tooth_dr

Stunning. I enjoyed reading all about the scope. Your love for it is evident. I found myself wanting one just from reading the enjoyment you have gotten from it.

Thanks so much for this analysis. If the correct details are in PHD2, then I agree that PE is well in excess of what I expect. Do you think longer or shorter guide exposures based on the seeing? Thanks again Adam

Thanks Dave. Just to further clarify - I originally used a SW 185mm finder to guide epsilon on the Mesu with a 120MM. When I changed over the epsilon to the 10” I just left the SW finder attached to the epsilon as it was bolted directly. I thought I’d give an OAG a go, with a 178MC I had sitting doing nothing. I bought an OAG but that didn’t give great results - due I think to a loose stalk - now rectified. Last year I got an Altair Astro guide scope as part of other used stuff I bought, and given the limitless loss capacity I thought it would be better than a SW finder scope. I used it with my 120mm. It has a longer focal length at 225mm than the SW one so I figured it would give me a better “/px ratio for guiding the 10” 1200mm focal length. Last night that guide log is from the Altair 225mm scope and the 120mm. So not that much different from what SGPro thought with the SW guider at 185mm and 120mm. I was not using the OAG last night. I manually checked my calibration steps last night using PHD2, when it failed, but got a variety of figures. I think it depends on Dec too Im sure this is a software configuration issue or user error here 🤦🏼

If anyone can recommend anything to do that would be great. I've attached my settings below. One observation - on the 5th screen shot below, the PHD2 equipment profile box doesnt say the same name as the profile I was using. I had a different camera and/or finderscope. This may not matter as I already had PHD2 open ie SGPro didnt open it. Is this just for when PHD2 isnt open and it opens and selects the profile. The same error also applies to the control box settings also in SGPro. The weather is looking possibly ok for next week, so if there is anything wrong please let me know. Also when I do the setting up on PHD2 it automatically detemines my mounts guide speed at 0.33. Is this correct and where is this parameter stored? Thanks in advance. Adam.

Perfect combo 😂

Quick stack of lights 25 x 600s from last night

Hi guys PHD2 logs attached from last night. I did a bit of faffing about earlier on, plus it failed on calibration twice with the OAG. I redid my PA with SharpCap to 'excellent' accuracy. And then I went over to my finderscope. Pretty poor results, unusable data from the 10" scope. Any suggestions welcomed! I believe I have the mount really well balanced in all dimensions, even adding just the dust cap to the 10" causes it to move, so the mount has very free movement with clutches and locks off. Help! PHD2_DebugLog_2020-04-06_214107.txt PHD2_GuideLog_2020-04-06_214107.txt

The postman brought me some USB cables today, and it’s clear tonight so everything got temp connected and clipped up

I would suggest taking your flats at night / in the dark to eliminate light leakage.

Yes I didnt want to confuse the OP, I've experienced this after a flip.

Thanks Dave, I have it set up as per Steves guide, where those boxes are ticked. PHD2 is not ticked to reverse direction. But I'll try it as Sara has recommended with the opposite boxed ticked! In the past where I used my EQ6, I had that box in PHD2 unchecked to make it work - if the PHD2 reverse DEC was ticked then the mount behaved incorrectly after the flip! Thanks for your input Adam.

I mean step calibration. I’ve seen this happen on mine if calibration wasn’t done or guide scope moved or camera rotated after calibration is done

Hi. Have you calibrated your guiding camera/scope?

Looking some help regards my meridian flips. The flip works and centres the object as expect. Once guiding resumes it heads off in one direction, and keeps going! I think something must be set or not set to reverse direction after MF. Means that I have to babysit my flips, and redo PHD2 calibration each time. Anyone help me out here?

Thanks! Heres the packet. I think the whole lot was £6 or £7 from Homebase. I just use the countersink bit to remove the slightly raised lip that forms. Plus it looks neat.

My tap set is used regularly for making brackets and mounting points for my scopes. I couldnt be without it. Although I only use M4 M6 and M8. I love taking pieces of raw aluminium and making useful astro stuff 😆

What a fantastic looking scope. I’m not a visual astronomer at all but it looks stunning. But I do keep thinking about one of the few times I used my (now sold) 12” dob and saw M57 through it. Maybe I should try visual again.

Wow that’s incredible.

I seem to spend my time looking at the kit, as the weather has been very poor. Still could be worse things to look at.

Very cool. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t know what M60 looked like 👍🏼

I enjoyed reading it too! Beauty of a forum.

👍🏼😎

That another cracker Richard, so much detail everywhere including in the background with all the wee tiny galaxies of all shapes and sizes.

As long at the camera is left attached to the telescope in the same position as it was for imaging, you can take your flats in the house anytime after you have imaged at night. I've used a laptop, ipad, LCD monitor in the method you describe and all work ok.

Thats a nice image of M81 M82 NGC3077. Looks like vignetting. This is a normal feature of images taken through a telescope. Try taking flats, and when applied to the image above, the glow in the middle will disappear and you have will a more evening illumination. I did a quick search on google eg http://alberts-astro.com/AP_Blog/2009/12/238/