Last night I dreamt that I'd logged on to this website and there was an announcement that APCC had been released for download. Geoff

AP website says middle of May 2013. Geoff

It's the moment of inertia that counts--mass x distance squared. The bigger this is, the harder will it be to set the system in movement. Geoff

Personally I'd pile on more counterweights just to keep everything close to the rotation axis. Geoff

Thanks for all the replies. I have no intention of using either telescope as a guider for the other. I have a QSI with a built in off axis guider, which is what I always use. There is one advantage th

I have the Plane Wave scope on a 900 mount. About to acquire a Televue 101is. Will the mount handle this additional scope? If yes, what would be the best configuration--piggyback or side-by-side? Geof

My 2c worth. KEep it simple-- no computer, just the keypad and start from scratch. If it works, then complicate and see what causes the problem. If it doesn't, then the problem is with the keypad and/

I understand that SmartGuide will mainly be used for unguided imaging and for imaging objects that move at nonsidereal rates. However, is there any advantage in using it in conjunction with normal aut

Thanks Alan, I'll keep an eye on that. Geoff

OK, I think I have it figured. I googled "change com port number" and a solution came up. I've now changed the ports to Com1 and Com2, so hopefully I'll be able to connect next time I try. Geoff

Question for Ray: I decided to start looking at the capabilities of PulseGuide. I have a laptop running Windows Vista (32bit). There are no Com ports, but I have 1. A Belkin USB to serial adapter 2. A

All good Tom, but M33 is the standout image.

The manufacturer that first put a bubble level on a mount has got a lot to answer for. The practice seems to have convinced a lot of people that high precision getting a level tripod top is important.

I think yes. I assume the 14" and 20" scopes have the same focal length, so that their pixel scale is the same. Suppose that in a given time the 20" gathers x photons per pixel from the sky background

Hi Ray I set it in the hand controller. Not running the S chip yet.

Last night I tried using meridian delay. I couldn't get it to work unless I disconnected the scope from the computer (Maxim via rs232). Is this a known issue or have I just been doing something silly?

Great picture Nick. Note that the link you gave goes to the current APOD, not yours. The correct link is http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130122.html Geoff

Roland didn't say not to do a recal, he said not to do a sync. For AP mounts the two mean different things. You can do a recal at any time and in any position of the mount. Geoff

Geoff not Geogg

I can use meridian delay to star with the counterweight above the mount and finish with the telescope over the mount. However, if I know that the scope is going to clear the pier, does this offer any