What gear?

[Guest recceranger]

Hi guys,

A few questions;

1. I own a SW ED80 and am looking to replace the standard focuser (which is rubbish!). Was looking at a few on sale such as the 
Dual-Speed 2" Crayford Focuser for Sky-Watcher Refractors 
I take it I can fit my standard diagonal into this focuser and don't require any other hidden gems in order to do a quick replacement?

2. Also interested in setting up a guidescope system along with the ED80. Was looking at purchasing an ST80, SW synguider and mounting it either side by side or above. Would prefer not to use mounting rings as its a little awkward.

3. Lastly for a bit of visual power am interested in the MAK 180, C9'25 and the Star Wave 115 ED. The MAK is my odd's on at the moment but the quality of the diagonal is shocking. Can you advise?

A lot of Q's but I'm keen as mustard (just not very experienced!)

Cheers troops

Rick

 

[dawson]

Hi.

 

No idea about 1.

 

2. Speak to Astrocookie on here; he made his own guidescope and might be able to make you one and sell it to you at a fraction of the cost of an off the shelf one.

 

3. I've got the Mak 180, and not really had many nights with it yet, but I'm very pleased. I hadn't noticed the diagonal was shocking. For visual it seems fine to my dodgy eyes. I did image Saturn through it too the other night (I should have taken it off, just didn't think about it), an that image has come out OK too. There are often 180 Maks on ABS for circa £400 (as was mine), so if you went down that avenue that would save you nearly £400 to buy a fancy diagonal. Just a thought.

 

Good luck and hopefully someone who knows what they are talking about will be along to help you soon.

 

James

[Brantuk]

1. I own a SW ED80 and am looking to replace the standard focuser (which is rubbish!). Was looking at a few on sale such as the 
Dual-Speed 2" Crayford Focuser for Sky-Watcher Refractors.

I understand the Baader Steeltracks are very good (if they do one for your scope). Telescop Service in Germany do them and they ship to UK.

I take it I can fit my standard diagonal into this focuser and don't require any other hidden gems in order to do a quick replacement?

I prefer 2" focusers too - they usually come with a 1.25" adaptor but do check. Which one you go for depends on budget - it should take the standard diagonal but check the sums if using a different focuser to the standard one.

2. Also interested in setting up a guidescope system along with the ED80. Was looking at purchasing an ST80, SW synguider and mounting it either side by side or above. Would prefer not to use mounting rings as its a little awkward.

The ST80 is a good option used by lots of folks and I've used it sbs with Meg72 - gives good balance in that configuration with no noticeable flexure - if mounted on top I'd recommend cnc rings and adm plate.

3. Lastly for a bit of visual power am interested in the MAK 180, C9'25 and the Star Wave 115 ED. The MAK is my odd's on at the moment but the quality of the diagonal is shocking. Can you advise?

My 925 is alt/az mounted and I use a wedge and the Celestron 2" Starbright diag. The focal length is great for planets but it has a larger central obstruction than the Mak. With a .63 reducer it's a nice system for planets or dso's - both observing and imaging. Consider an OAG for guiding but it might require forward counterweights. I like Celestron gear - it all works with no fussing - but if it's gotta be portable there's a lot of setting up - obsy is the better option.

 

I got the Altair 115edt for imaging but have yet to do that. I was pleasantly surprised how good it is observing dso's and planets - the jagged mountain tops on the limb of the moon are easily seen with it - as is the ring nebula. The WO 2" CF diag works very nicely with the 115 and the finder/guider is superb and keeps the weight down (but you'd need another finder if using it as a guider). If you put an ST80 on top use adm plates and cnc rings - they're rock solid. The SW alt/az guide scope shoe is dead useful and imho more flexible than guide scope rings for finding a guide star. 

 

Hth

[Guest recceranger]

Thanks guys,

 

Good info and really helpful in order to research.

 

Think I will go for SW Alt/Az guide-scope shoe with ST80 and sync-guider top mounted.  Looks solid enough.  As for the second scope its a three way split but I think if pure mag for visual is what I want then its down to two.  The C9'25 and MAK 180.  Anyone got a coin!

 

Rick

[dawson]

C9.25 is f/10, the Mak is f/15

C9.25 is 9kg, the Mak is 7.8kg

C9.25 seems to come with 6x30 finder scope, Mak with 9x50

C9.25 would allow you (I think) to take off the secondary embedded in the corrector plate and attach a camera:

 

http://hyperstar.green-witch.com/images/celestronhyperstar.gif

 

James

[Guest CodnorPaul]

Hyperstar is a great option as James said but when we did a visual comparison one night on Saturn with the same EP in his 5" Mak and my 8" SCT the view was comparable - a little bigger and crisper in my 8" due to aperture but the Mak did very, very well none the less.  Now James has a 180 I would assume the view would be virtually identical in both with the same EP.  The point - probably go for whatever you can get the best deal on but if AP on DSO's using the OTA may be an option in the future the SCT would be a great choice with fastar kit