steviebee

Thank you Peter, a new laptop is on the cards just not this side of Xmas.

I am looking at getting a Zwo ASI 120MC-S for imaging/guiding but they have a USB3 connection. My laptop only has USB2. Can the USB3 physically fit into a USB2 port? Would it still work? I cant justify getting another laptop as I don't think my head would look to good on a spike outside my house once my wife found out lol. Or perhaps someone could recommend a similar camera. TIA.

Steve.

Hi Simon, welcome from Gravesend. I am a member of the mid Kent astronomical society.

Thank you George, that has been really helpful.

Steve.

Drunk Coler, could you keep me posted on this please. I have just bought the synscan pro kit for my EQ3, but would really like the AZ Gti setup for portability. As for power tank I use a jump starter. I had one from eurocarparts, served me well until I let someone jump start their car and after that it would not charge. I think they may have put the terminals on the wrong way round. I got another off of eBay for £37 same as the other one but only 600 amp as opposed to 900. Both of which seem to do a good job. Far cheaper than the specific power packs that are being sold.

Steve.

Thank you George I will certainly bear that in mind

Thank you Hadyn, sorry to be a pain but do you have a picture of your set up. I have the Canon 1000D, but will probably use an Altair GPCAM as and when funds allow. Forgot to say I would probably use it on the tripod off of my EQ3 for extra stability.

I was wondering if anyone has used a Skywatcher 130PDS on the AZ GTI mount?

Thank you for the link, great stuff. I like the idea of 'handsoff'. 

Thank you Wim, that's great. Silly question now is it still possible to use the fine focus manually with the Autofocuser on? 

I have just joined the 130PDS club.  it came with a complete set of clouds in the box so it has not been out yet. Has anyone a picture of the the focuser fitted with the SkyWatcher Auto Focuser?

Just want to say about the great service I have just had from FLO.

I contacted them just over a week ago and Martin got straight back to me. I was after 2 locking bolts for my EQ3 balance weights. He went out of his way to see if they were available, which they were. He kept me informed with several emails and they have just arrived. The total cost was only £5 inc p+p. 

Great service. I can not recommend them highly enough.

Steve.

I have tried this several times now on my PC and Laptop. All without success. Looks like I am going to have to pay to have windows 7 installed. Not happy as I have just had windows 10 installed ( not by choice) on

them both!

Just an update, I am writing this red faced with embarrassment . Well after having the lens's out again yesterday and putting them back in order It was worse. I was at the point on giving up on it and asking SWMBO for an advance on my salary so I could pop out today and get a new scope. Last week I found an article on the net to show you how to strip and clean a refractor. I followed the instruction (or so I thought) to the letter. I re read it last night, and the penny dropped. I had put the front lens in back to front. I had put the large convex side facing out instead of the small convex side. Put it in the right way round and a Happy bunny again. Thank you all for the help you gave me ( heaven knows I need it).

Steve.

Hi Louis D, I will try to answer all your questions to the best of my ability.

1st I was not using a 45 degree diagonal with the 2" 28mm lens, just an extension tube that came with my SW 200p to enable focus. I will be getting one (a 90 degree) tomorrow.

2nd The comet tail is the same colour as the star (suggesting coma?)

3rd Yes it does seem to grow longer the further away from the center, and yes it always points back to the center of the star as it is moved around the FOV.

4th The tail looks a bit blurry either side of focus, and always points down away from the center of the star.

5th I have used my 25mm (1.25) lens that came with my SW 200p on a 45 degree erecting prism which I got for terrestrial viewing and it is the same as all above.

I bought the scope second hand last year for £50, it came without lens's, no 2" to 1.25" reducer, no diagonal and no finder scope. It does not owe me a lot, but I do like it. I do not want to throw too much money at it as I would sooner just go buy a new one. ( I will raid my 12" Dob fund if necessary). I am sure it was fine before I took the lens's out to clean them as there was a couple of milky colored spots on the inside lens. I ensured they and the spacers all went back in the right order. I am not sure if it can be colminated as there are no screws holding the lens's in just a plastic threaded disc. Hope this helps. I have tightened the focuser up now as it was very wobbly, but will not be able to use it again until Saturday as back to work tonight.

Steve.

Just checked the grub screws and each took about 3 turns to make contact. No play now, happy bunny. Hopefully the clouds will clear tonight for a test. If not I will have to wait until the weekend.  Thank you again for that, and all the help I've had on this.

Thank you Peter, I will have a look now. I have been looking at various posts on here. Do you think it could be Chromatic Aberration? If so is it possible to reduce it. On another post here it was described perfectly as a star having a comets tail.

Startravel 102.

Sorry I have not got back to you all, but have just finished a 12 night stint at work. I was out last night though. I have cleaned the lens (in scope) again and refitted them making sure I did not over tighten them. I used a new to me LET 2" 28mm lens with an extension tube ( could not get focus without this). This was perfect in daylight viewing. I was happy with the night time results except when viewing altair (very bright) it had like a comets tail. This tail was there to varying degrees no matter where I positioned it in the lens. I have a SW 2" dielectric 90* diagonal coming later in the week. All other stars where good. Perhaps a filter (any suggestions) would help to reduce the light. I am also considering a Crayford duel speed focuser as there seems to be a lot of play with the one on it ( standard from factory). Just want to say thanks to all you for the help you are giving me.

Regards.

Steve.

Right got it, thanks happy-kat, much appreciated.

OK, so a 90* is on my shopping list. Should I go for the 2" as would be nice to put my camera on it, or would the 1.25 be better. Also (newbie question here) what is the difference between a diagonal and an erecting prism? Would the diagonal be better?

Hi Michael, I have checked the diagonal and that seems ok. I also have a Moon filter fitted. I am wondering if I may have not seated the lens right when I cleaned them, but I am sure it was alright after. It just seems to be the last couple of weeks. I do live in a very light polluted area, perhaps this could be the problem! As you can probably gather I'm a total newbie to this. My SW 200p on the other hand is great, but that is only used in France.

Regards.

Steve.

Thank you I will have a look now!

Regards.

Steve.

Not sure if this is what it is called. I have a SW star travel 102mm. I was out last night just having a look at the Moon and I was getting a ghost effect( not sure if that's what it is called). It is as though another Moon was opposite like a mirror image. The only way I could lose this was to move the position of my eye on the lens. I was using the standard 25mm lens that came with it and a 45* diagonal. Viewing through it in daylight is very good. Would a Coma corrector help? I did take it apart last year as there was some blooming on the lens inside, but all seemed well with it after that. I do suffer from a lot of light pollution, could this be the cause. I used this scope in France in February (after cleaning) and again all seemed well.

A great post, and as  I have just had my first scope delivered this morning (Skywatcher Explorer 200p) I wont have to great an expectation. On saying that about 20 years ago I looked through an 8" meade at Saturn and I thought at the time 'is that it'. I was really disapointed. I think at the time I was expecting to see what you saw in the astronomy mags.

Steve.