Damn, that’s awesome! I didn’t realize that. This would totally work as a solution for my OAG predicament. Thanks again for providing clarity @Jeff!
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Thanks @Jeff Ridder. I noticed that you subtracted the filter thickness from the BFL. Is there a reason that you subtract rather than add? Also, since the astronomik filters are 1mm thick, the rule of thumb would be to use 0.333mm as the value. Did you find the refractive index of the filter glass? I am sorry to ask so many questions, but you are a bit of a guinea pig for this combination and we look to you for help  That said, can you tell if there is space for a guide cam on the epsilon mounting bracket with the hercules in place? Thanks again!!
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Thanks @Jeff Ridder. I noticed that you subtracted the filter thickness from the BFL. Is there a reason that you subtract rather than add? Also, since the astronomik filters are 1mm thick, the rule of thumb would be to use 0.333mm as the value. Did you find the refractive index of the filter glass?
I am sorry to ask so many questions, but you are a bit of a guinea pig for this combination and we look to you for help That said, can you tell if there is space for a guide cam on the epsilon mounting bracket with the hercules in place?
Thanks again!! I subtract the filter thickness from the image train spacing, which is equivalent to adding it to the back focus. The Astronomik MaxFRs are 1.1mm thick, so I used 1/3 of that. There is enough room to use the finder bracket with the Hercules. With this spacing, the target setting of 590 on the EAT hits back focus precisely.
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Jeff Ridder:
I subtract the filter thickness from the image train spacing, which is equivalent to adding it to the back focus. Thanks! I didn't think of that. Much appreciated.
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@Jeff Ridder, I just received my QHY600 SBFL and removing the front plate still leaves this raised sensor part that takes up around 5mm or so. Using a photon cage means the backfocus is still 12mm or so for the camera instead of the 7mm like you mentioned, if the camera didn’t have this bump. Did QHY recently change the camera design? Does yours not have this? Otherwise how are you accounting for this?  Thanks, Ani
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Ani Shastry:
@Jeff Ridder, I just received my QHY600 SBFL and removing the front plate still leaves this raised sensor part that takes up around 5mm or so. Using a photon cage means the backfocus is still 12mm or so for the camera instead of the 7mm like you mentioned, if the camera didn’t have this bump.
Did QHY recently change the camera design? Does yours not have this? Otherwise how are you accounting for this?
Thanks,
Ani My SBFL version of the camera does not have this additional adapter looking thing on it. Looks like a design change to me.
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Does it come off? Looks like screw heads in your pic.
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Unfortunately that is where the glass window is, so I can’t really remove it! Looks like they tried to move the sensor further up in relation to the body and this quirky design is what they came up with.
And you would think they would make is a standard dimension like M54, but no, it’s 56mm in diameter so I can’t even push it through the central hole in the photon cage base plate.
QHY’s random changes without revving version monikers is extremely frustrating.
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Ani Shastry:
Unfortunately that is where the glass window is, so I can’t really remove it! Looks like they tried to move the sensor further up in relation to the body and this quirky design is what they came up with.
And you would think they would make is a standard dimension like M54, but no, it’s 56mm in diameter so I can’t even push it through the central hole in the photon cage base plate.
QHY’s random changes without revving version monikers is extremely frustrating. I'm guessing that they wanted to move the window away from the sensor to prevent fogging. It's a problem with the sbfl in humid environments. What a PIA.
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@Chris White, looks like that is indeed what they did. @Josh Jones, this is the issue I indicated in my offline thread to you. Ani
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Ani Shastry:
@Chris White, looks like that is indeed what they did. @Josh Jones, this is the issue I indicated in my offline thread to you.
Ani Ani, PM me if you want contact information for Cha at QHYCCD. I don't post other people's email addresses on public forums. The front end of the camera is removable. You might be able to get QHY to send you the old style so that you can get that backspacing back. They are probably unaware that many people are removing the front plate to reduce spacing even more, which only works of course when using a clamp on tilt device for the connection method. I would push QHY on this, considering it is a major design change and a bit of a surprise...
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Ani Shastry:
@Chris White, looks like that is indeed what they did. @Josh Jones, this is the issue I indicated in my offline thread to you.
Ani Hey Ani, I have a normal QHY600 SBFL camera here. I do plan to deploy this but I do not have a heavy spacing requirement on what I plan to use it on. If you want to swap cameras with me, let me know. I will be in Woodinville on 9/24 after my car is serviced, to do some shopping. We could meet up and swap cameras then, and maybe get some coffee or a Jimmy Johns sandwich. |
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Dark Matters Astrophotography:
Ani Shastry:
@Chris White, looks like that is indeed what they did. @Josh Jones, this is the issue I indicated in my offline thread to you.
