1348 replies to this topic

[evansg]

> Is it possible to add NGC, Messier, SAO stars etc. on your Pegasus HC?

Yes of course. We have lots of catalogs in the mobile app and in HC (if we place an OLED screen)

 

>is there any way to adapt this to the HEQ5 tripod (1.75" steel)?

It will need a new adapter (we have plans to support the HEQ5 tripod)

Edited by evansg, 14 September 2022 - 02:05 PM.

[Sniuk]

> Is it possible to add NGC, Messier, SAO stars etc. on your Pegasus HC?

Yes of course. We have lots of catalogs in the mobile app and in HC (if we place an OLED screen)

this sounds exciting  

[happycamperjohn]

I want to thank @evansg for being so flexible and open to our ideas here. Pegasus have really nailed this. Good Onya Evan.

 

As a fully Visual observer who is so used to using a DM6 with no counterweights, this mount has really piqued my interest. It would be the first time i've seen a mount that meets all of *my* criteria to move to a goto mount. Quite exciting.

 

I'm also very heartened to hear that a hand-controller is in the offing, but not for the reasons mentioned above. I actually love using Sky-Safari as the main controller (i just velcro my phone to the DM6), but i'm all-to-aware of the glitches that can occur when you're an hour's drive from home at your dark-site. Having (even a simple) hand controller could salvage a night's viewing if the phone/wifi gives us grief. So really good to hear that you're thinking seriously about it.

 

A Couple of extra thoughts :

• Given that all of my mounts and tripods are 3/8-16, would it be wise for Pegasus to include this adaptor for their mount? This may possibly be the most wide-spread standard fitting for a tripod for (currently) non-goto visual users...

 

• Pegasus are obviously keen imagers from their detailed quantitative info on this thread :-)  It would be really nice to hear that same sort of detailed info from a visual perspective. For instance, Could they try ALT-AZ mode, do a 3-5 star align in Sky-Safari and then centre their mount on a non-aligned star at high mag (say 0.1 degree TFOV), and then goto another non-aligned star ~180 degrees away and tell us if the new star is in or near the centre of FOV? (Without using any high-fallutin' guiding or plate-solving). This would help me a LOT.

Keep up the great work at Pegasus.

 

John

Edited by happycamperjohn, 15 September 2022 - 12:18 AM.

[ancleto]

I’m also a visual observer with an interest in Alt-AZ mode. I have a couple of manual mounts, a little AZ-GTE, and an AVX mount.

 

These days, the AVX mount sits in the garage, even though the most I can put on the AZ-GTE is my C6.  

 

Why?

 

• The AZ-GTE can do a three-star alignment with nothing more than the phone app.
• The AZ-GTE gets its location and time from the phone app. No more old-fashioned typing on the hand controller.
• Once aligned, I use Skysafari for everything.  

My point:  usability for the visual observer would be an outstanding feature set that can be implemented in software.   I think you will find a lot of buyers if the usability of this mount stands above the other harmonic drive mounts.    I am excited about the possibilities.

Edited by ancleto, 15 September 2022 - 03:43 PM.

[mikeyL]

Strictly interested for portable astrophotography. Do not even own an eyepiece. Putting that out there to illustrate that while lots of only visual users, also some totally non-visual users to be had out there too. Both customer bases need to be supported of course, as this product looks to be trying to do.

 

The stand-alone HC with a display sounds like a nice future product. Still awaiting when these get out and can get some unbiased 3rd party reviews. Seems like a top notch product though so far. I certainly like my UPBv2 I bought from Pegasus. Seems like an excellent company.

 

ML

[lwbehney]

I like using SkySafari also and use the Celestron Wifi attachment to my mount, which sometimes loses connection with my tablet. Maybe the built-in NYX wifi connection is more reliable, but because of this problem, I use the Celestron HC more often, and if wearing gloves in cold weather, a HC is much easier to use and may tolerate low temperatures better than my tablet. A large SAO catalog is included in my Celestron HC, and the beautiful thing about SkySafari is that for many carbon stars, variable stars, doubles, etc. is that SkySafari is like the Rosetta Stone in having multiple catalog names listed. So I can look up the SAO number of the carbon star I am hunting and just enter that into the HC. This really augments my use of the HC. 

