newbie alert

SGP  uses the same platesolvers as all the rest, ie ASTAP, platesolve 2, ASPS etc... Platesolve 2 was developed by platewave instruments and have been kindly donated freely open source... The Celestron CPWI ( Celestron plane wave instruments)  software is built around this ... ASTAP is very fast, very accurate... Like blackmagic

5 hours ago, MikeBY said:

Here's the problem with EdgeHD scopes and full frame sensors:

The op is using a 2600, which is APS-C 

1 hour ago, Andy56 said:

Hi,

I've been using APT for about a year or so and thought I'd give NINA a try.

I've had a few successful nights but there's a feature in APT that I cannot find in NINA.

With APT you can plate solve an image from the camera or a file and send the coordinates to Stellarium with the "Show" button in the "Point Craft" window. This shows a box in Stellarium representing the image with the location and rotation. This is after I've set the focal length and sensor size etc. in Stellarium.

This allows me to check the coordinates and the rotation compared to an earlier session especially if I've rotated the camera wrt the telescope. Stellarium also shows the object and allows me to chose the rotation to get the best framing.

Does such a button exist in NINA? 

I can plate solve images in the Imaging screen but the image is not good as its only one sub usually.

 

Many thanks

 Andy

Easy, plate solve the image in apt and transfer the coordinates to the framing wizard in Nina and check the orientation 

20 hours ago, Stanga said:

Yes of course, I meant polar alignment.

I guessed that I would have to do a two or three star alignment on top of the polar alignment, but needed to confirm.

Yep, polar align first then star align

With my 80 I think I either used a diagonal or a 2 inch extension adapter, or maybe both... 

I take it by Polaris alignment you mean polar alignment?

For a goto ( pointing) to work correctly you need to star align, usually 3 star alignment and to more accurately you center the star the more accurately the targets will be... 

Moving on you can use platesolving software to very accurately point to the target but this is usually done for people deepsky imaging

Enjoy the learning curve, and ask plenty of questions to help you along the journey 

So a eq5 pro is run on gears and not belts? If it's a gear to gear then that indicates that they're not meshing that well... Are you meshing the gears or adjusting the worm with the grubscrews? 

Screeching usually means the worm is too tight but could mean the clutch is too tight and pushing the ring gear over to one side meaning you're getting binding on certain parts of the rotation 

On 01/02/2023 at 13:48, MG01 said:

I've recently picked up an Atik 383 OSC and I wanted to get my focus and OAG aligned during the day.  But I can't seem to take anything but complete white frames, even at the shortest exposure.

I don't know if there's a setting somewhere I've not found but if anyone has any ideas I'd appreciate it.

If doubt it , as the shortest exposure will still be far too long to expose the moon properly 

On 01/02/2023 at 16:14, Elp said:

What is your shortest exposure? Have you set the gain low (if it has gain adjustment)?

It's a ccd, no adjustable gain

1 hour ago, StuartT said:

I don't use a guide scope. My understanding was that with an OAG you should use the FL of the imaging scope, no?

Yes you do

The settings etc all used to be accessible from the brain tab on the older versions, it's fairly easy to find although I could tell you exactly where it is  now without looking at PhD .. once you get the hang of PhD it's fairly straightforward and hassle free..

Quite a difference in prices...

£515-£1800

Well good luck with them Jon, hope they exceed performance but having a Eq8 and a cem120 to compare to puts the bar fairly high to begin with....

6 hours ago, Sabalias said:

I did find that there was a badly cast area within the mount (I don't think it was impinging on anything but I sanded it down anyway). Not sure what else I could have done without some dedicated machinery 😂

No machinery needed...

18 hours ago, Jon A Chard said:

Great and exciting news!!!

 

I took a leap of faith and ordered two JTW Trident 75's through JTW distributor - ENS Optical.  They were passed through UK customs today and Steve has offered to personally deliver by end of week.  After reading the very positive review by Peter Shah and with many supportive conversations with Steve @ ENS, I'm confident that these will meet my expectations. 

 

I'm hoping to provide some images of the packaging and products as soon as possible and a lightweight review once I have them mounted on the pier. 

 

I'm no equipment specialist, but I do have fairly extensive experience with NEQ6/EQ6r/EQ8, CEM 26/40/60ec/120. 

 

Can you do a review Jon as not much feedback from mount users dispute many now being shipped...

4 hours ago, PeterCPC said:

Good idea. Some filters can cause bloat.

