happy-kat

Will do

Ascom device hub

Sorry I'm not at the PC too double check but it's the synscan app driver I downloaded the Ascom driver from skywatcher

This is what I do with an AZ-GTi with the wifi dongle as it has better signal for me

mount level, telescope facing north level and horizontal, turn on az-gt

1- connect pc wifi

2- connect mobile wifi

3- start  mobile synscan pro app and connect

I do one star alignment (because it moves the mount and this method suits me)

4- start ascom and connect

5- start phd2 and connect mount etc.

6- sharpcap and connect

7- start stellarium and connect 

every thing is connecting and staying connected

The travelscope 70 refractor would give nice wide field views and can be used for other uses if the hobby grew like a finder scope on a bigger scope or a guiding scope with a bigger setup for imaging or as the telescope if beginning imaging when starting out using what you have already. it'll show chromatic aberration on very bright stars, the Moon and perhaps planets, it'll give nice low powered viewes and sweeping star fields like target like m45 or m44 for example.

Enjoyed a late to look all all the super entries in this challenge

EEA electronically enhanced astronomy is interesting I find as it reveals what the telescope is seeing by live stacking short length exposures of deep space objects from an astro camera, depending on what you have already there might be mileage in getting an Astro camera. Planets are taken generally by taking video of lots of frames a second as that's often done and using software to make a planet image from the best frames when the seeing/atmosphere was better. It's possible to choose an Astro camera that covers both. Though it could be connected to a PC depending on camera it could also connect to a mobile phone or tablet.

Just a different thought 

What is the telescope and tripod you currently have?

Telescopes can be quite large, awkward and heavy so if portability is important maybe because of distance from storage to using location perhaps because of stairs then that's something to keep in mind.

Feature wise starting at total manual, to push to with guidance, to tracking to full go to with tracking. I like a feature called freedom find by skywatcher on some of their electronic mounts as it allows for disengaging the electronics and going manual. Whilst you get more telescope with less electronics if having electronics means the telescope gets used and not dusty that works for some.

I think this is with the lenses removed, ST80 Orion livery, and before I then blackened the inside and on the shiny bits.

This one

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ylb7xnc_03U&si=AEfpjBegxXAtiyOz

I took mine apart I followed atronomyshed video on the ST80 it also covered collimating it

Might it help please to see a picture of how you have arranged your setup that isn't balancing for you currently?

It was clear yesterday and got to set up.

The plus points my landscape in stellarium whilst not perfect but helped a lot. The home assembled mount base worked great. Connecting everything in the right order worked. Did 1 star alignment so no bending or looking through a finder and used ASICAP on a mobile to just check focus. Switched to the 10m USB and now on the PC. Sharpcap Pro plate solving the new feature worked great and sync to the mount. Tried guiding which worked but was very poor graph but likely more me then the mount was first go and I forgot to select a middle star as was in altaz though I was using just single star. The only less successful bits were user error so I've updated my check list for next try but I did get good tracking 30 seconds with no trailing unless pixel peeping. Made me realise the SS50 is rather slick at what it does.

there is a comet being reported visible in binoculars at the moment

My lenses had a tiny space because there were 3 tiny spacers

If you did not have three tiny spacers when you took your lenses out and only that really fine ring then go with using that. You'll have to try your ST80 on the stars to see if it looks ok now.

There is also a video somewhere on dealing with deep scratches on a lens, if I find it I'll link it.

Also be careful to keep the small spacers that are between the lenses, but it might be your thin ring is the spacer, if it where then when you took your lenses out I would have expected the thin ring to be in-between the two lenses

This is my Orion ST80 that I took apart following that video. Lenses at the start, note the tiny spacers.

when you take it apart there are two elements, this youtube is helpful and gives you info to help you with your ST80, it's a great telescope well worth fixing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylb7xnc_03U

That's great on wards to the next step. You can choose the best frame in the registered list and mark as your reference frame, the stack will then be based on that frame when you stack.

When you have registered them look at the score and #stars columns this will give an idea to what DSS found, pick a low star image are the stars trailing?

If you just register first, don't stack, then you'll get to see what DSS makes of each of your light frames

Attaching jpg is more instantly helpful when seeking feedback

Did you make your own hole in the box and used an o ring for the dome?

Oops wrong thread

if you are intending to use a mix of goto and freedom find (manual moving the mount) then after connecting the mount in the synscan app go to settings and turn on dual encoders, that's needed if wanting the mount to keep track of when you move it to by hand when both clutches are loose

Could think about spending less and getting an Astro camera that opens up for EEA or planets or guiding like for example ASI585MC and see how that goes, I don't have that one but like what it does. See maybe on astrobin for example images