I am a little concerned about powering the NYX, because all my battery equipment has12V cigarette plug outlets and I do not see a power cord in the NYZ website, which looks like it would work with my batteries.

-Larry

[Sniuk]

I like using SkySafari also and use the Celestron Wifi attachment to my mount, which sometimes loses connection with my tablet. Maybe the built-in NYX wifi connection is more reliable, but because of this problem, I use the Celestron HC more often, and if wearing gloves in cold weather, a HC is much easier to use and may tolerate low temperatures better than my tablet. A large SAO catalog is included in my Celestron HC, and the beautiful thing about SkySafari is that for many carbon stars, variable stars, doubles, etc. is that SkySafari is like the Rosetta Stone in having multiple catalog names listed. So I can look up the SAO number of the carbon star I am hunting and just enter that into the HC. This really augments my use of the HC. 

I am a little concerned about powering the NYX, because all my battery equipment has12V cigarette plug outlets and I do not see a power cord in the NYZ website, which looks like it would work with my batteries.

-Larry

 

Very valid point about the temperature and using HC vs mobile/tablet app. Also buttons are more responsive than touch screen. with or without gloves. 

I am used to my skysensor 2000 PC that has quite a big hand controller. 

 

I have a DIY battery box with XT60 plugs, I guess will have to make myself the cables. Just wondering which connection the Nyx has and polarity of it to be able to make one myself. 

(btw, pre-ordered mine 3 days ago!   ) 

HC is meant to be in their roadmap as it was previously stated...but I don't think it will be shipped with the mount itself, a shame..as this mean extra cost later haha.. 

[antsalan2002]

evansg,

 

Is PegasusAstro going to start selling a GX12 type to 5.5 x 2.1mm connector cable when the mount start selling?  If not, do you know a manufacturer that makes such a cable?

 

Thanks.

Alan

[asquecco]

I put the same question asking about this cable:

https://artesky.it/a...5517136263.html

[HxPI]

Hi Folks,

Some answers to the questions I gathered:

 

• You can find information and photos about the carbon tripod, EQ6 adapter and half pier extension on our product page: https://pegasusastro...nic-gear-mount/
  The half pier can be constructed from different adapters and this is a very versitile option for different type of tripods or custom made piers. Over time we'll provide more adapters for other tripod. Right now we have in manufacturing our adapter for the carbon tripod and an EQ6 adapter which is also kind of universal (has holes that allows you to pass through screws and secure lock it on a custom pier)
• My previous PHD image that had a profile title C11 was left from a previous test. The guiding / imaging test was with the Esprit 100 fully imaging loaded (14Kg). I will also gather the logs from TEC140, to be honest they are the pretty much the same - RA guiding RMS is close to 0.45 with 1 sec of exposures.
• Any guiding from 0.5 - 2.0 sec is fine. If your seeing conditions are good, then 0.5 is fine. Personally I always use 1.5sec and my FIT results are excellent. I have NEVER discarded a single fit due to tracking issues - when using guiding of course. Every fit produces perfectly round stars (RA guiding RMS is 0.4-0.5 on every target. I have tested with lower altitude targets e.g M8 to higher alt targets e.g Cave Nebula). A good polar alignment ( i do it via NINA plugin or Polarscope) is also required to make sure that your DEC RMS is not high.
• The NYX-101 is LX200 compatible so it works with current LX200 INDI driver. I think this driver exists in ZWO ASI Air. I haven't tested it yet - will do soon -, but trust me, we'll make it work if there is any issue there.
• About a NYX dimension that @happycamperjohn asked in this thread:
  
   

 

A software / mobile app like Stellarmate or ASI Air is something we are thinking but to be honest, right now, we invest our time and effort on lots of running projects so it is not in our priority list (yet ) .

However, wearing the amateur astronomer hat (and not having a company owner mentality), I hate the option to lock products so this **** me off and drives me to provide something alternative with universal support.

It looks like the mount base may be about 4.7in diameter. The ioptron tripier top plate is 5.9in diameter. Will the azimuth knobs interfere with the tripier top plate and not allow proper adjustments? If so, will an appropriate pier adapter for iOptron tripier be offered? If not, is there any other way to adapt this mount to the ioptron tripier? I have this mount on preorder and the tripier is the only platform I have to use with this mount.

