ebdons

Yes fantastic image, amazing first NB image, stars could be helped with this http://www.bf-astro.com/starRepair.htm. well done sir! tony

Hi, there is a process in PS to change the shape of the stars, using layers, I used this a while ago now this is another version of star shape layer process. http://www.bf-astro.com/starRepair.htm lots of good stuff and tips on here. tony

Yep! well done, top one looks better maybe give it another process and see, do you use DSS and maybe do a kappa clip to sort out the star shapes maybe? but even a dark sky has some patches of light and dark so not the end of the world but nice to see the image keep it up. ton

Hi yes had a similar issue with the SX usb wheel failing every have an hour or the motor not powering up and my wheel was sent back to Terry at SX for a hardware update for windows 8, and it was working ok from then on, but sx also sent me some more mini usb leads as these have also caused issues with disconnect etc, rightly or wrongly I now use silicone lub on all my usb connections and no issues now for a few years. this maybe your issue or not with thw usb leads etc, try and get gold-plated types and even the expensive usb leads fail as well. I have the sx825m and filter wheel on the same usb line and everything else focuser and guide cam etc on a separate usb line. this maybe is just luck but I have much fewer failures now. hope this helps Tony

Hi I found this which explains gives some info and maybe what I'm looking for. https://digiborg.wordpress.com/2019/05/28/idas-ngs1-is-lps-version-of-heuibii/

Hi, not seen these before, are these filters much like the D2 idas type? anyone use it I'm looking to the D2 as I have LED lighting and some sodium etc near me. D2 or do folks see this filter as an alternative. I will using these filters mainly on a newt f3.9. Ton

Hi, works ok on win 8.1 and have had this happen but only way to cure my issue was to totally remove phd2 and re-install and do a guilding assist and then check again. it sorted my up/down graph issue. make sure the guidescope specs good. try it unless you already have. ton

Yep! the UHC can be a good filter depending on the conditions and subject, I have one but rarely use it now, and then only on a 8" newt as I sometimes get a halo round some stars. keep searching for info, a lot of help is out there. Ton

Yep, I maybe sort of near you in progression, but like you said the sky is clear but still hazy sometimes , your NA nebula is pretty good for the conditions, I just need longer to perfect my guilding etc. I don't know star tools but if it helps me than great. keep posting the images. ton

Hi, if you want a general purpose filter try the neodymium from baader. I use this filter and it is good for what it does, otherwise I use CLS ccd but there are many more options out there. IDAS if you have the funds. hope this helps

Hi, I have a version of the Mallincam universe V2, what is the ccd distance to the the front of the cam as I want to set the distance exactly to a CC, without opening the cam case I have a rough dimension of 15mm from ccd to outer nose of cam. yes I know it's trial and error to get it right. Tony

Yep, not tried the 174M on DS seriously yet, you would have to keep exp time to a manageable length, in the winter it would be better tho, unless a peltier could be retro fitted easily? but it's a nice light weight cam that has DS uses, certainly on the brighter objects? using on an SCT would be better for planetary? ton

Yes that's true as I had that issue with my 80edt and is much better on a 120 and above frac. the op has a 127 edf so he has a wider choice maybe? ton

Hi, I have a 174M hypercam and although I have yet to use it on planets, the sun comes out well as does the moon, but new are £600 and not many are 2nd hand yet. yes it's a mono but it does have a good rep. sun shot last week using 174m with wedge and 120 st. ton

Hi, it maybe backlash, when I reverse the direction of the mount to opposite to where the star trails are going, I have a 8" newt and an SCT 8" side by side and have to rebalance it very well to compensate when imaging near the horizon. it works like this, watch the stars as they are imaged and use the mount motors to go against the direction of trail until they have stabilised and they seem to be more steady, but my EQ6 may be on the limit of it's capacity with my setup?, I don't know if the motors are being forced to tighten up or something else. my eq6 pro has the belt mod and extended weight bar which I found is a positive. but lots can make the stars trail as folks have said, wind, flexture etc. it may help or not.

Hi, not sure on your mount but my EQ6 pro sometimes gives me that error when the balance is wrong or the clutches are not tight enough, and also I reverse the direction one way or another until it stabilises the image? not saying that you may have done this already? ton

Well done, like it's been said a nice object that deserves more exposure? don't worry about the cables mine is worse and hopefully I won't trip over them tonite? good that the EQ6 can handle the 10" newt. thanks.

Hi I have the 174m model with the same fan setup I think, but the hypercam bodies are all the same on the fan versions, so other than keeping the casing and internals cooler when solar imaging, I don't know how effective they are, and whether the newer hypercams will have a TEC cooler in the future. but they work well and as mentioned would be best for the colder nights.

Hi, that's sort of what I was thinking with regard to the CC, think the meade can be placed along the imaging train? but maybe behind the CC will be difficult for the ccd spacing, unless the barlow is very short? if you put the meade in front would that negate the CC properties then. might test tonite and see.

Sorry for mistake, but you're not alone, I used a 12v power plug on a 6v eq5 control pad and blew it up, so it can happen and will again esp at night time. Tony

Ok, many thanks for your always comprehensive explanation of the answer, clear skies, Thankyou sir!

Yep ,makes sense, does a 12nm ha filter have the same wavelength as a 6nm ha? is it the same bandwidth? but what makes the 6nm different to the 12nm, just the filter material? just trying to get my mind around filter types. Tony

Hi, hope this makes some sense, but if you combine (screw together) a hb and ha with the same nm spec ie 12nm, does the higher wavelength of ha 656nm filter thru the hb filter which is 486nm, not sure as to how the light wavelengths behave, obviously you can use these filters independently of course, just a query on my understanding of either the same nano-meter spec or using a different spec filter with another nano-meter to bring out a different result. does this make sense on here? Tony

Ok thanks chaps, the meade is/has been described as a variable barlow and then not a barlow at all, more like a pseudo parracorr that has elements of both, I will revisit this idea of imaging the smaller PN, and the meade can be placed anywhere along the optical path and still be effective at x2 so the bumf says? so it has to go behind any corrector optics like a CC? just need a clear night to test maybe?

It did work on my f4 newt, but only on the moon and then I had focus issues on the sides of the FOV. thanks Ton