My Equipment And Setup

 

Main Scope:
            Mak-Newt Tele    
  • Skywatcher Maksutov-Newtonian telescope  190mm, 1000mm
  • Skywatcher AZ-Neq6 mount
  • Synscan GoTo Hand Controller
Guide Scope:
img_0757
  • Lunt Refractor 70mm, 420mm
Cameras:
  • Canon EOS 70D
  • ZWO 224
Eyepieces:
  • Pentax 3.5mm
  • Televue   1.5 -7mm,  1.5-13mm,  2-20mm
  • Televue Powermate  4x
Filters:
  • Orion 2 Inch Variable Polarizer
  • ZWO 850 IR Pass Filter
  • ZWO IR Cut Filter
Software: 
Basic Setup for Astrophotography:  Ascom 6.2 platform, Eqmod, APT (Astrophotography Tool), PlateSolver2, All Sky Solver,  PHD2, Cartes du Ciel
Additional Software:  Stellarium, Firecapture, Sharpcap, AstroToaster, Nebulosity, BYE (Backyard EOS)
Image Processing:   Deep Sky Stacker, AutoStakkert, PiPP, Registax, Nebulosity,
WinJUPOS, StarTools, RawTherapee, Lightzone, Gimp

Additional Telescope: Tasco Luminova (114mm, 900 mm)
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Tasco Luminova Reflector

This is my setup for a speedy observational session from my balcony with coffee and friends. Replacing the department store eyepieces that came with this telescope by some plossel eyepieces renders some pretty good views for a 4 inch scope of The Moon, Jupiter, the Orion Nebula and more. The equatorial mount that came with the telescope is rather wobbly but can be better stabilized by an additional weight that can be hung from the center of the tripod. A triangular wooden wedge could also be added near the top underside of the tripod for further stability and placing the tripod on a rubber mat would also help. It has also been recommended to hang a chain link, about 12 inches long from a string tied to the front of the scope in order to better dampen any wobbling affects. The focuser is made of plastic and has metal set screws to hold the eyepiece in place which can scratch the eyepiece. With this and other department bought telescopes it is better to replace the metal screws with teflon plastic screws so as not to scratch the barrel of the eyepieces.

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