Skywatcher ED80 order - what do I need?

[Snoopy71]

Hi All

I'm about to purchase an ED80 for astro photography and have quite a few items in my basket at FLO .

Would you mind casting your eye over my selections and let me know what is missing or what alternatives I should pick.

I will be attaching a modified 600D. I'm based in suburban Surrey, UK so presumably I'll need a light pollution filter of some sort.

Street lights are turned off in residential roads after midnight now to save money so that will help.

Many thanks in advance

 

 

[Ouroboros]

Is there a reason for not buying the SW flattener designed for this scope? Also I thought my ED80 came with a 2" to 1.25" adapter.  But then I bought the scope with a case which included several bits and bobs. 

[spillage]

I could be wrong but if you use the skywatcher ff then you can screw this directly to the focus tube and do away with the clicklock. It should also make is less prone to flexture.

[Snoopy71]

Good point on the FF, I'll change it to the skywatcher. 

[tooth_dr]

29 minutes ago, spillage said:

I could be wrong but if you use the skywatcher ff then you can screw this directly to the focus tube and do away with the clicklock. It should also make is less prone to flexture.

You can indeed. I upgraded to the clicklock and it’s very good. Makes rotation simpler. 

 

@Snoopy71 that’s the wrong clicklock. You need these:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-click-lock-2956256-m56-celestron-skywatcher.html

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/flo-adapter-for-skywatcher-focal-reducers.html

[Prador]

How do you intend to supply power to the dew controller and cameras?

[Snoopy71]

There is a two port Dew controller with DSLR power in the list. I also have a two battery extended grip for the 600D. Thanks for checking, I want to and order as much as I can in one go. 

[Prador]

All of those bits and bobs will require their own power source. The only power source you have on the list is the Lynx Astro 12v 5A supply. That's fine for the mount but the rest will need something too.

Can I ask where you intend to have your gear set up? The reason I ask is whether it will be reasonably close to a household 240 outlet or whether battery power may be needed.

[Snoopy71]

For the most part I will be using it in the garden very close to 240 outlets

[Snoopy71]

I ordered one of these from amazon

Masterplug WBXBFG10B Outdoor IP54 Weatherproof Box with 13amp 4 Socket 10 meter Extension Lead - Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0062GTL42/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Jb.JCb2QVJJKC

 

 

[Prador]

Cool, you have a 240v source near your set-up. You have the 12v supply to the mount in the form of the Lynx Astro power brick.

The dew controller is just that - a controller. It requires a 12v power source to feed the dew heater tapes. I'm sure you can get some form of splitter for the Lynx Astro but running the mount and heater tapes might push the 5A capacity a bit far.

[Snoopy71]

Thanks for the clarification. So it sounds like I'll need a second Lynx Astro and a female cigarette to DC.

Is that correct?

[Ouroboros]

2 hours ago, spillage said:

I could be wrong but if you use the skywatcher ff then you can screw this directly to the focus tube and do away with the clicklock. It should also make is less prone to flexture.

Erm. .... Well, may be I'm connecting the Skywatcher flattener wrongly but what I do is to screw a 2" adapter (left) to the flattener, which in turn is connected to the DSLR adapter and camera (right). 

I'm always slightly worried the 2" adapter will slip out of the focuser. So I tend to loop the DSLR's strap over the guide camera bracket just in case the worst happens.  

[Prador]

21 minutes ago, Snoopy71 said:

Thanks for the clarification. So it sounds like I'll need a second Lynx Astro and a female cigarette to DC.

Is that correct?

Yes that's correct.

There may be a neater solution that other members use. I'm a visual type of guy so not coming from an informed position. What I will say is dont be tempted by a cheapo generic supply. Using an astro retailer will virtually ensure the power supply will be and remain fit for purpose and not kill a 1k mount.

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, Ouroboros said:

Erm. .... Well, may be I'm connecting the Skywatcher flattener wrongly but what I do is to screw a 2" adapter (left) to the flattener, which in turn is connected to the DSLR adapter and camera (right). 

I'm always slightly worried the 2" adapter will slip out of the focuser. So I tend to loop the DSLR's strap over the guide camera bracket just in case the worst happens.  

You can remove the 2" black bit off the silver focus tube itself and connect the 0.85x FF to the silver metal tube directly.  I did have mine the way you current do above, but TBH, it wasn't very secure, so I bought the clicklock.  It is much better, expensive though.

[Ouroboros]

16 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

You can remove the 2" black bit off the silver focus tube itself and connect the 0.85x FF to the silver metal tube directly.  I did have mine the way you current do above, but TBH, it wasn't very secure, so I bought the clicklock.  It is much better, expensive though.

OK. I didn't know that.  I just got the bits as supplied and assumed that was the way to do it.  It does have the advantage of being able to rotate the whole assembly to compose the subject. Presumably that's also true of the click lock is it? 

[Anthonyexmouth]

Click lock all the way, but order the correct one for the thread on the ED80. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-click-lock-2956256-m56-celestron-skywatcher.html

[tooth_dr]

1 minute ago, Ouroboros said:

OK. I didn't know that.  I just got the bits as supplied and assumed that was the way to do it.  It does have the advantage of being able to rotate the whole assembly to compose the subject. Presumably that's also true of the click lock is it? 

You can actually easily rotate the other way too as there is a small locking ring that is butted up against the FF.  Long story short - I bought a used ED80 and it came with the Click Lock.  I was so impressed I bought a second one to go with my existing ED80.

[tooth_dr]

1 minute ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

Click lock all the way, but order the correct one for the thread on the ED80. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-click-lock-2956256-m56-celestron-skywatcher.html

As I quoted further up the thread

[Anthonyexmouth]

2 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

As I quoted further up the thread

So you did. getting lazy with my reading. im on my phone so thats my excuse. 

[Snoopy71]

Many thanks for all your advice. One item I hadn't selected was a light pollution filter.

Does anyone have any recommendations for one that isn't going to break the bank?

Thanks again! 

[spillage]

Sorry don't want to hijack the thread but if you use the clicklock and rotate the camera does this not mean you need to take new calibration data every time its moved.

I have in the past used both a baader 2" lp filter and a clip in type when I had a dslr.

Have a look here.

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, spillage said:

Sorry don't want to hijack the thread but if you use the clicklock and rotate the camera does this not mean you need to take new calibration data every time its moved.

You will new flats, but darks and bias will be ok.