Tom123

Thanks for replying!

Ah right - yes, something must be jamming it from releasing then though it's quite hard to see if it's as you suggest. I'll put some WD40 on it and see if that helps - might shift any dirt and lubricate it.

Tom

So far I have tried unscrewing (thinking it might be on a thread - it's not), pulling and heating with a hair dryer; it just won't budge. I can't see any other grub screws so I don't think that's any option. Would WD40 work? I think it has a plastic cuff, so not sure how effective this might be. Is it just a question of persistence?

Any suggestions would be most welcome!

Tom

Hello

I have been attempting to attach a ZWO EAF to my focuser for my SW Equinox 80 but I have been unable to remove single speed knob (despite having removed the grub screw).

The focuser is this one (Equinoxes being discontinued a few years back):

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-focusers/dual-speed-2-crayford-focuser-for-sky-watcher-refractors.html

I have seen this so it should be possible to remove:

https://www.astronomylog.co.uk/how-to/how-to-add-a-skywatcher-auto-focuser-to-a-skywatcher-equinox-66-telescope/

Does anyone have any hints on how I might achieve this?

thanks!

Tom

Here's my first image of M33. I was feeling brave that night so this is my first time with 10mins subs - 3hrs in total. I feel it also really benefited just over an hour of darks. Two lessons learnt: get as much data as possible; darks really help with noise

Thanks for the comments ! I don't know if my technical will go as far as making a filter wheel, but I will eventually get my camera modded and buy a better guidescope - the finderscope has a very short focal length so PHD takes forever to calibrate. Beyond that I think I'm in fantasy land

Rather than an obsy, I own a campervan, which I use to escape from the city to the dark skies.

Yep, longer exposures, more of them... thanks for the advice

Now looking forward to September. Any advice on taking photos of M31?

Tom

Hello

here are a few photos I took when I first started out in AP last season - it has been a steep learning curve, heavily hindered by a large dose of cloudy nights, but well pleased with M27 and M104

Really looking forward to August/September...

Tom