jm_rim

I will try to look into this - but why should this be ”easier” to set up? Isn't it just because that the very small focal length is so forgiving?

I will try to look into this - but why should this be ”easier” to set up? Isn't it just because that the very small focal length is so forgiving?

Agree - And I thought my kids were close at 6, 4, and 2...

No time for own hobbies is not a luxury you have with small children 😂 I have always hoped or attempted to find a ”simple” solution that I could set up relatively quickly and just let run through the night... And when the children get older, then trying to make it everything more advanced...

I can accept the learning curve, trial and error, and love to fiddle with the setup. But when there almost no progress 😞 The forums have help me a lot. I know that I'm not the only one having these problems - but the threads normally ends with it being solved...

I have looked many times at the Ipolar or Polemaster, but at that price, I would probably do a different upgrade. But again, currently, the budget is not there. I'm using BackyardNikon - which generally works fine - but lately it get stuck after taking a frame and just says busy... With no luck, I mean, with the variety offer error/problems I encounter, I'm lucky to get a decent 30sec frame. Which is not good - considering that it is using a 180mm on a full-frame and the EQ5.

I have been one of for the last five years, mostly due to getting children. I have an EQ5 mount with an RA motor, a Sky-Watcher Explorer 150pds, which I haven't used in a very long time due to the focal length, so I have been using a 180mm F2.8 with a Nikon D700. I have been trying to capture anything, the last many times it has either been M45, M31, but with no luck. Since I haven't succeeded with the ”easy” targets, even very wide-field, then I haven't really tried to capture any nebulae...

That's it; I'm throwing in the towel..! After countless of attempt - I have not once succeeded in a decent frame... Unfortunately, my evening hasn't been long, the last couple of years. With small children that have to get to bed, I have had max 2-3 hours before going to bed myself, which have consisted of setting up all the equipment and cables, trying to polar align (but never really successfully), and lately to many software bugs/errors - all ending in nothing and me having to take everything down again. Mostly I find out what the problem is and try to avoid/fix it next time, then something new goes wrong, or the same reappears ageing... I would love to add some equipment to my setup which I believe could enable a more straightforward setup, go to upgrade, guide camera, etc., but there will probably go a couple of years before the budget allows for that. Hopefully, one day, I will try again, but for now, I done...