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Moravian OAG vs. Optec Sagitta

Moravian Instruments C3-61000 PRO Equipment Filter Wheel
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Scotty Maxwell avatar
Scotty Maxwell avatar
Hello all! I am back with another rookie question.  It has been several months since I made my initial order for my camera and when I did I ordered the large, maybe extra large, external filter wheel, Model #EFW-3L-7-II which is the seven slots 50mmX50mm square filter wheel. Additionally I ordered the Moravian OAG thinking it would be nice since it would bolt right up out of the box. Since then I have been field testing it (back yard) before sending it to remote site.  Since testing it about a month, I am reconsidering  since I haven't been super happy with the adjustment and stem on the Moravian OAG.

That said I am thinking of going back to my original idea, which was an Optec Sagitta. Also, since it is going remote I would like to be able to refocus my OAG camera, parfocal filters or not.  Has anyone else out there done this?  I have looked on the Moravian website and do not see anything that "bolts up" to the filter wheel like the OAG does so you can then thread into it.  Just wondering if and how others may have done it.  If it requires adapters like I think it might, could you share the details? Maybe even a link to the appropriately configured Precision Parts "Build-an-adapter" page?  I humbly ask because I have configured and ordered parts from them only have it not work once recieved because I did not appropriately consider all of the clearances (MY FAULT!). $200 paperweight.  Also I have never owned an Optec Sagitta and I don't see an equipment forum page for it so I will also ask what I might need to order for the scope side of the OAG.  This will be attaching to a Nitecrawler WR35, so the WR35 spacer thread.

Last of all I was originally going to run this with my Pegasus UPBv3 and knew that it could control the Optec Sagitta automated focuser instead of having to buy the FocusLynx controller.  Does anyone know if the PLL Eagle 5 series wil control the Optec Sagitta?

Thanks so much if you read this far!
-Scotty Maxwell
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Hey Scotty,

i use this combo with the C5A-100M. Optec sells a Sagitta to M68 adapter or you can get a precise parts adapter made.

If you need a hand with this please reach out offline from the forum as we are a dealer for Optec and can help get you squared away.

Clear Skies,
Bill
Concise Supportive
Bill McLaughlin avatar
Bill McLaughlin avatar
I agree that as great as my Moravian camera has been the OAG from them is garbage. The design seems to be almost an afterthought. I wound up using an Astrodon MMOAG with Precise Parts adapters in back of my CDK 14/Nightcrawler/SXAO…..
John Hayes avatar
John Hayes avatar
I have an early Sagitta on my refractor in Chile.  The early models had some problems with stray light that have since been resolved.  The other issue is that while the design concept is good, there are some problems in the implementation.  They did a good job of keeping it narrow; however, the top part of the focus assembly is a very tiny bit wider than the main body of the unit, which means that you have to be very careful not to introduce tilt by putting the OAG tight up against any flat surface such as the side of a FW (for example).  Using a very narrow spacer at the base would fix the problem as well.  I was left scratching my head over some of the mechanics when I installed mine because of these issues.  Overall it’s a good product but it could have been implemented just a little better.  So, my advice is to be VERY careful when you install it to make sure that it isn’t touching anything on either side to avoid tilting the “downstream” components.

I did not order the motorized version.  I installed mine in the telescope nearly 1.5 years ago and I’ve never missed it.  I carefully focused the guide camera when I installed the telescope in Chile and the focus has never changed.

John
Helpful
Scotty Maxwell avatar
Scotty Maxwell avatar
Bill, Bill and John, thanks for the kind advice.  Does anyone of you have the plans/specs of the adapter to go from the Moravian FW to the Sagitta?  I forget if Moravian sells something to go on the FW to make it have threads.  Am I remembering correctly that it is a 4 bolt flange that attaches to the Moravian OAG?

Thanks!
-Scotty
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Moravian sells adapters that you can install directly on the wheel instead of the oag that have a tilt unit and threads. You would remove their OAG and install this new adapter in its place.

I’m on mobile now but can spec out the right adapter later today on precise parts and share the configuration with you. What length do you need the adapter to be?

Bill
Scotty Maxwell avatar
Scotty Maxwell avatar
Dark Matters Astrophotography:
Moravian sells adapters that you can install directly on the wheel instead of the oag that have a tilt unit and threads. You would remove their OAG and install this new adapter in its place.

I’m on mobile now but can spec out the right adapter later today on precise parts and share the configuration with you. What length do you need the adapter to be?

Bill

Thanks Bill! I would imagine as "short" as it can be made, the Optec Sagitta, of course, is designed such that the focuser and other external parts are only as wide as the body of the OAG so I don't think any external clearance is required.  I believe the precision parts "Build-an-adapter" feature allows you to put in a "0.0" for the required length and it will make it as short as possible.

Since I ordered the C3-61000, the external filter wheel and the OAG all together, Moravian did not send me the filter wheel 4 bolt flange to m68 adapter.  Is the "Moravian C3 camera - bolted" selection what it would need?

