Bobby1970

Just now, happy-kat said:

The only thing I can see to use a second laptop outside is if that's the only way to hoover the images from the camera. I'm going to be quiet now and not muddy the puddle.

 

Yeah. I just thought this. The camera needs to be connected to a laptop. Lol. I'm sure some solution will become apparent. I could probably get a raspberry pi and stellar mate. If I can't make what I already have work with it. 

3 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

If you have the wifi range on azgti leave the laptop inside

Synscan windows app

So. If the range on something like the virtuoso GTi was good enough. I can use a laptop Indoors with the laptop having Sharpcap, platesolving etc on it? 

Sorry, it's been a while lol. 

5 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

What about plate solve with astap and ascom to sync back to the mount using synscan and then asistudio to live stack all inside after plonking mount outside

Something like that would work. Or maybe using Sharpcap along with All sky plate solver for live stacking and platesolving. 

Its been a while so I can't recall. If I leave a laptop outside running synscan, Sharpcap etc, I should be able to control it via another laptop indoors using remote desktop or TeamViewer, correct? 

Can't remember how the synscan mount connects to the laptop as I need both laptops to be on same network I think??

13 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

ASIstudio has live stacking, I've not used a asair thingmy bob but I assume asostudo works with it and that has a Windows and Android version of the app so use everything as is just using live stacking 

Could even just try  in azgti altaz mode too 

Ultimately I would like to be inside, controling the scope for platesolving, goto and livestacking once an initial alignment is done. The Asi Air has issues from what I have read, when used with the AZGti in Alt az mode. 😕

I've just been looking at YouTube videos of the Skywatcher 150p Virtuoso GTi. 

I think this might be something I explore. 

One thing. I assume I will be able to use a laptop with Sharpcap etc, maybe APT with it? 

Looks a good option for EEVA,??

21 minutes ago, M40 said:

Have you considered using your 72ED with the asiair as an eeva setup? If it gives you some good results, you could always move the pro on and get the plus for the remote aspect.

As a different option, something I am playing around with is using a canon lens with zwo camera. There is an adaptor that can link the two. Hardest part is mounting the adaptor and getting it aligned. All the best.

Maybe it's just me, not having enough consistent clear nights and time. 

I have the 72ed, on an AZGti in EQ mode, hooked up to my asi air pro. Once polar aligned I retreat indoors and usually select a target, platesolve etc from indoors. 

Usually I'm limited to maybe 2-3hrs tops of gathering subs. Then as I say I don't get enough clear nights to carry on adding data, so it's left me a bit frustrated tbh, that's before I get to trying to process anything. Lol. 

Maybe I just stick with what I have and do 15 mins of short live stacked exposures on multiple targets in one night? That counts as eeva, right? 

I was Considering re setting the AzGti to Alt/Az but heard the asi air has issues with it not tracking when in alt Az mode, and either way there's some sort of alignment to do, either polar or some sort of star alignment if in alt/az. 

I made a peltier cooler for my 178mc which does help reduce noise too. So maybe ramp up the gain and go with short exposures for some livestscked eeva images. 

Really need some inspiration or get up and go. Lol. 

Either way another AzGti would be useful for my Mak as a lunar or planetary set up maybe. Can I do EEVA with a 127mak too? 

Save swapping over scopes on one AzGti 

13 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Some where I thought I'd read about canon DSLR and sharpcap via ascom driver. If you have the 60mm already why not give it a go, if it hangs together might need to think about a FF for the scope I guess. Good luck

Yeah. I'm sure the Canon DSLR works with Sharpcap and APT. I also have a few lenses I could use with it and a dummy battery DC adaptor thing. Just need another AZGti or AzGte and to get remote desktop to work between my old windows 7 laptop and my indoor (windows 10) laptop. It's not happening at the moment. 😕

I am considering purchasing an additional Az GTi mount, leaving it Alt/Az and combining with a small scope and camera, possibly something like a ZWO 120MC.

My inital "inspiriation" was this video:

However, i already have an old laptop i am happy to leave outside and possibly access remotely from another laptop inside the house. The old laptop has Sharpcap and APT on it also as i have dabbled in EEVA previously.

So i have around £500 budget maximum. 

I was wondering about using a semi decent 60mm guidescope along with a ZWO 120MC as i satated above.

I think i can probably do this for £500 if i get some stuff used.

Yes, i currently have an ASI Air pro based rig with 72mm scope and guide scope. But the time required to gather sufficient data is a bit limiting for me, then theres the processing, which i am certainly not very good at.

So, looking into an EEVA rig to re-ignite my interest, still remotely view, and gather some snaps of the things i have seen without the need for lots and lots of time consuming and mind bending processing also.

I also have a canon Eos 450d which is modded, the same guy in the video has done another using just camera and lens, so this could be an option and i might then be able to stretch to a Raspberry Pi and use stellarmate??? 

I may ultimately end up selling the ASI Air Pro set up, but i do not want to do t his just yet.

One other option is a Dwarf II. But i realise they have their limits.

Thoughts and advice very welcome.

Bit of an error led to this.

Basically I forgot to set the lens to the 300mm end. Lol. 

Clearly wasn't thinking straight, so this is M31, taken with Sony A57 and 75-300mm lens at 75mm f5, ISO 800. 105x 60s subs. Darks and flats used. Mount is a Star adventurer. 

Processed in Startools. 

Not going to win any prizes but I'm quite pleased with how this turned out, for a mistake. 

Not done any astro related activity for ages. But made the effort on Saturday night. 

Canon 450d, old 58mm lens, f5.6, 180x60s, iso800,  darks and flats.

I don't think I will ever, ever get to grips with processing tbh. So this is about as good as it's gonna get. 

