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gerardsheldon

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Everything posted by gerardsheldon

  1. Thanks very much. It was not that clear from the available information.
  2. I have a MPCC Mark III coma corrector (Baader) and a 294MC colour cooled. I am trying to get a 55mm back focus. I don't know where 0mm on the coma corrector is relative to the focal plane. By 0mm, I am referring to 0mm in the second photo with a camera where 55mm back focus is achieved with two extenders. If I ensure that there is 55mm to the camera in the first photo, is that correct? In other words, do I just use the two extenders and connect the coma corrector, having removed the thin ring that comes with the coma corrector (see red arrow in first photo)?
  3. Malcolm really tried to fix the mother board spending a lot of time, trying various things, and I appreciate all his efforts. He clearly knows lots about electronics. Whilst visiting Malcolm, I did get the bonus of playing with his very friendly dog and seeing his impressive telescope set up- everything is set up in a shed. So, he does not need to polar align every observing session like I do. I got a replacement motherboard (new type) and everything now seems to be working. In the end, it was surprisingly simple to replace the motherboard. I was not very confident, as I have limited experience doing these kind of things (the most advance thing I had done previously was add a SSD memory to a computer motherboard). One slight annoyance was that a washer fell into the daughterboard so I removed the daughterboard. I tested the RA. I put the mount on tracking, waited three hours and checked the time had changed by 3 hours on the RA setting circles, which it had. This experience has given me more confidence in taking things apart and putting them together.
  4. I removed the leaf and it may no difference whatsoever. It is not surprising as the leaf would act as an insulator. I watched some videos and think I can remove and put back a motherboard. It is less complex and difficult than I expected.
  5. Just googled this. A vacuum cleaner produces static which is not good for electronics. One has to use special electronic vacuum cleaner which are expensive. Shame as this seemed like a promising idea, and would have been easy and quick. I have just ordered some anti-static tweezers (arriving tomorrow), and will wear an anti-static wrist band. I am probably being over-cautious. My experience with MB etc is somewhat limited. I have managed to put a SSD memory on a computer motherboard and I did make circuits with a soldering iron when I was a teenager. (I understand what capacitors, inductor coils, etc. are)
  6. malc_c, thanks so much for your instructions. I was easily able to access the MB. . There is a bit of leaf under the MB. See first photo. That may be the problem. Otherwise the MB looks OK and is one of the old ones. I attach other photos. I tried to take out the mother board with a little tug on the wires (not enough to cause any physical damage). i got a bit nervous about static electricity. I was wearing an anti-static wrist band though. The leaf probably got there via the polarscope hole. Can you please advise me on how to remove the bit of leaf without causing any static electricity issues. Gerard
  7. Do you happen to know of any instructions on how to get access to the motherboard, for someone who has never dismantled anything on the HEQ5(Rowan belt upgrade)? Instructions for a real newbie!
  8. I will try this evening. The fact that it does not work with neither a laptop nor synscan handset makes me suspect the motherboard. I keep the mount in the shed Could dampness be getting in?
  9. I am desperate for any help. I thought I had sorted out my EQMOD/mount issue, and the system seemed to be working. Now I have another problem. When using Carte du ciel, and trying to to connect to EQMOD.telescope, it does not connect. The EQMOD window flashes up and then disappears. I have tried to change the settings on EQMOD but that does not help. I have checked the port: COM4. I have also tried using GSS, and get the message: "Mount: errNoResponseAxis1 Timeout" See photos. I have just tried the synScan handset, and I am getting a message "caution both axes no response !". I tried the mount with two 12V mains power supplies and it did not help.
  10. I found the problem. I looked at the time and observatory location on Carte du Ciel, but in EQMOD the observatory location was completely different. In Carte du Ciel, I chose the option to use the EQMOD location. It is very confusing that the locations can be different in EQMOD and CdC. I am not sure how this happened. I was able to track it down as EQMOD displays the Alt and Az of the object one has slewed to, and it was showing ridiculously low altitudes. Thanks Daz for your reply.
