zakkhogan

Hi all, 

I just stacked 2 focal reducers to, f6.3 +  f3.3 on my cpc800, i have attached a photo on the moon below, do you think that this would work for DSO imaging or will this cause to many issues. 

I believe the combined is f2? but i really dont know 

All the best 

Craig

3 minutes ago, michael8554 said:

Any thoughts as to why your Cal steps were so variable?

Michael 

Before i change the camera driver, the camera kept timing out and i kept getting the message  ' calibration failed: star didnt move enough' or somthing like that,  

When i googled it, it was suggested that i up the number of steps, would this be the cause? 

if so what should i change the steps to ?

10 hours ago, michael8554 said:

No Dec movement until the Cal at 21:54 - what did you change ? If it was the lead then you've discovered that ST4 leads are unbelievable intermittant.

 

Thanks again for the reply Michael , i change the st4 lead and i also i was having an issue with the asi keep loosing signal repeatedly, error message was something like 'Camera failed to capture 2.5s of footage in 30 seconds' or words to that affect.

That issue was resolved by changing from ascom drivers to direct drivers (i believe) 

Originally on setting up i only had the option to select ASI Camera 1 or ASI Camera 2. There was no other option to connect the the camera. Knowing that i routinely  use the same camera, leads and laptop for planetary stuff i knew there was nothing wrong with that aspect of the set up, so just to be sure i opened sharpcap to check that the cam was working correctly (which it was)

With that the option to select ZWO ASI120mm became available in PHD and the camera ran smoothly and the ST4 connection in turn started to behave. 

I have the appropriate leads to atttach the handset to my laptop (As i have previously flashed my handset) and just now downloaded some more ascom drivers from the ZWO website.

Do think ascom is the way forward and  have you experienced the loss of connection with your ASI/PHD through ascom ?

really appropriate your help again 

All the best

This will be my last comment, but here is my final edit. Thanks again

Thank you for all your help, this is what ive managed to achieve,

Im relatively new to DSO and this was more of a practice for  guiding (which still need tweaking),

Im well chuffed with how its finally turned out, i know its not amazing but its definitely a start.

Thank you so much for you help

ALl the best

Craig

Thank you so much, Im starting to tease some data out now..

Thanks you so much 

Craig

Heres the 32 bit file

m1 32.TIF

Thank you , i willdo this now

Lights

26  x 90 seconds

2 x 120 seconds 

Darks

10 x 90 seconds

Visibility wasnt amazing,  wasnt a moist atmosphere also i had a dew heater and inside an observatory

Thanks for the replies  

m1 x3.TIF

Hi all, 

Been getting back out since we're all on lock down, Had some teething issues that Michael really helped me out with.  

Im getting guiding but wiht this issue: 'phd calibration complete but little or no movement in the south' 

Ive had a google and changed the  ST4 Lead but this didnt make a difference. Ive read about backlash but i dint really understand how to check it.

ive attached the PHD log.

Greatly appriciated

PHD2_GuideLog_2020-03-29_203347.txt

Heres a overly processed version to bring out as much as possible, this is a 44m exposure , any idea on why there's so little data captured ?

Hi all, i wounder if someone could shed some light on what ive dont wrong here.

This is a 40min exposure,  ISO1600 of M1,

Equipment:

Imaging Scope: CPC800 @F/10

Imaging Camera EOS 500D 

Guide 60mm Scope + ASI120m

Lights and darks only.

STacked in DSS processed in CS2, 

The histrogram is on the left, hardly anything on the right side?

any advice is greatly appreciated

My processed image 

looks like it was a bad lead

Hey Michael, 

The count weight system seems to be working great, locating every target accurately while fully loaded. 

Guide is better but still not working correctly..  its giving me the following warning

'Advisory: Little or no east movement was measured, so guiding will probably be impaired. Check the guide cable and use the Manual Guide tool to confirm basic operation of the mount.'   

any idea what this might be

thank you so much for the advice i honestly could have cried,  

the guider set up

Hey Michael 

Thank you so much for you time,  I modded the geoptik to ad the 3 dimensional aspect and it seems to have achieved equilibrium, i've attached a video below,

i then connected to PHD and managed to use the manual guide function to move the cope in all for directions so hopefully this is the cure. 

My guidescope info

*ZWO 60mm guidescope

*Skywatcher guidescope mount

https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/skywatcher-guidescope-mount.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6_vzBRCIARIsAOs54z7agRNf0RDjhtfiTmSRRONyYSRtc0Nh4bFFXKcnPjnGS6Dq0r8okMMaAjvJEALw_wcB

*Celestron piggy back mount

-------------

The zwo sits in the skywatcher mount, the skywatcher mount attaches to the piggy back mount.

The ZWO 60mm guide scope has a focal length of 280mm which i had already input into phd, 

It comes with guide rings attached to a dove tail, The adjustment screws on the rings are nylon and i have fastened up as tight as i can.

And the dove tail sit in the skywatcher mount which is what i use to do my adjustments .

Pics and vidoes attached.

Im soo very greatfully for your advice,  Im feel very positive about it all again

Thanks for the reply on both Michael.

I will find and upload the phd logs when I get back from work, but is it possible that balance is the cause also. 

Re 3D counter weights, I think I'm going to  mod my geopitic system but tapping the weight and inserting threaded bar, do you think that would work ? 

Also when I Google I see some have a what look like small side ways looking weight? 

Greatly appreciated.

Craig

Help please, 

Im getting this error message  'PHD2 Calibration Failure, RA star did not move enough' and i dont know what to do, 

The star moves west, sometimes 50steps some times 90 and back then fails ive spent 3 nights sitting in my obys achieving nothing.. i  honestly feel like im at the end of my tether with astronomy... 

I feel like i just spent so much time and money over this hobby and im getting to the point where this is no longer fun for me. im so frustrated 

I  would really appreciate and advice on fixing this guiding issue 

All the best

Craig 

P.s I do not know how to get the PHD log

Hi all, need some advice on achiving (and understanding) dynamic balancing for my set up please.

my imaging set up is a follows:

CPC800 + finder scope

Canon EOS 500D

ZWO 60mm Guide Scope

ASI120mm

Geoptik Counterweight system

I can achieve horizontal balance however once i directed the scope over to Bodes, the goto tracking became unreliable. From a quick google dynamic balance is most likely the issue. 

What do i need to do to achive this please

Thanks

Craig

Nice detail, especially for 15sec subs. Well Dionne

i think  (if i remember rightly) the 8 performs slightly better because of difference in length,

i might be wrong, i normally am

also have you had a chance to get out with it yet?

how to do you find it for portability ?  My main issue with the cpc800 is it a nightmare to carry up and down the stairs (living in a flat)

Nice choice with that, looks really good! I can't believe you got your new scope before I got mine 

I feel sorry for the guy that buys my scope on Sunday, it's going to be cloudy for at least 2 weeks now...

Do you still have your SPC900 to try out with it?

nah he upgraded to the ASIMC