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150PL f/8 Super Planetary Newt / OO 1/12PV miror etc.

johninderby

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johninderby

johninderby

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SkyWatcher 150PL f/8 Super Planetary Newt / OO 1/12PV mirror etc.

This is a project that I have been working on for a little while but it's finally finished. I had been strongly considerirg getting one of OO's 6" f/11 dobs as a specialist plantary / lunar dob when the chance to get a set of OO f/8 1/12PV mirrors at a good price came along.

I bought the new and unused 150mm f/8 1/12PV Hilux Orion Optics UK mirror set from a fellow SGL member (abandoned project) who had special ordered them from OO. The OO Ultra garde mirrors are only 1/10PV but they can supply them to a higher spec if required. The mirror set came with an American made CNC 6 point mirror cell. I wouldn't have ordered the mirror cell myself as while it's a work of art, it's also nearly £200.00 imported. ;) BTW OO doesn't make a 6" CNC mirror cell.

A SkyWatcher 150PL OTA was the obvious choice for the project as it's very well made and the right focal length. The only problem was that it only came with a basic 1.25" rack and pinion focuser. I fitted a 2" crayford which wasn't really a difficult job although enlarging the focuser hole in the OTA was a bit tedious. Here's a previous thread that shows how the focuser was fitted.

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/119323-fitting-2-focuser-skywatcher-150pl-newt-ota.html

I was able to fit the CNC mirror cell to the Skywatcher tube end ring. There were three mounting points that projected out from the new cell that had to be trimmed off so that he cell would fit down into the SkyWatcher end ring. Then fortunately three large screw holes in the end ring lined up perfectly with three mounting holes in the new cell so it was a simple matter of fitting the screws with some spacers between the end ring and the new cell. The mirror is held in place by there blobs of silicone around the edge of the mirror. I fitted a cooling fan as there was a mounting place for it but just how useful it will be on a 6" low expansion mirror is another matter. The CNC mirror cell came from Optical Supports.

http://www.opticalsupports.com/mirror_cells.html

Then just a few odds and ends such as a Telrad finder and a carry handle (from WDS Ltd) that bolts onto the tube rings. Originally I had intended to build a dob base for it but when the SkyWatcher Skytee 2 Alt-Az mount with slo-mo controls came out that looked like the perfect solution, and of course it will also be used for other scopes. The 150PL OTA moves very, very smoothly with no trace of "stiicktion" , The slo-mo controls are also nice and smooth,, The ability to smoothly move the scope into position and then use the slo-mo controls to track your target will make it a pleasure to use, The OTA balances perfectly at any angle.

I had hoped to be able give a first light report, but night after night of grey skies since completing the project have put paid to that temporarily, but one of these nights I will look up and see clear skies, The cloud can't go on forever can it. :)

John

PS

I had thought of putting it on a standard SkyWatcher dob base and telling anyone who looked through it that it was just a standard SkyWatcher dob :p:evil6::(

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JAO

JAO

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John

What a great project and an excellent report of your labours to date. You really have created a "Wolf in sheeps clothing!"

Can I ask about the American mirror cell? Is it a Ken Novak.

Also the Sky Tee looks like it was designed for this scope.

Very much looking forward to your first light report.

Adrian

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johninderby

johninderby

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John

What a great project and an excellent report of your labours to date. You really have created a "Wolf in sheeps clothing!"

Can I ask about the American mirror cell? Is it a Ken Novak.

Also the Sky Tee looks like it was designed for this scope.

Very much looking forward to your first light report.

Adrian

Thanks for your kind comments.

The mirror cell is from Optical Supports.

http://www.opticalsupports.com/mirror_cells.html

I have heard tha someone is using a 250PX OTA on the Skytee 2 so it looks like there is plenty of spare capacity. This mount is really taking off big time as t just simply works so well.

I have to admit the thought of a Celestron C9,25 on it is very. very tempting. Maybe next year:icon_scratch:

John

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JAO

JAO

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John

Thanks for the information. I see what you mean bout the expense of the cell. That said they look superb and a mirror of the quality your are using does deserve it.

