a quick 20 mins first light

[Daniel-K]

although the FC was clear from 3 am i had been up 22 hours from working nights so i was at 5:45 with my youngest daughter and could not resist opening the kitchen double doors to get a peek. as i couldn't find my alan key collimation was about as far out as you could get it so i only used a 25mm EP. fitst up Jupiter was blazing not much detail to be seen at 25mm except for the main bands and a few moons. orion was low but always worth a visit the trapezium was spit in the 25mm the nebulosity was really bright  with an evident green tinge  which i have only really seen in my old 16inch  next was over to M44 couldn't get all in the FOV but i wanted to see i could scan around for lovejoy but i failed and put this down to the rising sun so i quickly swung over to auriga one of my favorite parts of the sky and bagged m37, just as i remembered it from the when i had the 16" stunning. by this time the sky was getting light so i came in with a smile on my face cant wait to get some were dark with this scope. so today i shall collimate the scope and wit for some clear sky looking forward to getting my carry matt and flocking to do some mods.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

thats all i had last night too.literally 20 mins before it all went overcast and cloudy.Only managed to align finder scope,tinker with focuser and had a quick look at the moon and Pleiades before it all went cloudy.I was thinking of leaving the scope out and then start again at about 3AM,but something inside me said:Dont.take the scope back in and boy i did that right because rain came in at about  1 o clock and i dont have the cover yet!

Everything looks ok scope wise,still a few bits in the post so will have more tinkering next week before i can call it DONE.first impressions:awesome,but with 20mm ES 100deg,a lot of coma! even to the point it is not pleasant to look  so coma corrector is absolutely necessary do i like it or not,however,i just got an email from a buddy from US who has managed to secure me a paracorr type1 and will be sticking in the post! total damage:170 squids. i did manage a very brief comparison of ES and TV and found TV to be a tad sharper and ES softer,but i dont want to confirm anything yet until i get a proper viewing session.Also the scope is not finished fully on all the mods,was just impatient to try it lol.

Clear skies.

[Daniel-K]

ive just got a 82deg 18mm from MIKE73 on here. i have a SW coma corrector not sure how they fit yet.  im waiting on a telrad and my flocking from FLO. what Mods are you doing ?

[Dude_with_the_tube]

1.i ditched the original focuser and replaced with moonlite CR2 as i cant even fit my fingers under the knobs of the original one.(done)

2.original finder will be replaced with RACI (in the post)

3.Telrad with 2" raiser will be installed (in the post)

4. Secondary  allen key collimating screws will be replaced with knurled screws (in the post)

5.Tube fully flocked .(done)

6.primary  mirror frame stopper screws(the ones next to collimation screws) replaced with longer ones as they dont reach.(Graham  aka Stargazer_00 reported the same issue) might go back to original ones after the springs have settled in as at the moment scope is not holding collimation very well and every single time you collapse the scope,collimation goes.this should sort it out.

7.Full size dew shield made from camping mat.(thanks to wife) (done)

8.Shroud purchased and installed.(Astrozap)

9.Full size scope cover (in the post) to cover the scope when outside to prevent snow/rain in case i am unable to remove the scope inside in time.

thats should be it for time being.

I am still working out the total weight of the base and there is a possibility that i will rebuild the base myself from plywood to reduce the weight of it as presently it is too heavy and is from MDF.but thats a job for summer month when i practically dont observe.

As i mentioned earlier,once i have finished everything,i will do a post with pictures .

[Dude_with_the_tube]

forgot one thing lol.

I might also install a few fans on primary to help with cooling and air circulation.Got a few PC ones lying in the house left over from my PC building.(just finished building my own PC:3 screen eyefinity set up with dual graphics and 2 watercooling systems and build also a gaming PC for kids)

[Daniel-K]

very nice my camping mat is in the post, i have a guy who makes my shrouds for me the one he done for my 16" was brilliant so a phone call later today is on order. just collimating