Edited by HxPI, 20 September 2022 - 01:52 PM.

[rgsalinger]

Can this mount be repaired in the United States? 

 

Rgrds-Ross

[biz]

It looks like the mount base may be about 4.7in diameter. The ioptron tripier top plate is 5.9in diameter. Will the azimuth knobs interfere with the tripier top plate and not allow proper adjustments? If so, will an appropriate pier adapter for iOptron tripier be offered? If not, is there any other way to adapt this mount to the ioptron tripier? I have this mount on preorder and the tripier is the only platform I have to use with this mount.

Mel, any machinist could make you a suitable adapter plate for your needs on your tri-pier. It is not difficult at all so I wouldn’t let this get in the way of your intended purchase.

cheers

Graham

[HxPI]

Mel, any machinist could make you a suitable adapter plate for your needs on your tri-pier. It is not difficult at all so I wouldn’t let this get in the way of your intended purchase.

cheers

Graham

I’d hoped they would offer an adapter. I’m sure they will in time but not at the moment. I don’t know a machinist and would rather work with a reputable dealer. Either way, I’ll find a suitable solution or MacGyver something to make it work. It is the way!

Edited by HxPI, 20 September 2022 - 04:28 PM.

[biz]

I’d hoped they would offer an adapter. I’m sure they will in time but not at the moment. I don’t know a machinist and would rather work with a reputable dealer. Either way, I’ll find a suitable solution or MacGyver something to make it work. It is the way!

Mel , your comment that you would rather work with a reputable dealer. Why is that ?  there are plenty of classy machinists out there that can do some high quality one offs and in my experience much more detailed to your needs than some of the manufacturers items on the shelf that are being offered.

 

Anyway I really hope you find a solution that does it for you and I think the mount your looking at could be a winner .

cheers

Graham

[Wow!]

I'm talking to a machinist now for my AM5 so yeah, I second the above comment.

[HxPI]

Mel , your comment that you would rather work with a reputable dealer. Why is that ?  there are plenty of classy machinists out there that can do some high quality one offs and in my experience much more detailed to your needs than some of the manufacturers items on the shelf that are being offered.

 

Anyway I really hope you find a solution that does it for you and I think the mount your looking at could be a winner .

cheers

Graham

I meant no disrespect to machinist. I’m sure they are very reputable. I’m just not used to commissioning work from them directly. Regardless, I’ll figure something out. Thanks for sharing.

[rgsalinger]

How well I remember my first foray into a mount that didn't match my pier. I had no idea of what to do. Two calls and I had an aluminum pier plate. Two more calls and I had a local machine shop to drill and tap. Three days later I was up and running when my mount arrived. ;Getting plates made becomes standard once you don't buy your systems all in one brand/piece. YMMV of cours. 

Rgrds-Ross

[biz]

How well I remember my first foray into a mount that didn't match my pier. I had no idea of what to do. Two calls and I had an aluminum pier plate. Two more calls and I had a local machine shop to drill and tap. Three days later I was up and running when my mount arrived. ;Getting plates made becomes standard once you don't buy your systems all in one brand/piece. YMMV of cours. 

Rgrds-Ross

Ross, I agree that it becomes standard to get plates made.. it’s really impossible to have a company like Pegasus to have plates available for all the different combinations that are out there.

Luckily for me I have my own milling machine and lathe to be able to turn up my own when needed , as I mentioned before they are easy especially when you have all the measurements.

cheers

Graham

[riscyd]

Hi Guys,
one question from a newbie. From what I have seen, the NYX-101 gets down to a guided error of 1.5 arc seconds. The ZWO AM5, depending on the weight seems to be at around 0.5 arc seconds.

So in terms of guiding, the AM5 seems to be superior to the NYX-101? Or do I see something wrong here?
Also the not confirmed ASIAIR compatibility might or might not be an issue.

I am undecided in which of these two mounts I should buy. From mechanical and personal preference, I tend towards NYX-101.
Plan on using it with a FSQ106 or similar size refractor and ASIAIR.

Curious about your inputs...

