A wedge solves your 'problem' and is WAY cheaper than buying that mount! And a focal reducer doesn't 'let in' any more light over the F10 system. The size of the mirror and any secondary obstructions control that. Also... guess what you never have to do with a wedge mounted fork... a meridian flip!
A great tip to focus you C11 The proper way to focus an SCT with the primary knob is to turn clockwise past focus, and then always reach focus turning counter clockwise. This ensures that the focus screw is bearing the weight of the mirror (when the scope is pointed up).
That C11 is a massive light bucket ... and I thought was C8 was starting to be too much aperture for me haha. The Starizona reducer is expensive but it is absolutely worth every penny compared to the Celestron one. Another case of 'pay once, cry once'. For the C11, they even make one for Large format camera (LF model).
I've never seen a C11 mounted like this one with only one attachment point to the dovetail. I think this way you have flex in your system for days and a lot of your struggles came from that. Normally the OTA is mounted on a dovetail plate which has the same length of the OTA and attached at 2 points front and back.
I just noticed that after reading your comment. He should get the full length mounting plate that attaches to the mirror cell and secondary ring. He messed up getting that short plate.
Seeing that scared me quite a bit! Not only is the telescope flexing on that single point, but you're also relying on just two flimsy screws mounted in soft cheese. I didn't even trust the original dovetail bar on my second hand C11, because the screw holes were so worn out. Luckily the previous owner included a nice set of tube rings.
Ayy Walt! Great video. Im with ya on the taking time getting accessories and equipment. I was the one that started off with the 75-300mm lens from your recommendation on your previous videos. After 3-4 months of learning on the kit lens (capturing most of cygnus constellation) - I finally have a WO Z61 on the way. Still widefield but thought that would be the best fit for my current setup (max payload of 11lbs with the Star Adventurer). Thanks for the vids! clear skies brotha.
thanks for the tips . I'm on a similar journey with an old c11 and an Eqr6. I've used a polemaster and the skywatcher hand controller polar alignment feature to great effect. Like you, I have an off axis guider on my shopping list. Even so, with careful polar alignment, I've been able to get a reasonable number of exposures up to 3min subs.
Great video Walt. I’m glad you pointed out the risks of overloading your mount. My CGX-L is at its limit with all the accessories required in modern day AP
I have a 9.25 EdgeHD on an Orion Atlas EQ-G but it is very heavy (Ringed with the EdgeHD reducer, big shield, second plate with computer, powerbox, big dew shield/heater) and I can get 5 minute exposures- I was using the ZWO OAG and it worked just fine as long as you get the 105mm backspace needed by the reducer. Another thing that really helped my guiding and overall setup was to balance dec first. Love your vids!
I have the same scope de-forked and on a CGX mount. Yes, I went crazy and have the Starizona corrector and an OAG that came as a package with my ZWO 294MM pro as well as the ZWO focuser. I consistently get 300 second subs as long as the focus is good. I have more of a problem with mirror flop and out of focus issues than anything. It took a lot of patients and several weeks of learning but once I got the collimation and focus down, it wound up working great.
Great Video. i have been using a C11 XLT OTA mounted on an EQ8-R Pro for deep sky photography for a couple of years now and had some good results. I had it on the EQ6-R Pro for a while before that and it worked well but i always felt it was right on the limit but i could easily do 5 min exposures with it. I do however have the Celestron OAG on it. I have also installed an EAF on it and it has changed my imaging no end. My longest exposure on it with no star trails is 32 minutes :)
Good video Walt. I’ve been using the standard alt-az that my c9.25 came on for visual and planetary and enjoy the ease of use compared to my eq6rpro/refractor for imaging. I’ve been agonizing for weeks about whether to de-fork and buy a bigger mount, which is like $4K. I ended up going with the Celestron wedge (HD model) and their OTA so I can continue to use alt-as for visual and planetary. My aspirations are moderate - 1 minute exposures with the .7 reducer at F9. Lots of stacking ahead. Pros and cons with this solution but we’ll see how it goes. Boy howdy you can spend $$ fast in this sport. Thanks again for your videos…always fun and I learn stuff!
Hey Walt 👋....Mike from NiteZpeed....Great Video...Love seeing what you got going on in the Delta...Just wanted to tell you that I added you into my recommended Channels on my Channel..I hope it helps....I really enjoy the antics and Comedy it's always great to see you have fun doing what we love....Clear Skies Walt...#ForeverSpacey
I just ordered a CGX mount. I may take the C11 off from the Az/El and try it. Mostly, I plan on using a 10" astrograph. My friend put my 10" on his ZWO mount and we got pretty decent images. Thanks for the video!
I had no idea this astronomy stuff was so techy. I am a beginner taking lessons and looks like a new world of acronyms. Thanks I need some good mentors. The C11 will be coming up in 2 weeks for the class
I think that instead of a f/6.3 reducer, you could very easily put a 0.5 ccd reducer at about 1/8 of the f/6.3 price, and you would instantly drop to 1400 mm focal ratio. Pretty manageable, i I guess. Also, put 2 or 3 external 1TB external disks and take MUCH shorter exposures to stack them later on. You can also do some serious photometry with that equipment, with adding together e.g 10 exposures of 10 seconds each in the v filter and stuff like that. You can make your 11 inch a beast if you exploit its true capabilities and if being patient enough.
I just started on M31 last week myself! It's my favorite! Gonna try to get over 10 hours on it over the next few months! What scope/lens are you using?
I, too, have a Celestron 11" (but an "Edge HD") AND an EQ6R-Pro. Yes, I also needed an extra counter weight, and when I finally found one available (Skywatcher was on backorder) the shipping charge was almost as much as the price of the weight. Shop around for a free, or reduced, shipping charge. A $60 counterweight cost almost $120 total, after shipping charge. Hmmn.
