Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
- Seadawg216
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Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
Although I'm still planning on getting a Starblast 6, I couldn't pass up a Starblast 4.5 EQ for $50. I really didn't want the EQ mount, but I'm learning. I bought a 32mm, a 20mm, & a Barlow to go with it. Nice scope. That said, I would prefer putting it on a dobsonian base. I cannot find one anywhere so are there any ideas? I would also consider an altaz mount but can't figure out which one the OTA would mount to. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
- Thefatkitty
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Re: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
I did this for a good friend on here.... Tasco 4.5" Dob, the f/ l is longer than your Starblast, but the general idea is there. I'm not a woodworker, but it works well for me
All the best,
All the best,
Mark
"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4, AZ-EQ5 and SolarQuest mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.
Solar:
H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.
Member of the RASC
"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4, AZ-EQ5 and SolarQuest mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.
Solar:
H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.
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- helicon
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Re: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
Here are some instructions for building your own Dob mount. Hope this helps.
https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advi ... ian-mount/
https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advi ... ian-mount/
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
- turonrambar
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Re: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
Hello Seadawg216,
Welcome to theTSS forums.
I looked up your "StarBlast 6" scope on the google search engine, nice scope.
I cut my teeth on 6" reflector with aEQ mount and I liked it. The scope's f stop
was fast and I remember observing the ring nebula in its colors. That wouldn't happen
with a Meade LX200 8"f/ 10.
You know, I would call Orion telescope and ask them their opinion of changing to a alt/az
configuration with your scope. They might have a simple solution for you, and I can't imagine
what the solution would be, except buying a different mount and hardware to your
telescope so you could mount like a Dobsonian. Maybe they would sell you a alt/az
mount?
Good Luck, and
Clear Skies
kip
Welcome to the
I looked up your "StarBlast 6" scope on the google search engine, nice scope.
I cut my teeth on 6" reflector with a
was fast and I remember observing the ring nebula in its colors. That wouldn't happen
with a Meade LX200 8"
You know, I would call Orion telescope and ask them their opinion of changing to a alt/az
configuration with your scope. They might have a simple solution for you, and I can't imagine
what the solution would be, except buying a different mount and hardware to your
telescope so you could mount like a Dobsonian. Maybe they would sell you a alt/az
mount?
Good Luck, and
Clear Skies
kip
Meade OTA f/8 12” on a CEM120 iOptron Mount,
G10 One Shot CMOS Color Camera, QHY 2” Filter Wheel, QHY OAG, SVBony SV305 guide camera
Canon T3i 60D Prime Focus and Eyepiece Projection,
ASCOM 6.5 SP1, Windows 10 Professional
LX850 Mount, ETX125, LX200 f/10 8” GPS, Meade 6” f/4 Newton Reflector on an Equatorial Mount
G10 One Shot CMOS Color Camera, QHY 2” Filter Wheel, QHY OAG, SVBony SV305 guide camera
Canon T3i 60D Prime Focus and Eyepiece Projection,
ASCOM 6.5 SP1, Windows 10 Professional
LX850 Mount, ETX125, LX200 f/10 8” GPS, Meade 6” f/4 Newton Reflector on an Equatorial Mount
- Lady Fraktor
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Re: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
Welcome to the forums
Have fun with the project.
Have fun with the project.
Gabrielle
See Far Sticks: Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser 127/1200 BV, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS 100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, SXP2, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II, Stellarvue M2C, Argo Navis encoders on both
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Tak prism, TAL, Vixen
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss (1011110)
The only culture I have is from yogurt
See Far Sticks: Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser 127/1200 BV, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS 100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, SXP2, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II, Stellarvue M2C, Argo Navis encoders on both
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Tak prism, TAL, Vixen
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss (1011110)
The only culture I have is from yogurt
- Graeme1858
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Re: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
Hello Seadawg216
Welcome to the forum.
Good luck setting up your StarBlast.
