You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Telescope Specific Forums >> Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 Anonymous Unregistered Adding a refractor with limited top clearance       #2654555 - 09/21/08 10:38 AM Attachment (11 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi All This is my 1st post for a couple of years or so. have had to rejoin under new name (just a 1 after my original name of pubquiz) due to now having a new e mail address Just getting back into it (I knew I wouldn't loose the bug:)) Anyway what I would like advice on is this: I am wanting to get a small refractor and attach it piggyback to my LX200 GPS for imaging a wider field/guiding. However the roof of my roll off observatoy only just clears the top of the LX200 by 7 cm's and the finder scope by even less. if using the normal position of a rail on top of the LX200 as I see in all the pics this would be way too high for the roof. Therefore is there a way of attaching a small apo (thinking of a WO Zenithstar 70 or 80) without it being more than 7cm's higher than the top of the Meade? I hope I have attached a pic (if it worked) to show what I mean. I could if need be live without the guidescope as I tend to use the Telrad more. Thanks in advance and it's good to be back Tom Post Extras:       gavinm professor emeritus Reged: 08/26/05 Posts: 553 Loc: Auckland New Zealand Re: Adding a refractor with limited top clearance [Re: ]       #2655531 - 09/21/08 08:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   What about mounting underneath? -------------------- Gavin Mt Albert Grammar School Observatory Auckland, New Zealand http://www.mags.school.nz/astronomy/index.html 12" LX200R w/ UHTC SBIG ST7-XME + CFW10 Skywatcher Equinox ED80 Pro (ADM dovetail) + other stuff Post Extras:       astroturf journeyman Reged: 04/09/08 Posts: 7 Loc: Australia Re: Adding a refractor with limited top clearance [Re: ]       #2655918 - 09/22/08 02:51 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Tom If it's mounted using a Losmondy mount, you could attach/remove it in seconds without losing any alignment in relation to the LX 200, Bryan Post Extras:       Anonymous Unregistered Re: Adding a refractor with limited top clearance [Re: astroturf]       #2656288 - 09/22/08 11:02 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for that Bryan...yes see what you mean. Gavin..can't see a way of doing that..I have my 3D balance rail and weights there but even if not the clearance between the forks would be an issue. Maybe though it could be done if the refractor tube I pick is short enough.but then I would have the same issue with the balance weights then mounted on the top. I would be best getting the refractor first though I suppose so I could get a better idea. If all else fails I may have to alter the offending chunk of roof Post Extras:       JanS professor emeritus Reged: 12/24/05 Posts: 566 Loc: K/W Re: Adding a refractor with limited top clearance [Re: ]       #2657183 - 09/22/08 07:22 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   This may sound a bit naive, but why does the refractor have to be attached full-time? Why can't you set things up (mount, balance, alignment), and remove it when the roof is in place? -------------------- GOTO #106 75mm f17 Meade 10" LX200GPS EMC w/UHTC TeleVue BinoVue (2) 24mm Panoptics A whack of Meade Super Plossls Post Extras:       pubquiz sage Reged: 10/07/04 Posts: 303 Loc: Lancashire England Re: Adding a refractor with limited top clearance [Re: JanS]       #2658043 - 09/23/08 08:14 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi JanS Yes this may be the best option. Would just be ideal if I didn't have to mount and unmount everytime(plus I am lazy so and so) Have decided I am going to get a small refractor anyway so will definately work something out. Tom -------------------- Meade 12" LX200 GPS on BC&F Megawedge William Optics Megrez 72 Strathspey 20x90 Binos, Vixen Ark 20x80 Binos Virgo Novamount parrallelogram mount Meade Mysky, Meade DSI Pro, Meade LPI Bahtinov Masks Post Extras:       pubquiz sage Reged: 10/07/04 Posts: 303 Loc: Lancashire England Re: Adding a refractor with limited top clearance [Re: pubquiz]       #2658051 - 09/23/08 08:20 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   This is WEIRD I am replying to this from my house computer not my observatory computer as in the other messages and it has logged me on as my old ID Pubquiz instead of Pubquiz1 I havn't been on Cloudy nights for a couple of years and tried to log on last week but it wouldn't let me as I had changed my e mail address so had to join with a new ID. Will now try and edit my profile on this PC so I can become Pubquiz on other PC as it may become confusing. Tom -------------------- Meade 12" LX200 GPS on BC&F Megawedge William Optics Megrez 72 Strathspey 20x90 Binos, Vixen Ark 20x80 Binos Virgo Novamount parrallelogram mount Meade Mysky, Meade DSI Pro, Meade LPI Bahtinov Masks Post Extras:       imjeffp Senior Space Cadet Reged: 09/30/03 Posts: 4411 Loc: Cedar Park, Texas Re: Adding a refractor with limited top clearance [Re: pubquiz]       #2659131 - 09/23/08 05:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Flip the scope over when you close the roof? That's what I do anyway. -------------------- Blog ST80 • AT80EDT/LXD650 ETX-90/DS-2000 • 10" LX200 Classic ("The Quarter-Meter Telescope at the Heritage Park Observatory") SPC900NC • DMK21AF04 • Digital Rebel XT Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 3 registered and 4 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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