Help required mounting Starsense to ES ED80

[CrashEd]

Hi all,

I've recently acquired an Explore Scientific ED80CF to use on my Evolution/AVX mounts. I'll be using it with an Atik Infinity camera and Starsense for alignment. 

The hope is to mount an RDF and a Starsense camera, but at the very least, the Starsense only. I'd like to use the bigger SS mount as it will allow me to swap it between this an my C6 tube without the use of Allen keys etc. See the images below for reference. As you can see, there's not a huge amount of space. I'm guessing that the existing mount can be removed and the RDF can replace it. Should be easy enough... How would I mount the SS though given that the tube has a foot and not rings? Could I add a set of clamshell rings for the SS? Is this wise on a CF tube? 

If anyone has any better ideas then please let me know! 

Cheers,

Ed

 

 

 

[CrashEd]

Measured the tube diameter and its 94mm. Can anyone recommend where I can get some tube rings to fit it?

[JG777]

You could try a double finder scope bracket like this https://www.telescopehouse.com/orion-dual-finder-scope-mounting-bracket.html or a similar one that sits flush to the scope. But that means you will still need to use the other smaller fixing bracket that comes with SS and no gaurantee there is enough real estate around your scope for them to live side by side ,could be tight. 

Yes it's a pain going from one bracket type to the other but you could add a standard holder to the C6 tube instead of using the bigger Celestron one to hold your SS in place. That would bring some compatibility across the two scopes assuming there is enough room for the duel holder on your refractor. 

 

[newbie alert]

Starsense is a star alignment aid.. yes it has ASPA on it but you already have that in the handset of your AVX..

Not really going to help you with imaging

[CrashEd]

22 hours ago, JG777 said:

You could try a double finder scope bracket like this https://www.telescopehouse.com/orion-dual-finder-scope-mounting-bracket.html or a similar one that sits flush to the scope. But that means you will still need to use the other smaller fixing bracket that comes with SS and no gaurantee there is enough real estate around your scope for them to live side by side ,could be tight. 

Yes it's a pain going from one bracket type to the other but you could add a standard holder to the C6 tube instead of using the bigger Celestron one to hold your SS in place. That would bring some compatibility across the two scopes assuming there is enough room for the duel holder on your refractor. 

 

Thanks, looks as though it could be an option. 

[CrashEd]

Yes, the smaller bracket might be the only option. A calibration would be required either way, negating the need for a 'repeatable' mount, so this might be the only solution. 

[JG777]

I understand you can store different calibrations for different scopes in SS so adding a standard Vixen foot to your C6 would provide a solution,  and the duel foot to your refractor if you need an RDF as well. 

[CrashEd]

2 hours ago, JG777 said:

I understand you can store different calibrations for different scopes in SS so adding a standard Vixen foot to your C6 would provide a solution,  and the duel foot to your refractor if you need an RDF as well. 

Didn't know you could do that - that solves a problem. Many thanks. 

[CrashEd]

If I were to go with rings what would be a suitable type to use given the 94mm diameter?