 

[rgsalinger]

I can claim anything for my product. I can even do it honestly because I can control the conditions for the "measurement". You can't.

 

Guiding ability for a mount depends on many variables as well as, to some extent, the skill of the imager. So, I would recommend ignoring any guiding spec as being pure marketing.

 

Note that AP and PlaneWave, who make very expensive mounts, never mention guided performance. That might be a clue to why that spec is to be taken with a full shaker of salt. 

 

Rgrds-Ross

[psandelle]

Hi Guys,
one question from a newbie. From what I have seen, the NYX-101 gets down to a guided error of 1.5 arc seconds. The ZWO AM5, depending on the weight seems to be at around 0.5 arc seconds.

So in terms of guiding, the AM5 seems to be superior to the NYX-101? Or do I see something wrong here?
Also the not confirmed ASIAIR compatibility might or might not be an issue.

I am undecided in which of these two mounts I should buy. From mechanical and personal preference, I tend towards NYX-101.
Plan on using it with a FSQ106 or similar size refractor and ASIAIR.

Curious about your inputs...

 

The Nyx isn't out yet, so, really, there're no more than a couple data points done by a very honest company who were showing some pre-release guides with various scopes (not all were showing anywhere near the 1.5 arc seconds). I cannot believe that the Nyx will be worse at guiding than the AM5 or the Rainbows (strain wave gears being strain wave gears). I think they might be a tad better/more consistent, actually. But we really need to wait till the mount comes out and is in the hands of users. One mount has been out for a little bit, the other hasn't been out at all.

Paul

 

[evansg]

Hi Folks,

A couple of comments:

We have tested  3 different NYX-101 mounts. The guiding results are the same.

The long TEC140 has 0.5'' of guiding results. Same for the Esprit100 fully loaded. The 0.8'' on RA result was with the extreme test of Celestron C11 Edge at native 2800mm (with OAG) and medium to bad seeing. I am pretty sure that nobody else published results with any harmonic mount testing with 2800mm of f/l

 

I agree that the mobile itself is not very practical during cold nights (as you need to use your fingers to click the buttons on screen and slew both mount axis).

We have tested other solutions with great success. E.g bluetooth gamepads that you can assign each keys to our mobile software. It is still work in progress but we have lots of

options to offer (from a future hand controller to the bluetooth gamepad  + cellphone combo solution) : Check below:

 

 

 

 The mount is larger than competition and I can say with great confidence that its payload capacity size and design is higher class.

 

 

Edited by evansg, 21 September 2022 - 04:38 PM.

[archer1960]

Hi Folks,

A couple of comments:

We have tested  3 different NYX-101 mounts. The guiding results are the same.

The long TEC140 has 0.5'' of guiding results. Same for the Esprit100 fully loaded. The 0.8'' on RA result was with the extreme test of Celestron C11 Edge at native 2800mm (with OAG) and medium to bad seeing. I am pretty sure that nobody else published results with any harmonic mount testing with 2800mm of f/l

 

I agree that the mobile itself is not very practical during cold nights (as you need to use your fingers to click the buttons on screen and slew both mount axis).

We have tested other solutions with great success. E.g bluetooth gamepads that you can assign each keys to our mobile software. It is still work in progress but we have lots of

options to offer (from a future hand controller to the bluetooth gamepad  + cellphone combo solution) : Check below:

 

 

 

 The mount is larger than competition and I can say with great confidence that its payload capacity size and design is higher class.

 

 

Wireless gamepad for the win! I hate phone/tablet-based controllers.

[rgsalinger]

Looks pretty pretty good. Can I get it serviced in the USA? It's bad enough sending an iOptron to Massachusetts but sending a mount to Greece for service seems a stretch. So, before placing my order I'd like to hear about customer support. This isn't a trivially simple device like a focuser and/or a Power Box. I love my power box FWIW. This would be a great mount for me if I can get it serviced locally. 

 

Rgrds-Ross

[nfotis]

Looks real beautiful.

 

I guess that a combination with the ZWO carbon tripod (and probably the ZWO pier extension) should be a very strong package. Are ZWO selling their carbon tripod separately from the AM5 mount?

 

Time to go and play some Joker...

 

N.F.