Back in the late 1950’s when I started my life’s journey in astronomy and astrophotography, equipment like was not even a dream, nothing existed to even promote mental images like this. In my case it was build a Newtonian, grind the optics from blanks, build an equatorial mount if one had a workshop, adding even Ra & Dec drives they were home built worm and wheel. I was really into it, I built a variable frequency oscillator to control the synchronous RA drive motor etc, which I still have, plus a set of four spare valves. Hand eye guiding was a real chore in the winter months with snow/ice on the ground during English winters. Now I live down under, have two observatories filled with a range of telescopes and big home built fork mounts plus small EQ5 pro /EQ6R pro mounts with Meade SN-10 scopes outside the main observatory. And so it goes on, so much fun and sense of achievement having built so much of gear. A 16” f/4.5 fork mounted Newtonian is nearing completion . Turn 86 tomorrow, so time is my enemy now!! Southern Cross Observatory-Tasmania 42 South.
You are right, kit has moved on so far. When I started in the mid-90s it was a very different world. Your set up sounds amazing - especially under the beauty of the southern skies. And happy birthday to you!
same here, same here, especially that extra 7kg payload capacity of the greek goddes in comparison to the AM5 is whats teasing me because I plan to have my mount "interchangeable" for a Newtonian OTA in addition to my Askar Astrograph....
really nice setup. I also use a similar approach but still with externally connected Laptop through a Pegasus Astro Bowerbox Advanced. The NYX is lovely and makes a lot of sense. Last additions I am waiting for is the wanderer Flat-Flap and the Pegasus Rotator as setting the rotation and taking the flats where still the last steps to take until the scope could run on its own on several targets freely. Setup time was mostly shortened with the Hub. I really should weigh my kit after all the additions, but so far all packs small enough to be carried with the bicycle easily and still take on of the kids with me if wanted. The thing left right now is to optimize the cable lengths with shorter USB cables and DC Cables as I won't change gear on the scope anyway. So far it is stuffed in cable wrap and hidden under the guide scope mainly. At least in my case I can state that there is still more time to tweak the setup than use it for imaging as cloudfree nights are pretty rare.
Wow that sounds an amazing set up. Can’t believe you put it in your bike set up. That’s fantastic. Let us know how you get on - if the clouds ever part.
dry runs work nicely so far. Cloudcover doesn’t…. Both, the flap and the Rotator seems to work nicely . I just need to think about my sequence in NINA and try a bit.
You're right, the lack of counterweights does through the CG off. As long as it's within the tripod footprint it's ok though. Some people I see put their counterweights in a basket hanging between the tripod legs just in case!
Hello, love this rig! I am contemplating of getting the same, except for the eagle… can your friend comment on star shape in corners and also CA? Thanks!
Alas he is away with work so I have yet to catch up with him. I know he is pretty pleased with it so I assume it is "good enough". Let me know how you get on with yours.
Attention quand même, un équilibrage reste souhaitable en utilisant une monture classique et en marquant un repère, ceci afin de faciliter le travail de l'autoguidage de l'harmonique.
Back in the late 1950’s when I started my life’s journey in astronomy and astrophotography, equipment like was not even a dream, nothing existed to even promote mental images like this. In my case it was build a Newtonian, grind the optics from blanks, build an equatorial mount if one had a workshop, adding even Ra & Dec drives they were home built worm and wheel. I was really into it, I built a variable frequency oscillator to control the synchronous RA drive motor etc, which I still have, plus a set of four spare valves. Hand eye guiding was a real chore in the winter months with snow/ice on the ground during English winters. Now I live down under, have two observatories filled with a range of telescopes and big home built fork mounts plus small EQ5 pro /EQ6R pro mounts with Meade SN-10 scopes outside the main observatory. And so it goes on, so much fun and sense of achievement having built so much of gear. A 16” f/4.5 fork mounted Newtonian is nearing completion . Turn 86 tomorrow, so time is my enemy now!! Southern Cross Observatory-Tasmania 42 South.
You are right, kit has moved on so far. When I started in the mid-90s it was a very different world. Your set up sounds amazing - especially under the beauty of the southern skies. And happy birthday to you!
I’m loving seeing the NYX101 out in the wild. Been eyeing that mount for similar reasons & holding off on getting an AM5 for it.
Hi Ryan - Shane loves his mount but the AM5is getting good reviews. Have you got yours yet?
same here, same here, especially that extra 7kg payload capacity of the greek goddes in comparison to the AM5 is whats teasing me because I plan to have my mount "interchangeable" for a Newtonian OTA in addition to my Askar Astrograph....
Great review. I've been looking for a small travel rig. Thanks
Glad it was helpful, Craig.
really nice setup. I also use a similar approach but still with externally connected Laptop through a Pegasus Astro Bowerbox Advanced. The NYX is lovely and makes a lot of sense. Last additions I am waiting for is the wanderer Flat-Flap and the Pegasus Rotator as setting the rotation and taking the flats where still the last steps to take until the scope could run on its own on several targets freely.
Setup time was mostly shortened with the Hub. I really should weigh my kit after all the additions, but so far all packs small enough to be carried with the bicycle easily and still take on of the kids with me if wanted.
The thing left right now is to optimize the cable lengths with shorter USB cables and DC Cables as I won't change gear on the scope anyway. So far it is stuffed in cable wrap and hidden under the guide scope mainly.
At least in my case I can state that there is still more time to tweak the setup than use it for imaging as cloudfree nights are pretty rare.
Wow that sounds an amazing set up. Can’t believe you put it in your bike set up. That’s fantastic. Let us know how you get on - if the clouds ever part.
dry runs work nicely so far. Cloudcover doesn’t…. Both, the flap and the Rotator seems to work nicely . I just need to think about my sequence in NINA and try a bit.
Astrophotography looks like such a simple hobby, doesn't it? Just slightly less complicated than quantum physics.
Hahaha, too funny
I think back to starting with a pair of tripod mounted binos and a notebook so this is the other end of the scale isn't it??
I am not sure if that mount is that stable, as the centre of gravity is somewhat positioned away from the centre of the tripod centre.
You're right, the lack of counterweights does through the CG off. As long as it's within the tripod footprint it's ok though. Some people I see put their counterweights in a basket hanging between the tripod legs just in case!
@@RefreshingViews better safe than sorry...
Hello, love this rig! I am contemplating of getting the same, except for the eagle… can your friend comment on star shape in corners and also CA? Thanks!
Alas he is away with work so I have yet to catch up with him. I know he is pretty pleased with it so I assume it is "good enough". Let me know how you get on with yours.
Fuy, why dont you buy shorter cables..
Attention quand même, un équilibrage reste souhaitable en utilisant une monture classique et en marquant un repère, ceci afin de faciliter le travail de l'autoguidage de l'harmonique.
awesome video - btw is the person behind the camera called nick and has a boat channel voice sounds familiar
Thanks Stooge - no it’s only me Mark (sadly boat free).
Astrophotography is not for the financially faint of heart, what you see here is nothing less then $20k worth of gear.
Yeah there are cheaper hobbies aren't there? Shane got so fed up with budget gear he went for quality. As you allude to, there is always a trade off.
Deep Sky Dad, Slovenia
Thank you.
So many wires
Yeah, Shane has it pretty well pimped up with all the accessories.