Shelster1973

Result...... Downloaded Stellarium Scope and also updated ASCOM platform. Ran SS and left everything as default and followed on screen prompts to delete existing .ini files and then re-ran Stellarium. When back into SS, set it up for Celestron and connected fine. Updated the Stellarium settings and then launched Stellarium. Did a slew and away goes the mount. Now the big test......started AT and said 'Connect to my mount'. Low and behold it did. Back to Stellarium and issue another goto this time way over the other side of the sky and when it starts moving, back to AT to see that it has updated the target and shows 'Slewing' and current mount positions. Am a very happy bunny and also even happier that I did my de-bugging the warmth of my 'Geek Room' as Mrs S calls the 3rd bedroom that has been given over to me in new house. Think I may have also solved my guiding issue, but not yet been able to test it out in anger. Whne i was de-bugging i connected my D7100 via the USB extension cable that I had the QHY connected to yesterday. Is a 10m jobbie, but has active repeater in. When I told AT to solve it took an age for the command to get to the camera, so reckon the cable may be causing a few delays which the QHY does not like. Will be getting a plain USB extension as can put laptop closer to mount and see if that makes a difference. Now just need to get out and all should be good. Cheers

Cheers Lou, will have a look at it when I get home later on. Fingers crossed this will be the solution I am looking for. Next step after that is sorting out my tempramental guidecam...but thats a topic in another thread.

Have you changed any of the default settings on Stellarium Scope to get it working? or was it as easy as install, accept defaults and away you go?

Louise Yeah, have teh ASCOM platform installed, but think I may ahve to update that too. Have pretty much all you have going on there with the exception of Stellarium Scope and APT. Don't use APT as my imaging is done with BYN (which has now gone to full release too). Think my issues may be with not using Stellarium Scope. Am guessing you have this running and then set the Telescope Control module in Stellarium to 'Other program' instead of Serial and then that should resolve my problem Cheers Paul

Hi all Have tried to move in the AT world of solving and have had a few issues. My main one is how do you have AT and Stellarium connected to control the mount at the same time? I tried last night in teh not so warm outdoors and could only connect either AT or Stellarium. I had to bring up Stell, slew to a target, close that, open AT, connect, then try and plate solve. Is htis right or have I missed something?

To go all Strictly.....A May Zing....They are phenomenal pics for a 1st.....I really wish mine were like those. Looking forward to when u get the full data and process them....will be spec tac u larrrr

Just restarted doing SETI after a long while away and some time doing the crypto currency mining thing. May as well use my spare GPU time for something else

If i went for the one that am thinking of (NB B-Cx) then have the following F ratio: Focal Length: Field of view: Resolution: f3.94 800mm 20.63' x 15.47' 0.97"/pixel Looking at some of the objects it appears that i will be too zoomed into them.....hehe May add that to my ever growing list of stuff to get...but may keep with my D7100 for a while yet longer

How short and how fast do you reckon on that one? My scope is f3.9 and 800mm in the focal length department. Currently use a Nikon D7100 for my imaging

John, thaks for clarifying that. Am active on another forum that is run by a computer partrs company and anything mentioning competitors there is forbidden and can leads to bans, so was not wanting to transgress here.....but now I know will be fine. Try to use FLO myslef too when I can as they are local to me (well 40 miles down the A38 which in these ere parts is local)

Thats a dinky little bit of kit indeed Johnno. Take it the nose piece is a 1.25" affair? Can this be changed to a 2" one? Also, with the choice of use, is it an either / or choice between imaging and guiding? or can it be used as both at same time (am guessing it can't)

Nice find rik...was looking for a comparison chart like that. Am not looking to be getting one at present (unless I get lucky on the Lotto) was just wondering how they are in comparison to other similarly priced CCD's

Just had email from teh company that I bought my scope and mount from (sorry FLO, did not know you where here when I did my initial purchasing) rergarding a new series of CCD cameras from i-Nova and was wonderring if anyone else had seen these or even got one and if so what are opinions on them. initial read fo blurb seems ok and they are talking about 'DeepSky Imaging Visual Enhancement' which apparantly stacks the images as it goes along, building the stack beforer your very eyes. All are pelt cooled too, purporting to have 30 degrees below ambient cooling. Not sure on the protocol for putting up links to other suppliers on here....if it is allowed then will put link in for rothers to have a look if they can't see them already

Am thinking of tasking some flats this evening as have not adjusted anything focuser wise since my rapid dismantle last week, so should be able to get away with them. Wil be my first foray into the world of flats, so may try a few different methods to see which ones work the best for me...

I know I have posted a first image but.......this is my 1st DSO with any form of guiding. Dumbbell Nebula with 20 x 180 sec subs at ISO 200. No flats on this as it started raining (shocker) so very obvious vignetting going on.

Put it on as a main topic, but will put in here as is my 1st DSO. Whirlpool from 28 Jun 14. Pre-proc done in Nebulosity and no post done on this one as yet. 40 x 15s subs with 5 darks This is the JPEG as was a bit surprised with the 86 Mb sized TIFF file.....