Keyboard Shortcuts
Likes
Search
GM-8 feature
|
I am curious about a feature on my GM-8... at the bottom of both the RA and DEC axis there is a flat with what appear to be two threaded holes. Were these intended for some feature? Or an artifact of an old one? Could they be used to mount a level to achieve consistent setups? Thanks, greg latiak avalon observatory |
|
What I had been thinking about was mounting a small level on an angle bracket on the DEC axis. I have been using a small lanyard level from Lee Valley in the dome for this... but the rounded shape of the DEC axis housing makes it easy to make mistakes when verifying CWD. My present level is magnetic... normally lives on the pier -- adding a plate to the underside of the scope on the dovetail and one here would provide solid reference points. That is the thought, anyhow.
greg |
|
Hey Greg
I can not image (or see for that matter- hehe) from my near L.A. home, so I travel to locations and set up to image like so many people, and, I use only a visual (with ref to tripod) to establish CWD position.? Works fine. If you like things like this, get yourself a good machinists level... (JK, don't do it, you'll spend all night trying to find "level" Ha. all levels are not the same) Level (or plumb) is what you think it is... (an exaggeration, yes) -Jeff |
|
Doesn't matter... all I want is a consistent reference point to be able to restore the CWD to. And I have a number of good tools like that (I am also a cabinetmaker), but with the head being aluminum I am never quite sure that my 'level' position is not the same as last time. If you are moving your setup around you either start from scratch or resynch the model every time... or use plate solving to point the scope or starhop. Fine for some stuff and not so great for others, IMHO. Accuracy I don't care about... consistency I do. If I bump the counterweight bar or have a cable snag that shifts the scope, I want to correct things as quickly and painlessly as possible -- so a reliable reference point is important to me. Around here, clear skies increasingly are narrow windows. So every moment is precious...
greg |
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýwith the head being aluminum I am never quite sure that my 'level' position is not the same as last time. *** My solution to this.. ? When you are standing North of your CWD Mount, use your little torpedo level on the side of the counterweight shaft housing, but ¡®push¡¯ the level away from you.. to the South until it hits the other parts of the mount.. Where the ¡®pipe¡¯ meets the ¡®disk¡¯ it is attached to.. In Losmandy¡¯s video on this subject, you would push the level used farther from the camera.. ? This makes it repeatable.. ? I can provide a picture if the words are unclear.. ? Derek ? From: Losmandy_users@... [mailto:Losmandy_users@...]
Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2017 5:23 AM To: Losmandy_users@... Subject: [Losmandy_users] Re: GM-8 feature ? ? Doesn't matter... all I want is a consistent reference point to be able to restore the CWD to. And I have a number of good tools like that (I am also a cabinetmaker), but with the head being aluminum I am never quite sure that my 'level' position is not the same as last time. If you are moving your setup around you either start from scratch or resynch the model every time... or use plate solving to point the scope or starhop. Fine for some stuff and not so great for others, IMHO. Accuracy I don't care about... consistency I do. If I bump the counterweight bar or have a cable snag that shifts the scope, I want to correct things as quickly and painlessly as possible -- so a reliable reference point is important to me. Around here, clear skies increasingly are narrow windows. So every moment is precious... ? greg |
photon_trap