Merlin66

Train your eye. Concentrate on the image, hold your breathe and pump the oxygen to the brain. When you can split the double double, OK, move to a lower magnification. Take your time - train your eye.

Steady seeing, good optics and practice..... that's the challenge.

Ok. I cleanly split the double double while in Belgium. Using a 4" Genesis with a 10.4mm Plossl (x49) (I believe some others have actually managed with a slightly lower magnification - there was a thread a couple of years ago)

Luke, Interesting.... I only use the ASI 174MM and the ASI 1600MM for solar imaging. I work at unity gain for each camera and vary the exposures (surface/ proms) I tried to find the gain settings for the QHY5L II but didn't find any definitive data. Could it be related to your gain settings?

Nicos, The spherical and chromatic aberrations are not always well corrected at CaK wavelengths.

Yeah, the UV wavelengths can give better resolution, but the seeing gets worse. Also the capabilities of some (most) refractors to imaging at CaK are less than ideal.

Yes, I believe the Lunt has the same requirements, the CaK bandwidth needs at least f10.

Pretty good result, well done! In Oz things can get pretty hot during the day.... after ten years of working with a 80L grey tube on the picnic table to shade the laptop I've gone for semi-remote control. Extended all the cables (handcontroller, power, focuser, and camera) to allow me to work in the comfort of the local office. Seems to work for me.

Nicos, I use a DIY CaK filter. It really needs at least an f10 beam to perform well. (f15 would be even better!) I stop my ED80 down to 60mm to achieve the minimum f10. Firecapture for image acquisition, I'm using a ASI 1600MM, stacking in AS3! and final tweaks in ImPPG. I find an electronic focuser (I have a SW motor belt geared to the 10:1 focus knob) mandatory. Takes practice, but when the detail just crisps up you know you're close.

Early observations showed a CN emission, but this has not been recorded in the spectrum for some time, similarly, the initial bright Na (Sodium) emissions have gone. See Torsten' spectra

The green "glow" is coming from the Swan bands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_band

And the answer is.......????? (I also found the FFT didn’t work too well. The best results so far have been with the T2 tilter) what camera are you using?

The "ST-4" is just a connection method for providing guide movements in RA and Dec, based on the original SBIG ST-4 (now long gone). The ST-4 became the de facto standard for guide camera connections. Yes, PHD2 gives you the option of using the ST-4 connection based on the setting - "On camera"

This effect was well shown in a recent post on IIS. The animation shows the dramatic increase in ring brightness at opposition. http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=184704

It looks like it's fitted with a standard Vixen dovetail (the wedge shaped bar) If you remove the bracket with the handle then the dovetail should fit any astronomical EQ (or Alt-Az) mount, just check in the specs that they have a vixen saddle.

That would work.... But as an alternative which would give you fine control of focusing as well as minimising vibrations during focus, what about adding a SW electronic motor? Simple to fit, and easy to use. https://www.bintel.com.au/product/skywatcher-electric-focus-motor/?v=322b26af01d5 ( I use a belt drive to the 10:1 knob for even finer focus control) Just my 2c

Vlaiv, can you explain this???

Yeah, I've never seen a serial number on any of the ZWO cameras I use. If you need something for insurance purposes why not add a UV number/ reference to the camera? https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Permanent-Ultra-Violet-Security-Marker-Pen-Invisible-UV-Ink-Warning-Stickers-/162150510717

You can also stack TV Powermates.....worked for me.

Use the “Indian alarm clock” as mentioned by Bill Bradfield, the comet guy. I asked him how he managed to get up early for comet seeking- he said fill your bladder before going to bed- you have to get up.......

Age “will not weary them”..... I have scopes (Genesis and a Wildey 6” f8) which are more than 27 years old and just are good as they were when new. It’s more about how they were looked after than just the age.

Only if you want to use standard camera lenses. Doesn’t matter for camera bodies used on the scope.

Yeah, Not cheap but the ADM mini rail system works very well. I use it on my C11 to mount the spectrograph and an eFinder.

Shaun, I assume you have the ED80 fitted with rings and mounted on a Vixen dovetail? I had to mount an ED80 on a Meade 12" and used a 25 x 12 mm aluminium channel long enough to fit the 12" and then just drilled holes to take the ED80 rings. You could probably use a vixen dovetail long enough to fit the 8" and remount the ED80 rings to it??

Michael, Manually focused using either the Viewfinder or the Live view screen. Is only the auto focus feature which doesn't work.