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Willam Optics Star 71 5 element Apo Astrograph

lensman57

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JAS

JAS

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Hello to all,

Can someone point me to an adapter so I can attach an Atik 460EX camera to the Star 71? I believe the camera has a 1.25 inch nose piece.

The Atik 460 has a T2 thread when you unscrew the nose piece. You should be able to get a T2 to M48 adapter.

Jason.

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lensman57

lensman57

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Hello to all,

Can someone point me to an adapter so I can attach an Atik 460EX camera to the Star 71? I believe the camera has a 1.25 inch nose piece.

HI,

You need one of these from FLO,http://www.firstlightoptics.com/adaptors/flo-m48-to-t2-adapter.html. Then you can unscrew the nosepiece from the 460 which has a T2 thread. Measure the distance to make up 55 mm of back focus using T2 extenders. Star 71 has a 55mm fof back ocus from the bottom of the M48 thread on the draw tube to plane of the CCD. I got this information from WO via IK imaging.

A.G

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buzz

buzz

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HI,

 Star 71 has a 55mm fof back ocus from the bottom of the M48 thread on the draw tube to plane of the CCD. I got this information from WO via IK imaging.

A.G

Actually - the Star 71 is just an ordinary lens - when it is in focus, it is at the optimum distance - just like a camera lens. All the elements move together, unlike a traditional field flattener that moves with the focuser. The 55mm distance is kind of irrelevant - if the camera happens to have it, the focuser will be 5mm extended to achieve focus. If it has 45mm, it will require 15 mm extended. Simplez

I finally processed my image after acquiring some RGB last night. It is more or less there now. Stars are round and uniform to the edges and nice detail throughout. 

post-16414-0-62623200-1414338949_thumb.j

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  • 2 months later...
buzz

buzz

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Update -  this scope continues to perform but the dew shield is just too short. I am getting flare from a street lamp so I decided to make my own. For £10, I fashioned something I'm rather please with.

I bought a 100mm (4 inch) x 500mm white PVC tube - on Amazon and sold as a 'PVC round ducting for extractor fan'. I sawed off 200mm. I then got some sticky back felt - the sort used for putting under furniture legs for wooden floors, which is about 5mm deep. I sliced off slithers - 15mm x 5mm and stuck them on the inside at 120 degree intervals - 3 near one end and three in the middle.  I painted the inside matt black (emulsion). I chose to stick the felt pads directly onto the plastic and paint round them as I was unsure if the pads would stick to the painted surface.

The assembly eases over the original dew shield, held in place by the slight compression in the felt pads.  This adds about 100mm to the original dew shield but not too much to vignette the off axis guider chip (you sight along the telescope and see what visually clips the sensor first)

I can upload pictures if you want.

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lensman57

lensman57

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Update -  this scope continues to perform but the dew shield is just too short. I am getting flare from a street lamp so I decided to make my own. For £10, I fashioned something I'm rather please with.

I bought a 100mm (4 inch) x 500mm white PVC tube - on Amazon and sold as a 'PVC round ducting for extractor fan'. I sawed off 200mm. I then got some sticky back felt - the sort used for putting under furniture legs for wooden floors, which is about 5mm deep. I sliced off slithers - 15mm x 5mm and stuck them on the inside at 120 degree intervals - 3 near one end and three in the middle.  I painted the inside matt black (emulsion). I chose to stick the felt pads directly onto the plastic and paint round them as I was unsure if the pads would stick to the painted surface.

The assembly eases over the original dew shield, held in place by the slight compression in the felt pads.  This adds about 100mm to the original dew shield but not too much to vignette the off axis guider chip (you sight along the telescope and see what visually clips the sensor first)

I can upload pictures if you want.

I have done more or less the same as you. I wonder if WO would provide an extended hood as an optional extra or just replace the useless hood with a longer one. The hood itself can be easily unscrewed from the gold collar.

