My new Alt/Az mount under my little G&G

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John Baars Netherlands
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My new Alt/Az mount under my little G&G

#1

Post by John Baars »


Recently purchased this mount for a stable viewing platform with my 102mm Maksutov telescope.
The 6.3 kg heavy tripod easily carries my 2.75 kg heavy Mak. No wonder because the specified load capacity varies with various providers from 7.5 kg to 9 kg.
Ordered from a Dutch retailer for his version, after some delivery problems I got the TS variant from them. (only the imprint is different)
IMG_1202 (375x640).jpg
It is a relief to work with the mount. I was introduced to it during the solar day at the Rijswijk observatory. One of the amateurs had put a spectograph on it and invited me to give it a try. A particularly pleasant surprise. Light and very stable. Damping a hefty punch against it takes place within half a second.


Now the weather in the recent period was not good. But still I have found the time here and there to give it a try. The fine movements are very smooth and yet not too smooth. The slip couplings ensure that you can quickly move it roughly in a certain direction. Tracking an object is pleasant, the object does not "vibrate" back to the starting position, but "slides" towards it. Focusing also takes place without shaking; very pleasant and it works extremely precisely. Because the telescope remains in balance, even when observing at the zenith, this makes searching easier. While observing Jupiter, Moon and also above my head, Wega, I thought for a moment: "Is this my little G & G ?"
Recommended!

Technical specs:
https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/pr ... ripod.html
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
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helicon United States of America
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Re: My new Alt/Az mount under my little G&G

#2

Post by helicon »


Nice mount John!
-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
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pakarinen United States of America
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Re: My new Alt/Az mount under my little G&G

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Post by pakarinen »


What's the brand? I've seen it somewhere on line, but I don't remember where. Omegon maybe?
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AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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Lady Fraktor Slovakia
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Re: My new Alt/Az mount under my little G&G

#4

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Very nice John!
Having the adjustable arm will make this a very versatile mount.
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
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, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
The only culture I have is from yogurt
My day was going well until... people
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Don Quixote
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Re: My new Alt/Az mount under my little G&G

#5

Post by Don Quixote »


This looks very very good John !

Do you have something wrapped arount you Mak?
It looks like an insulation blanket. Can you comment on this please.
Thank you.
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John Baars Netherlands
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Re: My new Alt/Az mount under my little G&G

#6

Post by John Baars »


Mark,

It is isolation material. Any isolation material will do.
It is used to isolate the wall of the tube. As a result cooling down process is slowed down. Air turbulence in the tube itself becomes less, and the Mak can be used almost instantly. Of course the total cooling down process lasts longer, but far less turbulent and one doesn't find hinder from it while observing. Difference is obvious from the start: 1.5 to 2 points difference on the Pickering scale.

I have it on my 140mm Mak too and used to have it on my former C8 too. Works on Maks and SCT's.
Not on refractors since in the refractor the entering light is converged to focus instantly away from the tube wall. ( doesn't pass close along the tube wall, like in Maks and SCT's).

I think almost every retailer has his own brand(?)
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
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John Baars Netherlands
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Re: My new Alt/Az mount under my little G&G

#7

Post by John Baars »


I had my first evening out with it.
What first came into my mind was: "what an ease to operate this mount!"

All the little annoyances that I had before with my still not light phototripod had disappeared like snow in the sun: sinking of the telescope after securing. Looking into a shaky viewfinder image. Vibrations when correcting and focusing..... Disappeared.
Instead, quietly put a star in the field of view, look in your atlas, determine where you need to go, turn to it ,and then fine-tune the object. That 's it. What a relief.

Tonight I determined the usable height and I also saw Jupiter, Saturn, various double stars, M57, M27, M56, M71, the Coathanger and finally NGC 6940, a beautiful open cluster of stars.

I was quite satisfied when I stepped into the house again.
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
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