mark skelton

3 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Right click on the frame with the highest score and  choose 'set as reference frame'.

Thanks for that just what I'm been looking for

1 minute ago, Stargazer33 said:

A reference frame is one that you select from your set which is the best; clearest; sharpest image. All other frames are then compared to this 'reference frame' and graded from best to worst.

HTH

Ok cheers, what's then best way of selecting said frame?

I noticed people are talking about reference frames, what are they for and how does one make one?

10 hours ago, newbie alert said:

Focal length is the length that the light travels to come to a focus point.

What guidescope do you have?

At the bottom of my reply's is the list of stuff I use

thanks for the reply, phd updated 

40 minutes ago, almcl said:

For a Skywatcher StarTravel 80 with just a guide camera attached, you enter the focal length of the scope: 400.  This is to give PHD2 the image scale.

Just to make sure I've understood the question correctly, what extender are you referring to?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/flo-80mm-125-focus-extension-tube.html

when setting up an equipment profile in PHD under the scope focal length do we add the extender length to the length of the scope or is it just the length of the scope on its own?

Thanks for the heads up, looks like worth a try. 

49 minutes ago, spillage said:

Flat will be dependant on the ADU level. I think I went for 18,000, but this may depend on your camera.  I see you have listed a 674 mono and I am sure that this camera may not need any darks taken so I would just try flats to take out dust bunnies and vignetting. I would maybe drop sx a quick email regarding their recommendations and flats and darks, I have always find them very helpful.

Ok I'll give them an email to see what they say. cheers

On 22/07/2019 at 20:41, Anthonyexmouth said:

not done any bias frames, been told they aint needed so much with this camera. I'll start making the effort to do flats though. 

Any recommendation  on what the exposure for flats should be

When you do the master darks, do you do master bias as well or will the darks do both?

Hi sloz1664,

As I tried to say in my last post last night when we had a clear spell I also used 2x2 binning & 3 sec exposure to start of with, then when the HFR got down to 3.0 I then set the binnig to 1x1 & 3min exposure to fine tune til I got the HFR  to 1.87. I've got rig set up as permanent (see my post https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/274300-show-us-your-set-up-in-action-at-night/page/20/ ) It's about half 2 thirds down the page. The set up can be tken down if I'm going to a star party.

On 02/07/2019 at 08:42, sloz1664 said:

Hi Mark,

I tend to use frame and focus when I am way out of focus. I set my camera to binned 2x2 and exposure to 3s. Using the Focus Control module. I take one exposure, tick the use subframe and drag a box around a prominent star. I set my course steps to 100 and start Frame and Focus on continuous exposures and move the course steps in or out until I get the smallest star profile. Stop Frame & Focus, untick use subframe & I then proceed to use the auto focus routine in the Focus Control module by hitting the run button, for accurate focus.

Hth

Steve

Thanks for the info I did the same till I got down to less than HFR =3.0 then I selected 1x1 binning and 3 min exposure where I got the lowest HFR down to 1.87 before the clouds came in

8 hours ago, sloz1664 said:

Hi Mark,

I tend to use frame and focus when I am way out of focus. I set my camera to binned 2x2 and exposure to 3s. Using the Focus Control module. I take one exposure, tick the use subframe and drag a box around a prominent star. I set my course steps to 100 and start Frame and Focus on continuous exposures and move the course steps in or out until I get the smallest star profile. Stop Frame & Focus, untick use subframe & I then proceed to use the auto focus routine in the Focus Control module by hitting the run button, for accurate focus.

Hth

Steve

Never thought of the use subframme,   I'll give that a try next weekend if skys are clear.cheers for the info

When I Start up SGP I connect the camera, filter wheel, focuser and the mount, no problems so far. The trouble I'm having is when I use the frame and focus, I get the target stat into the centre of the crosshairs the star is some what bigger than the two circles out of focus and the exposure is out by a big way, what's the best way of getting the size of the star smaller and in focus/exposed?

3 hours ago, kirkster501 said:

A good start, well done. Plenty of nice stars in there.   To improve though you are going to need a tracking mount such as the Skywatcher Star Adventurer so you can get some longer exposures.

Thanks for the feedback. I already got my HEQ5 PRO  mount set up and aligned with Polaris, I've got  adovetail with a camera quick release  and backyard EOS that can give me the same control.

12 hours ago, Anthony1979 said:

What exposure were these

All are 10 sec. exposures

Here's my set up,

Just had a look, I've been here 11 years- April 13th 2008.

Ok here's the latest, had brother ( he's into IT)look at laptop couldn't find the problem but sorted a few other things out with the laptop make it perform better.  Anyway got the telescope set up out side connected up to laptop, went to select Arcturus, slew this time I heard an odd noise from the mount then I had the same problems as before. when I had a closer look at the mount I noticed that the Dec worm gear was a bit tight making it had for the motor to turn the dec axis. A good adjustment of the grub screws sorted that out, A quick check with cdc and the mount is moving so I give it another test run tomorrow to see if every things ok.

Here's few that I took on Saturday night with my canon 750D with 18-55mm lens at 18mm f5.6 iso 3200

I'm not going to make it this year. hope fully next year.

5 hours ago, stash_old said:

This is being said with all due respect but please can you post screen images of each step you do AND before that a screen print of device manager when all the cables have been connected but no software has been loaded/running.

All the screen images seem to have come from people trying to help but they need to "see" what's happening - "a picture paints etc etc". Do not be embarrassed , if you are , I like other have made some real howlers LOL

Hopefully SGL will then get it sorted quickly,if you have sorted it already, so you can do what the dam stuff is intended for Star Gazing/Astronomy ?

I know it sounds daft but how does one get the screen images?

18 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

Mark,

Hmmm OK

If your mount is connected, and unparked try the EQMod direction arrows and a rate of say 3 - does the mount respond and move around?

 

When done like this it does, but when I press park nothing happens.

18 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

Just confirm that you're correctly installing the EQMod under CdC.

After selecting HEQ5/6 Eqmod then click properties - should bring up the EQmod screen as shown.......

Is this what you see?

 

Yes it is even the site location is the same on both cd & eqnod.