Big day for me tomorrow!

Tomorrow I'll be collecting my new baby. In this case I'm not talking about a pink squishy thing that cries all night but in fact an Astro-Physics 1200 german equatorial mount!!

I was extremely lucky to come across a gentleman up north selling not just a nearly new example but one which had never been out of its boxes!! I won't tell you what I paid, oh go on then I will, just a shade under 7K euro. For those who don't know, it normally costs around 10Keuros after all the shipping VAT etc is paid. Normally there is about a 6month lead time. SO I am very happy to have been in exactly the right place at the right time to snap this offer up. Apart from the fact that the mount is only two hours drive from me!! How lucky is all that!

Anyway I can't wait to get my mucky little hands on it. I know from reading posts from Jeff, Dave Mc and Anthony that I won't regret this for one second.

I'll post some photos of the setup progressing over the weekend.

Dave.

PS. There'll be a CGE in the for sale section over the weekend if anyones interested:)

A 2 hour drive .....hmmmmmmm! I can surely make it in a lot less time than that..... Hello my name is Dave G, here to pick up the mount and my accountant will be here in an hour with the cash :X :X

Well done Dave - a very nice mount.
Some things with long lead times can actually sell for higher prices second-hand if unused than from manufacturer as there are people always prepared to pay a premium rather than wait. (believe that used to be the case with Range Rovers and people used to order them and sell them on - don't know if its still the case).

Either way there will be many envious people on this forum. So much so I wouldn't divulge timings and route.

Well deserved.

BTW how does this mount avoid meridian flip (I beleive its a feature)?

Mark

phoenix wrote:

A 2 hour drive .....hmmmmmmm! I can surely make it in a lot less time than that..... Hello my name is Dave G, here to pick up the mount and my accountant will be here in an hour with the cash :X :X

I'd say you would make it there in 10 minutes mate given the location

mjc wrote:

BTW how does this mount avoid meridian flip (I beleive its a feature)?

Mark

Hi Mark and thanks for the comments.

As I understand it, the design places the dec shaft higher above the base so that it doesn't collide with the base when it hits the meridian. My understanding is that the only limitation is if the scope will collide with the pier.

I also meant to add in my original post my sincerest apologies for the next three months of cloudy skies which will enevitibly follow!

:scope: :bigshock: :X :rock: