Advice please on Esprit 100ED wide-field imaging setup.

[Taman]

I am thinking of putting a moderate size refractor on top of my SCT. It's a Celestron C11 on an i-Optron CEM60EC mount. I am looking at the Skywatcher Esprit 100ED as a possibility and think that the mount should just be able to cope with the combination. It will be used for imaging only.

The first problem is the Losmandy dovetail on the Esprit. I already have a Vixen style rail to fit to the top of the C11 and two ADM F/F Vixen to Vixen clamps. What length dovetail would I need to replace the one on the Esprit? and standard or wide fitting?

I also have a Skywatcher 50mm Evoguide guide-scope that I would like to fit to the top of the Esprit to keep everything balanced. The only option I have found so far, is a second dovetail across the top of the rings and two ADM 70mm rings with Vixen clamps. This seems a rather expensive way to do it, so any suggestions on a better way?

Finally, I will be using a ZWO ASI294MC Pro together with the Esprit flattener. Do I need any extra spacers or adaptors with this?

Thoughts on any of this welcome. Thanks for looking.

 

Edited May 24, 2020 by Taman

[Adam J]

28 minutes ago, Taman said:

I am thinking of putting a moderate size refractor on top of my SCT. It's a Celestron C11 on an i-Optron CEM60EC mount.

 

I am looking at the Skywatcher Esprit 100ED as a possibility and think that the mount should just be able to cope with the combination. It will be used for imaging only.

 

The first problem is the Losmandy dovetail on the Esprit. I already have a Vixen style rail to fit to the top of the C11 and two ADM F/F Vixen to Vixen clamps. What length dovetail would I need to replace the one on the Esprit? and standard or wide fitting?

 

I also have a Skywatcher 50mm Evoguide guide-scope that I would like to fit to the top of the Esprit to keep everything balanced. The only option I have found so far, is a second dovetail across the top of the rings and two ADM 70mm rings with Vixen clamps. This seems a rather expensive way to do it, so any suggestions on a better way?

 

Finally, I will be using a ZWO ASI294MC Pro together with the Esprit flattener. Do I need any extra spacers or adaptors with this?

 

Thoughts on any of this welcome. Thanks for looking.

 

I have a vixen on my Esprit 100 am replacing it with a larger losmandy. The Esprit is heavy and I found that it was shifting in the rings after a flip causing the target to require significant recentering. A the vixen was not preventing the two rings from twisting slightly in respect to one another.

Adam

Edited May 24, 2020 by Adam J

[Taman]

19 minutes ago, Adam J said:

I have a vixen on my Esprit 100 am replacing it with a larger losmandy. The Esprit is heavy and I found that it was shifting in the rings after a flip causing the target to require significant recentering. A the vixen was not preventing the two rings from twisting slightly in respect to one another.

Adam

Thanks Adam. I was hoping to get away with not spending hundreds of pounds on extra hardware. Is there only one fixing bolt in the centre of the rings?

[Adam J]

3 minutes ago, Taman said:

Thanks Adam. I was hoping to get away with not spending hundreds of pounds on extra hardware. Is there only one fixing bolt in the centre of the rings?

No 5 bolts top and bottom of each ring they are imperial with a 2 inch spacing I think.

You can get away with a vixen, if you are willing to put up with recentering after the flip. Also I would not mount a guide scope to the Esprit in that case as it will flex on the rings as the weight shifts. Normally vixen is fine on 100mm refractors from what I have seen but the Esprit 100 really is a lump.

Adam

 

[Taman]

2 minutes ago, Adam J said:

No 5 bolts top and bottom of each ring they are imperial with a 2 inch spacing I think.

You can get away with a vixen, if you are willing to put up with recentering after the flip. Also I would not mount a guide scope to the Esprit in that case as it will flex on the rings as the weight shifts. Normally vixen is fine on 100mm refractors from what I have seen but the Esprit 100 really is a lump.

Adam

 

Just seen the price of a Losmandy to Vixen adaptor, £149, ouch!

Do you think having the guide-scope slightly off centre will affect the balance? That's the only reason I was considering putting it on top.

Tony