Argo Navis and Servo Cat or are there alternatives?

[Dreadz]

Just looked at the Sumerain website, those low rider EQ platforms look very nice!

Did you ask Sumerian for a price for Stellarcat? Not cheap I bet!

I asked Michael about stellarcat. He said the new canopus is not designed for a goto and the alkaid is too compact but the system costs at least €2500.

The EQ platforms on the site do look nice though and are €295. Am considering one and a dsc unless someone can convince me the stellarcat (or alternative goto) is worth the extra £1500-£2000???

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[Scooot]

I asked Michael about stellarcat. He said the new canopus is not designed for a goto and the alkaid is too compact but the system costs at least €2500.

The EQ platforms on the site do look nice though and are €295. Am considering one and a dsc unless someone can convince me the stellarcat (or alternative goto) is worth the extra £1500-£2000???

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I have an EQ Platform, I can use it with my DSC but I need to set the platform up very accurately when I use it with the DSC. Otherwise the DSC loses accuracy over the course of the tracking run. There is a simple way to do it, see the bottom of this link, but it might be more difficult to do with a big heavy dob. I now tend to use my platform for planets but don't bother so often when I'm using the DSC for other stuff.

http://www.astrosurf.com/aheijkoop/Equipment/EqPlatfor2.htm

[Mike73]

I use a TS EQ platform for my 10" but only from home and for the moon and planets, I put feet on it, made sure it was perfectly aligned one night the drilled three small holes in the patio for the feet to sit in so I have a dob that tracks well with zero set up time.

You can just roughly point a platform north and level but the tracking isnt great TBH.

[Dreadz]

The more I think about it the more confused I'm getting!

The dsc's work by measuring movement in relation to static points on the base. Yes?????

If you put the mount onto an EQ platform which itself moves how doesn't that screw up the alignment of the dsc?

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[Daniel-K]

Its a toss up between sumerian and lukehurst. Depends how much cash I get in my payout from work.

Have been in touch with both. Seems the Sumerian alkaid is likely to be too compact to accommodate

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sumerian only do 16" i asked to make me a 18 and he said he's not taking any orders for them

[Scooot]

The more I think about it the more confused I'm getting!

The dsc's work by measuring movement in relation to static points on the base. Yes?????

If you put the mount onto an EQ platform which itself moves how doesn't that screw up the alignment of the dsc?

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When you use the DSC on the ground normally, the sky on the sky chart moves with the earth. So let's say you successfully found a target, and then left your scope to its own devices, as the earth turns the target moves out of the FOV and the curser representing the scope would move off the target on the sky chart to the same degree.

When you put the scope on the platform, the target would stay in the FOV, because the platforms tracking, but the curser on the sky chart would still move off the target because the program doesn't know your scopes on the platform. To counter this you put the sky safari program in EQ platform mode, which effectively turns the sky off. This should solve the problem because now the ground is moving with the earth instead of the sky moving on the sky chart, but the platform isn't as accurate as the software, especially if it's not aligned to north accurately or its speed is out, so over the course of the 40 minute platform tracking run the DSC finding accuracy deteriorates because the stars aren't where they should be according to the platform.

Hope that makes some sort of sense. -

[Dreadz]

sumerian only do 16" i asked to make me a 18 and he said he's not taking any orders for them

I started looking at the alkaid 16 purely as its so compact but aperture fever is driving me to look for bigger optics and by default other manufacturers. I may not have another chance to splurge this kind of cash for some time so better make it count

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[Dreadz]

When you use the DSC on the ground normally, the sky on the sky chart moves with the earth. So let's say you successfully found a target, and then left your scope to its own devices, as the earth turns the target moves out of the FOV and the curser representing the scope would move off the target on the sky chart to the same degree.

When you put the scope on the platform, the target would stay in the FOV, because the platforms tracking, but the curser on the sky chart would still move off the target because the program doesn't know your scopes on the platform. To counter this you put the sky safari program in EQ platform mode, which effectively turns the sky off. This should solve the problem because now the ground is moving with the earth instead of the sky moving on the sky chart, but the platform isn't as accurate as the software, especially if it's not aligned to north accurately or its speed is out, so over the course of the 40 minute platform tracking run the DSC finding accuracy deteriorates because the stars aren't where they should be according to the platform.

