Imaging with the 130pds

[carastro]

Quote

Carol, I think that´s the focuser drawtube protuding the light cone.

Cheers.

Mario.

That's what I thought, so chopping a bit off should sort that out, just need to sweet talk my engineering friend as I don't have the tools to do it, and neither does hubby, he's more of a carpentry man.  

Carole 

Edited December 10, 2017 by carastro

[Stub Mandrel]

45 minutes ago, carastro said:

That's what I thought, so chopping a bit off should sort that out, just need to sweet talk my engineering friend as I don't have the tools to do it, and neither does hubby, he's more of a carpentry man.  

Carole 

A 'Tommy Walsh' junior hacksaw from the pound shop will sort it; wrap a ring of insulation tape to make sure the cut is straight.

[al-alami]

My latest attempt at M42 in narowband

6 1/2 hours of Ha,  6 1/2 hours of O III and a synthetic green channel

processed in Pixinsight and PS

[carastro]

Wow, that's unusual

Carole 

[carastro]

Quote

A 'Tommy Walsh' junior hacksaw from the pound shop will sort it; wrap a ring of insulation tape to make sure the cut is straight.

Thanks, just one more question, what stops the focusser from winding all the way out?  i.e. is there a wider bit that acts as a "stop" that I shall be sawing off?

Carole 

[Sunnieboy]

 

 

Hi

According to the article in Astronomy Now, there will be two track on the focuser tube where the guides roll on the tube.  Leave two tongues in line with these tracks which then still supports the tube for the full travel but the cut out lets the light into the scope:

I could scan the article later if interested

 

Sunnie

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, carastro said:

Thanks, just one more question, what stops the focusser from winding all the way out?  i.e. is there a wider bit that acts as a "stop" that I shall be sawing off?

Carole 

See the pic in the photo above, there's a flat on the tube which doesn't run to the end, providing a stop. I glued a small thin stop on the bottom of the flat to limit the travel (too much as now I can't achieve focus with a fully inserted EP ).

[richyrich_one]

Moving the mirror up the tube, by replacing the mirror cell screws with longer ones and using threaded spacers,  is also an option. It's reversible. No hacksaw required, just a bit of nerve to dismantle the mirror cell. 

[carastro]

Quote

See the pic in the photo above, there's a flat on the tube which doesn't run to the end, providing a stop. I glued a small thin stop on the bottom of the flat to limit the travel (too much as now I can't achieve focus with a fully inserted EP ).

Thanks Neil, you've been most helpful.

Quote

Moving the mirror up the tube, by replacing the mirror cell screws with longer ones and using threaded spacers,  is also an option. It's reversible. No hacksaw required, just a bit of nerve to dismantle the mirror cell. 

I can see how that would work, but I think I'll leave that mod alone in case we mess it up completely.

Carole 

[Adam J]

20 hours ago, Sunnieboy said:

 

 

Hi

According to the article in Astronomy Now, there will be two track on the focuser tube where the guides roll on the tube.  Leave two tongues in line with these tracks which then still supports the tube for the full travel but the cut out lets the light into the scope:

I could scan the article later if interested

 

Sunnie

Got to say I never liked the idea of leaving those two sections intact, when I did it I decided to create a new stop by gluing a stop onto the tube. 

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

Can I ask how you actually remove the tube. Is there a screw? 

Thanks!

Gerry

[al-alami]

I lost my S II to dew, but I still like this version . It's not perfect, but I'm liking it :D.

15 X 512 sec Ha - Red channel

11 X 512 sec OIII - Green channel

The Blue channel was synthesized from the other two

Processed in PixInsight and PS

Hope you like it

[Hergerger]

21 hours ago, al-alami said:

I lost my S II to dew, but I still like this version . It's not perfect, but I'm liking it :D.

15 X 512 sec Ha - Red channel

11 X 512 sec OIII - Green channel

The Blue channel was synthesized from the other two

Processed in PixInsight and PS

Hope you like it

Not perfect? This is an absolute great and mavelous picture !!!

[Susaron]

Actually Fakhri you are breaking the sound barrier with your last pictures.

[al-alami]

Ohhhhhh thank you all.  now I have to worry about my ego!

The reason I think it's not perfect is because sometimes I'm not sure what I'm doing.  Also I still have to get the coma corrector spacing right. (I wish I could do that while it's cloudy)

But I'm getting there, slowly but surely.  I'm  sure this little scope is really helping me.  

Actually It's because of this specific thread that I purchased it.

[Thalestris24]

2 minutes ago, al-alami said:

 

Actually It's because of this specific thread that I purchased it.

It is an inspiring thread!

Louise

[al-alami]

I sometimes go back through it to get some inspiration.  

Also to remind myself that any mistakes I'm making are because of my lack of experience, and not because of the scope.

 

[Thalestris24]

The 130pds does have its, er, characteristics!!

[al-alami]

1 minute ago, Thalestris24 said:

The 130pds does have its, er, characteristics!!

I'm sure every scope has it's own "personality".

 

[spillage]

You call it character and personality, with mine I call it...well I can't as I would probably offend some members and break forum rules. I would not want it any other way. I like having issues as it gives me something to do when the clouds roll in.

[Hergerger]

Yes, this thread is really inspiring...

That inspiring, that I can't wait for Christmas to get my 130PDS :-)

Really, this thread is\was the the cream on the cake to decide for the 130PDS.

 

Hope I can share a picture soon too :-)

 

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Thalestris24 said:

It is an inspiring thread!

Louise

Got me to buy mine too.

We should be on commission!

[Susaron]

Last Saturday I went out to practice astrophotography but I was not able to make a decent picture because mi QHY168C suffered a problem of noise at -10ºC.

There was a colleague with us doing some visual astro with binoculars, but he was also interested about my AZEQ5 mount and about a decent and manageable scope to start with DS photo, he was impressed about the lower noise of the AZEQ5 and about how compact and light can It be the 130PDS for these duties.

Merry Christmas to all of you 130PDS fans.

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

 

Hello all. 

Did some frames in H Alpha on my dslr last night for the first time. Any way in particular to stack in DSS? I did flats and bias. 

Thanks

Gerry

[tony8690]

Hi All,

 

First ever attempt of M31 last night.

 

8 x 70 second shots. processed in PhotShop.

 

Also, M42 very quick 2 x 70 sec shots, and cropped. edited in PhotoShop.

 

Comments welcome

Thanks,

T

Edited December 19, 2017 by tony8690