Merlin66

Russ, Hmmmmm. OK Let me think about it..... Ken

Russ, I’m suggested a flat on a standard refractor, not the usual H alpha set-up you would use. This isolates any camera issues from the rest of the system.

Hmmm I’m not sure I would be comfortable hitting an optical filter with a Dremel. The CLR cleaning seems to work well. I’m interested in the comment that the latest Lunt filter has a “protection coating” I hadn’t hear that before.....need to follow up.

Russ, I'm at a loss to understand what may be happening. I have and use the ASI 174MM a lot of the time both in H alpha and CaK . The pixel size is a little large, at 5.86 micron for the ED80 unless I'm using Barlows. Unfortunately the weather and seeing down here has meant most of the recent work has been done with the ASI 1600MM. It does work very well with the longer focal length Spectroheliograph. It may be your getting 2x2 binning unexpectedly via the software? I'd like to see a flat image.... When testing my cameras for "dust" I found using a normal refractor (ST80) at around f12 to f15 (barlow/ Powermate etc) and a single plastic bag over the aperture, focused at infinity and pointed to a bright sky gave the best (unfortunately the worst!!!) results and showed clearly any all dust motes on the cover glass AND the sensor. If nothing else this "flat test" would show if the camera itself had an issue.

Yes, It was built back in 1975 when I was in South Africa. Full thickness 12 1/2" Coulter perforated mirror (>1/10 wave), 18 point mirror cell (Novak) and rolled aluminium tube. The mount had a 24" x 25mm solid disk and 75mm HD steam pipe arms. The polar axis used an 8" plummer block bearing from a sugar cane conveyor! The drive gear was a custom cut steel worm/brass gear wheel with 359 teeth. The rotating top ran on some 400 3mm ball bearings and worked very well. If I did something similar again I'd just use teflon sliding pads... The counterweights were partly for the guide scope (see the empty ring on the lower section) and to balance the eyepiece holder (on the far side) on the rotating head. The original design was to have an f5/ f20 Newtonian/ Cassegrain with a flip secondary.....but that's another story. It's name was "Canopus 320"

An image of the 12" f5 on the disk fork mount, circa 1985. The yellow setting circles were screen printed on an 8" aluminium pot blank (??!!)

Mark, your setting circles look large enough to be reasonably effective. I used setting circles for the best part of twenty years. I did many years SN hunting in faint galaxies with 12” reflector using the circles. you do need good polar alignment. I made a Perspex wedge index marker illuminated by an LED which also lit up the markings on the circles - much easier in the dark!

Ant, I've used a Maplin 12V to 15/16/18/19/20/22/24V set to 19V 120W (6A) car convertor for a few years with no issues. I also use one to provide 15V to my HEQ5 and NEQ6 mounts. The one I have is marked "L40BB"

Nigella, I've been using a C11 on the NEQ6 for the past ten years. Works extremely well for me doing spectroscopy. No issues. The standard C11 is around 12Kg, I assume the carbon tube version may be lighter.

Russ, It’s not how you look, it’s about you perform! If it works, then just enjoy!

Yeah, There seems to be a few available.....

Hmmm, probably an MP4 file??

The jury is still out..ST-4 v's Pulse guide.. It comes down to a matter of personal preference. I still use ST-4 connections to guide my C11/ NEQ6pro/ EQMod/ Lodestar for spectroscopy. No issues.

Section 4 of the Synscan manual.... I think you were looking at "Auto Guide Speed" which is used to set the guider (if used) correction rate.

Is your video definitely an AVI file?

Knobby/ Gina, You can definitely plate solve using an ST-4 guide connection. You do need to set an "Aux Mount" in the PHD set-up. This is what I do with my Lodestar on the C11.

Sounds good. I was confused by the description of the cable as being a "EQDir" cable which is used by the EQMod. It appears this Lynx cable acts as a serial/ usb adaptor.....

It seems to be putting on a reasonable show from Australia. Early morning object visible in Bino’s....

OK, then using the Synscan app is the key to usage....

Ok but if you don’t use the app?? And want to use a Planetarium package - CdC or Stellarium???

Interesting... How are you connected to the mount? Baud rate?

It's more normal to use the SCT female to 1.25" adaptor which comes with the SCT. This also has a T thread at the eyepiece end. So you'd have the reducer fitted to your rear cell (or to the focuser) then the SCT eyepiece adaptor then your T thread spacers to the camera... Looks like your focuser is a 2" size? You'll need a 2" male to SCT adaptor on the front of the reducer to fit the focuser...... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/moonlite-smooth-bore-2-inch-to-sct-adaptor.html

You don't need Stellarium scope with V20 I think the EQDir cable is required for EQMod operations, only works with EQ mounts not Alt-Az mounts. According to the Synscan manual (which version comes with your mount???) you just need a usb (or serial adaptor if you use the SW serial cable) cables between the computer and the handcontroller. http://skywatcher.com/download/manual/synscan-hand-control-and-synscan-app/ See Section 9.1 of the manual.

My original "eyepiece box" back in the 1960's looked like an oversized school pencil case, with a sliding lid and and insert board with 1.25" holes...Ahhhh those were the days. About twenty years ago I made another box this time with insert foam, used a 1.25" wad punch for the TV's, and it's been in active service ever since.

No. The default start-up is with no tracking....you have to select "Sidereal rate" .