http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/ 80f5 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:34:29 GMT bugsiwabbit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7452 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7452 The best solution for my weight distribution problem with the ST80 on a photo tripod is to not use a photo tripod to begin with. A mount like the Vixen Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:18:04 GMT bugsiwabbit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7451 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7451 The Antares (GSO) that I bought several years ago from Scopestuff was pre-drilled for the correct orientation for the Orion ST80. It was pretty much "remove Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:50:35 GMT Jim Davidson http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7450 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7450 http://www.powerwalk.eu/hrfck/ixfxbzlmwzt?uisokqlq [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:01:31 GMT leotaylor2 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7449 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7449 ... Hi, The answer is usually. "Crayford" is the name of a focuser perfected by an astro club in England. It uses a friction drive to eliminate the play in Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:43:57 GMT leotaylor2 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7448 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7448 ... I'm glad you found a solution. I was going to mention attaching weights to the front of the mounting bar rather than the ST-80 OTA. I'm glad to see the Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:11:29 GMT Walter Banks http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7447 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7447 The solution I have for counter weighting my ST80 on a camera tripod (Actually a surveyors tripod with a heavy camera head mounted on it) was to was to take Mon, 18 Mar 2013 02:07:35 GMT bugsiwabbit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7446 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7446 I found a solution I think will work. The Vixen dovetail rail along the bottom of the ST80 is threaded at several points for 1/4-20 attachments. One can put a Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:35:19 GMT bugsiwabbit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7445 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7445 Yes, the Crayford will take 2" diagonals. It comes with an adapter to use 1.25" accessories. I got the Antares focuser with the Orion/Synta finderscope shoe, Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:36:12 GMT Jeff Melvin http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7444 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7444 How about mounting a skyscout up front? Btw, I need a 1.25" star diagonal for my ST80. If I bought a Crayford focuser, would I be able to use one of my 2" Sun, 17 Mar 2013 18:19:27 GMT bugsiwabbit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7443 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7443 Several years ago I replaced the stock focuser assembly on my ST80 with the Antares Crayford, which is manufactured by GSO and sold presently by ScopeStuff. Tue, 25 Dec 2012 17:59:48 GMT jillshusband http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7442 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7442 Thanks Leo, my skies are decent, on the best nights I can make out the Milky Way, and have seen M8, M31 and M13 naked eye, but only after midnight on nights of Mon, 24 Dec 2012 16:47:35 GMT leotaylor2 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7441 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7441 ... Hi, That is very impressive! It came out better than my ST-80 M45 image: http://astrophotoleo.com/nebula/m42-5.jpg I'll use the excuse that your sky must Sun, 23 Dec 2012 18:12:25 GMT jillshusband http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7440 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7440 WOW, this scope is better than I thought it would be. Got out to test it last night on Orion and I have to say, I'm impressed, sure, there is some purple Sun, 23 Dec 2012 15:22:43 GMT Jim Davidson http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7439 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7439 I love the portability of my 80WA (Celestron version of the ST80). I do wish I could replace the objective with one which has better coatings and optics. I Sun, 23 Dec 2012 06:36:46 GMT pasadenacajun http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7438 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/80f5/message/7438 The ST80 is a wonderful "grab and go" scope, an excellent guide scope, I love mine as a spotting scope and for nature use (if you can get a good enough mount)