I had a good look at the Sky Tee at Astrofest. It looked great and as you say bags more capcity in addition to your "souped up six"

Adrian

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andrew956

andrew956

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looking good John do you like the mount?? I am still waiting for mine to come out of the workshop at Orion Optics after the mod to fit the vixen half pillar. And i am also waiting for my f/11 to come out of there aswell i will be posting pics when i get it all here so watch this space the f/8 looks well mate by the way.

Andy

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johninderby

johninderby

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looking good John do you like the mount?? I am still waiting for mine to come out of the workshop at Orion Optics after the mod to fit the vixen half pillar. And i am also waiting for my f/11 to come out of there aswell i will be posting pics when i get it all here so watch this space the f/8 looks well mate by the way.

Andy

I'm very pleased with the mount. Movement is very smooth and I find the OTA stays where you put it without the need to lock the Alt axis. I find with the small diameter OTA I can easily reach the slo-mo controls without the need for fitting flexible extension knobs.

The SkyWatcher OTA is actually very solidly made so it's ideal for this type of project.

I'm still waiting for a first light. Last night looked outside and it was completely clear but when I went outside 15 minutes later to set up the scope it was wall to wall cloud. :)

John

Edit:

I can see the Skytee 2 mount becoming a popular alternative to the dob mount for a lot of people.

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LMC

LMC

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Wow!

That mount is a LOT bigger than it loks in pics!. I'm a big advocate of Newts on Alt/Az mounts.

That's a magnificent job you've done converting the scope. Looks better than OEM. :)

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johninderby

johninderby

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Wow!

That mount is a LOT bigger than it loks in pics!. I'm a big advocate of Newts on Alt/Az mounts.

That's a magnificent job you've done converting the scope. Looks better than OEM. :)

Yes the Skytee 2 mount is a substatial piece of kit and it reminds me of an EQ5 mount in size and weight.

John

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johninderby

johninderby

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Brief First Light

Had the chance the other night for a first light. While the skies were clear there seemed to be a lot of patchy high mist and so seeing wasn't as good as I had hoped.

My old favourite M42 was well placed though and A, B, C, D of the Trapezium were particularly clear and sharp and I could just barely make out E and F . I then put the 3.7 SX Ethos in, and while the Trapezium wasn't any better, the nebula itself was simply stunning. An amazing amount of detail and structure could be seen and while the nebula was grey some hints of green were evident. This was no fuzzy little cloud. :) Considering how good the views were with the high mist I can't wait for some properly clear skies. By the time I'd finished with M42 Jupiter was hidden behind some houses and by the time Saturn should have been visible the misty patches were getting worse. Perhaps I shouldn't have spent so much time on M42. :(

Views weren't that bad even without any cool down time but after about 20 minutes it had settled down properly. Star testing showed excellent in and out-focus results The scope works brilliantly with the Skytee 2 mount with very smooth movements and I found I could use it like a regular dob but of course the slo-mo controls make it much easier to track at high powers So far the scope has really exceeded my expectations.

John

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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this is a stunning set up John. I am seriously considering putting my 6" f11 on a Skytee/pillar in due course but hope my home made EQ platform will make this unnecessary

I will be really interested how this does with planetary views. maybe someday we can have a shootout!

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Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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Brilliant bit of equipment, glad you managed a test of it John, I had a look, my 1st through a 13mm Ethos, on my 925 at the Trapezuim, could only make out E so tried a 7mm Nagler which seemed to much mag and did'nt reveal anything on either E or F but was fun trying them both though :(

good luck with the new set up :)

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  • 4 weeks later...
johninderby

johninderby

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Update

Sorted out the finders and now have the Telrad and 9x50 RA where I want them. Now after looking through the Telrad I barely have to move my head to look through the 9x50.

While the seeing conditions have been poor lately the scope has still been performing brilliantly and has given me lunar/planetary views much better than I ever expected from a mere 6" of aperture. :icon_eek: So is a 1/12PV mirror worth it? I'd have to say definitely for a lunar/planetary specialist scope. You really can tell the difference compared to standard optics.

John

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