SHOW US YOUR NEWTS........

[Moonshane]

Here's my 6" f11 waiting hopefully for real first light.

[Stu]

Looking great Shane!

[Moonshane]

Hoping for Jovian action but clouds looming. Fingers crossed!

[faulksy]

3 minutes ago, Moonshane said:

Hoping for Jovian action but clouds looming. Fingers crossed!

i can see for miles to the west shane, i think you will be ok

[Moonshane]

Awesome cheers buddy

[faulksy]

here is a pic of my newt

and one with its brothers

Edited April 17, 2017 by faulksy

[Stub Mandrel]

1 minute ago, faulksy said:

here is a pic of my newt

That's not minute, it's bloomin' enormous!

[Chris]

Fingers crossed for first light Shane, that setup looks awesome!

[Chris]

I might get one of those enormous Dob's for my EQ3  

[faulksy]

8 minutes ago, Chris Lock said:

I might get one of those enormous Dob's for my EQ3  

you only need a 60kg counter weight and away you go

[Moonshane]

21 minutes ago, Chris Lock said:

Fingers crossed for first light Shane, that setup looks awesome!

I am pleased to confirm that I can focus with the bvs at least!  A lot of vapour up there though.

[Chris]

Just now, faulksy said:

you only need a 60kg counter weight and away you go

I weigh 63kg, will I do 

[Moonshane]

I suspect that I am possibly the only person in the world to have owned two of these scopes. Cloud from the north spoiling things now. Still tracking

Definitely a setup for windless nights like this although I hope for less cover!

[faulksy]

46 minutes ago, Chris Lock said:

I weigh 63kg, will I do 

that will be perfect with the ethos

[alacant]

Everyone say's I'm crazy: AP with a 6" f8 on a rusty old eq6? But hey, you can snap the ring nebula without having to put an arrow showing where it is!

[m.tweedy]

Our Society Summer project. 18.5 inch F5 dob. Still work in progress

[Stub Mandrel]

5 hours ago, alacant said:

Everyone say's I'm crazy: AP with a 6" f8 on a rusty old eq6? But hey, you can snap the ring nebula without having to put an arrow showing where it is!

I use a 6" F8 on an EQ3!

[Hailfire101]

I've only just noticed this thread!
Oh well, I'll post 'another' 200p.

 

[tooth_dr]

250px, on EQ6!

 

[laser_jock99]

Great rigs & pictures- keep them coming!

Since I'm being held to ransom by Photobucket I'll re-post my scopes from Flikr

12" Revelation Astro F4 Newtonian

6" GSO F4 Newtonian (with Starwave 80ED refractor piggy backing)

 

[25585]

On 30 May 2015 at 15:46, John said:

My 1st proper scope. A late 1980's Astro Systems 6" F/6 with David Hinds mirrors on a Fullerscope Mk III eq mount:

My Mk 3 Fullerscope mount was on a pier - very stable made from steam pipe. 

I have my Vixen focuser still, identical to yours. 

[Timebandit]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Orion Optics VX8

 

 

 

This is my set up for my Grab and Go for dark site trips for DSO . I wanted something quick to get into the car, less than 5 mins. This set up will certainly obtain Grab and Go status in respect of that.  Hopefully still enough aperture to be great for DSO, but without the time and weight of loading my VX14, when I want a quick dark site trip at short notice. 

The VX 8 is sat on the AZ4 with 2" legs and initial impressions is that the mount will handle the size and weight, but time will tell how this combination works

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

[alacant]

On 1/12/2017 at 22:37, laser_jock99 said:

6" GSO F4 Newtonian

Ahhgghh... Same setup. Try as I may, I CANNOT balance this thing! I also made long dovetails to match yours. It's the dslr which upsets the balance. I tried with a shorter dovetail and the camera hanging downwards -my usual position to lower the centre of gravity- but then I cannot push the tube far enough in the rings because the focuser fouls the dovetail. So the camera has to be to one side: that's the issue. Get it balanced in one orientation and a few degrees later and it's unbalanced once again. 

Short Newtonians with dslrs hanging off the side? Anyone?

Cheers and clear skies.

[laser_jock99]

22 minutes ago, alacant said:

Ahhgghh... Same setup. Try as I may, I CANNOT balance this thing! I also made long dovetails to match yours. It's the dslr which upsets the balance. I tried with a shorter dovetail and the camera hanging downwards -my usual position to lower the centre of gravity- but then I cannot push the tube far enough in the rings because the focuser fouls the dovetail. So the camera has to be to one side: that's the issue. Get it balanced in one orientation and a few degrees later and it's unbalanced once again. 

Short Newtonians with dslrs hanging off the side? Anyone?

Cheers and clear skies.

The long dovetail is pretty much a must have. You'll also notice in my photo a short ED80 refractor top mounted on the Newt. The extra mass can be used to offset the weight of the camera somewhat. Balance never needs to be perferct though- a slight load is better for tracking stabilty I understand.

[alacant]

9 hours ago, laser_jock99 said:

never needs to be perferct though

Thanks. Good to know. Next problem is that it doesn't reach focus with a dslr. Even with an 11mm Canon t-ring, there's not enough outward travel on the focuser. As I'm using the Aplanatic cc I can't use an extension tube so I'm gonna need a collar which slides over the cc to push the camera further out from the focuser, or take pot luck tightening the focuser without pushing the cc fully home. Why they've put the secondary so close to the primary, I've no idea. Close to giving up. Surely, it can't be this difficult! Any ideas anyone?

Cheers and clear skies.

Edited January 11, 2018 by alacant