  11. I tried last night to get my telescope aligned with the stars. I started with the telescope in the home position and asked the Carte du ciel to slew the telescope to Lyra. I had selected EQmod Ascom HEQ5/6. I then got a message on the small rectangular window with RA,/Dec etc information: "horizon" "limited". I also tried to use ASCOM.gs.sky.telescope, and it pointed the telescope in completely the wrong part of the sky (East rather than West). I then moved the telescop to point at Lyra and sync'ed it. That didn't help though as slewing to another start didn't work. I checked my location and Carte du ciel time was the system time (near London UK). On a positive note, I found a new way to balance my Newtonian (an extra adjustment that seems to be balance the telescope with the camera coming out from the side of the telescope) and I was able to get round start with a 5 minute exposure without guiding. I tried out my new cooled camera. I was amazed what difference cooling make (I only cooled to -10C). Any help appreciated.
  12. My laptop is a lenovo T410. So old and USB2. See specs in image below. I have tried a recent ASI Studio. I tried the preview option within the the deep sky imaging component, and couldn't see any image on the screen. i think I will need to update my laptop. Any advice appreciated.
  13. Thanks for your replies. I have had a go with looping 1 second exposures during the day, but will have to see how it works when I get a clear night. Synchronicity, you mentioned a driver issue. How to check for that ? Thanks
  14. Currently, I can only get live view using Sharpcap for my 294MC pro colour cooled camera. That does allow me to get the image focused. I have tried to get live view with APT and NINA and no luck. In APT, the software crashes and does not really work. I have also tried firecapture which also does not work. I have got USB2 ports on my laptop which may be a problem. Sharpcap is not really designed for deep sky imaging and so I have to move to between Sharpcap, and APT or NINA. Is there any way I can get live view on APT or NINA or some other way?
  15. I have only tried it without the coma corrector and it works. I needed to use the extenders/adapters that come with the 294MC
  16. Thanks. i just did some approximate measurements and it does look like the sensors are in the same place. I didn't realise how deep the sensor is in the Canon camera.
  17. Can anyone please tell me why the focus position for the 294MC is much further back than the canon 1000D. They have been used in prime focus positions (without any other lens like comma corrector). The 294MC does have an IR/UV filter. I just can't work it out.
  18. I am in a similar position to you. I have recently got the cooled 294MC colour camera to replace my canon 1000D for my 130pds. My main challenges have been software. I can only get live view with SharpCap. So i currently using that, and then switching to NINA (or APT). For deep sky objects, I was advised the cooling is very important, so get the cooled version if you can. The 294MC requires its own power supply and cable to the laptop. The software gives you options that cools the camera and warms it (I understand that it is best not to warm it too quickly). I also got a un/ir filter and a coma corrector. I got a The focus position for the 294MC is much further back and I don't know why. I have asked why this is on another thread. Balancing the telescope on the mount (HEQ5) is trickier. Apart from the two normal ways of balancing the telescope, I also rotate the telescope in the tube so it does not go horizontal.
  19. I have just bought a ASI294MC cooled camera. I have access to APT and firecapture software. I can't see how to use APT to do planetary photography. Any advice on the software for planetary photography please.
  20. Thanks, that is really clear. Don't bother with fan cooled. If I can afford it, go for a decent peltier cooled camera. Otherwise go for a modern DSLR. There is a good company in the UK that modifies canons to allow Hydrogen alpha. (cheap astrophotography).
  21. I have a DSLR, 1000D canon, and want to upgrade my camera for deep space objects. As always, there are lots of choices. My options are: 1) get a better DSLR with lower dark noise 2) get a fan-cooled carmera like the 9294C Altair Hypercam 3) get a peltier cooled camera like the ASI533 peliter cooled camera I live in a quite a light polluted area, though occasionally I will go to dark locations. My questions are: a) can one get a DSLR with low dark noise that can perform similarly to a peltier cooled camera? b) Is it a false economy to go for a fan-cooled camera instead of a peltier cooled one? (I can't find any information about the temperature drop from a fan-cooled camera).
  22. One thought I just had. Do I remove the black tube used for eyepieces and connect the barlow to camera. I have just tried that but don't have anything that will connect the barlow to the DSLR. Is that what people do and how do I connect to a DSLR?
  23. Thanks. May be I am not reading the chart right. I thought the distance was between the surface of barlow lens to camera sensor. If so, then I can't see how that could be 10mm or less. The length of the Barlow itself is about 80mm and DLSR would be further out, so a total distance of 100mm or more. Other cameras can't go in very far in the top end of the barlow. I would be grateful for any clarifications. Thanks
  24. Thanks. I would only use the 3x barlow for imaging planets and the moon.
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