spillage

I have used a qhy5 (the old type) and still have it and zwo 120m (again older version usb2). Both have been great and continue to do so. The qhy is less fussy about the odd cloud coverage passing. For the extra cost I would no bother upgrading and the 120 has had my old neq6 guiding at under 0.4" so I cannot complain.

Thanks for all the replies and the cheers @Skipper Billy for the info and confidence that my collimation is okay. I will find some time tomorrow to adjust the spacing with some more spacers and check my focuser.

Hi All,

having issues with poor star shapes and not sure if anyone can point me in the right direction. using my quattro 8" with baader cc, Pa is good and tracking was about 0.4 last night. I am sure collimation is okay but not 100%.

Top Left

Top Right

Bottom Left

Bottom Right

single frame.

Yeah that looks the same as my settings.

Hi Derek 

If I am reading this right then you are talking about the secondary mirror.

I  find that making it just loose enough to rotate helps. Rotate it till its looks like a full circle in the focuser and then just nip the central screw a little so you can actually still move it if needed. You are not trying to tighten it soo much that it cannot be moved. Then you can use the three allen bolts for final adjustment.

I spent way too long trying to collimate my kit and I am still not happy with the results but I am getting better.

I think you may be best taking your time and not trying to rush to get those views. Us a night or two (even if its not clear enough for observing for clear enough to see some stars) Find a bright star and then focus out and in to make it look like a doughnut and see how it looks. With visual you do not need perfect collimation. 

I think it maybe

Looks like a lovely dark sky and that chateau looks very familiar.

I used to like bluefish.

Can the camera be seen in other software, atik infinity for example?  I would agree with downloading and installing the sx driver. Is this laptop running the same version of windows?

Flat will be dependant on the ADU level. I think I went for 18,000, but this may depend on your camera.  I see you have listed a 674 mono and I am sure that this camera may not need any darks taken so I would just try flats to take out dust bunnies and vignetting. I would maybe drop sx a quick email regarding their recommendations and flats and darks, I have always find them very helpful.

I use something similar to this and finds it holds okay.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/flo-compression-ring-adapter-for-skywatcher-newtonians-m54.html

@mark skelton Bias frames will be very very short exposures and the darks must match the same length of exposure as the light frames. If you use DSS then it will save a master in the same folders as the calibration frames.

I am rubbish a ps and gimp but just merging the two gave me this!!!

Have a look here to work out what is best for your needs http://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/ I think the 300p is the same scope on the list.

10 hours ago, Starflyer said:

Not too much, not too little. Slacken the bolts and then push the motor so it takes up the slack in the belt and then push it a tiny bit more, nip the bolts up again.

+1

3 hours ago, johninderby said:

The Skywatcher motor is very adaptable and fairly cheap. I just finished adapting it to two scopes.

I had never thought of doing that. Where did you get the belts and cogs from?

You can also use some silicone to fill the gaps.

If you are going to weld the top plate on then I would cut out slits in the pier to allow room to get a nut on the bolts and a ring spanner on the nuts. 

How are you going to attach the bottom plate and will you not need an owls nest? 

The belt tension just involves slackening off the bolts that hold the motor in place and using a bar or screwdriver to lever the motors to add tension then just nipping up the bolts. You undo the four panel screws and undo the dec and ra electrical connectors to remove the panel to gain access to the motors.

I have a focus motors on the 130 and 150 pds but not on the quattro. To be honest I have been using the quattro for a while now and do miss it. I have looked and do not think the skywatcher focus motor will fit it. I might ask in the forum.

Yes undo the screw nearest the worm and wind the screw furthest from the worm out. to disengage the worm and in to engage. From memory you wind in the top grub until you start to take the play out of the up and down movement of the casing. tighten up the four allen key bolts and bottom screw run it 360 and wind it in some more. You will get to a point where it will bind. Mine did in one spot. wind the screw out 1/8 of a turn and test again. I would suggest you attach you scope when slewing to ensure it is not binding under weight.

Leave the float adjusters alone for now if tight.

If I recall once the worm is near enough it can be a balancing act between the worm and float adjustment. I am sure mine is not 100% but I do average 0.6-0.7 and have had it down to 0.4 when guiding.

Not sure if these will these files will be downloadable but they are xml files that contain lots of targets along with the coordinates. These both can be imported to APT as a custom object to add loads of new targets. Let me know if they do not work and I can find a link for the direct download of the original zip files.

100 Best Astrophotogrphy Objects.xml Burnham Northern Tour - no stars.xml

@carastro are you using APT as you are able to download additional targets to your custom list or you can just open the file (mine opens in my browser) and then search for targets using the ctrl + f to find.

I have a small wooden frame over my mount/telescope that can be pulled off. This is only small and just enough room for me to squeeze in if needed. I run plastic pipe to the edge of my garden to a smaller wooden box that houses my computer and router.

Router is set up as a repeater and connected to cat5 lead from the house. Computer has usb to cat5 plugs and this runs off the a nearby shed that houses the monitor, keyboard and mouse and mains switches for the mount and computer. I can then stay in the shed for a bit or move into the house and just vnc into the imaging computer.

I guess it depends on you location and surroundings. In the future I will be doing some landscaping to the garden so may try and build a mini side off roof setup rather than something that looks like a demonic punch and judy hut.