128 replies to this topic

[72Nova]

Although I said earlier that I wasn't going to purchase the AT60EDP because I already have the AT60ED, I couldn't help myself at this price and just snagged one before they are gone.

 

I learned to image on the AT60ED and although it works fine with my mono camera, there is blue bloat with my OSC cameras and I do have some issues with star shapes with the flattener and reducer in the corners, especially with my 2600mc.  

 

Keeping my fingers crossed that the AT60EDP will give me a well corrected flat field over my 2600mc.  I'm starting to travel dark sites with my AM5N and I'm excited about taking the AT60EDP on the road soon.

Edited by 72Nova, 23 March 2025 - 07:31 PM.

[lhutton]

For some reason I don't have a 48mm T-ring adapter like I thought I did so I've not been able to try it yet. I took the Vixen dovetail off to lighten it a bit and it balances with the counter weight on my SkyWatcher Star Adventurer. Probably pushing the limits of that mount but my idea with this scope is to keep things simple. We'll see how it works with a smaller DSLR on the back when I get the appropriate adapter ordered.

[wykbbb]

Mike sent another email about AT60EDP. I only included the new info

 

==

 

The AT60EDP Is Moving Fast At $600

 

So grab one while you can for $600.  Half or our inventory went in the first four days.

[flying_chicken]

Hey folks! I'm completely new to astrophotography and building my first rig. Would the be AT60EDP be a good fit for a QHY183M camera for both LRGB and SHO imaging? (mount wise thinking of a guided AM3 or equivalent).

 

I think I will mostly be imaging emission nebulae. Judging by telescopius.com, the FOV seems pretty good for a lot of different targets. Let me know what you think!

Edited by flying_chicken, 24 March 2025 - 05:22 PM.

[72Nova]

Hey folks! I'm completely new to astrophotography and building my first rig. Would the be AT60EDP be a good fit for a QHY183M camera for both LRGB and SHO imaging? (mount wise thinking of a guided AM3 or equivalent).

 

I think I will mostly be imaging emission nebulae. Judging by telescopius.com, the FOV seems pretty good for a lot of different targets. Let me know what you think!

I think it would be a great scope to cut your teeth in AP with an AM3 and mono camera.  My first AP scope was an AT60ED doublet.  Four years later I have three other imaging scopes and just ordered an AT60EDP to replace my AT60ED.

 

IMO it’s the perfect place to start and it’s a great price.

Edited by 72Nova, 24 March 2025 - 05:38 PM.

[Rockarruda]

Hey folks! I'm completely new to astrophotography and building my first rig. Would the be AT60EDP be a good fit for a QHY183M camera for both LRGB and SHO imaging? (mount wise thinking of a guided AM3 or equivalent).

 

I think I will mostly be imaging emission nebulae. Judging by telescopius.com, the FOV seems pretty good for a lot of different targets. Let me know what you think!

Hey folks! I'm completely new to astrophotography and building my first rig. Would the be AT60EDP be a good fit for a QHY183M camera for both LRGB and SHO imaging? (mount wise thinking of a guided AM3 or equivalent).

 

I think I will mostly be imaging emission nebulae. Judging by telescopius.com, the FOV seems pretty good for a lot of different targets. Let me know what you think!

I have the AT60EDP and use my Poseidon-C Pro (imx571) along with my AM3.  I am also using counterweight with my AM3, mostly for my AT102EDL, but you will be fine with that setup and will serve you well!

I haven't been able to use it very often because of weather here in New England.  It did very well capturing the California Nebula, and even with a small aperture, it still captures a good amount of light and detail.

[flying_chicken]

I saw some posts on the forum talking about diffraction spikes and pinched optics. It's hard to discern whether these are more one-off issues or a pattern for the AT60EDP. Does anyone know? Should I be concerned?

[HeyJP]

Hey folks! I'm completely new to astrophotography and building my first rig. Would the be AT60EDP be a good fit for a QHY183M camera for both LRGB and SHO imaging? (mount wise thinking of a guided AM3 or equivalent).

 

I think I will mostly be imaging emission nebulae. Judging by telescopius.com, the FOV seems pretty good for a lot of different targets. Let me know what you think!

Flying Chicken:

 

If you are new and just getting started with Astrophotography, I think the AT60EDP would be a fun scope for a lot of interesting deep sky objects! But, just my opinion, for instant gratification I would get (and I have) a one-shot-color camera like the 183mc.  You'll need a guide scope (e.g. ZWO 30f4) and guide camera (e.g. ZWO 120mm mini mono).  

 

Or, for a little more money, but super super easy and portable setup with great imaging, I have the ZWO 2600-DUO which has an APC color sensor and guide sensor in one unit.  The AT60EDP has a huge illuminated circle of 44mm which is enough to fully light up the main and guide sensor.  

 

A recommended color imaging setup:

• AT60EDP Scope
• AM3 mount with T40 Carbon Tripod
• 2600mc DUO
• ASIAIR-mini controller.
• (no guidescope, no guide camera)

That's it.  Super light and portable. Easy to process one-shot color images. No filter wheels.  Up and going the night you receive it. ASIAIR has a single integrated app on your smartphone or tablet.  Which covers alignment, guiding, shooting, storage, automating a night's image sequence, the works.

 

Jim in Boulder

[flying_chicken]

Flying Chicken:

 

If you are new and just getting started with Astrophotography, I think the AT60EDP would be a fun scope for a lot of interesting deep sky objects! But, just my opinion, for instant gratification I would get (and I have) a one-shot-color camera like the 183mc.  You'll need a guide scope (e.g. ZWO 30f4) and guide camera (e.g. ZWO 120mm mini mono).  

 

Or, for a little more money, but super super easy and portable setup with great imaging, I have the ZWO 2600-DUO which has an APC color sensor and guide sensor in one unit.  The AT60EDP has a huge illuminated circle of 44mm which is enough to fully light up the main and guide sensor.  

 

A recommended color imaging setup:

• AT60EDP Scope
• AM3 mount with T40 Carbon Tripod
• 2600mc DUO
• ASIAIR-mini controller.
• (no guidescope, no guide camera)

That's it.  Super light and portable. Easy to process one-shot color images. No filter wheels.  Up and going the night you receive it. ASIAIR has a single integrated app on your smartphone or tablet.  Which covers alignment, guiding, shooting, storage, automating a night's image sequence, the works.

 

Jim in Boulder

HeyJP:

 

Thank you so much for the advice and recommendations. I do quite enjoy jumping into the deep end and the mono camera, filter wheel, and filters have already been procured for a great price on the classifieds, so I AM LOCKED IN! We will find out if that was a mistake or not soon Might be a test of my patience to learn and make mistakes, but I love me a good challenge!

 

The AM3 is quite pricey though especially after the recent ZWO price hike, might have to consider other options.

[Rockarruda]

HeyJP:

 

Thank you so much for the advice and recommendations. I do quite enjoy jumping into the deep end and the mono camera, filter wheel, and filters have already been procured for a great price on the classifieds, so I AM LOCKED IN! We will find out if that was a mistake or not soon Might be a test of my patience to learn and make mistakes, but I love me a good challenge!

 

The AM3 is quite pricey though especially after the recent ZWO price hike, might have to consider other options.

I bought the AM3 over a year ago, it is only $100 more than it was last year for the head and tripod package.  The head itself, it still the same price it has been, at least for the past year. It is the AM5N that is jumped 25% in price.  

 

The AT60EDP is quite heavy for its size, and when you add other gear to it I wouldn't want anything smaller than the AM3.

[tbhausen]

Still mulling the camera to pair with this scope. I want a 2600 Air, but do you all think the undersampling is acceptable? I'd be putting this on an AM3.

[Rockarruda]

Still mulling the camera to pair with this scope. I want a 2600 Air, but do you all think the undersampling is acceptable? I'd be putting this on an AM3.

I also use the same sensor but my camera is the Poseidon-C Pro.  You can take a look at the California Nebula photo in my Astrobin link from my signature.  I took that with this scope and my IMX571 based sensor.

 

It is undersampled according to calculators, but the images still come out great.  Also, you can do drizzling.

[kgb]

I use an APS-C and drizzle. Slight under sampling at this focal length is really a non-issue.

[72Nova]

My AT60EDP is arriving tomorrow!  The latest Fed Ex update shows it is west of Phoenix on the train to California.

 

I'm going to strip my 5 year old AT60ED of its EAF, extra finder shoe, guide scope, and ASIAIR mini, put them on the AT60EDP and test it out on my new AM5N. 

 

My plan is to use the AT60EDP as my dark site/travel scope with 2600mc camera. There are Bortle 2/3 skies at the south-eastern edge of Joshua Tree National Park about an hour east of my light polluted home in Palm Springs and am excited about travelling to a dark site for the first time next month.  

 

I'll report back later after I get some test images; hopefully this weekend.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed that the scope doesn't have any issues.

Edited by 72Nova, 26 March 2025 - 01:26 PM.

[PIEJr]

I say no.

I'm very happy with what I have.

[chriswebb]

I say no.
I'm very happy with what I have.

What’s the point of your post? Just to increase your post count?

[HeyJP]

What’s the point of your post? Just to increase your post count?

Chris,

 

PIE Jr was simply responding to the question posed as the topic of this thread 5 pages and a few weeks ago:

 

"Is there an ASTRO-TECH AT60EDP Petzval in your future?"

 

That's why he stated "No, happy with what I have".   There were other such posts as well.

 

:-)

 

Jim in Boulder

[wrvond]

My AT60EDP is arriving tomorrow!  The latest Fed Ex update shows it is west of Phoenix on the train to California.

 

I'm going to strip my 5 year old AT60ED of its EAF, extra finder shoe, guide scope, and ASIAIR mini, put them on the AT60EDP and test it out on my new AM5N. 

 

My plan is to use the AT60EDP as my dark site/travel scope with 2600mc camera. There are Bortle 2/3 skies at the south-eastern edge of Joshua Tree National Park about an hour east of my light polluted home in Palm Springs and am excited about travelling to a dark site for the first time next month.  

 

I'll report back later after I get some test images; hopefully this weekend.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed that the scope doesn't have any issues.

Just a suggestion for you (and anybody else) - I found that flipping the handle around so that it mounts on the front ring and points to the rear makes for a more secure hand hold. If, for some reason it should slip, or your hand should slip, the mounting point acts as a safety stop.

Good luck!

[72Nova]

I received my AT60EDP this afternoon.  Unfortunately, I was unable to achieve focus with my 2600mc and ZWO filter drawer.  I have one 21mm M42M-M42F spacer that I tried with it but it didn't work either.

 

Anyone with a 2600mc/AT60EDP combo have any suggestions on how to achieve focus?  There is only 20mm focus travel so it's been a challenge so far.

 

Thanks

[kgb]

A stellar target or terrestrial? Can I see a picture of your setup?

[72Nova]

A stellar target or terrestrial? Can I see a picture of your setup?

Thank you!  

 

My setup is a 2600mc with 20mm ZWO filter wheel that I use with my other scopes at 55mm back focus.  I understand that the 55mm back focus does not apply here but the focuser doesn't travel enough to find focus on Polaris.  I added a M42male to M42F 21mm adapter but that was too much in the other direction.

 

Here two pics.  One with just the camera/filter drawer and one where I added a 21mm spacer.  I was close to getting focus with each setup but not quite.  I'm guessing I need something like an 11mm spacer to split the difference and find focus. Unfortunately, I don't have any additional spacers on hand.

 

Mark

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Edited by 72Nova, 28 March 2025 - 01:03 AM.

[72Nova]

from the side on mount

 

 

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[kgb]

Hey Mark,

 

The available backspace for the 60EDP is 55mm since the focal point lies beyond the end of the draw tube.  However, that is calculated from the m48 threads at the back of the retracted drawtube not the extended.  Here is a diagram of the Sky Rover version of this scope:

 

According to the specs that I had gathered regarding your optical train, here are my calculations:

21mm     - m48 filter drawer
21mm      - m42 to m42 adapter
17.5mm  - 2600mc backspace
59.mm    Total

So 59.5mm  gets you slightly past the focal plane. I would recommend getting a narrower m42 coupling adapter. I would go no more than 10mm so that you are afforded some focus range, but the smaller the better (personally I would try to go 5mm (but no less as they can be a pain in the butt to remove).

 

Good luck

-karl

Edited by kgb, 28 March 2025 - 01:58 AM.

[72Nova]

Thank you Karl

 

I found a set of M42 coupling adapters on Amazon that include 5mm and 10mm and just ordered them.  

 

I appreciate the diagram, calculations, and your help!

[72Nova]

Just a quick update that I was able to achieve focus after purchasing the following M48 extension tube kit on Amazon that arrived the same day! 

 

Astromania Astronomical 2"/M48-extension Tube Kit for Cameras and eyepieces - Length 5mm 8mm 10mm 30mm - M48x0.75 on Both Sides

 

Although it is very cloudy and windy tonight I wasn't going to be deterred.  I installed the 8mm extension between the filter drawer and camera rotator and achieved focus near the middle of the focuser (12mm).

 

I took a few test images and the stars looked good, except for the abundance of clouds.  

 

Of course the weather forecast calls for clouds for the next 7 days which is rare for the Palm Springs area.  Once it does clear up I think I'm going to really enjoy imaging with the AT60EDP.   I'm thrilled that I snagged one at this price!

Edited by 72Nova, 28 March 2025 - 10:51 PM.