martin_h

https://youtu.be/7Ys_yKGNFRQ?si=SRtRX6QEwD4QJVsW

16 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:

Well if it helps, as you will never be able to remove all the lash, what I did was had my PA about 2 mins out, and then just guided in DEC in one direction only with PHD, this means that the DEC will always drift in one direction due to the PA not being optimal, and then the guide commands just come from one direction, and the lash then becomes moot, as the axis never changes direction…

As for the RA, backlash does not matter on that axis as it never changes direction anyway, so no need to touch that….👍🏻

Exactly what I do with mine

I definatly think the temperature sensor has seen better days.

I think my cloudwatcher has just died on me (at least the IR sensor has) The reading for sky temperature for the past few days is -277 deg C ! I dont think so !! 

On 09/06/2022 at 21:37, david_taurus83 said:

I watch most of the main astro channels but my favourite tend to be Chucks Astrophotography and Astronomy Shed. Unfortunately Dion on AS no longer participates in the hobby but his videos are very good. They are informative but not glossy or over produced. That's appealing to me as the amateur/enthusiast as they feel more honest. Chuck has had many APODs though he does seem to have different rig for every target!

Astronomy Shed is no more im afraid

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AAG connected

Setup, the file location in my case is via a network location. but you  get the idea.

Mine works fine. but I am using it via the Solo

At least the important bit works - close when unsafe! 

Having a roll off roof I can't help with the observatory park

Imaged last month, NGC 40 was the main target, but managed to capture some remnant in the background.

under the equipment profile tab select - telescope and tick "park telescope when sequence completes"

Then under the "other" tab select  observatory ad hit slave settings - slave on sequence start ad mount park closes roof (shutter)

For the restart when safe.. you need sequence generator options/ sequence options ad tick the restart when safe box

As a safety monitor it will trigger an end of sequence action, so depending on what you have set for your dome that is what will happen, dome has to be synced to the mount first for it to work! I have a roll of roof so my end of sequence actions are close roof, park mount, warm up camera.

I started on a HOO target the other night, Ha went perfectly, but the Oiii was terrible, every star looked like it had gone supernova! So I set about establishing focus but to no avail, no matter what I did I could not get anywhere near focus so I sent the filterwheel back to the luminance filter to check if the focuser was working ok, it was then that I heard a crunching grinding sound. I set about stripping down the filterwheel only to find that the retaining ring holding the Oiii filter had totally come undone and dropped off followed by the filter glass, hence the grinding sounds as the wheel indexed. As luck would have it the glass and coating are unscathed apart from one tiny scuff to a coating close to an edge.

After reassembly all is well but I did find another retaining ring very loose.

Its worth a check now and again people, that could have been a costly incident.

It seems I shot this mosaic 9 years ago, 76 hours of imaging time with ED80/ QHY9.

It seems there is an echo of the witches broom in the top right, might be worth swinging the scope in that direction one day for a look-see.

I use a garage door opener controlled by  Sequence Generator Pro, weather monitor by Cloudwatcher Solo.

On 17/07/2021 at 09:57, Peter Drew said:

I've been sharpening drill bits freehand for over 60 years, one of the things you were taught during an engineering apprenticeship, remember those?      🙂

I was a tool room apprentice, we hand sharpened drills up to 3 1/8" diameter!

I have the older EQ8 and it had a shed load of Dec backlash out of the box, I adjusted it out myself and have had to do it twice more since, but, touch wood it's been fine since then

We have had them in the garden for the past 5 years, I put new nest boxes up last year so they move into the obs, obviously a better des Res.

Imaging suspended due to squatters in my observatory, a wren has decided to build a nest in the obs, I managed to seek in and cap the scopes but will stay away for the next month or so.

Every ruddy day!

You could try Prof. Brad Gibson, he has given a couple of talks at Cleethorpes astro, and a couple of zoom talks

https://www.hull.ac.uk/staff-directory/brad-gibson

If as you say, everything is a fuzzy blob, perhaps you are over exposing when focusing, try lowering the gain a touch

On the mount in the observatory ready to go.

I have an 8" RC and didn't bother measuring back focus, I had no clue where it was for my setup I just went with the tried and tested 'try it and see' method

52 minutes ago, seven_legs said:

Thinking of getting a Dob. I know of Orion Optics Uk but still waiting for a reply to my email I sent a couple of days ago.

so has anyone had any dealings with beacon hill telescopes lately?

i remember years ago my friend had a 10” dob from them and that was a great scope.

I have passed a message on to Barry at beacon hill for you. He is pretty much retired now but I do know he still does the mounts.