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Think I should post here.

cjdawson

By cjdawson
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cjdawson

cjdawson

Posted
Posted

Hi All.

I've been an owner of an LX-90 for over 10 years, I bought it brand new and have kept it ever since.  It's give me lots of hours of fun.  It got me hooked on the hobby when I was able to observe both Saturn and Jupiter at the same time.  The were close to each other when I got started.

Over the years, I've been working towards taking good astrophotos, but haven't had a huge amount of time at the scope itself.  Every observing session is precious to me, and I take the time between these to refine my setup in one way or another.

Over the last 10-12 years, I've added a wedge, guide scope, changed camera a couple of times - started with a film based SLR, then switched to a Canon 30D and have recently upgraded to a Canon 70D.   For autoguiding I was using my old laptop, which I had no end of problems with.  It was being used for both start charting software and auto-guiding.

I've just removed the laptop from my scope and am now using a brand new SynGuider II, and a SkyFi to allow my iPad to control the scope.   I have yet to have first light on either of these.

Doing that change also means that I no longer need to have an inverter to power the laptop, and there will be alot fewer cables running to my scope.

I'm in the middle of changing my power setup, there's a thread for that in the DIY astronomy, and once that's done will be concentrating my efforts on Astro photography.

For those interested, I use a Batinov Mask to help with focussing and it's something that I have found really helps alot as I had massive trouble focussing my 30D, combining the 70D and the mask makes it a much less painful experience.

I'm hoping that this winter, we'll get some good nights and I'll have the opportunity to produce some good photos.

Clear sky's

Colin.

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GoldenEagle

GoldenEagle

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Hi Colin and welcome to SGL - you have some really nice Dark Skies in Yorkshire and when the conditions are right an amazing array of stars to observe - holiday'd there near Grassington some twenty years ago armed with a pair of binoculars - good memories of stargazing...

Len

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cjdawson

cjdawson

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It's taken a while, but finally managed to get a day when I can take photos of my scope. So rather than a full wide field shot, here's a close up of most of the parts that count.

post-46378-0-62662500-1442697084_thumb.j

The scope is a Meade LX-90, with a SkyWatcher ST80 mounted on top as a guide scope, that's a SynGuider plugged into the ST-80 for use as an autoguider which in turn is plugged into the #909 APM (Yes, I really have one of those things that are as rare as hens teeth.)

The Camera is a Canon 70D (Unmodified) mounted to the scope using the Meade Flip mirror, and I have a modified TC-80N3 for programming long exposures and time lapse.

The plain box that you see on the fork mount provides power for the dew heater, synguider and the scope (also have spare 12v outputs)

There is a SkyFi connected to the serial port, so that I control the scope with my iPad.

On the floor is the box that provides the different voltages, and the controllers for the dew heaters.

post-46378-0-39090200-1442697463_thumb.j

Finally this is all powered by a Leisure battery.

post-46378-0-33105900-1442697556_thumb.j

I have plans to make a battery box to neaten up the power supply bit.

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