happy-kat

spot of red nail polish on a clear one would do

Astroboot might have a cheap optical finder then get both :-)

If you can not use a remote shutter trigger you wont get good photos. Using your finger will mean shaky blurred long exposure pictures. Sticky Velcro is very useful to stop stuff hanging.

Why Canon for me as begginer, lots of support available, the raw files produced can be used by the many astro editing software programs. You can turn off on camera noise suppression You can drive your Canon from a PC or laptop or windows 8 tablet and in my case my small 7 inch android tablet very useful for just taking night sky photos plus old m42 lenses off ebay are cheap.

If you have any other plugins that already are working then search for them and use that as the reference for using the right folder for the GeXT files. I expect it is just trail and error to put the plugin in the right place.

I love following this thread lots of cracking images to look at.

Hey I have done topside setting circle like your one on my heritage 130p. Your pointer is smarter than mine but same design re magnetic tape underneath. I need to make a levelling base now really as I have found if the ground is out I get bad altitude readings as the base turns to a new position.

Could try Astroboot.

certainly did enjoy that

Have you tried an extension peice? Sure I read that else where where a member was using an eye piece they needed a 2 inch extension.

As long as I don't drop it I expect it will last a long time :-)

What are your issues? Maybe a new thread asking for ideas on what issues you are having with your tracking would be an idea. Only I would have thought could you not get just the new telescope to fit on your existing tripod?

I think the Bluetooth one suits me fine. :-)

Sounds too dodgy the temptation to use the finder scope could be lethal without already having the right solar filter film on it.

I find the sun spots facinating, would a barlow draw you in closer

There is subtle difference between them but I think for me just by a smidge is the Baader OIII closely followed by the first. Is this the sun spot causing the Aurora for us? Did you crop the image or does it fill the frame like that?

page 12 Auto Tracking - This feature allows for quick tracking of a celestial object while the hand control displays the coordinates the telescope is curretnly pointed at. If the star alignment procedure has already been performed, you can activate the AutoTracking mode any time. If not, make sure that the location and time have been properly entered. Before choosing the Auto Tracking mode, position the telescope so that the tube is level and pointed to the North. The latter part of the paragraph suggests it might just track without star aligning. You wont need the Virtuoso app in that you are using your mount (no bluetooth dongle) in a raw state to just track. (just assuming based on manual and what I have read)

Not tried it yet but the manual that came with my virtuoso implies the mount (not using blue tooth device) once it knows your latitude when you turn it on tracking is enabled straight off. The virtuoso doesn't come with go to just the tracking feature out the box.

Yes for the telescope control.

I have rooted and rebuilt my Nexus tablet now and it is working great. Thew. But I now see that SkySafari 4 Plus should be compatiable with my tablet is not listed as an available application to install. So hoping that SkySafari 4 is going to be OK as it is the base level application. More reading required. May actually finally get to test my mount.

I will try that, my bolt is loose but the move is sticky, perhaps the Teflon pads are sticking on mine

The laminating made the paper waterproof. I have a Wixey for the Altitude measurement. It has been used roughly but not in anger as I need to make a levelling platform for the base to sit on or change the three feet for adjustable height feet. I have stuck a two way mini spirit level on top was about £2 from Amazon. I would use it using relative settings so no need to polar align but if used in the same spot all the time polar aligning once and marking where the feet would go and fixing the circles based on that would make it quicker to use I think. My 32mm eye piece gives 2 degree fov so I hope that takes care of any accuracy but I have found you absolutely dio need a level base otherwise the altitude is way off as you swing the scope around.

Astroboot had just the electronics board for sale yesterday if the photo helps

Thank you. That is now making the mount work again. Having re-read both manuals can't find mention of this in obvious style though buttom of page 12 menations resuming cruising mode, so thank you for sharing really helpful.

Thank you :-) All of the above is working as you write. It was my mistake for not reading the manual in the box as well as the one from Skywatcher's site. But is it normal for the slew buttons to not respond when you have turned either the buzzeer or lights off? There is no motor noise at all with this situation indicating the mount is responding. (still need to rebuild my tablet so I can use the bluetooth adaptor) Tomorrow I will play with altering the slewing speeds just to check it is not that interfering with buzzer selection.