Posts Made By: John MacDonough

Charlie,

I would do two things simultaneously. Contact the seller and see, if he's the original purchaser, if he'd be willing to purchase a replacement motor on your behalf. Hopefully Orion will rethink what I and many others regard as a terrible policy.

I would also loosen the mounting screws holding the motor to the mount. There is lots of play in the way the SVP motors are mounted and you can move the motor around quite a bit to find the best mesh between all the drive gears.

If that doesn't solve your problem, I'd then suggest you find AstroBaby's website and look at adjusting the mesh between the worm and worm wheel. The good news is the adjustment is a simple, one-screw affair. The bad news is that it's also trial and error. You just have to try until you get it right. Too tight and the motor will at least be noisy and work too hard; at worst will bind and not move. Too loose and there will be sloppy movement due to backlash in the worm/ worm wheel mesh.

If that doesn't work, then I think you're back to finding a way to get a replacement motor from Orion.

Good luck.

Lots of astronomers like 4" refractors for lunar and planetary observing. I can't argue with unobstructed aperture. However, I find myself gravitating toward 6" Maksutovs or Schmidt Cassegrains because they are so compact and give a noticeable increase in brightness and resolution. If you're confident you'll be observing the moon and planets only then you might consider a simple, light weight, alt-az mount, too. A small equatorial mount with a single axis drive (battery powered), would also be light and quickly set-up. It would provide tracking for convenient high-powered viewing.

Use a Paracorr (or Paracorrs)?

Another idea: what focusers are installed on your RB-16? Could you change them for lower profile focusers?

I am compelled to poke: you have 16" of aperture and are using an image intensifier? Goodness, are you trying to see Kuiper belt objects?

I like my Orion 102mm Maksutov for just that.

I had each of those parts. They came with a William Optics Zenithstar 66 refractor telescope I used to own. The Zenithstar is a 66mm refractor that used to be made by a company called William Optics.

I'm sure those adapters would be useful for other telescopes, but that's where I've seen them.

Are you thinking of the Officina Stellare Veloce RH astrographs?

OK, Greg, we've humored you long enough on this mere distraction. What is the latest on your 8" f/15? Have you been able to finish it? Please post an update to that thread (with pictures), too.

Have you started making a bracket or rings so you can mount this 6" f/4.5 on your 8" f/15?

I use Plossls with my SolarMax 60. Contrast is most important in my opinion. The widest true field you need is about 1/2 degree...

Have you tweaked your polar alignment?
Have you made sure your gear is well balanced on the mount?
Have you made sure you are using the sidereal tracking rate?
If you're running off a battery/ power tank is it fully charged?

I don't think you'll have any problem. I always stored my C11 "corrector up", but I've read posts from several that store their SCTs "corrector down" without problem.