m97-Owl nebula

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Comment by Federico Luciani on November 25, 2011 at 10:06am

...out of joke, I buyed a green laser, and today a laser bracket. I've to fix and align it on the mount, to make a raw polar alignment after mount assembly.Then with one smallest nightmare step I should get decent results. The SiTech controller, with a little 'of mathematics, should help to correct the latest minutiae...

Comment by Federico Luciani on November 25, 2011 at 9:54am

Agree more. The mount is "dis"mountable in 4 pcs, so I mount/dismount it for every session. Simple and quick, 10 minutes.
The dec bolt is tested on the base column, so I have to check the telescope pointing, then turn around, kneel down with my back under the arm in ar, make an effort to lighten the load (70+50+30[counterweights]), meanwhile turning the jack slightly with an iron bar. Then pull off, get up, go to double check ("n" times)... all on the bare ground. A nightmare.
Much better to process the photos of the others! (Lol)

Comment by Marc Basti on November 25, 2011 at 9:37am

Federico, you're right, one wouldn't guess it's 100lbs. I'm at that "magic" age too (magic-lucky I made it this far lol). It's not really the 100lbs so much, moving a bag of concrete from the pickup, no big deal (well, not too big a deal lol). But, moving a mount through some doorways and down some stairs while trying not to break a window or put a hole in the wall and most importantly, not bang up the mount-I agree, I'm not a reed any more either. Marc

Comment by Federico Luciani on November 24, 2011 at 7:19am

Many thanks for your words. Yes, the height is calculated to move the beast here and there without meridian swap. This is why the long arm in RA.
Yes, I autoguide with a QHY5 and TS autoguider (but Lacerta would have been better It simply didn't exist 2 years ago). In three years I've made a lot of mods to the scope:

• Baader Steeltrack Focuser (+ adapter)
• shortened scope by 3 cm to reach focus
• added hand-made electronic focuser, Arduino based:a joy
• .....

Movement is smooth, impressive to see the beast move silently in the night. I setup the beast, tyhen i sit in my studio and control it via wifi. The only complain is about Polar Alignment, as said, a nightmare...

Comment by Federico Luciani on November 24, 2011 at 1:09am

This is "The Thing". Non-German EQ mount, made for me (my design) by Leonard Stage, Texan craftsman.
(http://www.gototelescopes.com).
A look at so it seems harmless, a big ant,, but in fact - already assembled - weighs over 100lb, plus 50lb of telescope. It's designed to be removable/portable, and it is, but as you can understand I have to redo the polar alignment every time. The alignment in dec is done turning on a big screw that acts as a jack, but to turn it I have to help, raising slightly the whole group with my back: The whole, made at night, at the cold. I'm fifty years, and not as flexible as a reed...Starhopper has hit the point.

Comment by Marc Basti on November 23, 2011 at 4:42pm

One of my favorites. It's deceptive, it shows up easy enough, but it's tough process. Good job, Marc PS looked in your photos didn't see "The Thing" what is it?