Demonperformer

I have a feeling that the 'best' camera will be determined by the scope, because it comes down to matching the resolution of the scope and the size of the pixels of the camera (unless I have got it wrong).

Is it just me, or does this image of CR70 (from binocularsky.com) look like a swimming swan? (Facing left to right, with two of the belt stars half-way up each side of its wing and the final one being its the beak.)

Thanks, guys. A lot of what has been mentioned, I avoided because they are listed as "summer" objects and so now past their best. Some of the clusters (M37, M38, M103) are listed in the books I have as only showing as "a bright glow" in 10x50s. Are they better than that? And with so many other good clusters ... M44 will certainly go on a list for the new year (if he hasn't been totally scared-off by then!). I definitely like the idea of Uranus. And, thinking of SS objects, I wonder how much of the lunar-100 can be done with 10x50 bins? I will add M81 to the list. Ditto Stock 2. Steve, I am going to have to check out some of the things you list which are unknown to me. I take your point about the difficult ones. With other options available, I will remove them from the list. Thanks.

I am compiling a list of objects that can be viewed from southern UK during the rest of the year by a novice using a pair of 10x50 binoculars. This is what I have come up with (or should that be 'this is that up with which I have come'?). I think it gives a good variety with some stuff that might be a bit more challenging. It is fairly open-cluster-heavy, but I guess that is just the time of year we are approaching - and they do tend to look good in bins! Clearly, I will need to provide him with notes as to what he is looking at and how to find them, but I'm not putting all that in this post, just the bare-bones list. Before I pass it on, are there any objects you think should be included in this list that I have missed, or any objects on the list you think are ridiculously difficult and not worth a novice trying? Thanks. The List: Globular clusters M 15 M 2 Open clusters M 34 M 36 [end of year] M 39 [soon] M 45 (Pleiades) M 52 C 41 (Hyades) NGC 457 NGC 663 NGC 752 NGC 869 } Double NGC 889 } Cluster NGC 1647 NGC 7789 Mel 20 (α Per Cluster) Galaxies M 31 M 33 NGC 253 Bright Nebula M 42 [end of year] Planetary Nebula NGC 7293 [soon] Asterism Kemble's Cascade Double stars λ Ari (37") Σ163 (35") η Per (28") 15 Tri (143") ! colour contrast 11 Cam (180") ! colour contrast Variable stars δ Cep (Cepheid) β Per (Eclipsing) (Algol) RZ Cas (Eclipsing) ρ Per (Semiregular) μ Cep (Irregular) R Tri (LPV) [Max ~ 2/10/17 {8/1/17+267}]

Maybe it's my fingers, or the mount (NEQ6), but I always find the limitation with polemaster is the bolts that adjust the azimuth. Any software that can putperform the mechanical bits (again, either me or the mount) is good enough as far as I am concerned.

Hi You should have no problem getting Pluto with your setup. My first (successful) attempts at getting Pluto were with a 102SLT/DSLR using 30-second exposures (on the SLT alt-az mount). Admittedly, I could only confirm that it was Pluto because I took a second image the following night and it had moved roughly in accordance with the CdC predictions. And from your location it will be much higher in the sky - and you might even have some clear ones! Hope you are successful. Thanks.

I'm sure if you spoke to the person who handles all the software updates for our site ...

I was going to hit the 'Like this' button, but 'like' is not really the word ...

Don't want to 'jump' on your enthusiasm for the dome too much, but, if the NEQ6 option would require a bigger dome, isn't the mount the place to start, as you suggested above? - unless I have missed something (quite possible)? Would hate to see you put all the work into creating the dome and then come unstuck with the mount.

Gina, A thought ... not totally compliant with your ideas so far and not fully-fledged, but might spark something ... If you had a double sideways door, could you fit something (a rubber wedge?) to the underside of the door (side closest to dome) that would butt-up against the dome when shut, to keep the rain out, but would not obstruct opening? Don't see how this could be adapted to single door (as either only one side would be rain-proof, or the "wrong" side would have to be flexible enough to allow for opening, which could lead to it (i) not doing the job and (ii) snagging when you close the door). Does all this make sense? Not being an engineer, my desciptions may lack a little something ... As I say, not perfect for what you have described, but may spark an idea of your own ... Thanks.

Sorry for butting-in with a question to which everyone else may know the answer, but what is an "ADC" (in this context)? Thanks.

Well done, Michael. I am always impressed when people manage to capture detail on the planet + a moon (or more). All my images that include a moon have the planet horribly over-exposed. Any tips? Thanks.

Another thing you might want to consider is that these telescopes are quite transportable ... if you have access to a car, you could consider trips out of the city to a dark site. Members local to you might be able to offer suggestions as to specific locations, if you are not sure where exactly would be good ... maybe even arrange to meet-up? HTH

Very nice. It is just my personal preference when I say that I prefer the b/w version, but that is not to take away from a great pic of a terrifyingly difficult object.

I use the small magnified window to get it as close as possible (I tend to use the ends of the cross to judge the distance from the edge) and then click there and it seems to work ok. I think I have read somewhere that it is easier if you use a mouse with one of those roller things in between the two keys (I was never very good with names!), but I can't remember where and have never tried it, so maybe others can comment on that. But in truth, I wouldn't worry too much. I have always thought that the limitation of the system is the bolts used to adjust the mount (that's on an NEQ6, so not sure if the CG5 is better) and that the software works well beyond that. Have you checked your accuracy using something like PHD2? HTH