Show us your set up in action at night.

[Les Ewan]

45 minutes ago, John_D said:

@Les Ewan Nice, looks exactly like mine 😁 The paint inside the OTA in mine has held up fine, the outside not so much.

The drive on mine has been making funny noises since I bought it second hand last year and was only working intermittently last time out. Hopefully it's just a readjustment and a re-lube rather that a complete strip down.

Did you get the manual with the scope? Pages 14-16 it goes into how to adjust the clutch and backlash on the drive. If you wish I'll scan the pages and put them on here but be aware the Russian translation is not good! If you remove the main cover it allows access to the three adjustment screws on the main drive wheel.  In the 10 years I used the scope I've never had to do anything with the motor so cant tell you more.

Incidentely the motor is not the most restful in the world and is on the noisy side even when running properly!

Edited April 28 by Les Ewan

[Les Ewan]

On 19/04/2024 at 20:22, JeremyS said:

Sorry Dizzy, it’s been a while but the night is yet young.

FC 100DZ

 

I love your dome. I'm as green as your grass!

[John_D]

29 minutes ago, Les Ewan said:

Did you get the manual with the scope? Pages 14-16 it goes into how to adjust the clutch and backlash on the drive. If you wish I'll scan the pages and put them on here but be aware the Russian translation is not good! If you remove the main cover it allows access to the three adjustment screws on the main drive wheel.  In the 10 years I used the scope I've never had to do anything with the motor so cant tell you more.

Incidentely the motor is not the most restful in the world and is on the noisy side even when running properly!

Ah a scan of those pages would be useful, thanks. I have some information that came with it but not to that level of detail.

Yes, the motor on mine makes a loud ticking noise which just adds to the overall missile launcher vibe 😁

[Les Ewan]

1 hour ago, John_D said:

Ah a scan of those pages would be useful, thanks. I have some information that came with it but not to that level of detail.

Yes, the motor on mine makes a loud ticking noise which just adds to the overall missile launcher vibe 😁

HI John

I couldent get the pages flat enough for my scanner but I'll shortly start a new thread on this board with jpeg images hopefully they will be clear enough to be usefull.

[davew]

I don't normally take photos of my gear but was sat around waiting quite a while for a show that didn't arrive. I got into position on the edge of a cliff ( The photo shows I moved back a tiny amount when it was getting darker ! ) over the sea in Thurso Bay Scotland.

The plan was to capture the sunset with the sky and clouds on fire and then the main show of a full sky of dancing Aurora. You can probably tell by my description that nothing happened !

In the middle are the Orkney Islands with the Old Man of Hoy just visible on the far left. To the right is Dunnet Head, the most northerly bit of the mainland. Directly below are some rocks that were putting on a little show with the sea until the tide came in and swamped the lot  

Great plans eh ? Aurora Watch App showed Orange until it started going dark, then flat lined. Nikon camera, 14mm lens, tripod, no action.

 

PS. Forgot to mention that in the North there was a low Milky Way arch due but the clouds built up and hid it. Really wasn't my night.

Edited April 29 by davew

[James]

Looks a lovely spot though Dave

[davew]

1 hour ago, James said:

Looks a lovely spot though Dave

One of the best of its type I'd say. The weather was quite pleasant and that made for a good walk at least

Dave.

[DirkSteele]

Last night was the BSIA star party in Regent’s Park. One attendee lent me his NV device which was a lot of fun but I did some transitional observing too! Took my APM LZOS 115 f/7. 
 

Here with the NV device.

And with the Televue 24mm Panoptic. Likely pointing at NGC 457 or the Double Cluster when I snapped the pic.

[Sunshine]

4 hours ago, DirkSteele said:

Last night was the BSIA star party in Regent’s Park. One attendee lent me his NV device which was a lot of fun but I did some transitional observing too! Took my APM LZOS 115 f/7. 
 

Here with the NV device.

And with the Televue 24mm Panoptic. Likely pointing at NGC 457 or the Double Cluster when I snapped the pic.

Beautiful telescope! I have always had an attraction to LZOS telescopes. What is the FL on the 115? I’m guessing around 800.

Edited May 8 by Sunshine

[DirkSteele]

34 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Beautiful telescope! I have always had an attraction to LZOS telescopes. What is the FL on the 115? I’m guessing around 800.

805mm

[IB20]

I’m glad I still own a decent reflector, although I’m now a refractor man there’s times of the year when only a big mirror will do. Ignore the construction zone in the background. 😅

[Froeng]

Northern Lights!

[SwiMatt]

Sun spots and kitty, what better setup? 🤩

[WolfieGlos]

Had the scope up and running during last nights magnificent Aurora displays, because why not? Data is pretty bad as expected, but it had been set up prior to the displays when we had some clear skies forecast.

Still, I don’t think I’ll ever get such a spectacular backdrop when it’s out imaging…

Edited Saturday at 22:39 by WolfieGlos

[TakMan]

Friday night - didn’t get any actual imaging done… probably due to that ‘damn unforecast cloud!’

 

Damian

[Grump Martian]

Cresent moon being observed with 80 mm Equinox and 22 mm Nagler. This was last Friday just before the aurora display.

[John]

A bit of moon watching this evening with the Tak FC100-DL and the Ethos 6mm for 150x wide lunar vistas 😁

[bosun21]

Out with the 10" dob on Saturday night for a tour of the globular clusters and a few galaxies before the moon waxes larger.

 

[Sunshine]

1 hour ago, John said:

A bit of moon watching this evening with the Tak FC100-DL and the Ethos 6mm for 150x wide lunar vistas 😁

Beautiful scope+beautiful eyepiece = beautiful views!

[John]

Different "lawn cannon" this evening for some more lunar enjoyment (I hope !) 🙂

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 18:02 by John
Spelling - added an n to canon so it does not seem as if I have a clergyman in my back yard !!!

[Vroobel]

4.15 am, it's time for flat frames. 

 

 

[Sunshine]

6 hours ago, Vroobel said:

4.15 am, it's time for flat frames. 

 

 

Wow! impressive looking rig, though at 4am I was flatter than your flat frames.

[bosun21]

9 hours ago, Vroobel said:

4.15 am, it's time for flat frames. 

 

 

Time for breakfast I should think.

[Rob]

21 hours ago, John said:

Different "lawn cannon" this evening for some more lunar enjoyment (I hope !) 🙂

 

 

How nice is that scope & mount John!.. scroll then come back for another look. Lucky chap