Skipper Billy

I have a NUC mounted by Velcro to an inverted V shaped bracket on my scope. I changed the lid on the NUC for one with two extra USB ports giving 6 USB ports in total and doing away with any need for a hub. On the other side of the bracket is a home made power distribution box with 8 x 12v power outlets, 1 x 5v and one x 19v (which was for the NUC but I have since found out it runs perfectly well off 12v). Custom (home) made power and USB leads. Only one data cable and one power cable down to the ground.

Well done - fascinating and very well captured and presented.

See if a 2.1 fits - if it does its the right one - if it doesn't it must be 2.5. If you try the 2.5 first it tells you nothing as it fits both but gives either zero connection or sporadic at best in a 2.1 fitting. They are cheap enough to buy a bag of each from CPC/ Farnells etc etc.

It's going to hit the dark side of the Moon in any case.

Perfect - thank you.

I have managed to get a 2GB one ordered from PiHut - I would imagine the 2GB model will do the job - its only running an All Sky Camera - 1 photo every 50 seconds - maybe converting the images into the startrail and timelapse might make it sweat a bit! Thanks everyone for your help. I would be interested in the Pi4 8GB if you would like to PM your price ??

Thanks for the reply - thats what I feared - it is now filed under B (Bin!) I will have a look at the PiHut - last time I looked they didnt have any in stock and your comment explains why!! Many thanks.

Whilst messing about between various pieces of kit I mistakenly applied 12v to a Raspberry Pi - it runs off 5v. The 'magic smoke' escaped and subsequently applying 5v released even more! I am guessing it is kapput but thought I would ask what the likely damage is before binning it - partly because new ones are very hard to get hold of! The smoke seemed to come from the area indicated. (I am pretty handy with a soldering iron but know virtually zero about electronics.)

I have an Intel NUC that has been outside for 4 years in the Scottish Highlands - not noted for nice weather!! Zero issues. Same for my Raspberry Pi that has been on 24/7 for 4 years.

https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=608z&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoY-PBhCNARIsABcz772jCszCDMBxJxMF0F2C6KbyI47RoqrfXQyClLC_pMYquE69HdRyZjgaAqnaEALw_wcB& Usually next day delivery

That I don't know - if you click on the 'Ask a question' button on this page I am sure one of the people at FLO will be able to tell you. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/atik-accessories/atik-efw-3-filter-wheel.html

My EFW3 (and my previous EFW2) has performed flawlessly for several years and it lives in a cold observatory for 6 months every year. Every filter centres perfectly every time and the firmware/driver has never crashed - it runs through N.I.N.A under Windows 10. Zero issues. Changing the carousel isn't difficult but involves removing the small screws that hold the cover on - then removing the carousel - pop the new one in and replace the cover and screws.

Hello Chris I havent heard of any of the usual suspects offering to convert the latest mirrorless cameras but it might worth pinging Juan at Cheap Astro an email and asking the question. https://cheapastrophotography.com/ To be honest I would have a think about a dedicated astro camera - a really good second-hand COOLED astro camera is probably cheaper and certainly better than a modified mirrorless DSLR. Really good quality CCD cameras can be picked up very cheaply now as the relentless move to CMOS takes place. EG - https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=182147 David.

BINGO !!! Many thanks for all your help everyone. Setting the correct white balance made a huge difference - it has turned a bowl of custard into a passable image!! Thank you!!!!

OK - so how did you get that and from which image ?? 'Perplexed' !!!!!

I am 99% sure that these two images were made with the same equipment a year or two ago so it must be me doing something stupid !!!!

Tonight was the first clear night since August - of course its a screaming full moon!!! So when life gives you lemons - make lemonade!!! I took a 2000 frame SER video using Sharpcap using RGB24 and 16bit RAW (same issue with both videos) - ran it through PIPP - then stacked the resulting TIFF's in Autostakkert - then processed the resulting single TIFF in both Registax and Photoshop. I can get the image reasonably sharp but there appears to be zero colour in it. In the past I have been able to boost the saturation iteratively in Photoshop to reveal the colours but I cannot get anything out of this image. Its a couple of years since I imaged the Moon so it could well be 'user error' but any help, guidance would be much appreciated. Its taken with a ZWO 178MC on a SW 72ED on a SW Star Adventurer I will post the processed image as a PNG and attach the unprocessed TIFF if anyone wants to have a play. Thanks in advance!!!! raw 16 ser file_pipp auto raw16_lapl4_ap155.tif rgb24 ser file_rgb24 pipp auto_lapl4_ap131.tif

Would something like this not do the job?? https://www.amazon.co.uk/TAIFU-Universal-12V-24V-Pavilion-Thinkpad/dp/B07W5DD6M9/ref=asc_df_B07W5DD6M9/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=375464630119&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3789313137169979554&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046988&hvtargid=pla-832370912858&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=82480544808&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=375464630119&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3789313137169979554&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046988&hvtargid=pla-832370912858

My observatory used to run on mains from the house (240v over here) - dropped down to 12v with a transformer. Due to frequent power cuts (we are miles away from civilisation) I put three 140Ah 12v Leisure batteries in there and now the mains input is just for a small battery charger. I could easily swap the battery charger for a solar panel except the Scottish Highlands are not noted for long periods of sun - maybe a water wheel or a hydroelectric system might be more appropriate but a solar panel should work well for you. Do you really need 110v ???

In the words of the great impresario (Craig Revel-Horwood!) - Fab You Larse !! Really outstanding imaging and processing.

I would think the ZWO mini guide scope would struggle at that focal length - it would work but probably not be very effective. Its useful range is probably up to about a metre focal length.

I have used two of the power supplies that you mention - the previous version and the current version (no pun intended!) for many years now with out any issues at all. The output voltage is the same as a fully charged 12v leisure battery and almost everything astro is designed to cope with that voltage but check first. Some items like Skywatcher mounts almost demand the slightly higher voltage. The current model is what I used to power my observatory before I sick of power cuts and decided to run it from two leisure batteries and a permanently on charger.

There are loads of used mono cameras about - there is an Atik16200 with EFW3 filter wheel and a full set of filters for sale for less than £1800 on a well known astro sales site. Find me an ad for a used ZWO 6200 or 2600 for comparison 😉 (The Atik has been for sale for quite some time and not sold!)

Apart from mono being quicker than OSC, able to capture true narrowband, easier to process, smaller file sizes and being MUCH cheaper than OSC (there are some amazing used mono outfits for sale for crazy low prices as people jump to OSC) - I can't think of many reasons 😉

Chapeau !! Well done and thanks for sharing the info. I have a NUC velcroed to the scope to reduce moving USB cables to 1 but yours is a very elegant solution.