OOOPS : Gone and done it .......

[Catanonia]

Like a kiddy at Christmas went shopping and well I bought..


Skywatcher ED 120 Pro Diamond Scope
HEQ6 Goto SkyScan Mount.
Imaging camera with Shoestring USB guider kit.


mmmmmm, Ok so now will have ED 120 with an ED80 as a guider scope all on board a proper heavy duty goto mount with pictures being take via the ED 120 with a Sony DSLR A700



Anyone want to buy a EQ5 motorised mount with COAA WinCTC goto software box for lets say £350 ????

[Adrena1in]

Good god man, you don't stop!! This time next week you'll be buying an Astrophysics AP1200 mount and a couple of Takahashi scopes!!!!

[Catanonia]

Good god man, you don't stop!! This time next week you'll be buying an Astrophysics AP1200 mount and a couple of Takahashi scopes!!!!

Don't give me ideas :)


http://www.astro-sharp.com/AP1200.asp

mmmmmmmmm

/Cat wonders off to google search those scopes and mount :)

[chris.bailey]

Blimey Cat, have you won the EuroMillions :-)

HEQ6 or EQ6Pro? Didnt think they did the HEQ6 any longer.

Get those ALT/AZ bolts swapped out as the stock ones are crapola and liable to sheer as you crank them to the right alti setting.

Its getting pretty well laden even for an HEQ6 if you are mounting over and under and you might be short a counterweight. Watch the clutches when out of balance as they are liable to slip when loading up which can cause a panic moment. Fore and aft balance is also important.

[Catanonia]

Blimey Cat, have you won the EuroMillions

HEQ6 or EQ6Pro? Didnt think they did the HEQ6 any longer.

Get those ALT/AZ bolts swapped out as the stock ones are crapola and liable to sheer as you crank them to the right alti setting.

Its getting pretty well laden even for an HEQ6 if you are mounting over and under and you might be short a counterweight. Watch the clutches when out of balance as they are liable to slip when loading up which can cause a panic moment. Fore and aft balance is also important.

Cheers mate EQPro6 is the mount. The white one with SkyScan. Won some money online this week and also sold off my remote control hobby..

Yeah it is pretty loaded, have the 80 slung over the 120

Got 2 counter weights included and seem fine. I have a spare one off another mount I bought on ebay for £3.70 if I need it.

Never really bothered too much before with balancing, but with this beast and the weight will need to properly both directions to keep the stress to a minimum. The EQ6Pro is rated at 25kg, so should easily be under it.

Noticed the Alt bolts were a bit flimsy, will look at replacing them asap.

The ED 120 Pro Diamond Black is a work of art / beauty. Just staring at it is almost enough :)

Got a PL 130Mono scope video cam along with Shoestring USB for guiding as mono is suppose to be the best and I am imaging with DSLR.

Camera all connected and working, just gotta see how good the factory polar scope alignment is now in the garden. Hopefully it will be very close to center from the factory, but must check.

BOY is it all heavy. Can barely lift the mount with the counter weights on on its own with no scopes. Setup time will have doubled :)


Then it is time to mount up, and check balances.

I got the ED 120, EQ6 Pro and the PL 130M camera with uprated 4amp power pack and extensions for £1997 so not a bad price, with all the software bundled in as well as a few mounting bits thrown in. Gotta love the recession. Guy in the shop musta thought it was his birthday :) :) Coffee chats the lot :) When I priced it up last night it came to over £2200, but haggled a bit and got stuff thrown in for free. They will also clean my ED 80 for me for free as well the next time I pop along.

On the plus side, now I don't have to worry about serial cables with computer and extra kit, just all USB now direct with no Ascom drivers. I might take the mono PL 130M back and get the colour one (same price) so can mess with nubelociy software and take some colour images / stacks. When I tested the camera with cap on, noticed a LOT of white hot pixels, straight out of the box.



So watch this space for DSO imaging with guided ED120 coming your way :)

Pictures to follow soon of the full setup :)

[chris.bailey]

Just be aware that the general rule of thumb when imaging is to stay under 1/2 the mounts rating so 12kg is your targetweight limit.

