SmokeyJoe

Hi Simon, Sorry to hear about you street light, I had some goon nights observing when I lived in the Potteries. There is a North Staffs Astro Society based in Newcastle, I'm sure that could give you some pointers. It looks like that have observing evenings on a farm. https://www.northstaffsas.co.uk/

I'm about to pull the trigger on a ZWO 533, I'm just wondering if it's worth paying the extra 100 or so quid for the duo band and IR cut filters or save my pennies and buy something more expensive in the future. It's really light pollution that I'm trying to reduce. I live on the edge of a market town, my garden is surrounded on three sides, it's a new estate so I can see 20+ windows, most of which are lit when I first go out in the evening. There are also a couple of LED street lamps, but I can avoid the direct light from these by hiding my scope in the shadow of a wall. As far as the duo band goes, I'm stepping up from a few years of using a second hand 450D so I'm sure I'll have enough fun without it. I understand that when I feel the need there are other filters available but for the price it might be fun to see what it can do.

Thanks Danny but I had a massive disaster last week when I dropped my tablet and broke the screen. 😧 Just spent a large chunk of my savings on a new tablet so give it six months or so and I might be back in the position to buy a camera.😭

I think considering everything that has been said and the fact that we are heading into summer I shall wait a get the cooled camera, spend the next few months improving my techniques. Thanks all for your advice.

Thanks all for your helpful replies, I did look at the 585 Knobby but it gives me an imaging scale of 0. 79 compared to 1.03 for the 533 (although this improves to 0.9 with a focal reducer). Post processing skills are OK I think (I have a partly Photoshop based degree) but all in the eye of the beholder etc. Don't really want to start mucking about with the hardware as one day I hope to sell it and head down the mono route. Guess I was looking for an excuse to buy my new toy now rather than in 8 months.

Thanks Michael, I'm aware of the darks pros/cons, just wondering about noise etc on the uncooled 533, nice illustration of what can be achieved uncooled. Knobby, had a Google and most of the stuff out there is about the pro version. I'll have another look regarding dithering. I have considered a used camera but unwilling to spend what little cash I have on something that could go horribly wrong.

Thanks Peter, just wondering how much practical difference there was given ZWOs low noise claims with the 533.

First point is I am on a very tight budget. After a couple of years mucking about with an old 450d and learning the ropes the time has come to move on to a dedicated astro cam. After much research I have settled on the ASI 533 as the best fit for both of my scopes (Ed80 ds Pro and 200p). I'm using the asiair so am stuck with ZWO camera's. I have just about got enough saved up for the uncooled version. It's going to be Christmas before I can afford the pro. So darks are a problem with an uncooled camera but what else. Do I wait or let my impatience win and buy the uncooled camera.

Sorry I assumed we were talking about an EQ mount. Ignore my comments.

Hello Seoras welcome to the board. Firstly the best kit fot astrophotography is what you have, I use a second hand cannon 450D, that I bought for 80 quid and get great enjoyment from it. Secondly yep I'm afraid you will have to rebalance your kit every time you add or remove equipment. I find the best thing to do is to balance it in daylight and mark the positions with tape or a permanent marker then you don't have to spend precious time at night finding the balance points. Have fun

I was but not been since lockdown due to other commitments, might pop along to NAS one evening though fancied a look for a while.

Are you a member of Breckland Astronomical Society?

Watton, for my sins.

Clear as a bell last night, set up around 7.30 it took a while as I have not been out for a month or two. PA took a long time despite the asiair I live on an old airbase right by a nuclear bunker, North is always a few degrees out sometimes to the point where I have to move the mount! Focused, slew to M33, just sorting guiding out (first time ever) and my power tank died. The SO had gone to bed by then so I could get away with an extention lead out of the window, sorted this out, restarted asiair, mount etc and then the fog rolled in. 😭😭😭

I started with this combo and found that the scope is great, but just at the limit of what the eq5 can handle, especially if you strap a Dslr to the eyepiece. If you just want to observe I'd say go for it but if you want to do some astrophotography then you are probably better off with the HEQ5 (mount) or the 130pds or 150pds (scope). Also bear in mind that eq mounts are heavy. If you can't park near you observing site and you have to carry it then a small refractor and a less bulky mount will probably suit you better. Also if you want to take pictures you are going to need a motorised mount so that it tracks what you are imaging and a power source to power the mount. There are plenty of bags available for most scopes and mounts (don't throw the packaging away for the mount as most bags make use of this). Reflector telescopes do lose alignment over time but this is quite easily fixed with a special eyepiece. Do a search for collimation (the process of aligning the mirrors) there are plenty of tutorials on this website. If you have and astronomy club near you pop along one evening, you can have a look at different bits of kit and see whar suits you. We're a friendly bunch and always happy to help. Good luck and have fun.

My first scope was a 200p, it was fine right out of the box and did not need collimating to start with or for long time after, if you have trouble with using just the cap see if there is a local astronomy club near you (assuming you have transport) and nip along with your scope, someone will have a Cheshire or laser collimator. I'm sure they will be glad to help.

I used to live halfway between Birmingham and Manchester, not far from the M6 under Bortle 8 skies, and I got far more time at the scope!

Yep weather is awful. Around here at this time of the year even if there are no clouds chances are there is going to be thick fog! The last couple of years have pretty much written off getting any scope time between November and March.

Not come across that, I will have to investigate.

Yep I thought as much!

Hi Chris, I assume you are talking about polar alignment. I used have the same problem. Then I bought one of these https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/polar-illuminator-for-eq3-2eq5-mounts.html Made life easier. It wasn't until I bought an asiair and camera that it became a doddle.

I'm considering buying a pillar mount so that I've got a semi permanent setup. Just wondering how people attach things like the motor control box, handset, asiair or the thousand and one other things people like to hang off the tripod.

Don't know if it would help but I put a rubber mat over the power cable running from my house to the mount, stops me tripping over them in the dark.

At the end of the day the Asiair is a plug and play solution for the equipment the OP has at the moment, minimum fuss and makes learning the basics that much easier. If at a later date they want to purchase a non ZWO astrocam they can always ditch the asiair and look into mini pcs or another solution. For me the purchase and use of the asiair has meant I can stop mucking about with this bit of equipment for one thing and that bit of software for another, Plug everything in, spend less than 5 min polar aligning, set up guiding and get on with taking subs.

+1 for the Asiair if it works with your camera there is a list here https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product/asiair-pro It looks like it is.