8, due to the orange dovetail going most of the way to the end of the OTA, as can be seen here:

No biggie really, these things happen.

I got an email from a very nice chap called Steve at FLO who explained that they would duly be sending me the correct shield and a new tightening screw (plus something extra, yay!) so I'm very impressed with FLO's customer service i have to say

Can someone tell me though, in the above picture where exactly should the heated part of the dew shield be touching the OTA? Over the smooth part or on tyhe rough bit at the front?

For anyone interested, the above placement of the OTA on the Dec axis is my balance point when all accessories are attached. I made a small scrape on the dovetail so i can get back to this point more easily in future.

Moving on, here's a pic of the included diagonal & eyepiece:

And here's a pic of the finderscope and mounting bracket (which came pre-installed):

The finderscope bracket confused me at first, mainly because in the C8 manual the picture has the rings the other way around! lol. It has the one with the adjustment screws at the front rather than the back. I'll presume mine is the right way round and the manual is wrong (shock horror!). I was also pleased to see a handle near the rear of the OTA, this will make carrying it much easier and less stressful (on me, not the OTA!). The visual back also came pre-installed for those interested.

And so, here is the full complete setup:

Some thoughts on the HEQ5 Pro...

...this is my first mount & telescope so i have no reference point, but man does it feel like a solid bit of kit. Heavy too! You can move the whole thing, scope and all, in one go, but i wouldn't want to be carrying it too far. I'm only a wee fellow mind, 5'6", 34 and average build, the big strapping ones amongst you will no doubt manage a bit easier than me. At the moment i'm just too excited to use it, the thought of carrying it all up and down 40 stairs and into the car each time doesn't seem so bad (let's hope it stays that way!). I'll definitely be keeping the tripod & counterweights in the car boot 24/7, i don't see any harm coming to them from that. I'd love to keep the 17Ahr power supply there too, but they don't like the cold so no dice there. Thankfully the OTA is pretty light, and for the time being i'll be keeping it in the supplied box & hard foam insert, at least until i can find a good bag i can convert into a travel case. As for the counterweights, it comes supplied with 2 x 5kg ones. One isn't enough to balance the scope with all the accessories attached, and i was worried that 2 would be too much, but i've tested it with both weights moved to the very top of the counterweight shaft and in this setup it's ever so slightly OTA heavy, so it looks like i can just about get away with it as it is. I would say though that without the dew shield it would be slightly counterweight heavy, just in case anyone needs to know. I do think though it will be a good idea at some point to pick up a smaller 2nd counterweight, maybe a 2.5 Kg one, to save a bit of weight in the whole setup and allow me to move the counterweights further down the shaft.

As for setting up the mount itself, it took me a while to realise that you have to unscrew the Azimuth adjustment screws to create a big enough gap to allow you to place the mount head onto the tripod! I tried inserting it once, before realising, thankfully i don't think i bent the screws, phew! Also, the Altiture adjustment screws come in different lengths, i think the longer one goes at the back end, near the polar scope. If this is wrong, someone please let me know, as the manual doesn't mention anything about the Alt/Az screws. At first, i was trying to use the Alt screws to move the mount to my Lattitude of 54 degrees and was having a hard time as it was pretty stiff and you have to remove the polar scope cap to be able to turn the screw, and even then it's very tight. In the end i worked out that i was just being thick and removed both Alt screws completely and moved the mount by hand close to 54 degrees, then inserted the screws again and fine-tuned. I would say these Alt screws aren't the best, but they will certainly do for now. I might get round to upgrading them eventually. As for the rest of the mount, the legs seem very solid, it comes with a built-in polar scope which is very handy (note, twist the end to get it in focus), the setting circles confused me a bit at first as regards what counts as 'locked' and what doesn't but i think i'm getting there, and the counterweight shaft retracts up into the mount when not in use which is good for portability.

I plugged it into my powertank and did a fake star alignment and some slewing about. Everything seemed to work just fine. The motors make a slight grinding noise when starting and stopping, but in beween they make a nice quiet, and oddly satisfying(!) whirring sound.

Sorry about the long post! I couldn't be happier with my new toy , even though i haven't actually got to use it yet (honestly, the weather here is nothing short of attrocious)

And so the wait for First Light begins in earnest. Once it happens, i'll be sure to let you all know how i get on. But in the mean time, clear skies all!

[tingting44]

WOW ^^^^^^^

ahhhh time to actually read through your post now and drewlllll all over your pics!!!!! id be like a kid at xmas you lucky lucky guy haha @D