michael8554

Okay, you've already posted that log last week, it's the 23rd or 24th you're looking for. Michael

Yes, that's an essentially empty GuideLog from 22nd November., not the 24th. Check the date in the file name. Michael

Hi Barrie, That's the DebugLog you've posted, not the GuideLog. Michael

Did you really think I meant he should always run without cooling ......... ? Is the problem really due to fogging ? A single Flat taken WITHOUT COOLING will show whether it's fogging or not. Geddit ? Michael

Apologies for stating the obvious, but Flats without cooling are okay ? Michael

Astronomy 101. How to burn a hole in your blazer with a telescope. Michael

Hi Barrie, Need your latest GuideLog ! Stars look like you had dew on the guidescope. Is that the best focus you could get ? Did you make a new Equipment Profile with the correct FL in the calculator, and then Calibrate ? You should also use the PHD2 Dark Frames/Bad-Pixel Map. Michael

Strange that ASIAir Plus has a DSLR shutter release, but no 8V DSLR power socket ? Michael

You will have to refocus the guidecam for every filter change. Or insert a 2.5mm clear glass filter, not a second UV/IR. Or arrange 2600MC then OAG then Filter Drawer then OTA, then with or without a filter the guidecam will stay in focus once the 2600MM is refocused. With the LPF the guidecam may not see many stars, I don't know. Michael

In what way Olly ? How will controlling with a Planetarium improve the mount's GoTo ? Michael

The left side of the image has coma. Your 600D sensor might have been reinstalled tilted during the mod. But if this coma wasn't present on your old images using your scopes, it has to be the lens. Michael

As above, but read up on how to clean eyepieces, spit and a hanky isn't good :-< Michael

Hi Barrie From your GuideLog: Your exposures are only 20mS, is that as slow as the Samsung scb 2000 will go ? Most guiding is done at 2 to 4 seconds exposure. As a result there were many "Star Lost" messages, particularly during Calibration. The mount driver is reporting this guiderate setting: RA Guide Speed = 13.5 a-s/s, Dec Guide Speed = 13.5 a-s/s, But the Calibration has calculated the guide rates as only: RA = 3.4"/s , Dec = 4.1"/s; This suggests you have the ASCOM PulseGuide Setting in EQMOD too low. You say "I've set up my guidescope", and the focal length is entered as 1000mm, is that correct ? Or are you using an Off-Axis -Guider ? So the guide image scale is only 1.3arcsecs/pixel, a 300mm guidescope would show more stars, and give 4.33arcsec/pixel. Read this, particularly clearing backlash before Cal: https://openphdguiding.org/phd2-best-practices/ Michael

Hi Barrie Post your PHD2 GuideLog - look in the PHD2 Folder Michael

I'd suggest that when you lost power some part of the Home Alignment got corrupted. Michael

In PHD2 they found the optimum gain for the ASI120MM was 48, and they made that the default. Expose 2 to 3 secs. To check guidecam focus, first focus the imaging camera. Then temporarily lower the prism as low as possible, to aid finding a star with the guidecam. Focus the guidecam (don't alter the imaging camera focus) Then raise the prism back to the position where it isn't shading the imaging camera, and finetune the guidecam focus. Odd shaped stars are not unusual with OAG, PHD2 seems to cope. Michael

That could be Periodic Error - tracking slows and speeds up in a repeating pattern, often over 4 minutes. Due to the RA worm not being perfectly round. When the worm is way out of adjustment you can feel play. When it's close but not ideal you won't be able to judge by feel. Michael

IR cut filters are often suggested to improve refractor images, I've not heard of UV being a problem. Michael

Hard to judge with the low res full frame you posted. But overall focus is off. And there's tilt, the right side of the image has stars almost round, the left side has coma. Michael

Did you remove and clean the display ribbon ? Instructions online. Michael

First, what is wrong with your handbox? It's basically some buttons and a display, the "computer" is in the mount. Alternatively you could use a Virtual Handbox on a PC. Or an iOS phone or tablet running ScopeBoss as a wireless handbox. Or an Android device as a wireless handbox: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/758632-autostar-ii-replacement-solution-for-the-android-community-2-billion-users/page-3?hl=autostar#entry11415850 Michael

Hi Peter 1. Use a Parfocal Ring to set how far in the guidecam is inserted for best focus. I'm assuming your ASI224MC has a 1.25" nosepiece attached. Yes, keep the guidecam in place if possible, once you have best focus. 2. That fouling will occur with most OAG's. You need to mount the DSLR inverted, so that the flash housing doesn't foul. Loosen the three tiny screws that hold the EOS bayonet in the T2 adapter, rotate, retighten. 3. Setting the guidecam focus is a one-time operation if you keep it in place. Then at the start of each session, focus the DSLR, then the guidecam should be in focus too. So routinely no need for SharpCap, unless you use it for PA. Michael

Your PHD2 GuideLog Zip file is empty Michael

If the Sigma 300mm fits you D7200, then that lense's Back Focus is 46.5mm. The ASI 533 sensor is 17.5mm in from the M42 adapter. Leaving 46.5 - 17.5 = 29mm of spacers and adapters. With any focusable lens, as far as I remember, if the Back Focus spacing is slightly less than the spec, it will focus at infinity, before the infinity mark. Conversely, if the Back Focus spacing is more than spec, you cannot reach infinity focus. So 30mm of spacing probably won't work, 25 to 29mm will reach infinity. (Modded DSLR's, the sensor is too far away so won't reach infinity focus with matching lens system. Moving the sensor closer = shorter Flange Distance = infinity focus). Michael

Hi Brad I'd forgotten you were OAG. With a small prism and a small guidecam sensor it can be difficult to discern enough stars for MultiStar to work. So longer exposures were the right choice after all. Don't forget it's RA info you're gathering for PEC, not Dec. Michael