My new gear arrived

[AstroEd]

Just a note to say my new gear arrived the other day. I am adding a Explore Scientific 80mm f/6 Refractor , Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2 Color Autoguider , Farpoint 2.6-4.5" Bahtinov , Optics Future 60mm Guide Scope f/3.8??? (Sorry no link yet it is a New OPT product) and a Losmandy Dovetail Plate (To mount directly to my CGEM DX) Sadly the Dove tail plate offers no means to connect to the Scope with more than one screw nor was a means to mount the guide scope to the 80mm refractor supplied So now I have to wait for OPT to research what parts I need to mount everything together on my CGEM DX directly (possibly the  ADM Dual Saddle Plate) with out having to put my Big 11" EdgeHD on it every time I want to image with the refractor.

It is my hope to Image and Live/near live viewing with this set up using my Mallincam Extreme and/or Lodestar X2 Color with Lodestar Live to try wider field imaging/viewing using my old original Lodestar mono on the new guide scope So stay tuned and I will post to this thread My First light soon as my connections are sorted out.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Congrats with the new kit! Looking forward to first light

[HiloDon]

Nice equipment, Ed! Send us a picture when you get it setup. You're going to love the dual Lodestars. I'm trying to do some wider field viewing, too, but it's tough with the small sensors. The 80mm F6 should help. Look forward to seeing some of your captures.

Don

[AstroEd]

I might try reversing it as well guide with the 80mm and image with the X2 on the 60mm guide scope just for fun even thought the optics won't be too good I am just curious about what the FOV will be. But for Video Viewing/NSN broadcast might be a fun experiment. Still waiting for Larry from OPT to call with a solution to my connecting everything though.

[AstroEd]

OPT is sending me a set of Tube Rings that they say the Losmandy plate will fit on and another smaller plate to attatch the 60mm guide scope to the top. should be here next week will keep you all posted on if it works or not, Looks like no clear Skies well beyond the time I will get the gear so will be awhile before first light. Unless I take that Trip to NM, AZ, CA, and TX I had planned.

[f15p5]

Ed,

What do you think of the OPT guide scope? I have been looking at it and might purchase one. How about a review!

Richard

[Dragon Man]

Good stuff Ed.

New Gear??? Photos or it didn't happen 

[AstroEd]

Richard at this time I have not used the ne guide scope yet, the one time Andy set up for first light on the scope I had not received the rings to mount it together. I hope to have a answer very soon however.

As to the doubters here is proof of my causing the por weather conditions.

[AstroEd]

Sorry for the rotated ones.

[f15p5]

My VX arrived after dark of coarse, sent wrong cap screws for my rings, need metric. So mount set up, no scope on it, beautiful clear skies for a change.Typical

[AstroEd]

budman1961 I think is using a Celestron 50mm finder scope for his Guidescope I will check to be sure.

[AstroEd]

I tried to set up last night but was so cold I got frustrated after ten min just trying to bring the guide scope into focus I took everything back into the house be for my frustration cost me money. I really need to find some place to move with dark skies and no temperatures below 45*

[Macavity]

I still have aspirations towards a dual scope setup. In my case an F/6 70mm ED APO

atop my MAK150. To clear up the "odds a s*ds" that won't fit in the 8" F/4 Newt field.

Sometimes setting up is easy... sometimes a frustrating nightmare? 

No "egg sucking" lessons, but I do a lot of trial setups during daylight hours.

I have various terrestrial "targets" 150m away - I have to adjust focus, but...

To ease progress (not fond of guidescope rings etc.) I'd be tempted by:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetail-bars/skywatcher-guidescope-mount.html

Most of my time seems to be spent getting finders / scopes to point at the same thing! lol

Seemingly a "good thing" generally... Still available here and there, t'boot?