194 replies to this topic

[yonkrz]

Been out of the loop for a couple of years,always had a 10" or 12" Dob but found i didn't use them much due to size and portability.

 

This little setup works great, not super portable but i can grab it up all in one piece and be out on the back patio in a couple of minutes,gets used much more and also brought some of the fun back into my observing.

 

Added Bobs knobs a laser pointer and a two speed Lacerta focuser on my already great UA Macro star.Really surprised how good the views are.

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Edited by yonkrz, 21 December 2019 - 05:55 PM.

[BigKahuna]

Here is my AVX with C6N. This is a nice combo.

 

Edited by BigKahuna, 01 February 2020 - 02:39 PM.

[JuergenB]

First light for my 8" f/4.5 Newtonian was on June 26. It never gets really dark now at 53° N, but it was still okay for some short test shots with a coma corrector and DSLR.

 

The height of the pier is a compromise for being used wit a refractor, an SC or a reflector.

 

 

 

 

Juergen

[icomet]

I paid $100 for this newt.

Then did some work on it.

 

Clear Skies.

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[stargazer32864]

I paid $100 for this newt.

Then did some work on it.

 

Clear Skies.

There you are again!! I love you, baby!!!   

[HellsKitchen]

Vixen R130sf. This grab n go setup has worked out nicely for me indeed. 

 

 

[icomet]

6" f/10 Ed Beck mirror

1" Antares secondary

Astrosystems custom spider/secondary holder

Cave Astrola rotating rings and primary mirror cell

Moonlite focuser

CG-5 AGT

 

Clear Skies.

 

 

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[icomet]

I have one other GEM newt that's completed. Have another that I'm going to be working on.

 

10" f/7.5 Optical Craftsman(?) primary

Antares 1.83" secondary

Astrosystems spider/holder

Cave Astrola rotating rings

Moonlite focuser

Meade DS-16 mount

 

Here's the image of this one.

 

The other build will be using a 1967 Cave Astrola 12.5" f/8 primary which has been refigured by Mike Lockwood.

 

Clear Skies.

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Edited by icomet, 03 July 2020 - 02:57 PM.

[areyoukiddingme]

Fog rolled in, so might as well add to this thread.

 

8" F7, Zambuto quartz (20mm or so thickness), in an Aurora Precision cell.

 

Has a 1/30 wave Antares secondary (1.3"), and is housed in a 10" x 60" Hastings tube with Parallax rings.

 

[junomike]

Fog rolled in, so might as well add to this thread.

 

8" F7, Zambuto quartz (20mm or so thickness), in an Aurora Precision cell.

 

Has a 1/30 wave Antares secondary (1.3"), and is housed in a 10" x 60" Hastings tube with Parallax rings.

 

IMG_0468.JPG

What adapter did you use to get the Telrad in the Vixen Saddle?

[25585]

Scopestuff sell these http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_telo.htm

[areyoukiddingme]

What adapter did you use to get the Telrad in the Vixen Saddle?

No adapter. You just stick in the clamp, and it's off to the races.

 

The clamp is at the edge of how far it can open, however. So you do have to be careful that you don't end up with screws and springs flying around!

[areyoukiddingme]

Nice. That 8” f/7 must be a killer planetary scope. 

Yep, I'm having a great time on the planets. Just need the seeing to cooperate!

 

I'm totally sold on the quartz primary substrate. I turn the fan on and it's basically ready to go once it blows a bit of air out the top of the tube.

It's ready to view quicker than my 80 and 92mm refractors. 

[makeitso]

Here’s my Celestron C8n on my AVX with fan and rotating ring.

 

[junomike]

No adapter. You just stick in the clamp, and it's off to the races.

 

The clamp is at the edge of how far it can open, however. So you do have to be careful that you don't end up with screws and springs flying around!

Great tip, Thanks!

[HellsKitchen]

Fog rolled in, so might as well add to this thread.

 

8" F7, Zambuto quartz (20mm or so thickness), in an Aurora Precision cell.

 

Has a 1/30 wave Antares secondary (1.3"), and is housed in a 10" x 60" Hastings tube with Parallax rings.

 

IMG_0468.JPG

 

That's going to teach the planets a lesson that's for sure. 

[123456]

Meade Starfinder 10” reflecting telescope

 need eyepieces now 

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[dUbeni]

Hi! Although I have this Newtonian since 2008, it is now properly mounted on A Vixen SXD2 with Parallax rotating rings 

 

Clear skies

Bernardo

 

edit: sorry, forgot to mention it's brand and model, it's a Vixen R200SS (8" /f4)

Edited by dUbeni, 21 July 2020 - 04:22 PM.

[hypergolic]

Here is my Vixen R200SS (The Big 8") purchased new from Orion in 1999, right before I acquired a redheaded bride. I still have both!

I'm retrofitting the scope with roller wheels and digital autoguiding. The SS2K-PC is under repair.

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Edited by hypergolic, 14 August 2020 - 06:23 PM.

[hypergolic]

And here is my homebrew reflector from around 1975. A. Jaegers 6" F/10 mirror, Jaeger Focuser, Jaegers finder, water pipe mount, stovepipe tube, four legged base. I later reduced that number to three for obvious reasons. The little black object attached to the cradle is a counterweight. The weight is a Heinz tomato paste can filled with lead. My Dad melted the lead over the stove and poured it in the can for me. The mirror was killer on planetary, even though it was advertised as "spherical" in the catalog. I never really noticed any aberration.

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[doug mc]

Best of both worlds. Would have an 8 incher but eq mount not strong enough. It gets used mostly on the dob base.

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[Jeff B]

My 40+ year old 10" F7 ATM build with un-documented 50+ year old primary and undocumented 1.75" secondary.....finally being documented in DPAC.

 

Overall, about 1/4 to 1/5th wave under corrected spherical as a system and a little funny business locally at the edge, which may be the secondary.  More to come later in a different thread.

 

But not bad overall really.

 

Jeff

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Edited by Jeff B, 16 August 2020 - 09:34 AM.

[Xeroid]

My Meade model 826 f/6 8 inch reflector purchased in 1977.  I had the mirrors re coated, new focuser and it still gives wonderful views.

 

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[MennoB]

@ Xeroid
"My Meade model 826 f/6 8 inch reflector purchased in 1977. I had the mirrors re coated, new focuser and it still gives wonderful views."

Looks absolutely great!

[sw196060]

What mount is that??