Jump to content

NLCbanner2024.jpg.2478be509670e60c2d6efd04834b8b47.jpg

How do Newt owners position their cameras for balance?

Tiny Small

By Tiny Small
in Discussions - Cameras

Recommended Posts

Tiny Small

Tiny Small

Posted
Posted

So, over the last few days and nights, I've been working to get my rig working properly. Part of this was resetting the worm gears and wheels as they have loosened off over the last year or so as a result of having to move the scope in and out of the garage for every use, though that won't be a problem anymore as I'm making a scope house for the garden so it can stay permanently set up :) ... lets just hope I have the backlash sorted out... it was massive; probably more than 30 arc minutes in BOTH axes! No wonder my guiding wouldn't work.

Anyway, the other thing I have been working on is balancing the scope on all axes that undergo a moment... the only place I can now position my camera is directly underneath the OTA parallel with the counter balance bar. Is this normal for a newt and if not, anyone got any suggestions?

Cheers

Matt

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
andrew s

andrew s

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, Tiny Small said:

the only place I can now position my camera is directly underneath the OTA parallel with the counter balance bar. Is this normal for a newt and if not, anyone got any suggestions?

That's how I do it. It minimises the required counter balance.

AS Obs2ismall.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tiny Small

Tiny Small

Posted
  • Author
Posted
13 minutes ago, uhb1966 said:

Hello Dear Matt,

Why dont you position the cam on the scope first to your liking, then move the OTA back / forth in the rings for one axis, then move the counterweights along their axis for the other?

 

 

I have a guide scope on the top of it with the guider dove tail screwed on to the main OTA tube rings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
steppenwolf

steppenwolf

Posted
Posted
Quote

the only place I can now position my camera is directly underneath the OTA parallel with the counter balance bar. Is this normal for a newt and if not, anyone got any suggestions?

This is the position that I always use - great balance at every orientation and the weight of the camera moved towards the mount thus reducing counterbalance requirements..

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jimboozle

jimboozle

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

This is the position that I always use - great balance at every orientation and the weight of the camera moved towards the mount thus reducing counterbalance requirements..

I do the same, and it works great. In fact, I'm pretty sure I read about it in a certain book, now available in its third edition from FLO...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Uranium235

Uranium235

Posted
Posted

Always parallel to the counterweight bar mate. Anywhere else will introduce an uneven balance.

Its the same reason why I always remove the finderscope after mount calibration... especially a 9x50, those things weigh a ton (well not quite, but they are heavy enough to upset the balance!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Adam J

Adam J

Posted
Posted
On 17/09/2016 at 21:27, Uranium235 said:

Always parallel to the counterweight bar mate. Anywhere else will introduce an uneven balance.

Its the same reason why I always remove the finderscope after mount calibration... especially a 9x50, those things weigh a ton (well not quite, but they are heavy enough to upset the balance!).

Yeah I remove mine too. I only ever use it with the first calibration star anyway. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Adam J

Adam J

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, stepping beyond said:

I've found that everything needs to be on the scope and removing some of it after calibration will throw the balance off , it takes time and patience to get it right.

No..... first you balance the scope without the finder in place. Then you attach the finder to the scope and use it to help locate the first calibration star in live view. Then you remove the finder scope thus returning it to perfect balance and you proceed to the remaining cal stars using live view with the scope in perfect balance as it was originally. Its much easier to get balance with one off axis weight on the scope in comparison with multiple off axis weights as you know the camera is always just pointing straight down to give balance. 

I am guessing OP ends up changing his balance after calibration anyway as he is using a finder guider and so would need to change the finder scope over in its mount anyhow. I mount my finder guider scope to the camera thread on the top of the rings to so that the mass is not off axis preventing this problem.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tiny Small

Tiny Small

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 15/09/2016 at 21:37, steppenwolf said:

This is the position that I always use - great balance at every orientation and the weight of the camera moved towards the mount thus reducing counterbalance requirements..

On an unrelated subject... where can I find the second part of your AZEQ6 review? I read the first bit on the FLO website and would like to know how it performs in the real world. Not that I have the brass handy to buy one.

For some reason, I haven't been getting notifications about this thread so had no idea so many people had replied. Thanks peeps :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Tiny Small said:

Pieter's work is beautiful. I very much like those massive diffraction spikes.

Indeed, he does lovely stuff. His scope is self built and has incredibly thin but deep spider vanes which give those signature spikes.

Olly

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.