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Post by Rick in NWArk on Apr 28, 2015 16:15:14 GMT
I've recently purchased the Celestron StarSense for my AVX mount to make alignment easier. I have a small window to the North to spot Polaris in and massive trees to the NE, E, and NW. Polar aligning and 3-star alignment is touch and go at times. I have no observatory or semi-permanent pier (I am considering this however). I had been using it successfully this winter in the few times I've been able to get out -- but using it with my Orion 80EDT. No problem.
So Saturday I had the first clear night in a while, so I thought I would get my VRC8 out and do some planetary and small DSO viewing. I proceed to try to put the StarSense on my VRC8 and its really really tight and I get it about halfway on. I try to take it off and its stuck. Well, I went ahead and tried to do the alignment but it must have been slightly crooked or something because it was quite a way off.
Still for moon, Jupiter, and Venus I was able to eye-sight align it and view it through my MC Jr Pro. At the best, I was able to get 4 moons and still see the stripes on Jupiter. This was without anything but an IR Cut filter. That was fun. Now some DSOs. So I took off the IR Filter and went after M95 and spent 20 minutes playing with settings on the camera and blindly slewing around the field to try to find it. Ok, so I figure maybe its too big for my current effective focal length. So I go to a smallish glob. I check it in the field of view calculator and yea I should get a view full of stars. Nope, I scan around and get nothing but a sea full of hot pixels. My DSO settings really turn my Jr Pro into a confetti viewer.
The predictable response from Rock was that of course Orion products are made by Synta in a conspiracy to only accept other Orion products and the VRC8 is made by GSO - which uses actual standards. I replied asking if the StarSense was also made by Synta, since its not fitting in the VRC8. But I didnt get a response to that. Maybe that's the case, I'll have to look myself.
So, I'm about ready to get rid of my VRC8. I can only remember seeing the Ring though it once. And some planetary views. I've never been able to get galaxies or nebula. Even with a full MFR5 reduction. Either the focus is off or something else is just wrong. Versus many enjoyable views with my 80 EDT triplet APO. I may get rid of my Jr Pro too. Tired of the soup of hot pixels. And I'm not exaggerating - I was looking at dozens of them Saturday.
Too embarassing to broadcast, for sure.
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Post by davy on Apr 28, 2015 17:02:02 GMT
Hey rick..sometimes its murphys law..ive started and stopped so many set ups it draws you down when it goes wrong.keep at it mate.
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Post by Dragon Man on Apr 28, 2015 17:10:00 GMT
Sounds like you've had a real bad run Rick. I've never heard anyone else have the same problems you are having.
With the Jnr Pro are you able to cool it? That would help with the hot pixels. The VRC8 is a standard size made by GSO, so it shouldn't be the problem. But yes, Orion have a reputation for ill-fitting products. Their scopes are made by Synta and GSO, but their accessories are made by whoever in China.
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Post by johnno on Apr 28, 2015 19:11:22 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2015 19:22:14 GMT
Hi Rick,
That VRC8 looks like a really nice scope and should work great for EAA. The native FL is over 1600mm. That's a very narrow view when used with small sensor cameras like the MC video cams. If you use it at that length, your go to has to be spot on. Sounds like you need to get the StarSense system straightened out. For most DSO's you will probably need some focal reduction. With the focusing system on the VRC8, in focus could be a problem. An SCT moves the primary mirror allowing for a much larger range of focus. I think the VRC8 comes with spacers, but there could still be a problem if you need more in focus. However, I would think it should be designed to work with the MC video cams and focal reducers.
One thing I do when my FOV is narrow and I have trouble finding things is to use a visual finder scope precisely aligned with my main scope. Then I aim at a bright star near the object I'm trying to view. I visually align to that star with the finder and then look where my target is in my SkySafari mount control program. It's like a regional alignment technique that improves precision.
Hope you get it worked out. It sounds like a great EAA system.
Don
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Apr 29, 2015 17:38:22 GMT
Thanks, John, this is my exact problem. I had to knock the thing out with a hammer. I'll consider shaving it down like he did with a dremel. Its only a couple of millimeters. Just concerned that it would not fit in the Orion scope well. I havent yet looked to get an Orion base plate and replace the VRC8's with the Orion one that could fit. Knowing my luck, the screws wouldn't match up.
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Apr 29, 2015 17:39:00 GMT
Hey rick..sometimes its murphys law..ive started and stopped so many set ups it draws you down when it goes wrong.keep at it mate. Thanks for the encouragement Davy... never thought I'd have to take a hammer to a telescope.
