michael8554

I googled "Autostar 497 circuit diagram" and got lots of hits. To connect to a Planetarium on a PC you usually have to setup first with the handset, which you can't do. That requires a USB-to-RS232 cable from a PC to the handset, called a Meade #505 cable (not #507) But first post in the Cloudy Nights Meade section, lots of real Autostar experts there. May be as simple as poor contacts on the ribbon to the display, fixes explained there. Michael

Hi Stevie "To be fair they also state "Please be noted that this tutorial only applies to 55mm back focal length. " But IMO, without any mention of CC or FF, that's just as confusing. Michael

That diagram and link is where the confusion starts and generates any number of posts. The link says "Since most telescopes have a 55mm back focal length, " - really ? ZWO should know better. Michael

You mean Storms Storms Storms............. :-< Michael

It's implied in all the replies, but to be clear: You only need 55mm Back Focus from a Coma Corrector or Field Flattener to the camera's sensor, not the camera's body. And not all CCs and FFs have 55mm Back Focus - check the spec. If you don't have a CC or FF you can attach the camera as close as possible to the focuser, to avoid focuser sag. But far enough away from the focuser that infinity focus is possible of course ! The ZWO 533C Flange Distance is as Martin's image. Michael

Go to a B&Q DIY store with one of the screws and find a nut that fits. Then look for a suitable that-size screw. Michael

Astromania M48X0.75 Male/M42X1 Female to M42X0.75 Male Telescope Adapter: That gets you from the M42x1 of the Takumar to T2 M42x0.75 I don't know how thick that is. The Takumar Flange Distance is 45.46mm. The distance to chip on the 183C is 12.5mm. Leaving 32.96mm to fill with the adapter and T2 spacers. Now I can't remember which, but if you over or under fill with stock-width spacers, one will allow the lens to go through infinity focus, with best infinity focus just before the mark on the lens. Michael

What ISO ? Michael

Are you certain the plug isn't 2.5mm, which would be a loose fit ? Michael

"Backlash is at 2300 seconds," Hopefully only 2300 msec 😆 Michael

Hi Edward I've stretched your image twice with an arcSinh curve: What ISO setting were you using with the camera ? I'd guess use ISO800 for that camera. The image was very under-exposed, hardly off the left end of the histogram. But perhaps 10 secs is the slowest exposure before star-trailing starts ? Michael

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I would never call a Full Spectrum conversion an IR Conversion. Michael

"Maybe he had used the wrong terminology in the advert, " Wot I said. If the vendor doesn't know the difference then caveat emptor..... Michael

Agreed. But not how these cameras have been modded if they are truly "IR Conversions". For that, both the factory filters are removed. And an "IR Pass" filter inserted - not an "IR Filter", which cuts the IR. So no longer "Full Spectrum", they're IR spectrum only. Michael

"Full Spectrum" is an incorrect and misleading description. These cameras are "Infrared Converted", which filter out the visual spectrum, leaving just the IR spectrum. So they can't be "Full Spectrum" can they. Michael

M32 is almost due south of M31, so as ONIKKINEN said, it's mostly Dec elongation, PE isn't involved. Need to see the GuideLog. Michael

Spot-on for the viewers with some scientific interest. Wife and I both enjoyed it Michael

The central stars have coma, so Collimation may be out. There is also Tilt, as the right side is worse than the left side of the image. The asymmetrical vigneting may be a feature of that Tilt. Michael

Several possibilities: 1. The ribbon connecting the display to the board needs cleaning/trimming/or just reseating. Google how to open the handset and disconnect the ribbon. Be careful not to rip it when lifting the back off. 2. The display is corrupted and needs replacing. Look in the Meade Computerised section of the Cloudy Nights Forum for info on 1 and 2. Michael

A f/10 scope with a 2x Barlow becomes f/20. So if the scope was 1000mm FL, it effectively becomes 1000 x 2 = 2000mm FL. Image Scale (arc-seconds) = 206 * Pixel Size (microns) / Focal Length (mm). Michael

Have you only just joined ? Many forums don't allow responses until you have been "cleared" by the moderator. Michael

"Tighten it down really tight and it won't impact motion, and also Don't over tighten it or it won't move." No. One or the other depending on the design, which I don't know. Bearings like this are seated by pressure on the outer race. With a suitably sized socket resting on the outer race. Then a hydraulic press, or careful hammering. Or a long bolt and nut through the socket and bearing and mount, drawing the bearing in by tightening the nut. A Nylok locknut should work when finally assembling. Michael

"Apparently the FITS file contains the stacked images, and needs to be stacked by a program e.g. Siril or Deep Sky Stacker, before being processed in one's program of choice (e.g. GIMP)." Hopefully that should read "contains the (stacked) images". So that you have the ability to stack a number of unstacked images with Siril or DSS. Michael

A Skywatcher Guidescope mount: In the mistaken belief that the guidescope needed to be pointing at the same star as the imaging scope. Very heavy, so increased the balancing issues as well. Michael

I'm not an owner of this mount model, so here's my interpretation of the image: A is is non-locking nut. B is the outer race of a ball bearing C is either the outer cage of that bearing. OR a separate loose cage washer that retains the balls D may be the inner ball bearing race Or a tapered cup. IMO the bearing is only halfway into the mount, the area B should be inside the mount. Which is why the nut is half off when tightened. D also shows that the Nut isn't central over the bearing. So two courses of action: 1) the bearing needs to be drifted all the way in. The nut should be a fully tightened lock-nut OR 2) the bearing needs to be drifted all the way in. If C is a separate cage, then the locknut should be tightened enough to minimise play, but allow free rotation of the shaft. Michael