knobby

Wow, seriously impressive and congratulations on your dedication !

Contact the seller ! That's really not on 😵‍💫there used to be a site called astroboot that sold all sorts but they won't deliver to the UK since Brexit 

Really hope you get somewhere finding one.

Hopefully, but remember it's only a forecast, not a promise 🤣

1 hour ago, stafford_stargazer said:

Hi mate 

Yes at home but also take on holidays too. I don't want a dob, just sold a 200mm dobsonian 2 days ago as I need something I can quickly pick up and get outside .

Can you answer my question about matsukovs then, I thought they were good planetary scopes is this true then or they not that good?

Thanks Gary 

They're nice little scopes, come up on ABS quite often https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=196163

But you'll still end up needing a mount, that's going to add weight !

AZ-Gtis are nice and compact ?

Whats your budget ?

Hi Gary, you'd have to define 'easy'

For me I'd say a 150 dob, not too heavy, quick to set up and view.

Is this just for viewing, back garden or take to a dark field etc ?

Post a pic of the saddle, we'll be able to see from that if it takes both.

3 hours ago, StuartT said:

I don't use a guide scope. My understanding was that with an OAG you should use the FL of the imaging scope, no?

I always use the new profile wizard to make a profile. And did so in this case too - it's captured the various details (e.g. pixel size of the guide cam) correctly, so if a step size of 1050ms is indeed wrong  (as others have pointed out) then I am puzzled. I've not changed any settings  

PHD2 makes assumptions about your equipment, usually correct but not always due to manufacturing variances.

And yes, you use the main scope length if using an oag.

Stuart uses an oag I believe.

As suggested by Starflyer, try lowering step size.

Agreed, too far for me but I think it's a reasonable price. When I wangled a blipper to access a farmers land a few years back we paid £45/year but that was 4 years ago.

Aaaah, It depends how old the HEQ5 is !

But surely if it has a Vixen saddle, the CGE wont fit anyway ?

Pretty sure the HEQ5 has a dual saddle that takes Vixen and CGE ?

8 hours ago, The Admiral said:

If I may hijack the thread, can I ask whether this is allied to the mount itself, and therefore not correctable, or is there something in the set-up that causes this? For that matter, does it matter?

Ian

Not 100% sure but I know poor polar alignment can cause the non 90 degree appearance as can backlash.

If anyone has problems with connection issues on Win 11 or updated Win 10, Ioptron have released an updated Commander.

https://www.ioptron.com/Articles.asp?ID=337

@StuartTAre you using an off axis guider ? as your focal length in PHD2 looks about correct for a 150ED / Reducer.

Focal length in PHD2 should be of the guide scope.

2 hours ago, 900SL said:

I assume it is internally focused, so no tilt. The tube remains fixed?

Actually, you're probably right, looking at It on a PC  rather than a phone It looks like It has a very long focuser tube inside the ota. So in fact quite the opposite, It's very sturdy ?

That's a lot of strain on a focuser and unless it's very well made is begging for some tilt !

That's an interesting camera, had to google it ... It syas It's like a OSC and Mono all in one.

The bayer matrix is apparently transparent to light over 850nm so in theory, for your sensor anyway, it shouldn't effect resolution.

As you've realised, using the IR pass will cut down on the  amount of light hitting the sensor therefore needing longer exposure times.

How are you capturing ? your images look very nice on Flickr, maybe the Lunar pics could take more sharpening ?

Mine looks straighter, but yours is still doing the job well.

60 minute ?

Very nice 👍🏻

Slightly unusual looking bahtinov pattern but looks bang on in focus 👍🏻

Very nice 👍🏻

Hi Lee, nothing fancy but ASTAP has tilt graphics and Is free, for a little 60mm scope with a DSLR hanging off It, looks pretty sound.

You could try ASTAP, that has a Mac installer .

https://www.hnsky.org/astap.htm

Very nice.