Hope that makes some sort of sense. -

Makes perfect sense. For some unfathomable reason my brain was trying to reconcile the use of the eq platform with a driven, tracking dob! Doh!

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[Daniel-K]

I started looking at the alkaid 16 purely as its so compact but aperture fever is driving me to look for bigger optics and by default other manufacturers. I may not have another chance to splurge this kind of cash for some time so better make it count

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make sure you save some £££'S for some nice EP's cause when you go big you need good glass!!

[faulksy]

and coma corrector

[Dreadz]

make sure you save some £££'S for some nice EP's cause when you go big you need good glass!!

I'm pretty sure a selection of ES 82° are within reach maybe 100° if I'm lucky. Will have to see how much cash I get.

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[Dreadz]

and coma corrector

That's on the list too. On that note anyone tried the ES HR Coma Corrector? Looks like their take on the parracorr but less than half the price.

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[Mike73]

That's on the list too. On that note anyone tried the ES HR Coma Corrector? Looks like their take on the parracorr but less than half the price.

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There was a thread on CN about it, something let it down but I cant remember what?

[faulksy]

There was a thread on CN about it, something let it down but I cant remember what?

i think it was the views through it

[astronymonkey]

If you get the servo cat, Argo Navis version I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on it as this is the system I've been looking at for my 20" Dob.

What make Dob are you going for?

Well i never ...... you must be going soft steve.... after ribbing me for my setup ..... ; )

To be serious though a push to system makes a big difference on a large dob and finding objects is really quick. I am suprised though at the price of the kits though as my system cost about £45 and easily gets an object in the fov upto 150x mag.

levelling the base is essential, but pretty easy, and a wixey gets the altitude pretty much bang on. The more complex bit is the azimuth system as the gemred encoders are hard to find but cheap at about £40 brand new or just over half that second hand. Accuracy of half a degree is all that is needed for a low power but the wixey and gemred seem to be accurate to around a tenth of a degree or so.

I use mobile planetarium for the alt az co ordinates and with a one star algnment it takes about 1 min to set up then away you go.

cheers

[swamp thing]

Ian

It's for tracking at outreach events.

[Dreadz]

Am liking the look of the nexus system. I downloaded sky safari last night too in anticipation of possibly purchasing nexus. Is there a uk/eu supplier? They do link to a few supposed suppliers on their site but cant find anything in the linked sites as my German and Czech leaves a lot to be desired!

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[Mike73]

I think Watch House Platforms used to sell them but it looks like there site is down.

I'm 80% sure I'm going for Nexus on my Canopus and I'II probably just order direct from Oz. Works out pretty cheap, about £150 but I guess there'll be import fees on top of that.

[faulksy]

order direct from astro devices, mine took around 4 days, speak to serge, say high from me

[astronymonkey]

Fualksy - dare I ask how much it was from Astro Devices, and what did you get for your money ?

[faulksy]

hi, no problemmy receipt shows $439 which was the digital setting circles unit with wifi,2 digital 10000 step encoders all the cables and a lead to plug the unit into a 12v supply and this included super quick delivery

[Mike73]

hi, no problemmy receipt shows $439 which was the digital setting circles unit with wifi,2 digital 10000 step encoders all the cables and a lead to plug the unit into a 12v supply and this included super quick delivery

Wasnt that for x2 lots though? One for you and one for Richard?

[faulksy]

no for 1 mike, but its only £241 english pounds

[Scooot]

Wasnt that for x2 lots though? One for you and one for Richard?

No I bought mine in 2012 from UK Equatorial Platforms (Watchouse). Cant remember exactly how much it all was, about £350- £400 but it also included the mounting kit for the encoders. They re not supplying it anymore because of other work commitments I think.

[Scooot]

no for 1 mike, but its only £241 english pounds

price of a good eyepiece. -