Results tonight... Note the 1 second guide exposures. The Mach 2 is the best mount ever made. Period. This is with the same massive overloaded system I talked about before.

If the Mach 2 could not handle the load, this would not be possible. Period. 

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From: Bill Long <bill@...>
Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 12:09 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Not sure if it was the idea to move to neutral balance, or the seeing here is better. The guided performance is much better in this configuration. 

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From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Bill Long <bill@...>
Sent: Sunday, August 1, 2021 11:31 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Well then.... 20 mins here:

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From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Bill Long <bill@...>
Sent: Sunday, August 1, 2021 9:08 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Had to take a break but should be back in the swing tonight with this combo. I took Rolands advice and neutral balanced both axis on the Mach 2. Here is a photo of the beast in route to a fun night.

Counterweights are 1x30, 3x18, 2x10, aka all the weights I own. 😂

She's perfectly balanced though. We'll see how the night goes. 

 

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From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Bill Long <bill@...>
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2021 12:14 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Night 5, still the same story. Excellent performance with a massive load on the Mach 2 mount. I have still done nothing at all in terms of the model, PA, or anything else.

I should probably add in for new people that this rig sits 2 stories in the air, on a wooden deck that is over 15 years old. If that doesn't show the power of this mount, nothing will. This is the ULTIMATE torture test. The mount is at its limits, and its environment is well past its limits. Yet -- with good equipment even you can image on a tightrope. 

😄 

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From: Bill Long <bill@...>
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2021 12:19 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Yep. Absolutely no problem at all.

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From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2021 12:08 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Great! So, this combination mount and scope is a winner. Good to know.

Thanks,

Rolando

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Long <bill@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Sent: Wed, Jul 28, 2021 10:57 am
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

A total of 4 all night imaging runs with this combo and still not a single sub thrown out. Excellent tracking and guiding performance. I haven't touched PA, PHD2 settings, or the model since night one when I set the mount up outside. It just works. Tonight will be night 5.

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From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Bill Long <bill@...>
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2021 2:49 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

We had mild wind here about 5-6MPH and so I wanted to show that as well. No impact at all to subs, and the Mach 2 handled it fine. 

---

From: Bill Long <bill@...>
Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2021 8:47 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Here are some sample subs:

AG12 Setup

I took the highest and lowest FWHM from the data set and shared them. 

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From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Bill Long <bill@...>
Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2021 10:12 AM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Circling back on this as I finally got to test this out. I put my 12.5" AGO iDK, Moonlight Nitecrawler, FLI Proline 16803, CFW 5-7, Sagitta OAG, and Ultrastar guide camera on the Mach 2. Balancing the load was pretty easy to do, and I had just enough weights on hand for the job. This is pretty much at capacity for the mount based on the specifications. Might even be a tad over. 😁

Performance was stellar. I made a 98pt model in APPM, and used 5 second guide exposures. I took 5 hours worth of 20 minute HA subs and not a single one had any trailing at all. Very nice tight round stars in all of the images. Guiding was about 0.2-0.35" range throughout the night. Graph picture below.

I'll be getting some more data over the next few nights. I'll share some subs later this evening when I'm back on the Astro PC.

Conclusion: Mach 2 is a beastly mount that easily handled this challenge and passed with flying colors. Well done AP!

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From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> on behalf of Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...>
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2021 5:44 PM
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

 

Well, I've never tried that scope, but I have loaded my Mach2 to the limit and imaged/guided just fine. Balance is critical and is easy to do.

Weight makes for larger moment, which makes the mount slower to respond to external disturbance, like wind. If your scope is open tube with no shroud, wind will not be a problem.

I will be loading my Mach2 with a 12" F8 carbon fiber Maksutov astrograph in the next couple days. Weight is about the same as your system. I expect that it will handle it fine and will post some guiding results. Will be getting ready for galaxy season.

Rolando

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Long <bill@...>
To: AP-GTO Groups. io <ap-gto@groups.io>
Sent: Fri, Apr 23, 2021 7:07 pm
Subject: [ap-gto] Mach 2 + 12.5" AGO iDK?

What say ye?

12.5″ Imaging Dall Kirkham | AG Optical

46lbs, but would need to add focuser (8lbs), TCS System (1lb), and camera/accessories (call these 5 lbs). The OTA is about 18" tall (maybe 17.5" but lets call it 18") so this puts me at 18" and 60 lbs.  This puts me right on the yellow on the Mach 2 graph AP has. Length of everything, in focus with camera gear on would be about 45". 

Seems right at the limits, but likely safe. Any ideas on this from AP or others?

-Bill 

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics