Collector Plate & Sec Mirror Issue

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Beachbum
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Collector Plate & Sec Mirror Issue

#1

Post by Beachbum »


Good morning,

Perhaps somebody out there who has the same scope as I can help me out, at least I'm hoping.

Background; I have a Celestron 9.25 SCT OTA, not the Edge or the HD, just a standard black model with the orange dovetail at 6 o'clock.

I also do most all of my imaging using a Starizona Hyperstar. Somehow over the months of imaging when installing and removing the Hyperstar, my secondary Mirror spun on me and is now not in the same position as it was when i first got the scope back in 2017...Evidently these SCT center pieces which holds the secondary mirrors get loose, duh...!

The sec. holder has a pin and a notch in it...Can you tell me at what position that should be in? 9 o'clock or the 3 o'clock position? I think the Fastar logo should be right side up too, not upside down...I'm pretty sure at 9 o'clock...NOTE: there are no marks or numbers on the edge of my corrector plate, nothing....!

Now my focus and images are not as sharp as they were before. Can't seem to find that happy spot. Anyone else have similar issues, and did you correct it? If so, how....

Thanks for any help or advice you can give!

Rodney
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yobbo89 Australia
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Re: Collector Plate & Sec Mirror Issue

#2

Post by yobbo89 »


The secondary shouldn't be matched in figure so it shouldn't be a problem if it's rotated, and if anyone has used or owned a sct, the secondary can be rotated pretty easily, now might be the chance to give it a little tighten up, just make sure you don't pinch the corrector plate too hard. The blury image sounds of the need of another collimation, typical if you have rotated the secondary. And if you have rotated the corrector plate then there should be alignment marks for it under the edging gasket that holds it to the front of the scope.. Some earlier models don't have marking or different brands.. You can try the tape methode if you realy want to check it out incase you don't have markings on the corrector.
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Graeme1858 Great Britain
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Re: Collector Plate & Sec Mirror Issue

#3

Post by Graeme1858 »


Hello Rodney

I have the same OTA on a CGX mount. As Yobbo says, it doesn't matter if the secondary rotates but if you move it you will need to collimate it. I've not noticed the notch before!

If your OTA is less than two years old don't touch the corrector plate or you will invalidate the warranty and then when the paint starts to peel off from the inside of the tube Celestron will say it's not their fault because you sprayed it with some chemical. Sorry, sore point!

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
APM 11x70 ED APO Binoculars.

https://www.averywayobservatory.co.uk/
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Re: Collector Plate & Sec Mirror Issue

#4

Post by Beachbum »


yobbo89 wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:26 pm The secondary shouldn't be matched in figure so it shouldn't be a problem if it's rotated, and if anyone has used or owned a sct, the secondary can be rotated pretty easily, now might be the chance to give it a little tighten up, just make sure you don't pinch the corrector plate too hard. The blury image sounds of the need of another collimation, typical if you have rotated the secondary. And if you have rotated the corrector plate then there should be alignment marks for it under the edging gasket that holds it to the front of the scope.. Some earlier models don't have marking or different brands.. You can try the tape methode if you realy want to check it out incase you don't have markings on the corrector.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I stated in my post, My collector plate has no markings of any kind. I've gone all over the thing these past two weeks with a light and magnifying glass. No stamped numbers or hand markings, no black marks,dimples, punch marks, zippo...I was told by Celestron that if my secondary mirror rotated, which it did, I would have to send it in to them so they cam realign the corrector plate to the secondary mirror.

If there was a mark under the gasket, there would also need to be one on the corrector plate as well to mate these two together. I pulled the stupid thing off without marking it first which was my fault. But before that, my secondary mirror had already spun around quite a bit, due to me using my Hyperstar all the time...How much, I don't know. Celestron told me that the "Fastar" logo should be where you could readit, rightsize up, which puts the sec mirror notch at 9 o'clock...

I've done what I can, I just need some good sky to check it out...I did recollimate mate it after turning the secondary.

Rodney`
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Re: Collector Plate & Sec Mirror Issue

#5

Post by Beachbum »


Bought mine in March 2017, so I'm on my own now...I use a Losmandy G11 with Gemini 2 system.I never saw any painted stars in mine...

Rodney

Graeme1858 wrote: Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:06 pm Hello Rodney

I have the same OTA on a CGX mount. As Yobbo says, it doesn't matter if the secondary rotates but if you move it you will need to collimate it. I've not noticed the notch before!

If your OTA is less than two years old don't touch the corrector plate or you will invalidate the warranty and then when the paint starts to peel off from the inside of the tube Celestron will say it's not their fault because you sprayed it with some chemical. Sorry, sore point!

Regards

Graeme
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Re: Collector Plate & Sec Mirror Issue

#6

Post by yobbo89 »


There is a way to refind the best position for the corrector, but it takes alot of time, i read a user article awhile back, a user did this when his original corrector broke and took one off from an old scope to replace it, basicly he devided the corrector up with markings with masking tape and did a star test I think rotate, test, rotate, test ectt.
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: Collector Plate & Sec Mirror Issue

#7

Post by Beachbum »


I've done this too, but in 45 degree increments...I'm getting pretty good results using the Hyperstar. It's just with the reducer that I'm not...

yobbo89 wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 5:49 am There is a way to refind the best position for the corrector, but it takes alot of time, i read a user article awhile back, a user did this when his original corrector broke and took one off from an old scope to replace it, basicly he devided the corrector up with markings with masking tape and did a star test I think rotate, test, rotate, test ectt.
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