Ani
Hey Ani, I have a normal QHY600 SBFL camera here. I do plan to deploy this but I do not have a heavy spacing requirement on what I plan to use it on. If you want to swap cameras with me, let me know. I will be in Woodinville on 9/24 after my car is serviced, to do some shopping. We could meet up and swap cameras then, and maybe get some coffee or a Jimmy Johns sandwich. Hi Bill, that is extremely kind of you to offer to swap cameras. Let me ping you offline. Ani
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I'm currently setting up my E160 rig, and have a concern about the capacity of the tube to a full imaging setup off the secondary. I wonder whether mine (Hercules, Moravian EFW and C1x cam, and counterbalance weight for the EFW off the cam) might be too much for the tube, causing issues with imaging from flexure. The total mass of this part will be close to 4.5 kg, with ~1 kg coming from the counterbalancing.
Moravian and QHY share almost identical masses for the EFW/camera setup, FWIW. ZWO is a bit lighter.
Anyone know about such? How substantial is the Tak tube/mounting for these setups people are using, and my expected additional 2.2 lbs?
TIA,
Kenward
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Kenward Vaughan:
Anyone know about such? How substantial is the Tak tube/mounting for these setups people are using, and my expected additional 2.2 lbs? As is the case with most Tak stuff it is built heavily but I am not sure if anyone has done any mechanical deflection tests to see just how much deflection extra weight would add. I doubt that the standard Tak focuser would handle it but most folks here are talking about using the Optec in any case and those are well built indeed so it is more about the tube and focuser mount. I do know that the Leo mount that Optec provides is super rigid so it really gets down to the tube itself.
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I expect the Hercules is similar to the Leo. I "tested" the setup using 2 kg suspended from the bottom part of the eyepiece area while set up with the collimation tube/eyepiece (next to the Hercules), and in that brief moment (all being held manually to prevent rotation) saw no discernible change in the collimation.
Not a super-duper test, but at least some indication. The actual CG of the camera/EFW is farther out than this, and another 700 g of counterweight was not included.
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Clear nights for imaging all this week, and I’m finally satisfied that my Tak Banana is in remote-worthy shape.
Question for anyone who has shipped this or similar scope to a remote site: Any advice on packing? I was thinking I’d take off the imaging train and put the Epsilon back in the original box with loads of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. Ship that and the mount (Mach 2) in original boxes, pack imaging train and other gear in additional boxes. Make sense? Better options? Tips?
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Jeff Ridder:
Clear nights for imaging all this week, and I’m finally satisfied that my Tak Banana is in remote-worthy shape.
Question for anyone who has shipped this or similar scope to a remote site: Any advice on packing? I was thinking I’d take off the imaging train and put the Epsilon back in the original box with loads of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. Ship that and the mount (Mach 2) in original boxes, pack imaging train and other gear in additional boxes. Make sense? Better options? Tips? Jeff, I recently shipped all my gear on a pallet. I felt that was much safer than UPS. I bought hard cases woth pluck foam for everything. Put the cases back in their original corrugated boxes to make it all look less interesting. And just shipped it LTL. It arrived in great condition to the dark site. Might cost a bit more, but I decided it was worth it.
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Chris White- Overcast Observatory:
Jeff Ridder:
Clear nights for imaging all this week, and I’m finally satisfied that my Tak Banana is in remote-worthy shape.
Question for anyone who has shipped this or similar scope to a remote site: Any advice on packing? I was thinking I’d take off the imaging train and put the Epsilon back in the original box with loads of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. Ship that and the mount (Mach 2) in original boxes, pack imaging train and other gear in additional boxes. Make sense? Better options? Tips?
Jeff,
I recently shipped all my gear on a pallet. I felt that was much safer than UPS. I bought hard cases woth pluck foam for everything. Put the cases back in their original corrugated boxes to make it all look less interesting. And just shipped it LTL. It arrived in great condition to the dark site. Might cost a bit more, but I decided it was worth it. Hard cases make sense. I like plucking foam. Is there storage for those cases at your remote site, or did you ship the empties back home? Anyone have a recommendation for a Banana-sized hard case?
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Jeff Ridder:
Chris White- Overcast Observatory:
Jeff Ridder:
Clear nights for imaging all this week, and I’m finally satisfied that my Tak Banana is in remote-worthy shape.
Question for anyone who has shipped this or similar scope to a remote site: Any advice on packing? I was thinking I’d take off the imaging train and put the Epsilon back in the original box with loads of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. Ship that and the mount (Mach 2) in original boxes, pack imaging train and other gear in additional boxes. Make sense? Better options? Tips?
