alacant

Well, that's me convinced. It just has to be an 8" f4 refractor for me!

If you're using a separate guide telescope [1], I'd recommend securing the main mirror with silicone; the pH neutral type which doesn't harden completely. A blob on each of the basal supports and the lateral felt lining is all that's needed and could save you the odd light frame or two. HTH Or not. It benefits all Newtonians;)

Or a yellow #8...

The armchair theorists. Ahhgghh!

OK, you're in! (with apologies to the ops, otherwise we'll be out of order hijacking the thread)

I understand what you are saying. It's unfortunate. The same happens with telescopes. It seems that you just have to have an ed80🙄 The forum seems driven by discussion of equipment. Anyway, we can but try. I try. You do the heq5 alternatives and I'll do the ed80! Cheers, stick with your eq3 and keep safe.

Hi Post a -link to- the PHD2 logs. They are available under the help menu. Meanwhile make a new profile with both mount and camera already turned on/connected to the computer and the mount guide speed set at 0.9. PHD2 will then take the correct settings from the hardware. Double check every setting. Make a dark library and try again. HTH

LOL Thanks. Well, usually we have wine and tapas to accompany the photons but ATM, nada. That has to change!

Hi The Quattro -nice- and the refractors will be fine. My experiences using cameras on scts with or without guiding are not publishiable on a family site. HTH

Hi. To be sure, I'd recommend this oag instead. Works right down to only 55mm. HTH

Hi everyone Well, with the social aspect of ap removed and with only a 90% moon to keep company, this does indeed become a lonely sport. Set the EKOS scheduler for the two targets at around 23:00 and then... Didn't know what to do to pass the time! Anyway, two meridian flips and a few dithers later I returned at sunrise to a parked 250p and what looked like some decent frames, albeit with strong moon -read: processing challenge- gradient. Thanks for looking and any suggestions and comments most welcome. 700d @ IOS800

Does that mean it's my turn to explain?!

I think with the 6d cropped to the size of a circle the 80mm refractor (I think it will cover aps-c with a decent ff) produces, the OP can safely fix the prism along the long edge. HTH

With a Canon 6d? the OP has a 6d. What were the adjustments you had to make? Thanks.

Please share the specific case that we may avoid. Thanks

You need a 1.25 eyepiece size guide camera for a helical focuser. The large diameter 120s will need to be focused by trial and error:( HTH

It would be good to know which of their oag-telescope combinations need adjustment. So we can avoid them. You can focus by moving the guide camera platform on the oag stalk, but a non rotating focuser makes certain you're dead centre of focus. Even if you use it only once it's worth it. Try the former and you'll soon see what I mean;) Cheers and stay safe.

Hi Yes. Just switch the whole oag-camera assembly from one telescope to the next. We use 250 f5 : 200 f4 : 150 f8 : 150 f5 : 130 f5 [1] all with the same prism settings with a dslr with no problems. We also get visitors with refractors. Still no issues. You do not need to change the oag focus or prism position. No calculations. No theory. Just practical in the field imaging. Our zwo120 has its sensor fully illuminated with all the telescopes. Simply change the whole camera-oag assembly from one telescope to the next, focus the main camera and done. This is based upon in-the-field-hands-on experience. Cheers and HTH [1] **EDIT: add to that a new hands on test with the same oag/dslr assembly on a 200 f5

Hi The 450 is the only DSLR we've found where dark frames don't introduce more noise. You need to shoot at ISO 400, take several shots then stack them. You also need to use a dark optimisation algorithm whilst pre-processing. Siril does it well and makes a noisy camera into something acceptable. HTH

Hand controller. Not with that cable. Once you start using the direct connection, you'll realise that the HC is surplus. If you really do want to use the HC, you'll need a different cable. Yes. For mount, guide and DSLR, a simple USB2 or USB3 hub with 4 ports works fine. I use these. No need to power it. HTH

Hi Maybe we could start a new thread with updates and tips for eq6 servicing? It could be e.g. that there have been changes to the mechanics since guides were written. I must admit to having a dive-in-and-pull it-to-bits type of approach so very much works-for-me advice. Something more official and up to date would be great. Cheers

Hi. Yeah, that's good news. The elongation is corner to centre. It it were a corrector, I'd say move it away from the sensor to shorten the aberration. As it's a reducer only, and the ff is a (non adjustable?) part of the optical train already, i'm not certain. A few mm may be all you need. worth a try?

Make sure that the worm housing isn't stuck. There's quite often paint or old grease inbetween holding the mating sufaces. After you've loosned the 4 bolts, give it a sharp tap to make sure it can move. The small worm adjusters should then move freely. Always begin anticlockwise and never make any adjustment until you are certain that the housing is loose. cheers

Hi The coma is the same in all 4 corners so unlikely to be tilt. Is the reducer advertised to be cover aps-c? How is it at f10? My only (not too good to say the least!) experience with this type of telescope was with an orange coloured c8 and the 0.63 reducer. Without the reducer, it was ok but we still needed a refractor field flattener to get anything like. JTOL but HTH.

+1 So, remove the RA worm covers and look the axle whilst you rock the telescope. If there's play, take up the endfloat by tightening the slotted nut. Or, if that's OK, slacken the 4 RA worm housing hex head nuts (in your video, the underside) then adjust the worm mesh using a 2mm hex key say 1/8 turn anticlockwise on the south adjuster and the same clockwise, north. After a few iterations you shpould be left with just a tiny bit of play. HTH