Post a picture of your rig!

Well of course it's optical bliss. It's an AP!

Strangely enough, one of the nature magazines didn't publish my AP shots. They're all Takahashi FSQ106. I'll send them some eagles shots with the AP - that should make it into publishing.

Lets see them! Well maybe in the Bird forum but let us know and post a link.

Thanks to my wife, my best friend and my neighbor I have managed to get the CGEPro all setup. Currently it's carrying an AT8RC and a TMB 80SS with Carbon Fiber tube. In the picture the AT8 has the stock GSO focuser but both scopes now carry Feathertouch focusers. I'm not getting out as much as rolling the roof back is a killer. I'm looking at some form of motorizing the roof very soon.

Due to the height of my roll off's roof I needed to shorten the Pro's height significantly. This meant finding a way to get rid of the electronics pier which would save almost 8" in height. The "Box" is what I came up with.

If anyone is interested the QHY8 in the picture is going up for sale. I am going back to a DSLR A cooled Canon from CentralDS.

Thanks for looking!

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Very nice!

How does that baby perform?

I decided that piggyback was just too stressful on the mount so I purchased a Robin Cassady Tandem16 and now have them mounted in a side-by-side arrangement.

It eliminated 1 18lb counterweight and the damping time is virtually nill.

BEAUTIFUL !! Truly a work of Art.

[wiping drool]

That's a rock solid dream rig you've got there Mark. Beautiful.

Once I switched to side-by-side and learned to perfect balance, it was like I had a new mount. Tracking was much more consistent and my keeper exposures increased quite a bit.

Bob,

What exactly did you do to your new mount?

http://strgazr27.zenfo​lio.com/p1055828563/e1​76b9e04

Where did you find that box?

And how is that puppy working out for you?

As the OP of this thread I'd just like to state how much I hate you all! One day something like this will be mine, until then I'll live vicariously through your wallets.

Here is mine

Skywatcher ED120 Diamond Black
SkyWatcher ED80 Pro II guide with rings
NEQ6 Pro mount
QHY5 Guide CCD
EOS 350D modded imaging camera.

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Very nice. Those tubes/extensions on the guide scope - are they required for the QHY5 to get focus? Looks like a lot. How do you find the QHY5? Assume you plug it into your laptop and mount? Can you plug it just into your laptop and use EQMOD and/or some other guiding software?

Catanonia wrote in post #8273915
Here is mine

Skywatcher ED120 Diamond Black
SkyWatcher ED80 Pro II guide with rings
NEQ6 Pro mount
QHY5 Guide CCD
EOS 350D modded imaging camera.

I think i can safely say "YOUR HOOKED BIG TIME" !!!

Catanonia wrote in post #8273915
Here is mine

Skywatcher ED120 Diamond Black
SkyWatcher ED80 Pro II guide with rings
NEQ6 Pro mount
QHY5 Guide CCD
EOS 350D modded imaging camera.

Why do you use a tripod in your observatory? A pier would provide much better stability.

Nice setup!

Using a tripod as not 100% sure if the scope will stay in this location. The concrete slabs are independent to the others around them with holes drilled for the tripod legs. It can't move and so far I have had no vibration issues. Also piers cost money and are pernament, need to get it past the missus 1st

As for the QHY5, it is close to the ED80 focus extension point to get the CCD in focus. I think it 'might' just work without the extension tube, but the tube makes it much much easier. In this picture the QHY5 was actually at the ccd focal point.

I use PHD guiding at the moment, and to be honest, the QHY5 just plugs and goes after you focus. 100% brilliant. The mount is controlled directly by the QHY5 ST4 cable with it's onboard mount port / driver. So no need for ASCOM. QHY5 plugs direct into USB on lappy via PHD

I would 100% recommend the QHY5 as a guide scope for anyone.

Celestron wrote in post #8275600
I think i can safely say "YOUR HOOKED BIG TIME" !!!

mmm, ya think so