Skipper Billy

It can give a full 360 degree image with the right lens - this is the same camera as yours but with a 1.55mm FL lens at F2. https://www.davidbanksastro.com/all-sky-camera

I might !!! But I am never going to admit to it on a public forum !!! 😁 Shout out if you need help - no point in reinventing the wheel.

Thanks peter. There is a quite a bit more info (and links to parts used) on this page of my website and I am always happy to answer questions. https://www.davidbanksastro.com/observatory-conversion All the best David (aka Skipper Billy)

Stage 2 is complete!!! The original clamshell manual roof is now fully converted to motorised slide off roof. Stage 3 is to link the motor system vie ASCOM divers so i can add it into N.I.N.A. as part of an imaging riun and link it to cloud, rain and wind speed sensors to automatically park the scope and close the roof. This should be possible from anywhere in the world!! The scope position is monitored by ultrasonic sensors and an IR camera.

Thanks for the heads up - too late for me but may well help someone having the same issue if they find this thread. Slainte!

Quick update in case anyone else has the same issue and finds this thread. Firmware update received and installed (on Easter Sunday - THANKS TERRY!) Bingo - Bin 1x1 stars - no adjustments in the driver etc Nice tight, small round stars and all good - quick guiding test in really poor seeing, shocking transparency and very windy - see below. Thanks a million to everyoe that tried to help.

I tried the helpfull suggestions about altering settings in the ASCOM driver but it made no difference when binned 1x1 (See attached) The plot now thickens - I switched back to binning 2x2 and got odd shaped blocky stars!!! (See attached) I emailed Terry at Starlight Express and despite it being Easter weekend he responded quickly and is preparing a firmware update for me. Cant fault that for service!!

Thanks Stuart Will wait to hear back from SX.

Thanks William - that's exceptionally helpful and I appreciate you taking the time and trouble to do this. I would never have found those settings by accident! I will have a look at it when I get home from work. All the best. David

Thanks Stuart That confirms what I vaguely remember reading somewhere. I have pinged SX a message and will see what they suggest. Thanks again.

Thanks Anne. I have pinged Terry at SX an email but I guess they will be taking a well earned break over Easter. Thanks again.

Thanks William that's a great explanation and is exactly what I am seeing. I will have another ferret about in the settings and see what I can find. Thanks again.

I have always binned my Lodestar Pro in 2x2 - its has always worked well. This afternoon I sat down and read the up to date instructions from the creator of PHD2 and the old advice of binning 2x2 and slightly out of focus stars being preferable has been superceded by a new advisory that having small, tight, percetly focussed stars is preferable. So I changed the binning to 1x1 as the Lodestar pixels are huge and I was expecting smaller, tighter stars. Instead I got double and even triple stars - see attached image. I tried all available drivers - ASCOM and non ASCOM and got the same results. It was very poor seeing but when I switched back to 2x2 the stars were single round points - but bigger as expected. I vaguely remember reading some where that a specific driver is required or the firmware of the camera updating to avoid a similar problem. Any suggestions ?? I would really like to try 1x1.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/723142-batteries-for-orion-10mm-illuminated-ep/

Phase 1 nearly completed - just a good bit of minor adjustment and sanding of edges and painting when its dry.