SW 72ED stellar mira flattener and rotator back focus

[TiffsAndAstro]

17 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

It's looking good. Though not M51 above its NGC3077 I think. 👍

Lee 

Pretty sures it's bodes my camera is rotated as it tracks? Rotate your red image all my three blurry galaxies line up?

[TiffsAndAstro]

40 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

The stars look good in all the corners and no back focus issues I can see. 

It was really windy out ladt night when I was trying for the milky-way with dslr, so I'm not sure where you are but the wind will play havoc with guiding unless really sheltered. I found the 72ed was better on bigger targets and never really bothered with to many galaxies. I did do M31, M33, M51 and M81&82. But found it was at the limit. 

Lee 

Wow. I'd love to get even close to your images, but I at least feel I now have the gear to try.

Andromeda, the best of the galaxies is too low for me now. Not many other big DSO about that I know of. But there are a lot of dsos I have never even heard of, so I'll keep looking. 

And yeah wind. I'm fairly sure that's why phd2 was bonging away. Might be another hour or two this evening can try guiding again. I swear if I move on the patio I'm on, which is pretty solid, the graph would jump up past +4 pixels, which looked bad. If I changed the scale it looked less dramatic I just have little context for stuff like that I notice.

[TiffsAndAstro]

50 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

My dew sheild pulled off and had a felt strip attached to the scope. Will take a photo when I'm home. 

I wouldn't bother cleaning the element unless it's really dirty, you'd be surprised how much dirt doesn't bother the image. 

Lee 

I'm reluctant to try too much force. I could see the crap in my lights, but the magic of flats got rid in post still had to clean it after though.

I even used Nina flat wizard and it's incredible 

[TiffsAndAstro]

34 minutes ago, WolfieGlos said:

Here's mine.

I did have to hold onto the "black plastic" on the end of the front element and essentially twist them in opposite directions to loosen it, and it was a little tight, but the dew shield definitely comes away.

I

Ty will use this as reference and be braver

[TiffsAndAstro]

52 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

It's looking good. Though not M51 above its NGC3077 I think. 👍

Lee 

Some confusion sorry. I imaged m51 and seperately bodes/cigar but I also posted my previous best of m51 showing 2 hours versus 13 mins with my new scope.

 

I like m51. It's always visible (it seems) so it's a good target for testing.

Plus, it's destroying it's neighbour. How could anyone not like that? Apart from that neighbour  and live for a billion years.

 

Must remember to tell my actual neighbour that unnecessary nighttime garden lighting leads to galactic destruction. So turn them off

[AstroNebulee]

33 minutes ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

Some confusion sorry. I imaged m51 and seperately bodes/cigar but I also posted my previous best of m51 showing 2 hours versus 13 mins with my new scope.

No the confusion was all mine haha. I thought you meant above in the image of M81&82. 

Regarding the dew sheild on mine I had a look and it's the felt variety. 

Good luck with your imaging journey, you're well on the way now. I never liked spring as not into galaxies with the 72ed and also lighter evenings. Late summer into autumn you'll have so many to choose from just remember to concentrate on one target and get several hours on it especially nebula, I used to get 5 hours if possible. 

Lee 

[TiffsAndAstro]

1 hour ago, WolfieGlos said:

Here's mine.

I did have to hold onto the "black plastic" on the end of the front element and essentially twist them in opposite directions to loosen it, and it was a little tight, but the dew shield definitely comes away.

I

mine only unscrews with the black plastic looking part on the left inside the white part to the right  so that the white part on the right contains the front element when detached.

i could maybe try clamping the left hand bit and then sliding (?) the hood off, but shouldn't need that much force and i don't have a clamp. I'll mention it to FLO on monday see what they think. Id be surprised if im the first to have this happen. front element needs a clean too  At least i put the screw back in its correct place lol

[TiffsAndAstro]

1 minute ago, AstroNebulee said:

No the confusion was all mine haha. I thought you meant above in the image of M81&82. 

Regarding the dew sheild on mine I had a look and it's the felt variety. 

Good luck with your imaging journey, you're well on the way now. I never liked spring as not into galaxies with the 72ed and also lighter evenings. Late summer into autumn you'll have so many to choose from just remember to concentrate on one target and get several hours on it especially nebula, I used to get 5 hours if possible. 

Lee 

I like spiral galaxies and i'd like them to fill my fov more Hopefully i can get a imx185 based cam in the not too distant future and this looks like it will help fill that fov with the smaller ones

i will have another go trying to pull it, but, if i can unscrew that front element holder with the lens cover, i'm guessing it will need more force than im prepared to risk

[TiffsAndAstro]

12 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

No the confusion was all mine haha. I thought you meant above in the image of M81&82. 

Regarding the dew sheild on mine I had a look and it's the felt variety. 

Good luck with your imaging journey, you're well on the way now. I never liked spring as not into galaxies with the 72ed and also lighter evenings. Late summer into autumn you'll have so many to choose from just remember to concentrate on one target and get several hours on it especially nebula, I used to get 5 hours if possible. 

Lee 

i have a wishlist and a fallback. m51 (and maybe now i know it exists) markarian's chain are my fall backs as they're high up and seem always in view. I will definitely  focus one object for as many hours in one evening as i can, once im dialed in  

[TiffsAndAstro]

So just want to say Ty again for everything everyone contributed to this thread. 

My scope had to go back cos the lens hood was welded on. Even Flo couldn't move it. Flo have been pretty amazing wrt to this, and I'm a old cynic.

I took the opportunity to send back the rotator i doubt I'll use. And after reading this thread and a video from 6 years ago, I decided I also didn't like my image train hanging out the back held on by me remembering to tighten two iffy screws. Even if getting reasonable back focus seemed easy.

So I bought the m48 (I think it is?) adapter and can screw it all together. Possibly back focus won't be perfect but I can try than £17 set of spacers?

Is there anything I'm missing? I assume the replacement will be the later model like I think my original was.

I'm only very noob, but this seems a really capable imaging machine, if I can improve my skills a fair bit.

I liked the focuser. Out of a sample size of one ;(

[PhilB61]

I'm sure FLO will sort you with the correct adapter so long as you have told them exactly what your image train is. From my recollection the SW72 has an unusual focus tube thread pitch but FLO had some adapters specifically made. The only issue you may have is that without the rotator the camera may end up at an unusual angle when fully screwed on. This was not an issue with the slide in nose piece as you could obviously tighten up in any orientation. 

[TiffsAndAstro]

12 minutes ago, PhilB61 said:

I'm sure FLO will sort you with the correct adapter so long as you have told them exactly what your image train is. From my recollection the SW72 has an unusual focus tube thread pitch but FLO had some adapters specifically made. The only issue you may have is that without the rotator the camera may end up at an unusual angle when fully screwed on. This was not an issue with the slide in nose piece as you could obviously tighten up in any orientation. 

Yeah it's a possibility but I'm hoping I can rotate the OTA in it's rings to compensate.

Flo been pretty amazing, just let down by DPD.

And yes it's the weird adapter cos the focuser has non standard threads?

Edited April 17 by TiffsAndAstro