smudgeball

My  benchmark is the scope not hitting anything when it slews.

For a 102 frac in a 7x5 ROR that for me with all my clutter is a result !

Thanks again

Main reason was wanting to remove the 600D and use with my star-adventurer portable setup (should have mentioned)

I know that to do OSC seriously you have to spend a bit, just wanted to get a real life feel of how far you can move away from planetary and what DSO results you could expect.

I'll keep an eye out for the 533, thanks for the pointer.

Neil

thanks for your reply,

Food for thught against the 224  purchase

Cheers

Neil

Hi all

Nice and simple (I hope) 

I'm sure these things have been thrashed to death. 

I'm going to be purchasing a camera to compliment my mono setup. Atik 460ex with narrowband filters on a WO Gt102 

Basic one shot colour is what I'm looking at with minimal outlay  ££ connected to my 80mm APO. 

ASI 178 or ASI 224 are the contenders.

Only looking to get quick colour DSO imaging on smaller targets, but add to my collection. 

My feeling is to lean towards the 224 ?

thoughts?? 

Not looking for expensive cooled colour. 

Thanks for your time. 

Neil 

Hi

I've got a WO GT102 which is air spaced.

I've had some of the issues you mention, but running a heater band close to the elements cures them.

In my case I think it's a bit of inner condensation.

Ultimately I'd love to send away the front element section to have it professionally cleaned, but I don't think this service exists (well not in the UK)

Otherwise mine would be away to be cleaned.

But I don't have any real issues with my imaging.

Neil

On 17/10/2019 at 23:28, michael8554 said:

You can't just guess the spacers needed, you have to measure.

 

Finally got a break with weather tonight and tried the 200mm spacing tip.

It worked !!

The amount of travel between star in focus and out of focus is barely 5mm.

I would never have worked this out without this starting point.

Now able to guide with the little 50mm WO scope, freeing up my 80mm for widefield once more.

Many thanks to Michael for his input.

Neil

Thanks Michael

I will give the 200mm space a go.

Regards

Neil

Hi all

Wasn't sure where to post this.

I recently moved away from Windows to Stellarmate on a raspberry Pi.

My really old QHY5 wasn't compatible so I purchased an Altair GPCam 130 mono.

All works fine in KSTARS/EKOS ( I use phd2 externally for guiding rather than the internal guider for EKOS)

It's all fine...except that in my previous setup I ran the QHY 5 with my WO 50mm guidescope, leaving my 102mm and 80mm scopes free.

Since moving to the altair guidecam, I can't achieve focus and the only way to guide is by using my 80mm scope.

That's a pain as I like having my dslr on there for widefield imaging.

I've tried every adapter/tube I have to get as much backfocus and everything inbetween, but can't achieve focus.

Have gone the other way all the way in, (even removed the locking ring)

No joy.

It's not as if I'm not up and running, I am as it works fine for guiding with the 80mm, but would love to be able to free up my 80mm and use the 50mm for guiding.

Does anyone have any successful experience with an Altair / WO 50mm guidescope ?

Thanks

Regards

Neil

Hi

My Astronomy club has inherited an LX50

While we believe everything is in perfect working order, the scope is missing the encoders cable that goes from the control unit to the fork.

This looks like a standard RJ45 connector, so my question is would a standard cat 5 cable work (coiled type obviously) or is it a special cable ?

Thanks for any advice.

Regards

Neil

13 hours ago, Astrokev said:

But then that was your design and plan and, as you said earlier, yours blends into the surroundings thereby avoiding unwanted attention. The best observatory is the one that does it's job and gets used, it doesn't really matter a hoot what it looks like. And yours is well fit for purpose and gets well used. ? ? 

I left the standard shed bolts on the outside of my shed door.

Looks more like a garden shed but on the inside I have an expensive dead bolt with the hole for the key barely visible on the outside.

16 hours ago, Astrokev said:

It obviously helps hugely that, having taken early retirement, every night (pretty much) is a weekend!

Yeah long imaging runs on a school day are a killer.

But pressing a couple of buttons and sliding the roof shut when the clouds roll in is far more satisfying than spending an hour packing up and lugging it all back indoors !

Neil

Have you got enough ?

21 hours ago, Astrokev said:

Tradesmen - it's probably against SGL rules for me to say what I think of them at the moment.

Seems no one wants your money these days.  Right, rant over!  Back to some more astro retail therapy.....

I've been trying for almost a year to get some roughcast repaired / replaced on my chimney.

Same thing, had five people up all promissing to send quotes...nothing !!

I understand that coming up to view and price a job may end up in you not getting the work (and is unpaid time spent away from actual paying work) but at least send the quote after you've been ?

I don't get it either ?

Neil

Well Done Kev

You're making hay with this weather !!

Neil

11 hours ago, Astrokev said:

 

That's why I got someone else to build my obsy and put an EPDM roof on for me.

If I'd have done it there would be a massive bubble right in the middle of it !!

2 hours ago, Astrokev said:

In a bit of a dilemma.

Just picked up a nice shiny second hand C11 and Moonlite focusser. ?

So, do I do some more work on the observatory while the weather's nice, or play with the new toy ?

Kev we're on Page 9 ! Put the toy down and finish the build ?

Neil

We've all got the champagne on ice waiting to see this roof finally appear Kev !

We're all rooting for you to get it finished !

27 minutes ago, M Astronomy said:

 Also any lens recommendations? 

For me, Carl Zeiss Jenna 135mm f3.5 is nice.

You have to be aware of the age as internal fungus can be a problem.

I picked up an imaculate example for arounf £40 (you need an adapter to mount)

Orion again from last year.

Don't know if your camera is modded but if you can get focus on a manual vintage lens, there are some bargain bits of glass out there.

Neil

Morning

Looking good.

My hole bottom was a bit clayey as well.

I put a layer of gravel in and tamped it down before I poured the concrete. (more of a "felt it's a good idea to do", than having any technical authority behind it )

Neil

19 hours ago, Astrokev said:

should be effective at reducing the risk of the pier moving if I accidently bump into it in the dark

If I accidentally bump into my pier bolted on top of all of that concrete, and it moves......I'm going on a diet !

Have you not got this finished yet ?

I didn't use any rebar in mine but I'm not going for a concrete pier.

I think as Wim mentioned, definately in the pier itself. My block was smaller than yours so it was just concrete without reinforecement.

I've just constructed my 7' x 5' peg base ready to take delivery of obsy end of September.

Neil

I consider myself trumped in the concrete mixing dept !

At least I've finished

2 hours ago, Astrokev said:

so fingers crossed.

I was so happy when the guy I work aside lent me his.

15 bags of concrete by hand, no thanks.