· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Mounts Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 James Cunningham Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/07/10 Loc: Maryland Alignment with side by side scopes       #5515543 - 11/12/12 06:50 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   How do you get an alignment with scopes set up side by side? Can both scope be set to show the same thing? What other pitfalls are there to a dual scope setup? Thanks. Jim Post Extras:       Fred1 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 09/19/07 Loc: Somewhere in the Orion Spur Re: Alignment with side by side scopes [Re: James Cunningham]       #5515875 - 11/12/12 11:59 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I use to do it the same way I would align my finder scope. I had the smaller scope in a set of adjustable tube rings. Align the mount to the main/larger scope and then align the smaller scope to the main scope with the tube ring screws. The only pitfalls I had was the hassle of the extra time in setting up, balancing, etc. and if the ring screws weren't tight enough the scope would have a tendency to slide inside the rings. Plus, on a GEM one scope would inevitably end up in a less than ideal position for observing. I'm visual only. I hope this helps Post Extras:       hottr6 Pooh-Bah Reged: 06/28/09 Loc: 7,500', Magdalena Mtns, NM Re: Alignment with side by side scopes [Re: James Cunningham]       #5515920 - 11/12/12 12:30 PM Attachment (23 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Those side-by-side mounts are a bit of a marketing-man's wet-dream. They really don't work for visual; they are really designed for wide-field AP. EXCEPT with Ken Dauzat's saddle, which allows the second 'scope to be accurately aligned with the first 'scope. I am able to get my 2 'scopes within seconds of each other, which makes A-B comparisons of planets at high mags a dream. I set up both 'scopes in the saddle in my workshop, get them balanced, and then carry it out to the GEM. This is very awkward, and if I have long 'fracs mounted, the GEM head is above my head so it is quite a lift. The other downside is that Ken is no longer in business, and his saddles are NLA. Post Extras:       mclewis1 Thread Killer Reged: 02/25/06 Loc: New Brunswick, Canada Re: Alignment with side by side scopes [Re: hottr6]       #5516090 - 11/12/12 02:16 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Side by side configurations can be aligned in a number of ways. If one of the scopes is small enough then 3 point rings work very well. If you have larger scopes or need to swap scopes around then you need to look at the saddles themselves. Up and down (tilt) can be adjusted using metal shims under the saddle mounting bolts. The shims should be very thin (think thick foil). Yes it's a bit time consuming but you end up with saddles that are well aligned. There is often enough play in the saddle mounting bolts to adjust for small amounts of side to side movement. There are also a number of commercial adjustable saddles. ADM and APM both have saddles with addition tilt and side to side adjustments. http://admaccessories.com/Miscellaneous_Max_Guider.htm Using shims gets you saddles that are very close to alignment but it takes some work and if you use a variety of scopes with your side by side configuration you may find that the alignments of their dovetail bars may not be consistent. The commercial adjustable saddles give you more flexibility and speed of adjustment but they add substantial weight and height and extra cost. Once aligned the only real downsides to good solid side by side configurations are a) extra weight but this is often mitigated by moving the total mass closer to the mount compared to piggy back setups and b) balancing the scopes is more complex. It takes a bit longer to achieve balance in all directions. Post Extras:       hottr6 Pooh-Bah Reged: 06/28/09 Loc: 7,500', Magdalena Mtns, NM Re: Alignment with side by side scopes [Re: hottr6]       #5516802 - 11/12/12 09:31 PM Attachment (7 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I made some mods by drilling some extra holes so I can move the saddles closer to each other. Yes, it is a struggle for a CG5-class mount. Edited by hottr6 (11/12/12 09:47 PM) Post Extras:       hottr6 Pooh-Bah Reged: 06/28/09 Loc: 7,500', Magdalena Mtns, NM Re: Alignment with side by side scopes [Re: mclewis1]       #5516829 - 11/12/12 09:44 PM Attachment (13 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Wow, they're nice. Bit rich for me. A major downside for the simpler designs is the use of the Vixen dovetail. Really, D-series saddles should be the minimum configuration, as in the more expensive models. Adjusting with shims is an example in masochism. You would never want to disassemble it. With Ken's design, interchanging is easy, needing a leisurely 15 minutes to get everything swapped in and aligned. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 29 registered and 44 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  Bowmoreman, bilgebay, iceblaze  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 525 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media*Swap and Shop* -----   Shop and Swap Audio Components*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements*International Year of Astronomy 2009 - Forums are now closed.* -----   IYA Archive Info CN Forums Home

Cloudy Nights LLC Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics