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Post by astrorl on Apr 30, 2017 11:10:25 GMT -5
Using the home made 150MM F/15 iStar Doublet. Descriptive daylight videos are on the new member from Connecticut USA thread.
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Post by astrorl on Apr 30, 2017 11:13:21 GMT -5
Moves freely with almost no effort on the home made Alt-az mount
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Post by astrorl on Jul 18, 2017 4:23:19 GMT -5
Over the past 2 months I have had several club members come over to observe with the F/15. Without exception everyone has been impressed with the quality of the observing. Instead of wishing for a new moon, I now find myself looking forward to a first quarter moon for detailed lunar observing that is not possible even with my C11.
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Post by nobody on Jul 20, 2017 0:51:03 GMT -5
Hi
Congratulations!
What sort of powers can you use comfortably on your scope on the Moon?
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Post by astrorl on Jul 20, 2017 19:41:58 GMT -5
With the manual mount anything above 125x will move out of the field of view rather quickly. Most of my observing has been at around 100x. If I loosen the clutches and manual guide like a dobsonian I have been able to get up to about 200x but it is not easy. The highest magnification that I have used to date is 250x using a Baader Morpheus 9 mm eyepiece. I put the moon just out of the field of view and let it pass by. It is almost like flying over the moon.
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Post by nobody on Jul 21, 2017 23:29:51 GMT -5
Hi
It seems ironic that an instrument with such potential for high powers is limited simply by its inability to follow an object. Perhaps a driven, equatorial mounting ought to be in your stars? Your skills at design and fabrication are already well proven. You just need to tilt one axis and add a motor.
Or rebuild a classic 12-15" reflector mounting which can easily manage your long scope. I'd aim for 2" shafts to be on the safe side and a tall pier which allows you to look overhead.
As soon as I had built my 7" f/12 iStar refractor I was routinely doubling my powers on the Moon and planets compared with my years of using my 6" f/8 Celestron achromat. What I had thought was constantly poor seeing and maxing out at 120x was simply inferior optical quality. 250-300x ought to be as easily within your scope's capacity on the Moon, as it is mine.
An Eq. mounting doesn't have to have Goto. Just put a synchronous motor on it. That way your visitors can enjoy extended views without having to constantly re-locate and/or manually follow an object.
Chris
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Post by astrorl on Jul 22, 2017 10:22:49 GMT -5
Hi Chris, eventually I may tilt the mount, convert it to an equatorial mount and drive the RA axis. When I designed it, I made provisions to do that in the future if I decide to. I have also considered mounting another scope in place of the counterweights. The problem is height. It should be about 3 feet higher for ease of viewing. If it was any taller I could not get it in and out of my garage. I have considered a telescoping pier. My backyard is not an option due to all the trees. Otherwise I would already have an observatory. For now I am enjoying it the way it is.
Russ
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