Jeff,
I recently shipped all my gear on a pallet. I felt that was much safer than UPS. I bought hard cases woth pluck foam for everything. Put the cases back in their original corrugated boxes to make it all look less interesting. And just shipped it LTL. It arrived in great condition to the dark site. Might cost a bit more, but I decided it was worth it.
Hard cases make sense. I like plucking foam. Is there storage for those cases at your remote site, or did you ship the empties back home?
Anyone have a recommendation for a Banana-sized hard case? They have a conex box for all the ash and trash. Check out condition1 cases. They are not as rugged as pelican but much less cost. And for just shipping use, I think they were great.
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Chris White- Overcast Observatory:
Jeff Ridder:
Chris White- Overcast Observatory:
Jeff Ridder:
Clear nights for imaging all this week, and I’m finally satisfied that my Tak Banana is in remote-worthy shape.
Question for anyone who has shipped this or similar scope to a remote site: Any advice on packing? I was thinking I’d take off the imaging train and put the Epsilon back in the original box with loads of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. Ship that and the mount (Mach 2) in original boxes, pack imaging train and other gear in additional boxes. Make sense? Better options? Tips?
Jeff,
I recently shipped all my gear on a pallet. I felt that was much safer than UPS. I bought hard cases woth pluck foam for everything. Put the cases back in their original corrugated boxes to make it all look less interesting. And just shipped it LTL. It arrived in great condition to the dark site. Might cost a bit more, but I decided it was worth it.
Hard cases make sense. I like plucking foam. Is there storage for those cases at your remote site, or did you ship the empties back home?
Anyone have a recommendation for a Banana-sized hard case?
They have a conex box for all the ash and trash.
Check out condition1 cases. They are not as rugged as pelican but much less cost. And for just shipping use, I think they were great. Here is a good one: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/3d-render-wooden-box-full-600nw-1140344234.jpg |
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Jeff Ridder:
Clear nights for imaging all this week, and I’m finally satisfied that my Tak Banana is in remote-worthy shape.
Question for anyone who has shipped this or similar scope to a remote site: Any advice on packing? I was thinking I’d take off the imaging train and put the Epsilon back in the original box with loads of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. Ship that and the mount (Mach 2) in original boxes, pack imaging train and other gear in additional boxes. Make sense? Better options? Tips? Good timing, I also am shipping a epsilon 160 down to DSC, not for myself, but I put the entire system minus the oag, efw, eat, camera. I just capped it all, left all teh wires on it and put in original box and it worked really well. triple boxed takahashi box is pretty bomber and it was all like 45lbs. I put the other wrapped and in another smaller box setup with miscellaneous. So now the debate is that it's on a palette, shipping seperately is as bit more risky really having it being able to be tossed about. I could also crate it. not sure a crate is needed on a palette for it, but it doesn't really add much to it and so may go that route. so curious what you decide as well |
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Chris White- Overcast Observatory:
Chris White- Overcast Observatory:
Jeff Ridder:
Chris White- Overcast Observatory:
Jeff Ridder:
Clear nights for imaging all this week, and I’m finally satisfied that my Tak Banana is in remote-worthy shape.
Question for anyone who has shipped this or similar scope to a remote site: Any advice on packing? I was thinking I’d take off the imaging train and put the Epsilon back in the original box with loads of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. Ship that and the mount (Mach 2) in original boxes, pack imaging train and other gear in additional boxes. Make sense? Better options? Tips?
Jeff,
I recently shipped all my gear on a pallet. I felt that was much safer than UPS. I bought hard cases woth pluck foam for everything. Put the cases back in their original corrugated boxes to make it all look less interesting. And just shipped it LTL. It arrived in great condition to the dark site. Might cost a bit more, but I decided it was worth it.
Hard cases make sense. I like plucking foam. Is there storage for those cases at your remote site, or did you ship the empties back home?
Anyone have a recommendation for a Banana-sized hard case?
They have a conex box for all the ash and trash.
Check out condition1 cases. They are not as rugged as pelican but much less cost. And for just shipping use, I think they were great.
Here is a good one: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/3d-render-wooden-box-full-600nw-1140344234.jpg 🤔 😂
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I am considering removing the primary mirror for cleaning. From what I have read it seems rather straight forward.  So to be clear, I will point the OTA down, and completely unscrew the philips screws, and attach the so called "attachment detachment" screws that came with the OTA? This will not release the primary mirror and have it crash down on the secondary while pointing down... right? Also, what is everyone doing to combat dew on the primary mirror in very humid regions? I have the rear fan cell installed and running at full power. I still notice dew spots /water droplets forming. Anyone putting a dew heater band around the primary on the outside of the OTA? Any issue with tube currents / thermal issues doing that?
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2.81
0.00
2.41
4.82
11.95
19.90
0.00
8.34
2.41
9.31