Thanks for looking

Seeing one of the last ever Shuttle launches back in 2010 was incredible, the sound, while obviously nothing like a Saturn V was something that will live with me forever, crackling roaring all mixed together. 

Was fortunate enough to visit Florida again a couple of years back and see the shuttle we saw launch (Atlantis) now in its own amazing visitor center at KSC. I spent well over am hour just walking around it soaking it all up. 

Also, when I was 10 years old back in 1981 I went to an airshow at the then RAF Finningley. Something on the flying program caught my attention immediately with the title "Vulcan scramble". Turned out it was 5x Vulcans taking off forming up and displaying. Utterly amazing sound and spectacle. Still give me goosebumps 40 years later. 

Couple on new toys to have a play with. 

These were all done using my AZGti in Alt/Az mode. Maximum of 15 minutes integration time live stacked using sharpcap

All with my 178mc. Some with 72mm scope some with an old lens. Close up Orion was with a 90 mm Mak I think. 

Thought i would have a crack at this, despite the moon. lol

40x120s subs, 30 darks. 72mm Semi Apo refractor, ZWO 178MC. Captured using ASiAir Pro. Processed in Startools, Paint.net and windows photo editor.

I have and continue to have trouble selecting an optimal gain setting tbh, i had been using 270 and things constantly look noisy to me and are even more difficult to process.

So i knocked the gain down to 130 for this and it seems to have helped somewhat. Some stars still look very big though not sure what the best course of action is with them.

Thanks for looking.

47 minutes ago, sthow said:

This is my first attempt at Astrophotography,  using a Star Travel 102, AZ Gti Mount and a unmodified Canon 1100d.

350 - 4sec (1600 iso) light frames, 30 dark and 30 flats.

Struggling to photograph anything else though, anyone suggest another one to attempt?

M45 should be worth a pop. 

The Mrs got me these for Xmas. 

I haven't used them in an astro capacity yet. But a walk to the shops and back and my hands were toasty warm. 

Two fingers and thumb still available for phone operation etc

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0173PG4QI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_KY07Fb8DYRMZA

On 09/11/2020 at 18:51, Pete Presland said:

Some nice detail visible there. The "double image" i think is what is known as the "edge rind artefact" i think its common in a lot of Mars images. A combination of a few things and not easy to remove/hide.

Thanks for the info Pete.

I have noticed it in Venus images i have captured previously and have wondered what it may be, but it seems more pronounced in the Mars image. 

For a pretty small planetary scope i can't grumble too much. 

Had a go at this last night. Captured around 5000 frames with the ZWO 178MC and a 2x barlow

Processed the best 50%  using PIPP, AS3 and Registax. 

Can anyone help to explain why it seems like i have a sort of "double" edge to the planet, mainly on the right hand side?? 

Thanks for looking anyway

Been away in Cornwall for a week, just outside of Marazion.

First night there was nice and clear and i had the benefit of a roof terrace/balcony so set up the Star Advenurer, Sony A57 and Minolta 50mm lens.

I was having issues polar aligning initially but think i was somewhere near, however i then had issues with power supply intermittency. Its either a dodgy USB cable or the socket on the SA itself.

Anyway all i managed was 18mins worth of 20s shots at iso 3200.  If i had more dark nights i would have had another crack but alas none were as good as the first night. Visually, naked eye was a treat too tbh. Milky way easily visible and M31 with averted vision also.

I used DSS, Startools and Topaz to end up with this effort.

Thanks for looking.

Very interesting thread this is. 

I've been using my AZGti along with ASIAir Pro recently. I guide it using a small guidescope and 120 mini. 

I had some backlash which seemed to affect my images and guiding performance so I disassembled the mount and removed as much of the backlash as I could. Last time out I lost no subs at all guiding at 180s. I use a 72mm semi apo scope and zwo 178mc camera. 

My most recent effort was this :-

I was hoping for some more sharpness in general tbh. It's come out ok don't get me wrong. The lens is a well regarded 50mmlens but I'm sure I read something years back about it being sharper from f4 upwards. But forgot when I captured this image. Lol. 

I think I should have stopped the lens down a bit more. Might try at f4 or higher next time. 

2 minutes ago, tomato said:

I’m not sure of the quality of the fan you are using, some are definitely quieter and smoother in operation then others. 
This is the fan @Tomatobro went for, there have been no issues with this one.

 

 

Been looking at some so called "silent" fans so it sounds like I have options there. 

I did fire it up this afternoon and pointed the scope at a distant chimney pot. The image seems nice and stable so fingers crossed vibration isn't going to be an issue. 

Away on holiday from Friday so will pick this back up after then. 

Thanks for the info @Gina. 

With my "testing' so far mine seems to run cooler with the fan the opposite way around. ie pulling air from the heatsink out to ambient. 

I am awaiting on a dew heater for the front end to hopefully help with the sensor window fogging. If this all works I will then look at some temp control with the intention of a target of 3-5 degrees. I will then be looking at a quieter fan and/or speed control for the fan and checking for any vibration issues with the image the camera produces. 

I read a little about heatsinks and their jest dissipation ratings. I do wonder if there's a way to avoid using s fan altogether with an appropriate sized heatsink tbh. 

However, I am making all of this up as I go tbh. But it has been good fun so far. 

Ps, glad you are back. 🙂

1 hour ago, Adam J said:

You need a fan with a magnetic breaing / low noise as if its making lots of noise then its certainly causing vibrations to the sensor.

Adam

It wasn't so noisy until I swapped it around. 

I wonder if it's pulling air through, and around the heatsink find and fixing screws??

Going to try reducing the speed at some point and add temp ctrl.