Posts Made By: David Moody

No offense meant towards anyone by this post, but I just started visiting this forum for observing discussions and this is off topic.
Regards,
David

I took this a week ago sunday (acutally early morning Monday). I was using an MX716 camera with Schuler filters (RGcBc). It is an LRGB with 30 second exposures (I didn't have the autoguider running) with a total in minutes of 10:8:8:10. I was using a 5" Meade AR-5 achromatic refractor mounted on a CI700 mount with a Losmandy Gemini controller. David Moody

This was taken about a week ago. I used a 5" Meade AR-5 with a MX716 camera and Schuler RGcBc filters. The LRGB exposures in minutes were 10:8:8:10

David Moody

I shot this image this morning. MX716 CCD imager through a 10" SCT @ f/6.3 on a CI700 mount with a Gemini controller using STAR2K autoguiding. LRGB 25:15:15:15 processed through Maxim DL/CCD.

This is just what I call a mostly raw combine of the images with only the darks frames subtracted. I didn't apply my flats yet, did just a straight combine with only a kernel DDP on the Luminance and a mild unsharp mask on the final. I was just trying to see how it would turn out.

David

Here is a shot I took last night of the comet before it dove under the trees. 3x60 second shots with my MX716 through a Nikon 50mm lens mounted on a CI700 mount. This was taken at the club's observing site north of New Orleans.

Yes, I have and no, it really doesn't very well. I have been able to autoguide for up to an hour and a half (at f/6.3)with star2000, but it took a lot of work getting there and getting the mount aligned. Mine had a jumpy PE also that could be hard to correct. I have since moved to another type of mount (GEM) and it is much easier to work. I kept the OTA, however, because the optics are very nice. I will probably be selling the forks and tripod at some point, though.

I use a DewBuster regularly (It is a must here near the Gulf coast of Louisiana), but I always run it from a separate power supply (in this case, a deep cycle battery) from my mount (I have a Gemini controller) and my CCD equipment. The practical reasons stem from 1) It is a best practice to separate the power sources for electronic devices like this for several reasons; 2) My Gemini controller draws a lot on slews and its performance can be directly affected by any drops in voltage. I wouldn't want to find out, but I suspect the same would be true of my CCD imager.

I don't have an AO-7, but I suspect that it would be very sensitive to any spikes or changes in the voltage. Whether you are using a Dewbuster or a Kendrick, you may be requiring a lot of current, depending upon what sort of dew controlling strips/heaters you have.

I am a big fan of the DewBuster and I don't think you would ever regret getting one if dew is a real problem in your area, but in this case, I think you might try running your dew system off a different power supply from your AO-7 (it sounds as if you are using the same power supply, currently). That may solve your problem.

Best regards,
David Moody

I use a DewBuster regularly (It is a must here near the Gulf coast of Louisiana), but I always run it from a separate power supply (in this case, a deep cycle battery) from my mount (I have a Gemini controller) and my CCD equipment. The practical reasons stem from 1) It is a best practice to separate the power sources for electronic devices like this for several reasons; 2) My Gemini controller draws a lot on slews and its performance can be directly affected by any drops in voltage. I wouldn't want to find out, but I suspect the same would be true of my CCD imager.

I don't have an AO-7, but I suspect that it would be very sensitive to any spikes or changes in the voltage. Whether you are using a Dewbuster or a Kendrick, you may be requiring a lot of current, depending upon what sort of dew controlling strips/heaters you have.

I am a big fan of the DewBuster and I don't think you would ever regret getting one if dew is a real problem in your area, but in this case, I think you might try running your dew system off a different power supply from your AO-7 (it sounds as if you are using the same power supply, currently). That may solve your problem.

Best regards,
David Moody

Joe,
Since you said it was an LX50, what slew speed was your handpaddle set to when you tried to slew East in RA? If it was set on its slowest guiding speed, it very likely won't go east. On my old LX50 mount (I have now long since changed to a CI700 with a Gemini), I often found that when I guided at the slowest speed in RA, it would usually just hold its position or only move it slightly east if the balance was bad.

It obviously could be something else, but that is the first thing that came to my mind.

Good luck!
David Moody

Donald,

I have similar problems with cables. I have considered building a console just like you are describing (and may yet for routing and managing power), but an easy inexpensive solution I have found is to use the "Split Loom" tubing. You can buy this at Radio Shack and probably any electrical supply company.

I gather the cables to the rear of the telescope/mount and put them altogether in the split loom tube. It cleans up the appearance and, more importantly, keeps the cables out of the way when the scope is slewing during goto's or other movements.

Bear in mind, this works especially well with a GEM mount since I can route most of the cables down both the axis of the scope and the dovetail/saddle. I wasn't able to do this as easily with a fork mount since the OTA pivots on the fork cross axis, which makes it harder if you are trying to route your cables down the fork (to keep them out of the way). You can still gather the cables in the split loom, but they may still hang off the back, which means you may still need to watch them if the scope slews through the forks.

I hope this helps.
Best Regards,
David Moody