Orion XT10g First Light...

[Astro Dave]

I recently purchased an Orion XT10g which will be replacing my Evolution mounted EdgeHD 8 and a 10" Zhummel Dob.

This scope will give me the extra aperture that the Zhummel has as well as the tracking and GoTo of the Evolution.

I made a few upgrades before I took it out for its first night under the stars...

• Center spotted the primary with Catseye's Hotspot (already have set of their collimation tools)
• Installed Protostar FlockBoard along the full length of the tube
• Replaced the focuser with a Moonlight CR focuser 
• Added a couple Farpoint lifting straps
• Added Bob's Knobs to the secondary holder.

 
Last night it had its first light.  Overall I'm quite happy.  

Collimation was easy as expected using Catseye's tools.  

Alignment (two-star) was similarly quite quick and easy.  Objects were found easily and well within, if not near the center of my lowest power, widest field eyepiece (17mm Ethos)

Skies were clear and transparency was above average.  Seeing wasn't the best so I kept to low powers.  Very impressed with the optical quality.  

Using my GSO coma corrector I got near perfect images even at the edge of a 100º field of view.  As was the case with my Zhummel Z10, the GSO corrector is plug-and-play.  No need to do any adjusting or fiddling.  

Panning around via the hand controller was very smooth.  No backlash noted.  

Now the only issue that I have is that the azimuth movement, manually that is, is very stiff.  Stiff to the point of really not possible without toppling the whole scope over.  I've already raised this concern with Orion and they are sending a new base out to me.

I'm hopeful that issue will be fixed. 

[Peter Drew]

I have the XT8i version and have been pleased with the performance of the optics and the "push-to" system.  The stiffness of the azimuth action can be adjusted via the central pivot bolt.     

Edited April 22, 2020 by Peter Drew

[Astro Dave]

13 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

I have the XT8i version and have been pleased with the performance of the optics and the "push-to" system.  The stiffness of the azimuth action can be adjusted via the central pivot bolt.     

Not on the GoTo mounts.  The Azimuth axis is "shrouded" with the encoders and motor so that there's no easy way to adjust it.

[Peter Drew]

I think mine was the simpler "Intelliscope" version, no motor just push-to.     🙂

[Astro Dave]

*** Update ***

My new XT10g's hand controller's buttons are not always responding.  The altitude buttons mostly don't work but every now and then they will kick in.  Similarly the Enter key and menu up/down buttons are sporadic in their response.

Orion sent me a new hand controller.   The buttons seem less sloppy than the original one.  Alas, this new one is giving me an error, saying it can't see either axis.   Another call to Orion tech support and they were unable to provide a solution.  They asked me to email their tech support team so I have and now I wait.

In the meantime I've been playing with the SynScan app on my iPhone.  I'm not sure yet that it would be a good replacement for the hand controller.  I much prefer physical buttons for slewing for their tactile response.  But I'm keeping an open mind.    More later.

[systemwiz]

Please enlighten me on how you got synscan to work on  your phone/xt10G I have the wifi adapter, but have never had any success. I am networking guy, and kt has me (and tech support) stumped

[systemwiz]

your XT10G is decked out real nice.  my favorite add on for mine is the laser pointer. Works like a dream. Aim, it at what you want to see and boom it is there in eyepiece.  if you can get my synscan working I will make and send you one.  I made it myself , and it makes the telerad seem like a joke.