Adjustment bolts here http://www.modernastronomy.com/mounts.htm#maAzimuthBolts Bern is a star and works wonder with the post so worth giving him a call.

Yep the EQ6Pro is a mans mount :-) and saves a fortune on gym membership.

[Catanonia]

mmm, need to weigh the scopes and the accessories. But should be ok. If the EQ 6 heavy can't handle it, what can :)

Cheers for the link on the bolts. Saved :)

Well quite surprised, well not considering the price I payed for the mount. The polar scope was bang in center straight from the factory so really chuffed. Sat in the garden now with a water proof cover over it (just in case it rains), hoping the skies clear a bit tonight for me to at least goto and get a feel for it.

The guys in the shop mentioned I might need a Extension Pillar tube because of the height.... LOL... I am 5foot 6 and put the mount at full tripod reach and couldn't reach the top yet alone where the finder scope would be. Sat now at 3/4 extension leveled out and seems just fine.

Looks really nice sat there :)

[Catanonia]

Well the COAA Goto system sold in 4 hours or so on ebay :)

A steal at 50% price compared to new.

[Catanonia]

A few pictures

All perfectly balanced in both directions so minimum strain on the gears :)

Obviously not got the camera's attached :)

[A.S.I.G.N. Observatory]

Man that looks familiar...

Just watch out for fles when tracking on that top scope as it leans over sideways. You may need to build a more rigid mount scope to scope, or better still, mount them on a plate side by side.

I made my own... http://www.asignobservatory.com/adjustable_guide_scope_mount.aspx

[chris.bailey]

All perfectly balanced in both directions so minimum strain on the gears :)

that does not look balanced in dec to me, looks way tail heavy. Remember to always balance with all kit on board and for optimal guiding unbalance very slightly to the east (I slide one counterweight down the shaft by about 1")

[Catanonia]

that does not look balanced in dec to me, looks way tail heavy. Remember to always balance with all kit on board and for optimal guiding unbalance very slightly to the east (I slide one counterweight down the shaft by about 1")

Picture taken before balancing with gears locked even though I stated it was done. When I added on the camera's the counter weights moved much nearer the end of the pole. Was all nicely balanced in both directions. About the limit of this mount I think. :)

[chris.bailey]

About the limit of this mount I think. :)

Not if you go side by side http://www.altairastro.com/mounting_hardware.htm. My FLT110 and FSQ85 are a fair bit weightier than your ED80/120 combo and I dont have the weights much more than halfway down the counterwight shaft. I have marked the plates with the balance positions for my various scope combinations so I can get balanced in a few minutes and the whole rig stays put wherever the scopes point.

Worth considering but I would master what you have got first though. As Baz pointed out though any flex is the bane of decent long exposure guiding (>5 minutes)

[A.S.I.G.N. Observatory]

Not if you go side by side http://www.altairastro.com/mounting_hardware.htm.

OOOOOhhhh nice link...I might make that on the mill I think.

[Catanonia]

OOOOOhhhh nice link...I might make that on the mill I think.

Make me one whilst you are at it mate ;)

Pay for shipping :)

[Peerie]

Altair have just sponsored a new astro forum. Currently quite small but a lot of good imagers there.

http://365astronomy.com/forum/

John

[Catanonia]

Not if you go side by side http://www.altairastro.com/mounting_hardware.htm. My FLT110 and FSQ85 are a fair bit weightier than your ED80/120 combo and I dont have the weights much more than halfway down the counterwight shaft. I have marked the plates with the balance positions for my various scope combinations so I can get balanced in a few minutes and the whole rig stays put wherever the scopes point.

Worth considering but I would master what you have got first though. As Baz pointed out though any flex is the bane of decent long exposure guiding (>5 minutes)

ouch they are expensive for some machined aluminum....

[chris.bailey]

ouch they are expensive for some machined aluminum....

Yes but you will only buy them the once! Beutifully made and a joy to use in the field.