Return to the Cloudy Nights Telescope Reviews home pageAstronomics discounts for Cloudy Nights members
· 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 thread Previous   Index   Next thread Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Pages: 1
nganga
member


Reged: 03/16/08

Losmandy GM8 owners... new
      #5550619 - 12/02/12 04:15 PM
Edit post Edit   Reply to this post Reply   Reply to this post Quote Quick Reply: Quick Reply  

Hello,

Anyone imaging with the EDGE HD 800 or AT8RC, OTA weight 14 - 15 lb, or thereabouts?
Is this a stable combination for this mount?
Any autoguiding issues?

Thanks,

Clem

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
old_frankland
Carpal Tunnel


Reged: 03/28/05

Loc: San Francisco Bay Area
Re: Losmandy GM8 owners... new [Re: nganga]
      #5550947 - 12/02/12 08:02 PM
Edit post Edit   Reply to this post Reply   Reply to this post Quote Quick Reply: Quick Reply  

I've been using a GM8 for lunar and planetary imaging with a C9.25. I would consider that maximum load with good stability. For deep sky imaging I have been using a 4" f/7 refractor. With guidescope, filterwheel and cameras, weight is about 22 pounds. Again, I consider that a comfortable weight max. When well balanced and polar aligned, the mount tracks well with PHD.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Ranger Tim
professor emeritus
*****

Reged: 03/25/08

Loc: SE Idaho, USA
Re: Losmandy GM8 owners... new [Re: old_frankland]
      #5551228 - 12/02/12 10:59 PM
Edit post Edit   Reply to this post Reply   Reply to this post Quote Quick Reply: Quick Reply  

I think an eight inch RC or SCT is borderline for great stability with the GM-8. Better have everything perfectly balanced, etc. You are treading on the edge (pun intended - yuk, yuk).

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
nganga
member


Reged: 03/16/08

Re: Losmandy GM8 owners... new [Re: Ranger Tim]
      #5552727 - 12/03/12 08:07 PM
Edit post Edit   Reply to this post Reply   Reply to this post Quote Quick Reply: Quick Reply  

Thanks for your responses.

Ranger Tim, I've been over that edge more times than I like; unpleasant experience

Clem

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Skyshooter
professor emeritus


Reged: 04/07/08

Loc: S. Utah, U.S.A.
Re: Losmandy GM8 owners... [Re: nganga]
      #5553052 - 12/03/12 10:58 PM
Edit post Edit   Reply to this post Reply   Reply to this post Quote Quick Reply: Quick Reply  

I have a GM8 and use it with three different configs:
1)C8 with piggybacked ZS66, SSAG and 1000d DSLR, Rigel finder
2)SVR90T 90mm F/7 APO w/ ZS66, SSAG and 1000d dslr, Rigel
3)C8 with SVR90T, SSAG and 1000d dslr, Rigel finder

The only configuration I had any worries about was with the C8 with the SVR90T piggybacked. Even in that config. it guides well. I have to be more careful about the balance and do not use it that way often but it's do-able.

Cheers,
Ed

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
nganga
member


Reged: 03/16/08

Re: Losmandy GM8 owners... new [Re: Skyshooter]
      #5554541 - 12/04/12 07:54 PM
Edit post Edit   Reply to this post Reply   Reply to this post Quote Quick Reply: Quick Reply  

Quote:

I have a GM8 and use it with three different configs:
1)C8 with piggybacked ZS66, SSAG and 1000d DSLR, Rigel finder
2)SVR90T 90mm F/7 APO w/ ZS66, SSAG and 1000d dslr, Rigel
3)C8 with SVR90T, SSAG and 1000d dslr, Rigel finder

The only configuration I had any worries about was with the C8 with the SVR90T piggybacked. Even in that config. it guides well. I have to be more careful about the balance and do not use it that way often but it's do-able.

Cheers,
Ed



Hello, Ed

Thanks for responding.

When you balance the mount in RA do you have a slight eastward bias as usually recommended? In DEC do you try to balance perfectly or slight camera or OTA imbalance?

Clem

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Skyshooter
professor emeritus


Reged: 04/07/08

Loc: S. Utah, U.S.A.
Re: Losmandy GM8 owners... new [Re: nganga]
      #5554932 - 12/05/12 12:43 AM
Edit post Edit   Reply to this post Reply   Reply to this post Quote Quick Reply: Quick Reply  

Hi Clem, Yes I do use a slight eastward bias. In Dec I balance the best I can. I swing the tube perpendicular to the ground on both sides of the mount and move the OTA forward or backward on the dovetail to achieve balance with the imaging goodies on the OTA of course. One other thing I have found is that when autoguiding you should turn off TVC. This really helped. I now have no subs I have to ditch except for the random satellite streak or aircraft that flies through my FOV.

Cheers,
Ed

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Pages: 1

Previous thread Previous   Index   Next thread Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Extra information
15 registered and 26 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: 660

Jump to

CN Forums Home


Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics