Aldebaran5

Welcome back. I have a very heavy cold at present but look forward to the evening when I can get the scope out again. So you not alone in in the desire not get back into the game. Keith

I found the video very useful. even tho I have a GoTo scope I have often thought about using the setting circles to find objects. Mus try sometime Keith

Now I wish I could do that. envious Keith

The best sky I never saw, was when my wife and I travelled to France for 98 eclipse. My wife got up in the night to do,{well you know womans things). She beckoned me to come and have a look at the sky but I was tired from driving so stayed in our camp bed. I think maybe I will live to regret that moment. She said the sky was like Blackpool Illuminations and what a treat I missed. I think, as well, that there were 5 planets on view, doh.

I use the 'The Field Guide to Deep sky Objects' by Mike Inglis. It gives a yearly account of stars, double stars, Nebulae etc by monthly observation. I find this very informative as it also gives you the coordinates as well. It explains the best time to view the objects Keith

Thanks for that guys, even I can now polar align more accurately. Do you need this accuracy if your using the sky mount with a camera? keith

Hi Jim Waltman, here are a couple of pics with the camera attached to the telescope via an adapter Regards

Hi Vacuum, I have a Sony a390 which, although is a good camera for every day use you need something on the lines of a Sony A6000. You can purchase an in camera intervalometer for time lapse photography. You can also buy adapters to fit on telescopes for much more enlargement. I am just about to set up ready for tonight viewing, which I haven't done for a while. I'll try and send a photo to you Regards

My first attempt at astro photography. Taken with a Sony A6000 and Sigma 30mm f1.4 lens. Problem was the moon was so bright.

When I had to collimate my Meade 8" SCT I waited til dusk and lined the scope with Polaris the Pole star. Once it was aligned I then switched off astro tracking and went to terrestrial, this way the scope wouldn't move from its pinpoint. It was then a case of defocusing the star until you could check the accuracy of the collimation. Cost: nothing Regards Keith

Hi Umbilic, I would try this way. Take a pic of the highlights and then another of the dark areas and blend them in LR or photoshop. I use Elements 18 for any blending. Or try them in PhotoMatix which is a purpose software engine for HDR Photography. Regards Keith

I think this is a Bridge camera which has an integrated lens so not a true DSLR. You can always try and piggy back the camera on the telescope to get our pictures and use the telescope for guidance.

Welcome Dave, I am about to start on a project called Build me an Ark. With so much rain now it might gain some backing from the lottery fund. Seriously tho, that sounds like a nice bit of kit you have there. My humble 8" Meade lx90 is just enough for me and my location so here's to more clear nights for us all. Keith

I too had a good viewing session last evening, The first for a long time. after carefully cleaning the mirror a few days ago it was well worth it. I managed to successfully align the scope to so I could go to any object. with a 17mm eyepiece, the sky was a joy to see. Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies, with Mars and double stars the targets, it was really a good viewing session. roll on some more.

Welcome Vixen, it seems that once you have the bug it stays