Alien 13

Thanks smuchly Olly   I thought it looked like diffraction spikes - just like I get with a six bladed iris on a camera lens stopped down a bit.  I'm going to bring scope, FW and all the bits inddors tonight and have a good look at it.  Nothing would make me happier ATM to find something simple that I can fix and continue to use this scope - it has a great look and feel and I've become quite attached to it   I'm afraid I got rather emotional earlier as I'm prone to at times

 

Its allways a pleasure to read your posts, joy frustration and all the other emotions are all part of this great hobby. I too have noticed tiny diffraction spikes with my set up from the other day imaging the pleiades so ill take a look down the tube (could have been the washing line though just a few feet away)

I read somewhere that the back focus required for the flattener is 75mm, I think.  My current setup measures 77mm back focus, not allowing for the filters which I think adds a mm making 78mm.  So I may need to change my extension tubes.  I thought the telescope user manual would mention this but it doesn't   May not be quite so critical with the relatively small sensor on the 460EX.

 Very nice rig Gina i have noticed that manufactures who make scopes and flatteners dont detail what goes with what and often give conflicting measurements e.g.a simple scope flattener 20mm spacer T adapter diagram would do the job. Thankfully we have SGL..

Great read takes me back to the old days when getting out to remote places learning the sky and looking through a friends old tank-site scope. The views i saw have stayed with me all my life. I would also urge all the would be astrophotographers to get out with a camera and snap away it gets you accustomed to cold nights damp feet and cloud dodging.