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Apr 29, 2015 17:42:39 GMT
Sounds like you've had a real bad run Rick. I've never heard anyone else have the same problems you are having. With the Jnr Pro are you able to cool it? That would help with the hot pixels. The VRC8 is a standard size made by GSO, so it shouldn't be the problem. But yes, Orion have a reputation for ill-fitting products. Their scopes are made by Synta and GSO, but their accessories are made by whoever in China. What's strange, Ken, is that I had zero hot pixels while doing the moon and Jupiter and Venus. Clean clear views. But when I turned on my sense to 128x for DSOs, its like I was suddenly having a hot pixel party. Honestly, I need a couple of back to back nights so I can play with combinations and compare. I seem to get more hot pixels with the VRC8 than the 80 APO -- and I know how crazy that sounds!! I dont even understand how that could be... but we're talking at least a month between clear night skies that I could get out.
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Apr 29, 2015 17:51:22 GMT
Hi Rick, That VRC8 looks like a really nice scope and should work great for EAA. The native FL is over 1600mm. That's a very narrow view when used with small sensor cameras like the MC video cams. If you use it at that length, your go to has to be spot on. Sounds like you need to get the StarSense system straightened out. For most DSO's you will probably need some focal reduction. With the focusing system on the VRC8, in focus could be a problem. An SCT moves the primary mirror allowing for a much larger range of focus. I think the VRC8 comes with spacers, but there could still be a problem if you need more in focus. However, I would think it should be designed to work with the MC video cams and focal reducers. One thing I do when my FOV is narrow and I have trouble finding things is to use a visual finder scope precisely aligned with my main scope. Then I aim at a bright star near the object I'm trying to view. I visually align to that star with the finder and then look where my target is in my SkySafari mount control program. It's like a regional alignment technique that improves precision. Hope you get it worked out. It sounds like a great EAA system. Don Hi Don, thanks for your reply! I really have enjoyed the planetary views with the VRC8... I'm looking forward to getting a little crazy and trying Eyepiece Projection to see what the possibilities are. I'll say that also the views through the eyepiece are crystal clear as well. I'm also planning something with spectroscopy coming up and I would like to use this scope (no glass for the light to pass thru). One of my issues is that I have not been documenting my configurations. With the VRC8, you have the spacers, focal reduction, and the length of the focus tube to all deal with depending on the field of view you're going for. Sometimes you'll need all 3 spacers, sometimes only 1, sometimes none depending on your focal reduction (MFR5 here) and desired field of view. I also purchased a flip mirror for help in alignment, so I can go back to using that. That also impacts the focal length. So does my filter wheel if I decide to put that on. I guess this was kind of a rant thread about problems that are mostly of my own doing/not-doing, so I'm sorry about that. --Rick
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Post by johnno on Apr 29, 2015 20:45:28 GMT
I had a similar problem with the club's solamax 60 scope when I borrowed it, it won't fit my mounts dovetail.
Will the large base plate that came with the starsence not screw onto the scope
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Post by Rick in NWArk on Apr 29, 2015 21:20:32 GMT
I had a similar problem with the club's solamax 60 scope when I borrowed it, it won't fit my mounts dovetail. Will the large base plate that came with the starsence not screw onto the scope I forgot about the second mount option, thanks for mentioning that -- I need to look at that before I shave down the finder mount base.
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Post by Dragon Man on Apr 30, 2015 13:57:02 GMT
I havent yet looked to get an Orion base plate and replace the VRC8's with the Orion one that could fit. Knowing my luck, the screws wouldn't match up. I have just fitted an Orion Finderscope to my Meade SN10 and it didn't fit the Meade dovetail base, so I had to take out the Corrector plate and fit the Orion base plate. Fortunately the screw holes lined up All good now.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2015 21:21:16 GMT
I havent yet looked to get an Orion base plate and replace the VRC8's with the Orion one that could fit. Knowing my luck, the screws wouldn't match up. I have just fitted an Orion Finderscope to my Meade SN10 and it didn't fit the Meade dovetail base, so I had to take out the Corrector plate and fit the Orion base plate. Fortunately the screw holes lined up :D All good now. Hi Folks, Here are a few improvements I made to my first Meade SN-10 in 2001 not long after I bought it, (including discarding the crappy LXD-55 mount that became a door stop). Fitting an Orion 50 x 10 right angle viewfinder & a Moonlite CR-1 electronic focuser were the first steps. I found that lining the inside with MATT Black sprayed foam reduced reflections and improved contrast quite a bit. I also added a foam filter ring at the mirror end to keep black micro ants out, buggers for building nests in my astro gear. Dual mounted with a Takahashi Epsilon 180ED f/2.8 Astrograph made for a nice setup.picasaweb.google.com/109921669020426367250/MeadeLXD55SN10ModsImprovements?authuser=0&feat=directlinkClear skies... Shevill
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