spillage

Hi All,

I have just purchased some new skf bearing to give my mount a bit of a service and was wondering if I should remove the rubber seals, clean  and re-lubricate with superlube or just leave as is? I was planning on re lubing the RA and DEC tapered bearing but not too sure about the others.

Cheers,

Probably will not help but I have always found that getting close to the stated distance and then add or remove about 5mm check and then half it until it starts looking better and then do a little fine tuning. I wasted hours on my mpcc adding and removing minute spacers so decided that the bull in a china shop style works better for me.

Flats are relatively easy. When taking a flat you are taking an image of all the dust and rubbish in the imaging optical train and this dust and rubbish will be present on you lights. Stacking software will stack your lights and flat files and use the flat image to remove the dust from your light image.

As you can imaging dust will move around so it is best if possible to leave your camera attached to your scope,, your covers on when not in use and make sure nothing is rotated and this will allow you to use the same flats over and over again (until you see issue with a finished image).

Most capture software or camera displays will show a histogram and you are aiming for the flats to be about 1/3 in from the left hand side. This is achieved by using a light source (clear sky, light panel or even a white laptop screen). If its too bright then you can add material or sheets of white paper over the end of the scope to the required amount. Then take about 30-50 frames.

Maybe have a look here. Sorry if I have already repeated other peoples advice. Or made no sense!🙄

You could always make a wooden frame to go over the mount. This would keep the waterproof material off the scope and if you leave a gap at the bottom allow the air to circulate. 

Thanks for the reply. That is my thinking, I do have two neq6 mounts but only one has the belt mod. Knowing my luck the one without the belt mod would work meaning I would have to change it all around. One on ABS at the mo but still thinking it might be worth a punt.

Hi

Has anyone used one of the Aeroquest precision worm and ring for an neq6. I have read that they work well on some mounts but not others but I cannot find anything definite.

Not sure if I would be worth fitting one or not.

You can also download a couple of catalogs to add a load more targets. I think one is the  burnham. Give me a bit to dig them out. You just need to be aware that some are not correct.

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

Gear-objects-custom-import list.

Hi All,

Has anyone any idea what size grub screw is needed for the worm gear adjustment?

cheers,

If you have a android phone try SynscanInit 2 to help with the position of polaris within the clock. When I used to manually set up I would set up the mount and just by eye make sure it looked levelish and pointing towards polaris. Check the image on the app and then just align it. Attach my scope and if using the handset run a 3 star alignment. Using a pc directly is much easier with platesolve.

I have used APT and found it amazing for the price then ended up with SGPro which initially didn't do it for me and was ready to give up but if you push on it really starts to make sense. The only thing I struggle with changing profiles and sometimes when making a new sequence it decides to use some random settings. I am now on N.I.N.A and must say for a free piece of software it tops them all but very much like SGPro in how it works, very quick platesolving mosaic function and when you look up your targets its more like APT as it shows you a picture of it. But again I am still working a few things out.

I think if you like what you use then there is no need to change, I just like to fiddle around with new kit.

Hi

A PHD2 log file might be needed for those who really understand it and help more. Have you tried unbalancing the mount a bit in RA, try sliding the counter weights one way or another an inch or two and see how it then looks. I would also try increasing you guide scope exposure to maybe 2.5 or 3 seconds and see if this make any difference.

The main thing to be looking at is you images once they have been stacked and see how it looks. I too suffer from RMS fever and need to keep myself in check.

Take a look here as this will help with understanding the fov. I think the 130pds is not listed but is the same fov as the 130p. You may also at some point want to purchase a coma corrector and if you go with the baader one there will be no change but the skywatcher one  would be x0.9 so give a slightly larger fov. Just click the imaging tab an add you scope and camera from the list and a target to see how the different kit changes the fov.

16 hours ago, Starflyer said:

If it were me I'd have the following on my (second hand) shopping list;

Mount - HEQ5 ~ £500

Scope - 150PDS / 200PDS ~ £150 / £190

Camera - Canon 1100D / 550D ~ £150 / £200

Maybe a 130/150 pds as the 200 will have smaller fov and be much heavier. I would not waste money on new kit that is not suitable as you will just end up with a large loss financially. Buying second hand is the easier way as if you make a wrong purchase you can normally get your money back or a much smaller loss. I think most of us started out too small, thinking you will upgrade in a few years. How wrong was I and within months find yourself looking a other bits of kit that you should have purchased in the first place.

Could be tilt. Make sure that the imaging train is firmly pushed into the focuser and do up the screws a bit each. I found a adaptor like this helps. The baader mpcc should work well though.

sorry typo. Yes I meant darks not flats.

Thanks for the info Adam. Mine seems to be in RA and is better with a bit more weight loaded. With the quattro I can see .5 but with the 130pds I am struggling to get .8.  I might bite the bullet and replace some of the bearing and give is a quick service if I can find the time. I must admit the stars are not too bad but feel it could be a bit better.

when I used to use a dslr I would always run my flats either at the beginning or end of a session and you do need to make sure they are the same exposure time as your lights.

Would grease on the brass wheel also cause the mount be poor when rotating with the clutch released?

🤪🤣

Okay I think with the dslr you can get away with reusing your flats and bias but I would take new dark every session to match the temperature of your lights. I would also try dithering and then you might be able to do away with the bias frames.

I am sure this is not the first debate on here regarding telesope F speed and FL and it wont be the last. Anyway I'm off to go and lazer level up my eq tripod before running a PA routine.

Although this subject can become quite confusing.

4 minutes ago, Tommohawk said:

Just do the registration first without stacking.

+1

I am not sure what camera you are using but with a mono I only bother doing calibration frames from the L filter.

Once the master is created I dump the other files and then redo as and when is needed. As long as your filters are kept clean this should be okay but it depends on your set up and situation.

1st answer is that DSS saves the mater to the same folder location as the single calibration frames. So you can just load the master on its own if you are reusing the calibration frames.

2nd answer, Have you checked the number of stars found using the slider bar to make sure enough stars have been detected?

Much better than my first attempt. It maybe my monitor but can I see walking noise in picture? just wondering if you dither?

I am sure you will find the sweet spot. I have found that going over in both directions has given me a better idea on which way to go. I am sure my baader mpcc is no way near the manufacturers spacing but by going a good few mm under and over got me moving the right way and packet of delrin spacers helped me out in the end. 

I understand you reason for waiting and also the time it takes up to get it right. As I do not have a proper observatory I found working outside and due to the UK weather it took longer than it should have.