RichieJarvis

Planets and the moon is about all the ETX-60 motors can handle really... The guiding is not accurate enough for long exposure stuff, and a DSLR will collide with the fork mount. I used to use my standard digital compact camera on a (very bad) adaptor to take moonshots through an eyepiece - nowdays, the adaptors to fit a camera to the scope are much better though. I still have that adaptor here if you want it (PM me) I started with just getting the moon in the Field of View on the moon, and taking a snap down the eyepiece. Its pretty easy to do, you just need a fast shutter speed and a steady hand. Good luck, and make sure you post your results here! Cheers, Richie

Yup - mine were too... This seems to do the business....

Someone just told me to do this..... High pass sharpen Duplicate the background layer Set to Soft Light blend Filter -> Other -> High Pass About 10.0 pixels Heres an article on the method: http://deepsky.org.uk/articles/2009-04-highPassFilter.shtml Richie

Last night was good fun - Lightbucket brought his 16" ob down, and I saw the best views of M51 I've ever seen :) Daveir came down as well, along with a friend of mine from Eastbourne Astronomical Society, so there were 3 rigs setup in the back garden. I managed to capture 17x10 minute OIII subs of M97 to go with my 30x5 minute Ha subs as well - initial processing last night looks very sharp/clear, so I can't wait to get those done. It was incredibly clear and sharp here last night - that cirrus cloud seemed to just drift away over the course of the night, and there was no dew - leaving it about the crispest I've ever seen (not that my experience is much to go by.) I almost felt guilty packing up @ 2amm but bed was calling....

Managed to run from 20:30 until 02:00 last night. I've just processed the data - very pleased, very VERY pleased :) My flexure problems seem to have vanished as well - I think it was the camera/filter wheel shifting slightly in the 2" tube of the refractor. 10 minute subs were possible previously, but I had to throw plenty away :( I wonder how far I can push the exposures now??? Time will tell! I want to try and capture some Ha data tonight if possible. I decided to stop shooting 3 x 100 of RGB when I switched over to 600 second subs - maybe the right decision, maybe not - the proof of the pudding is in the eating though! This is a combination of: L 25 x 300 L 9 x 600 RGB 23 x 300

I've been using EQMOD since I got my EQ6 last year - fantastic piece of software. I decided that it was time to get a wireless joystick, previously I've been using my old spare Microsoft Sidewinder - the only problem is that it is huge and doesn't fit in the pocket nicely. To replace it, I brought a Windows Xbox360 controller and the wireless unit to plugin to a PC (tip for you - these come together in one pack - you don't need to pay £30 for an Xbox360 controller AND another £25 for the wireless unit.) Been playing with it this morning in the obs - this thing is going to make alignment and movement a dream! Now if I can just remember all my key assignments in the dark in the middle of the night ;)

Well, my GSO problem still isn't solved. But I am not disheartened. I borrowed a 0.66 FR unit and have married it to my Astro Professional 102 ED, and it seems to be a match made in heaven. Last time I tried a FR, I was using a .66 with a Canon 350D on an LX100R, and the vignetting was terrible :( Still, on the refractor, this combination works very well. The first test of the system was on Monday, very happy: http://deepsky.org.uk/galaxy/m65-m66.shtml Tonight though, I am reaching for M101. I might see if I can stack some data over several nights. Here is a first cut of 7 Luminance subs - the RGB data is coming later.