GSO 12" RC Dissambly.

[silentrunning]

Thanks Rob - 6 inch refractor sounds amazing!

Just for kicks I pushed this 5 x 5min of M57 to the nth degree and then some to look at the fainter stars. I'm amazed at the light gathering of this scope!

[silentrunning]

Hereis the central region with some layering to reduce noise but hold on to hints of the faint skirt

Doug

[silentrunning]

I also reproceed my 4 x 2mins subs of M13. Still no sharpening just stretching and colour enhancing....

[silentrunning]

I found some flats at the same orientation as the image and reprocessed it!

[silentrunning]

Good news is the scope appears to have held collimation between sessions though it will become a necessary part of each session from now on. Very murky last night but got 2 x 10min subs on M27...

[RobH]

That's a lovely result Doug (fine bit of processing too!)

Looks like you've pretty well got it nailed now.

[silentrunning]

Cheers Rob. Its holding at the mo. results are OK but through the Cheshire looks as wonky as hell. Optical/mechanical axis probably off.

[Daniel-K]

Interesting thread the 8" RC CF is the scope im after and I if I do get it this thread is very informative

[silentrunning]

Latest result

[marcoverstraaten]

My first results after "taping" the rear cell (instead of the 3 tiny coark pieces placed by GSO. This is looking good!

[marcoverstraaten]

First one is a 100% crop of the second image.

[RobH]

Looks pretty perfect now....well done

[marcoverstraaten]

Did you get yours back Rob?

[RobH]

Not yet Marc.......I'm over in mainland Europe working (at the Montreaux jazz festival today ) until the middle of August so I've given them a good 5 weeks to work on it.

[silentrunning]

My rework of M13 got pic of the week at atronomyshed!

[silentrunning]

Latest image. OSC with Hubble extraction...

[silentrunning]

How are things going Rob?

I'm happy with things for the time being. This is the latest image...

[r3i]

Superb Doug, you've definitely got that scope set up nicely.

[silentrunning]

Thanks Mike

Its not perfect but I'm enjoying imaging at the moment rather than tweaking but will have another go at perfecting alignment before to long.

Doug

[RobH]

How are things going Rob?

Got back home yesterday Doug....good to be back but very tired. Scope should be with me in early September and I'm not working again until mid October so I hope to get some proper imaging done with it.

[Teslar]

You've had some marathon there Doug. Pleased to see your now enjoying the RC makes me tempted to go for the 10" on ABS today

[silentrunning]

You've had some marathon there Doug. Pleased to see your now enjoying the RC makes me tempted to go for the 10" on ABS today

The 10" is supposed to be a cracking scope and you wont have any of the issues we've had with the 12".

[Teslar]

I have heard they are difficult to balance on an NEQ6 any truth to that?

[silentrunning]

I've had no balance on loading issues with the 12" and it weighs in at 23Kg!

[astronomer2002]

I have been looking at getting a GSO based 12inch RC but have been put off by the issues people are having with astigmatism and collimation.

I have a question for Doug and Marco - have you achieved those beautiful round stars by simply replacing/adding cork to the mirror cell? I appreciate there is a need to separate the focusser from the cell, but there is a relatively simple solution for that issue already out there. If you can truly overcome the incredibly poor design for virtually no outlay it entirely changes the viability of these scopes.

I looked at the images of a stripped down 12 inch and was horrified at the mirror cell 'design' It looked to me that it might be possible to put  triangles for a 9 point support in the triangular gaps in the cell thus adding  about 3mm to the thickness of the cell and moving the mirror higher in it's cell by about 5mm. Unless there is scope to move the secondary at least 5mm further up the tube it may be that this wouldn't work and I'd be into building a complete new tube or truss.

Incidently, these scopes have been available for some time with solid tubes - does anyone have any experience of these?

Ian B