Mark2022

Too bad. I need 320mm.

Had a look Mandy, thanks. If you have that dovetail, what is the measurement between centres of the two central end holes? Also the diameter of those two holes and are they threaded at all?

Thank you.

A guy called James bought one of these Stellamira dovetails from FLO for his LX90 and left the following review: Excellent Service...Problem Solved 21 December 2020 | James I bought this from FLO purely because of FLO's reputation and their communications. I needed to defork my LX90-8" as the Dec drive has failed and one encoder died so it has no idea where it is anymore. It took some hunting to find a Vixen style bar with the right dimensions that was not a rip off. This bar does the job. With a slight adaption to the Meade this plate fits perfectly, now I can use the scope on my Skywatcher HEQ 6 mount....just need the bloody clouds to clear now... If you need a long Vixen bar, this is the one to go for. I'm wondering if "James" is on these forums and could explain the 'slight adaptation' since I find the costs of a lot of these astronomical accessories well..... astronomical. ADM for example. Just one example. It's a metal bar with a few holes! Sorry about the background. I don't know how to remove it once you've copied and pasted from a website. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/stellamira-universal-vixen-style-dovetail-bar.html Another thing is, for anyone who's actually deforked their LX200 or LX90 or LX10 (as I have), I've heard people saying they've reused the original screws from the telescope to fit the dovetail but it seems to me those screws must then be pretty long so I would imagine that, as is, they must extend into the tube quite a way. Others have said they couldn't reuse the screws and have had to find the correct size and length. Has anyone any experience here?

Just got one delivered the other day. The 9-27mm. Fantastic build quality for £22.99. Yet to try it out but so far, I've found the zoom ring to be extremely stiff. Perhaps it will loosen with a good few turns.

While I'm here, if you watched the video, you may have noticed a couple of spots which are from the optical train. Here's a capture... I checked my 1.25 inch UV/IR cut filter screwed to the nosepiece (there is no filter over the sensor itself) and it was clean so these spots are on the sensor itself. Has anyone experience of cleaning a sensor? If so, how is it done?

This was my first outing and I had no set plan as to a procedure. I was just 'snapping away' in essence. I used a bahtinov on stars at the beginning and then swung over to Saturn where I ended up focusing on it. Further, I didn't realise you had to take exposures using a bahtinov otherwise those spikes aren't readily apparent. So, at the end of the day, I focused on the planets (and Jupiter's moons) but just by eyeballing them.

You're being far too kind there RTD2 (are you a droid?). However, you're right. If it was perfect first time, there'd be no challenge. No challenge = No feeling of accomplishment. 😀

Oddly, due to the LX10's quite bad backlash on the focuser, I did do several runs and touched the focuser a tad between each. I obviously touched a tad the wrong way! Collimation is fine but I guess I'll have to recheck.

I've got the back of your hand imprinted on my jaw! 😂 If nothing else, I have good taste in music!

I just downloaded it this month so it's the latest. However, it's not Siril since I've attempted Pipp, Autostakkert and Registax (and also Astrosurface) and basically, I'm simply out of focus.

Haha. The kit may be but perhaps the user isn't! 😂

Never done solar ELP but that sounds like a plan. Cheers. I never saw a histogram on AstroDMX but perhaps I just wasn't looking.

Ah! Thanks Mandy. No I didn't have "Follow topic" clicked. I'll try and remember that. Thanks. You wouldn't happen to also know how to add photos into the text box, would you? While I have in the past, I have no idea how I did it and when I wish to do it, it just adds as an attachment file.

Just for the record, I received no notifications of any of your replies. I just happened to see the topic pop up as last commented on. Yes, according to Simon (Si@nite), the seeing was poor BUT he still managed to get superb photos of Jupiter and Saturn. If this is all about focus then I have some challenges ahead because I worked on it hard (altho with no electronic focuser, just hand and the LX10 has bad backlash in its focuser). I did ramp the gain up though and try to get the moons like little 'diamonds'. Here's a shot I managed to capture (still not fine detail though Ala Si@nite). No idea which moon but I think, Io. I caught the transit too. Astrosurface:Aff Jupiter 3.tiff

Simon, I've just been going through some of my captures from the same night (between about 12am and 3am on the 21st). There were a couple where I thought what I was seeing was the GRS but, on processing this one (very badly), I realised it was Io's transit. I did think the GRS was looking very dark, right enough! 😆 I used an SVBony 305c, a Meade LX10 8 inch SCT, Meade 2x telenegative Barlow, however, for this one, I'm sure it was prime focus without Barlow. I captured using AstroDMX at 640x480. I have no electronic focuser (and don't think I ever will). I'm trying to understand where my issue is with the quality however. I've added a Saturn from the same night. The capture were all around the 1 minute mark. Have used Pipe and then Astrosurface for processing. Any pointers? Astrosurface Saturn 1.tif Astrosurface Saturn 1.tif

Thanks for the replies guys. It was odd. I tried 3 or 4 times then, after giving up a few hours, on the 4th or 5th, it just worked.

Hi folks, I've just searched to download Registax and, on the site, I click 'download' but Windows won't allow it as considered dangerous. I've downloaded most of the other Windows based programs with no issue. Is there a problem with the Registax page at the moment? And is there a 'fix' or a known site which has a downloadable version? Thanks.

Why waste time on unproven theories?

Those are superb. Perhaps you can help me get even somewhat close to that? If you'd care to? 😩

Help! So, I have a Meade LX10 8 inch and, by way of Clearline Technology in the States, I managed to obtain a new circuit board and now the RA and Dec are working superbly well. However, lining up the planets on an SVBony 305 (small chip) is one heck of a job in itself. I'd been using a DSLR to try and capture but the size of the chip, as you know, has the planets tiny little specks. I've had the SVBony for nearly a year and never got round to using it because I use Macs and have/had no Windows machine. However, I recently bought a Mele Quieter 3 for the purposes of eventually getting NINA and Sharpcap etc up and running with an EQ5 mount I have. Anyhow, yesterday, I managed to find "AstroDMX" which the SV305 is plug & Play with so, last night was an exceptionally clear night and I took the MacBook, Meade and camera out for a roll. Here's the issue: With the DSLR, I assumed I could never get a sharply focused planet because it was so small on the sensor and difficult to judge. I now also have a bahtinov mask and used that (not very successfully as it turned out) with the SVBony and I thought "Great. I'll get Nice sharp results". Taking the video(s), it looked like I was right BUT, in then trying to use the wavelets and other processing in Siril, I just couldn't get anything better than what you see here. So my question is: What has one got to do to get an in focus Jupiter? I'm waiting on a mouse to be delivered before I can set up the Mele. Should arrive tomorrow. Is it just that Siril isn't good for planets (even though they will stack them and have introduced a planet 'suite' of sorts? Does it need Pipp, Autostakkert and Registax to achieve the sharpness I'm looking for or is it I'm just not sufficiently well focused to begin with while capturing? Jupiter & Io movie.mp4

That's what happens when you're in a rush! LOL Nice part of the world, Chester, however, Ian!

I just popped in to have a look Chester since I am yet to capture the Veil at all (I'm a newbie re photography anyhow) but had to say, this latest processed pic is a huge improvement since you have a far more natural sky colour and the veil 'pops' with such a background.

True...... sometimes. It goes clear again at 3am!

Kon, you're lucky you're getting any 'seeing' at all! For me: Set up, polar align, clouds, pack away.