Light weight set-up

[iantaylor2uk]

Have not posted too much recently as I've been putting together a new much lighter weight set-up. I realized that the heaviest scope I had (an Orion Optics CT8) is only around 9 or 10 kg (with rings and losmandy plate) and even with camera and guide scope should come in below 12 kg, whilst my lightest scope (a WO 81 GT IV) is only about 6 kg fully loaded, so I could go with a harmonic mount. (If I do use the 8" reflector on the RST 135 I'll probably use the counterweight even though it is below the 13.5 kg weight limit of the mount, whereas for the WO 81 GT IV and my Tak TSA 102 will probably not bother to use the counter weight). 

So a few weeks ago I took the plunge and went for an RST 135 mount which I'm using on a half-pier on an Innorel RT90C tripod. I realize I could have waited until the ZWO AM5 becomes available, but wasn't sure how long a wait there will be, and in addition, there are quite a few users of the RST 135 already out there using the mount and getting good results. This was all purchased through FLO who very quickly delivered all the goods which were well packed.   

The weight of the tripod, half pier, and RST-135 comes to only 7.5 kg. This compares to the Losmandy G11 head with heavy duty tripod which I have been using, which is 31 kg!

Unfortunately I came down with COVID about 4 weeks ago so was out of action for a while, but managed to get a session with the new set-up on Friday night - however the clouds soon rolled in so couldn't get the guiding checked out. Managed a quick shot of the moon, which is below. If the guiding is good, I may well end up getting rid of the Losmandy G11 (which is a great mount, but probably better suited to someone with heavier telescopes). My initial reactions are that the mount is fairly quiet, easy to polar align (with the ASI Air Pro) and is nice to use, although the handset seemed a bit quirky (although it may just need me to get used to it - it is quite different to the Losmandy Gemini 2 handset I've been using). Also the home position of the scope is facing west, whereas for the G11 it was with the scope facing towards the pole. 

I've also ordered a lithium battery pack so I can have pretty low weight set-up that I could potentially use at dark sites. 

Once I get a good dark night I'll report back on the guiding performance of the mount.