TerryJ

I got a good second hand EOS450D with a low shutter count from https://www.wexphotovideo.com Maybe worth a look there. Terry.

Thanks for this, now ordered.

Thanks for the kind words. I cant wait to get out again when the weather improves. Thanks for the link, will try it out soon.

I am in Honiton.

Thank you Carole and Nigella, looking ahead to more clear skies, but not looking like anytime soon down here in Devon. So I will keep reading, watching YouTube and looking to improve. Terry

Thanks for the kind words. Cannot wait for more clear nights. Terry

Hi all, Wasn't going to show this image at first but then thought "What the heck, just do it." M42 for my first attempt, maybe should of tried something easier, but hey ho. Firstly, I do not have the greatest gear, Skywatcher EQ3-2 goto mount, Celestron Nexstar 102slt, and started with a second hand Canon 450d EOS. Reason I say started with the Canon was that I left it switched on as I faffed about setting it all up, then went in for dinner and left it outside in the bitter cold, and it promptly died soon after, so I switched to Nikon D5300 dslr. Thought I was good to go so started taking light frames with BackyardNikon software. I took 32 lights of 30 seconds at ISO 800 and 10 darks. And then realised I was shooting jpeg only. Start again with RAW, Nikon battery dies....( note to self, sort out constant power supply). Thats when I switched to a bit of visual observing so as to not waste the evening. Anyway, decided the next morning to stack the images in DSS and then process in GIMP just to practise. Heres the result. Its not focused to well ( dodgy eyesight and first time with bahtinov mask), unguided, polar alignment wasn't fantastic ( too old to be grovelling around on the floor with a polar scope lit by mobile phone so I could see the reticle) and post processing is first time trying. But its my first go and therefore I am happy, and now hooked (wave goodbye to wallet). Two images, one in colour and then converted to greyscale for fun Thanks for looking, Terry

Happy here, the clouds finally parted here in East Devon, managed to get the binos out to see this event and grabbed a quick (blurry ) picture.

Sunny spells all morning here in East Devon, until about 12.15, then this .

PM sent.

Hi all, Had some clear patches tonight just as Saturn transitted the gap between the houses opposite. All I can say is wow, even though the seeing was not great and then the wind picked up, all i did for 30 minutes was to keep looking at the wondrous site within the eyepiece. I was using Celestron 130EQ, and used a 30mm, 15mm and 10mm eyepieces, with and without a x2 Barlow lens. Cannot wait to view it again. Cheers, Terry

Hi all, Been a while since I posted, what with work and cloudy skies here in West London. A couple of quick pics. Cheers, Terry 23rd Aug. 24th Aug.

Thanks for all the good advice. Followed astrobabys instructions. Was nervous at first but took the plunge. Managed not to break anything and stopped when I thought it looked ok. Will do again soon. Thanks again. Terry

Hi all, Thanks for all the great advice given here. Think I will spend Sunday reading and rereading then giving it a go. Terry

Hi, here's a quick shot down the eyepiece, still being very new to this, do the experts here think I need to collimate? Scope is Celestron Astromaster 130. Terry.