StellaLyra 8" dob - unboxing

[cajen2]

Hi folks 

Thought I'd bore you with a few pix of my latest acquisition.

Arrived about noon:

Unboxing pix:

 

[cajen2]

And some more! 😄

Sundry accessories... The Rigel was ordered separately!

And build / setup finished....only took three hours!

Final resting place (unless cajenette dictates otherwise! 😛

[Dark Vader]

Very nice! 

[cajen2]

First impressions: 

Beautifully built and finished - lighter than I was expecting.

Really good RACI finder.

Very smooth alt/az bearings 

Nice focuser (though I've never had a Crayford and it took me a while to learn how to adjust it).

The only negatives:

The end cap is crazily difficult to get on and off.

The alt bearings are adjustable to achieve balance, but you need an Allen key and take the OTA off to do it - a bit of a PITA.

You need the (supplied) extension to achieve focus on the 30mm 2" EP.

No build /adjustment instructions. Downloaded them from FLO's website, but it was just a list of parts and an exploded view.

BUT extremely pleased with it so far.

Edited March 15, 2022 by cajen2

[JeremyS]

Looks great 👍🏻 

[Swoop1]

A very nice looking scope @cajen2 BUT I find your lack of organisation in the DVD collection disturbing 😉

[cajen2]

4 minutes ago, Swoop1 said:

A very nice looking scope @cajen2 BUT I find your lack of organisation in the DVD collection disturbing 😉

Blame my daughter - every time she comes to visit, it ends up like this!

[cajen2]

All I need now is to check collimation and then first light! Probably a month from now.....😛

[cloudsweeper]

Very nice - I can feel the pleasure it's giving!  (Meanwhile, I've just ordered a humble focal reducer.)

Doug.

[Mr Spock]

Looks good. You'll be seeing my 12" unboxing shortly 

[Sunshine]

Very nice, congratulations! 

[Guest]

Looks exactly like my Orion Skyline

[Guest]

So things that you might want to add to it.  A dew heater.  I don't know about where you are but without one I can be dewed up in 45 minutes or less depending on the weather.  One for the OTA and one for the finder scope.  I hope you don't need it, but just make a mental note and stick it in the drawer 

[Louis D]

33 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Looks good. You'll be seeing my 12" unboxing shortly 

Keep it clean, this is a family oriented forum. 😙

[cajen2]

22 minutes ago, Mike Q said:

Looks exactly like my Orion Skyline

It's virtually the same scope, except for the RACI finder, cooling fan and (I think) the focuser.

[cajen2]

16 minutes ago, Mike Q said:

So things that you might want to add to it.  A dew heater.  I don't know about where you are but without one I can be dewed up in 45 minutes or less depending on the weather.  One for the OTA and one for the finder scope.  I hope you don't need it, but just make a mental note and stick it in the drawer 

Yes, already investigating heated dew shields .... I'll need a power supply too

 

[DrMike]

Terrific, thanks for sharing. Makes me quite envious.

[OK Apricot]

Very nice indeed, Cajen. Looking forward to the first light report. I bet its going to blow your old Heritage 150P out of the water 🤞

[Guest]

6 hours ago, cajen2 said:

It's virtually the same scope, except for the RACI finder, cooling fan and (I think) the focuser.

Nope....I have the same RACI, fan and focuser.  Mine is a 10 inch.  You will be very happy with it.

[cajen2]

2 hours ago, OK Apricot said:

Very nice indeed, Cajen. Looking forward to the first light report. I bet its going to blow your old Heritage 150P out of the water 🤞

Hope so too! Except possibly for portability....! Having said that, it's lighter than I expected.

[cajen2]

6 hours ago, Mike Q said:

So things that you might want to add to it.  A dew heater.  I don't know about where you are but without one I can be dewed up in 45 minutes or less depending on the weather.  One for the OTA and one for the finder scope.  I hope you don't need it, but just make a mental note and stick it in the drawer 

I'm near Bristol. Some viewing sessions were certainly curtailed by dew with my 150p Flextube dob because there's nowhere really to affix a dewshield on those.

I'm hoping that, between the RACI and the Rigel, something will show me where I am even if it's dewy! 😄

[Guest]

I would forward a suggest as to a couple cheap upgrades.  The springs that provide tension to the mirror cell, well they are ok, but definitely not the greatest.  You might want to upgrade those with better springs.  Second...the collimation screws for the primary.  Whether it's a screwdriver or Allen heads you will want to change those to thumb screws.  Now on this side of the pond Bob's Knobs in Indiana is the guy to see.  I am sure you have something similar on your side of the pond as well.

Edited February 18, 2022 by Guest

[Guest]

One more upgrade that I found works very well for me is a dual mount.  One holds the RACI and the other my laser.  When you get everything all lined up it makes bouncing from star to star easy.

[cajen2]

13 minutes ago, Mike Q said:

I would forward a suggest as to a couple cheap upgrades.  The springs that provide tension to the mirror cell, well they are ok, but definitely not the greatest.  You might want to upgrade those with better springs.  Second...the collimation screws for the primary.  Whether it's a screwdriver or Allen heads you will want to change those to thumb screws.  Now on this side of the pond Bob's Knobs in Indiana is the guy to see.  I am sure you have something similar on your side of the pond as well.

Actually, the SL already has colour-coded thumbscrews for the primary adjustment and locking. The springs....I'll wait and see.

7 minutes ago, Mike Q said:

One more upgrade that I found works very well for me is a dual mount.  One holds the RACI and the other my laser.  When you get everything all lined up it makes bouncing from star to star easy.

Well, the RACI came with a shoe and mount, and the extra Rigel Quickfinder will go to the side of that. I've adopted @Astro_Dad's idea of temporarily attaching the Rigel with magnets till I'm sure where it's best to go.

Edited February 18, 2022 by cajen2

[cajen2]

As I expected, Ms cajen came in, took one look at it and said, " It's huge! It's not staying there!" So didn't want to go to plan B (storing the two parts separately - didn't want the OTA standing on its end), so evolved plan C - under the stairs, along with some substantial furniture shifting. Even she's now happy....😉