It would bloat all stars not just the bright ones.. bloat and halo's are  caused by different things

1 hour ago, oymd said:

 

And this is what I meant by the RA wobble

IMG-3677.MOV

It could be from the worm carriage housing...

I've got a cem60 and had an issue where in PhD it would guide fine for a minute or so and then dive off a cliff edge and eventually lose the guide star... It caused me no end of trouble... Thinking it was belt tension I opened up the cover ( mine was on the Dec axis) and the belt looked ok, seemed to have the right tension but lucky I moved the axis and physically see the cradle move I just tightened up the 2 grubscrews and never had an issue since... Might be worth a check, assuming your 40 shares the same setup

Your backlash result pic, you know it's measuring your Dec axis, so nothing to do with Ra 

2 hours ago, DDH said:

thanks for the replies,  My guide scope is an Artesky ultra guide Mk2 60mm which the ASI 120 fits in, I hope to be able to control all with a windows 10 laptop and I have a usb 3 powered 4 port hub.  So far I have not been able to see any images on either camera. Which of the softwares is the easier to setup, I did try PHD2 but got lost with which mount to use.  Before spending more cash on ASI air I would like to see if what I already have works.

It will work fine, no need for a air

Have you installed the ascom drivers for all cameras, devices, are you using eqmod for the mount?

If you took your car in for a super tune and the mechanic replaced a few components and a re-grease is that just a service??

There's a whole host of other things you can do to a mount that wasn't paid enough attention to , even at the factory... 

And yes a gritty bearing should be replaced

Hi and welcome , also from Kent... Ashford 

6 hours ago, Elp said:

Also an image of how you've mounted the camera. I suspect your backspacing isn't set right.

Makes no difference with a small sensor

Scrap that .. read it as a 462,which I assumed being used for planetary..

On 25/01/2023 at 12:57, oymd said:

 

Thank you both for your advice!

"Slippery slope financially"

Show me something that ISN'T a slippery financial slope in this crazy hobby!

So, my point is, using any of your two suggestions, will that allow mw to properly image the sun, or it will be some kind of bad basic compromise?

They seem to be very expensive options, so want to know if any of them will work well, and give me good solar imaging options?

I realise that the high end solar scopes are £££, and I am realisitic. I am not aiming for that.

Just a good solar scope for visual, and more importantly some basic imaging. (still do not fully understand solar imaging, but I hope I can get YELLOW images of the sun, not just the basic white/grayscale)

Many thanks

Ossi

The colour comes from the processing, so white light can still be yellow, or red or whatever colour you want... Same  applies with HA ...

3 hours ago, PeterCPC said:

@Adam J

Tried again with the artificial star last night and the air was much less turbulent. Temperature was 5C.

When I transformed these from FITS to jpeg they were much brighter than they appeared on the laptop screen so the first one showing the star in focus (by Bahtinov) is not much help I think. I managed to darken the others sufficiently I hope. 1-6 were taken from in focus going out. 7-10 were taken just past focus going the other way (if that makes sense)

 

Are these bites out from the sides from collimation clips, does anyone know?

I remember seeing that scope and drooling, I've always wanted a 130mm frac and that was affordable ( but not for my pocket at the time) and slightly different, ie carbon tube, f6.5...

Did the previous owner experience the same issues, as I remember it, he sold up all his kit

The issues you have saddens me as more and more often I'm seeing secondhand unfit for purpose items sold for quite high prices...

Been on the receiving end of that a few times but not to the level that you're experiencing...makes me questioning if buying second hand really worth the lottery but puts the honest people in the same category as the dishonest

Hope you get it sorted, but taking a breather may make you re-evaluate things clearer..

6 minutes ago, Trippelforge said:

It helps, I believe the locking nut needs a special tool to loosen or tighten. At least from what diagrams I found, it has like 2 holes in it, it's weird. But I am going to assume if that needs adjustment the worm gear itself will wiggle back and forth. I did test after I tightened the bolts, I noticed that they had some effect on the movement. I backed off a bit and just made sure they were snug and not overly tight. That seemed to relieve a bit of pressure. It helps! Thank you!

Sounds like you're talking about the locking nuts on the worm shaft, the part with the 2 holes is an outer case and the part that needs a special tool is underneath.. you only need to undo those if you want to change the bearings or if you have lateral movement on the worm shaft itself... That only if it's the part you're  talking about...

I try to find some pictures to save some crossed wires