A.G

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vdb

vdb

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I've got the TS version of this scope, I also have the 

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p6772_USB-Focus-v3-Set-H---Controller-mit-Temperatursensor---Motor-fuer-Zubehoer-ab-5kg.html 

Unfortunately they don't have the Star 71 adaptor to mount and connect ... 

I wonder how you remove the none reduced nob, just pull (I really pulled hard, but it just shifted the shaft, I'm afraid to damage the focuser)? The geared nobs are removable as there is a little screw ...

I did see the lakeside fit in a previous post, but I would like to avoid buying yet another focus kit, I could start a secondhand shop by now.

On the other side, does is there focus drift? It's so small that maybe manual focus at the start of an image run is sufficient?

Thanks,

Yves

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buzz

buzz

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Sorry - just seen the thread reply-   you don't pull the knobs off! - they are held on by grubs crews. On the WO, (I don't know about the TS) you have to remove a grub screw on the baseplate to reveal a hole. You turn the knob until you see a second grub screw in the shaft of the knob. You completely remove this and the knob will slide off. If you just loosen it, the screw fouls the housing and the knob will not slide off.

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r3i

r3i

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Got my Star 71 today :smile:. Clouds forecast for several days so will need to be patient. One pleasant surprise was that it came with a carry case which I was under the impression was an optional extra.

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Droogie 2001

Droogie 2001

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Got my Star 71 today :smile:. Clouds forecast for several days so will need to be patient. One pleasant surprise was that it came with a carry case which I was under the impression was an optional extra.

I received mine a few weeks and have had a couple of opportunities to use it.

Where did you buy the Star 71 from The Widescreen Centre? Bought my from FLO. Also bought the bag as optional extra (£30)  but still on back order... :sad:

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r3i

r3i

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I received mine a few weeks and have had a couple of opportunities to use it.

Where did you buy the Star 71 from The Widescreen Centre? Bought my from FLO. Also bought the bag as optional extra (£30)  but still on back order... :sad:

I also got mine from FLO.

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r3i

r3i

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Thanks. Little bit curious why I am paying for mine then?! Are you sure it was not part of the purchase price? I think they are £25 + VAT (around £30)

HI Droogie,

I was billed £796 (£789 for the scope, £7 for delivery) - all came in the same box.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Droogie 2001

Droogie 2001

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Hi.

I have been using my Star 71 on a number of occasions now. I am really happy with the build quality and its a great little scope though initially I had quite a tough time mounting a guide scope onto a dovetail, I primarily did this to help with the balancing all of which is now working well.

Though the guide scope works well I am struggling at times to align the mount with an illuminated 12mm reticule eyepiece slotted within 50mm guide scope as the FOV is quite tight.

Therefore to make life simpler I am looking to add a WO red dot finder to the STAR 71 for the initial alignment process. Once completed I would use a quick release base (probably a Baader Universal Quick Release Finder Base) to remove the Red dot finder as there is no point having the extra redundant weight for imaging.

I have done some research and have been told that I need:

This Baader base:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/baader-universal-quick-release-finder-base.html

and

The WO Red dot finder

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/william-optics-multi-reticule-finder.html

If so and this should be the easy bit, how and where do I mount it to the OTA?

I understand I can either mount it to the left or right of the OTA.

There are three possible holes.

One hole contain a small black plastic slotted lug? The other two are similar to what PC's cases can be sealed up with. They are allen key style but more a 'star' head to them if that makes sense?!

Which one would I need to use for the Baader base if this is the correct base?

I noticed on page three of this thread 'Buzz' has what appears to be two bases attached to the 'Star' headed holes?

I apologise if this all sounds basic but the refractor comes with no instructions at all. I have emailed WO twice and have yet to have a response. Its only with the kind assistance of another SGL forum member I have got as far as I have.

Whilst I appreciate I entering new territory with refractor a manual of sorts would have greatly helped!

I have included a picture of my current arrangement.

Many Thanks

For some reason the image is on its side?!

post-31255-0-98869200-1424879437.jpg

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