To dual or not to dual.....

[daz]

So, my Esprit 100 sits very nicely on my AZ-EQ6 and I am toying with the plan of dual-mounting with my ED72 - it will make it easier switching the camera between them, certainly.

Assuming I get solid mountings for the dual bars, and a good balance - is there anything else I should worry about?

Cheers!

[tooth_dr]

Hi Daz.

I run a dual set up but have two cameras. Balancing is not at all difficult but may be a pain if you are constantly changing the camera between two scopes.  I guess if not imaging through both then it’s extra weight being carried for no benefit. 

[Captain Scarlet]

I fairly regularly mount a dual setup on my AZ-EQ6, for visual use, see the image below. The problem I had was that the secondary saddle when attached doesn't quite point in the same direction as the main one: it has elevation adjustment but bafflingly no side-to-side adjustment. It was very annoying, so I resorted to inserting a heavyish-duty guidescope alt-az mounting in between, which worked but was not cheap. Your Mount may be better engineered in this respect.

This: https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/baader-stronghold-tangent-assembly.html a lovely piece of engineering...

 

 

Cheers, Magnus

[AngryDonkey]

I think hat it only really makes sense if you are imaging with both scopes at the same time. Otherwise I would keep it as is.

[Gina]

I have used dual rigs for imaging but only with two similar scopes or lenses and for real dual imaging where I'm imaging with both at the same time.  I tried a triple rig for NB DSO imaging but getting alignment of 3 scopes and camera orientation was too much hassle.

[michaelmorris]

Hi Daz

It certainly would make sense if you have permanent set up, less of an advantage if you have to set it up every night.  The real advantage would come if you want to do imaging through both scopes simultaneously.

The ADM dual mounting bars are VERY solid.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adm-losmandy-type-d-series/adm-losmandy-style-dual-mounting-bar.html

 

 

[DaveS]

This is my dual rig. The main 'scope is a TS Photoline 130 f/7 triplet with SX Trius 694, the secondary 'scope is a TS Imaging Star 80 f/4.4 with ASI183.

I don't, currently, use both at once, but it saves having to rebalance if I want to change 'scopes. It also helps with fine balancing around the Dec axis. The dew shield of e 130 is retracted.

[daz]

Thanks all - Imaging through both at the same time is perhaps a longer term plan - it was around the convenience of having the choice of scope and having them already mounted.....

 

[geordie85]

Here is my dual setup. Flt98 and QHY183M on the left. Wo star 71 and qhy183c on the right for colour. The star 71 is sat atop a skywatcher guide scope mount for alignment to my main main imaging scope. 

I use app to combine both sets of data. 

[MattJenko]

My dual setup. Bit  different in that I don't image with both at same time, but both can act as either the guider or the main imager so it is a flexible setup in that depending on what I want to image, I can use either. I have subsequently added an Eagle controller, so the whole thing can just be put on the mount and plugged in.

 

AA115 with Atik 414ex and TS60ED with ASI1600.

Edited September 9, 2019 by MattJenko
kit specs added

[kirkster501]

On 05/09/2019 at 11:01, Captain Magenta said:

I fairly regularly mount a dual setup on my AZ-EQ6, for visual use, see the image below. The problem I had was that the secondary saddle when attached doesn't quite point in the same direction as the main one: it has elevation adjustment but bafflingly no side-to-side adjustment. It was very annoying, so I resorted to inserting a heavyish-duty guidescope alt-az mounting in between, which worked but was not cheap. Your Mount may be better engineered in this respect.

This: https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/baader-stronghold-tangent-assembly.html a lovely piece of engineering...

 

 

Cheers, Magnus

Most ingenious to use the other scope as a weight, first time I have seen that done..  Most ingenious indeed. 

How did you get the saddle of the "counterbalance" telescope to grip the counterweight bar?

You have got me thinking......

[vlaiv]

3 minutes ago, kirkster501 said:

Most ingenious to use the other scope as a weight, first time I have seen that done..  Most ingenious indeed. 

How did you get the saddle of the "counterbalance" telescope to grip the counterweight bar?

You have got me thinking......

I think it is mostly practical for Alt/Az type of mount, and above is AzEq6 - it comes with this adapter.

I've seen adapters to do it regardless, here is one for example:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p229_TS-Optics-Piggyback-Camera-Holder-for-D-20-mm-Counterweight-Shafts.html

(that one is for camera or maybe finderscope, or lightweight rig).

Geoptik also makes "generic" ones like this:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5555_Geoptik-Counterweight-Shaft-Adapter---diameter-25mm.html

 

[Captain Scarlet]

37 minutes ago, kirkster501 said:

Most ingenious to use the other scope as a weight, first time I have seen that done..  Most ingenious indeed. 

How did you get the saddle of the "counterbalance" telescope to grip the counterweight bar?

You have got me thinking......

Yes as @vlaiv says, this mount comes as standard with a special "2nd scope saddle" which screws and clamps onto the end of the counterweight bar through a hole in its centre. By its nature, clamping onto the small flat end of the bar, it's unlikely naturally to be in parallel plane to the main scope saddle, and in my case it certainly wasn't. It has a pair of adjusters for one axis, up/down, but not for the other (left/right). I've read of others on here who've complained about the same problem.

BTW the manual advises not to use both counterweights and a 2nd scope, which obviously I've chosen to ignore here.

M

Edited September 9, 2019 by Captain Magenta

[Gina]

Very interesting.