I have been using the old C11 with a focal reducer and a CGX. I am getting better with more experience. Added auto focus (MyFocuserPro). I use Kstars with Linux and a RPI4.
I just inherited a C11 with a Losmandy Titan Gemini 1 GEM over Christmas, your video made me not so scared of this thing (I know zero about this). It was gifted from a man that was severely paralyzed in a stroke and I feel strangely obligated to learn how this things works to it's fullest extent and report back to him with what I have learned and show him what I learned along the way. Observing the cosmos was his life and it was taken from him. He had to just stare at all his astrophotography equipment paralyzed from a bed. I want to pickup where he left off and let him live through me.... if that makes sense. I'm on a strange mission I never planned for but I couldn't be more excited. I've brought my wallet.
Good video! Is your DSLR a full frame or crop sensor in the final image? Also, when you were balancing your scope, you could see another attachment between the focal reducer and the T-Ring. What was it because it wasn't mentioned in your calculation cost? Clear skies :-)
Hey Walt, I always enjoy watching your videos 👍Best Astro Entertainment and always good tips . I'm collecting my C9.25 (with CGEMII mount) tomorrow with all the accesories you bought 🤣...and I had the same thoughts. F"$k , that's a lot of money you have to spent.
I would get a different dovetail than the one I got. People have pointed out that that's not a good dovetail. Try to get the one that's made specifically for your C9.25! Have fun and don't spend too much! 😂😂😭😭
Great video. Our family also has the same telescope. We have a Hyperstar, but want to take it off and play with the 2800mm focal length. We need to research if it’s ok to leave the diagonal on the back or do I need to replace it with a stock part. I bought it used, so not too sure what parts I would need to image from the back.
I would definitely take the diagonal off the back. Get a corrector/reducer and a T-adapter for imaging. You could probably even skip the corrector/reducer if you are just imaging the planets!
Love all your video's. Suggest your channel to many new comers to learn. If you ever need a Bahtinov mask reach out to me. I'll make you one and send it to ya. Can make then for a wide 14mm lens all the way up to a C11. Next accessory for that scope should be a EAF. ZWO has the brackets for the C11 too.
Really nice show. Old school and geeky. If you ever have a brain wave and come up with a 10min mirror alignment on a Newton, then please make a video about it. It’s so non-intuitive to fiddle with these three screws and I easily spend hours with absolutely nothing but metal filings falling from the secondary 🤪 Anyways, good luck with sorting out flex. and guiding. Clear Skies!
Hey Walt! Could you tell me which Canon DSLR's have full frame? I was thinking the 6d , Since it was cheap. Also, can an 18MP print a picture at least 8x10 and preferably 10x22, 11x14, oor 16x20? What telescopes are best for visual use? Thanks for your time.
The 6D and 6D Mark II are great full frame cameras! The Mark II is gonna have a touch screen and better autofocus, but the original 6D is amazing for Milky Way photography! It actually out performs the Mark II when it comes to low light and noise. Noise is not really an issue though once you start stacking your images. I've gotten some very large prints from the 6D that look amazing!
@@deltaastrophotography great! I have also seen a video on here about how to remove the LPF2, but I'm a little nervous to do it myself. Does the 6D have a flip screen?
I think the C8 has more advantages for me. It's lighter so not as much strain on the mount. It also has a shorter focal length so your guiding will have less errors. I think I would rather have a C8.
Nice breakdown. I'm good with my SA tracker. That thing is a beast. But, I would like to learn how to use the ASIAIR with the SA. Maybe it's over kill, but I don't know if it is or not.
By the way, your witch head photo - incredible. Not to mention Cygnus wall and Triffid and pretty much everything else altho I did say I thought the full Orion one was just a little over the top. Currently doing what you did in this video: Spending a fortune to upgrade an old Meade 8 inch SCT which has a poor focuser, the fork mount RA drive is dead (could get a new board though), bought a Mele Quieter 3Q plus more and more. Still to get the dovetail for the EQ5 mount which came with a Skywatcher Startravel 120mm. The list goes on and I'm not even employed! Bugger it, it's only money! 🙂
@@markwelsh9068It truly is a never-ending money pit! I wish you all the luck in the world. I have to defend the Orion photo for a second. I was in Death Valley over the weekend which is a bortle one sky. In a single 3 minute exposure I was able to capture all the detail that I had to force out in my other Orion videos. After 70 of those 3 minute exposures I had captured far more detail than I ever considered possible. All that stuff is really out there! A lot of times we just have to try to make up for it with processing because we don't get the opportunity to live in bortle 1 skies.
@@deltaastrophotography I thought you were a Bortle 2 or the like? Is there such a huge difference? I'm in the Scottish Borders (actually on the border itself with England) and my skies here are Bortle 3, perhaps 2 if I walk half a mile or so or perhaps even less. I didn't think there'd be that much of a difference in Bortle 2 to 1 or 3 to 2. Oh I know all that stuff is really out there. For me it's why and what is the purpose of it all? And I'm an astro heretic because, while I've loved astronomy all my life, I believe NASA is full of **it! And don't for a second, believe we ever went to the moon. Beats me how people do believe it but I'll leave that there! haha
Great video. I have a Radian 61 and a C-11 edge that I also deforked on standby till I get a mount for it. Probably going to pick up the ZWO mount. ZWO products are great.
I have a C11 OTA and the same reducer... what back-focus are you using for your camera? I've been told both 85mm and 105mm by Celestron and to be honest, both look wrong to me.