Scotty Maxwell avatar
Scotty Maxwell avatar
looks like this when its done:





Scotty Maxwell avatar
Scotty Maxwell avatar
Ok, I should have done this a long time ago. I pulled the camera out of the case and looked at it closely and they are only 3 bolts that bolt the OAG into the filter wheel so none of these options can be the right one.  I think I will need to order the Moravian filter wheel connection to M68, then when I get the Optec Sagitta get it with an M68 male on one side and a Nitecrawler 3.5" WR35 spacer thread on the other (or get Ron to make me one).

Thanks!
-Scotty
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Yes you can use the Moravian adapter they sell for the C3 camera with a M68 Sagitta male adapter. For the NC to Sagitta I just installed a new PP adapter on my CDK14 system in NM that goes directly from the WR35 threads to the Sagitta directly. That gives a nice clear aperture to the prism.

Bill
John Hayes avatar
John Hayes avatar
Scotty Maxwell:
Ok, I should have done this a long time ago. I pulled the camera out of the case and looked at it closely and they are only 3 bolts that bolt the OAG into the filter wheel so none of these options can be the right one.  I think I will need to order the Moravian filter wheel connection to M68, then when I get the Optec Sagitta get it with an M68 male on one side and a Nitecrawler 3.5" WR35 spacer thread on the other (or get Ron to make me one).

Thanks!
-Scotty

Yeah, that 3-hole vs 4-hole pattern from Moravian caused me no end of grief when I tried to switch my camera from QHY to Moravian on my scope in Chile.  There was an adapter that Moravian was supposed to supply with my camera that wasn't in the box and they accused me of losing it.  It delayed getting my camera mounted by a year so that it was out of warranty by the time I started using my "new" camera.  Ask them for an adapter or better yet  for the dimensions for the 3-hole pattern.  Hopefully, they will give you a nicer response than they gave me when I asked them for help.

John
Helpful
Scotty Maxwell avatar
Scotty Maxwell avatar
John Hayes:
Scotty Maxwell:
Ok, I should have done this a long time ago. I pulled the camera out of the case and looked at it closely and they are only 3 bolts that bolt the OAG into the filter wheel so none of these options can be the right one.  I think I will need to order the Moravian filter wheel connection to M68, then when I get the Optec Sagitta get it with an M68 male on one side and a Nitecrawler 3.5" WR35 spacer thread on the other (or get Ron to make me one).

Thanks!
-Scotty

Yeah, that 3-hole vs 4-hole pattern from Moravian caused me no end of grief when I tried to switch my camera from QHY to Moravian on my scope in Chile.  There was an adapter that Moravian was supposed to supply with my camera that wasn't in the box and they accused me of losing it.  It delayed getting my camera mounted by a year so that it was out of warranty by the time I started using my "new" camera.  Ask them for an adapter or better yet  for the dimensions for the 3-hole pattern.  Hopefully, they will give you a nicer response than they gave me when I asked them for help.

John

Thanks Mr. John! Is the adapter one of the ones they have on this page?  I can't seem to find a "filter wheel  adapter base" all I can find are either "camera adapter base" or "camera with internal filter wheel base"

https://www.gxccd.com/shop?lang=409&cat=24

edit: check that I think i found it:

https://www.gxccd.com/shop?lang=409&cat=34&subcat=0&action=product&page=1317
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Dark Matters Astrophotography avatar
Scotty Maxwell:
John Hayes:
Scotty Maxwell:
Ok, I should have done this a long time ago. I pulled the camera out of the case and looked at it closely and they are only 3 bolts that bolt the OAG into the filter wheel so none of these options can be the right one.  I think I will need to order the Moravian filter wheel connection to M68, then when I get the Optec Sagitta get it with an M68 male on one side and a Nitecrawler 3.5" WR35 spacer thread on the other (or get Ron to make me one).

Thanks!
-Scotty

Yeah, that 3-hole vs 4-hole pattern from Moravian caused me no end of grief when I tried to switch my camera from QHY to Moravian on my scope in Chile.  There was an adapter that Moravian was supposed to supply with my camera that wasn't in the box and they accused me of losing it.  It delayed getting my camera mounted by a year so that it was out of warranty by the time I started using my "new" camera.  Ask them for an adapter or better yet  for the dimensions for the 3-hole pattern.  Hopefully, they will give you a nicer response than they gave me when I asked them for help.

John

Thanks Mr. John! Is the adapter one of the ones they have on this page?  I can't seem to find a "filter wheel  adapter base" all I can find are either "camera adapter base" or "camera with internal filter wheel base"

https://www.gxccd.com/shop?lang=409&cat=24

edit: check that I think i found it:

https://www.gxccd.com/shop?lang=409&cat=34&subcat=0&action=product&page=1317



That’s the correct adapter.