Regards
Graeme
Welcome to the forum.
Good luck setting up your StarBlast.
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/
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: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
Welcome to TSS .
Gordon
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
ZWO mini guider.
Image cameras: ZWO ASI1600 MM Cool, ZWO ASI533mc-Pro, ZWO ASI174mm-C (for use with my Quark chromosphere), ZWO ASI120MC
Filters: LRGB, Ha 7nm, O-III 7nm, S-II 7nm
Eyepieces: a few.
Primary software: Cartes du Ciel, N.I.N.A, StarTools V1.4.
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
ZWO mini guider.
Image cameras: ZWO ASI1600 MM Cool, ZWO ASI533mc-Pro, ZWO ASI174mm-C (for use with my Quark chromosphere), ZWO ASI120MC
Filters: LRGB, Ha 7nm, O-III 7nm, S-II 7nm
Eyepieces: a few.
Primary software: Cartes du Ciel, N.I.N.A, StarTools V1.4.
- Makuser
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Re: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
Hello Seadawg. We're all happy to have you aboard here at TSS . Welcome to the forum Seadawg, and the best of wishes on your StarBlast base/mount project.
Marshall
Sky-Watcher 90mm f/13.8 Maksutov-Cassegrain on motorized Multimount
Orion Astroview 120ST f/5 Refractor on EQ3 mount
Celestron Comet Catcher 140mm f/3.64 Schmidt-Newtonian on alt-az mount
Celestron Omni XLT150R f/5 Refractor on CG4 mount with dual axis drives.
Orion 180mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain on CG5-GT Goto mount.
Orion XT12i 12" f/4.9 Dobsonian Intelliscope.
Kamakura 7x35 Binoculars and Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars. ZWO ASI 120MC camera.
>)))))*>
Sky-Watcher 90mm f/13.8 Maksutov-Cassegrain on motorized Multimount
Orion Astroview 120ST f/5 Refractor on EQ3 mount
Celestron Comet Catcher 140mm f/3.64 Schmidt-Newtonian on alt-az mount
Celestron Omni XLT150R f/5 Refractor on CG4 mount with dual axis drives.
Orion 180mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain on CG5-GT Goto mount.
Orion XT12i 12" f/4.9 Dobsonian Intelliscope.
Kamakura 7x35 Binoculars and Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars. ZWO ASI 120MC camera.
>)))))*>
- terrynak
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Re: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
I have a StarBlast 4.5EQ which I haven't used in a while - I used it on an alt-az mount at first because I didn't know how to use an EQ .
I got a dovetail bar and attached the rings to that, and then I mounted the bar and rings to a Vixen Mini-Porta mount with a dovetail saddle. All astronomicalalt-az mounts have a dovetail mount.
Since learning how to use anEQ , I now have it back on an EQ1-type mount. I also own a StarBlast 6 as well, which I got before the 4.5.
I got a dovetail bar and attached the rings to that, and then I mounted the bar and rings to a Vixen Mini-Porta mount with a dovetail saddle. All astronomical
Since learning how to use an
Scopes: Reflectors, refractors, and 1 catadioptric. Ranging in aperture from 50mm to 150mm.
- Seadawg216
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Re: Dobsonian base for Starblast 4.5
Sorry for the delay on my response. I think it had something to do with a microscopic critter:) All great info thank you. Orion did get back to me & suggested an 8" plate to mount the rings. What I ended up doing was buying an Svbony 8" aluminum dovetail plate which has slots so the rings could be mounted anywhere along the plate. Then I attached that to a quick release plate & mounted it on a heavy duty fluid pan head movie camera tripod which I forgot I had. You know, the ones from the 90's that used vcr tape? It was 3x as heavy as the OTA . Now it works just like the alt-az I was looking for. No fine tuning, but I'm finding that I don't need it since I'm not into AP . There is a balancing act, but I found a sweet spot. Much easier than the EQ mount. Been having fun.
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