Exploring with an old friend

[Helen]

Last night I decided to test an option for a mobile set up for use while I'm away from home at the OU in Milton Keynes.  So I set up the de-forked ETX125 Mak on the azgti mount.  I learned a few things... the screw on the etx to standard eyepiece holder adapter is a bit small and fiddly, the rings I have are a bit too big (even with cork padding), the WO dovetail I moved from a WO scope doesn't quite have the same profile as a standard vixen dovetail (and this combined with a dual fit adm dovetail holder can lead to moments of stress... 🥺), the tube can survive a drop onto frosty grass 👀, the scope is back heavy and adding a asi1600 makes it worse, BUT despite the ETX mechanics being awful (the focusser needs major remedial work) the optics are really rather nice! 

So, I need to have some fun fettling 😉 On the list are: adjusted rings, a standard vixen fit longer dovetail bar for better fit and to allow moving scope forward for balance, maybe a small counterweight for the front of the scope, a better eyepiece holder (will need to research this), and a better way of focussing (maybe motorised external and motorised, but need to watch for more balance issues!).

But even unfettled I managed this 2-pane mosaic with an asi 1600c (through some high cloud).  I'm quite pleased wih it

This scope was my 40th birthday present and so I'm pleased that having shed its inferior mount (an exercise in frustration!) it can still give me a lot of pleasure 

Helen

[barkis]

Not a bad effort at all Helen, considering on site fixes required. 
There's nothing new finding problems you didn't know existed until zero hour
arrives. The remedial fixes can be made permanent when you get it all  into the surgery
and really go to work on it.  
Even so, I'm not sure how much better it would  be to outdo the above image.
We await round two 😀.
Best Wishes
Ron.

Edited February 6, 2020 by barkis

[happy-kat]

That's a good Moon, nice and detailed but not over sharpened

[Helen]

Been fettling a bit 🙂  Padded rings, nice solid ADM dovetail, new red dot finder (thanks @Frank the Troll) and a particularly high tech focus knob aid 😉

 

And another lunar mosaic 🙂 

Helen

[Frank the Troll]

Cracking shot