Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

david_taurus83

Members
  • Posts

    3,881
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by david_taurus83

  1. On 27/02/2024 at 22:51, AstroGS said:

    @david_taurus83 I just started using NINA/PHD2  and the results are pretty consistent as well. For a reason I feel that it performs better now (round stars end-to-end) than previously although the figures say the opposite! Here are some recent screenshots from PHD2. Also, I am using shorter exp times (1 sec) vs the 2 secs that I had with the ASIAir Plus. However, I would say that on an average is around 0.7-1 consistently and ham getting round stars to edge even at 600sec exposures.

    Image 19-02-2024 at 19.22 (3).jpeg

    Image 19-02-2024 at 19.22 (2).jpeg

    Image 19-02-2024 at 19.15.jpeg

    I did actually get round to doing a comparison of the AM5 guided by PHD2. As I suspected, the PHD results were more reasonable with an average guide rate of 0.8". The point of my thread was not to cast a shadow on the AM5 and its abilities, its a great mount and if I didn't have an AZEQ6 on my pier, I would have probably kept the AM5 as my main mount. I was trying to see if my long held suspicions about ASIAirs guiding graph figures were a bit on the generous side. Which they are!

    https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/415062-asiair-am5-guiding-results/

  2. On 28/02/2024 at 19:22, DaveS said:

    My mojo.

    Same. Not been feeling up for much astro lately. I used to check Clear Outside multiple time everyday seeing if there was a chance of a few hours. Relentless cloud for months and a rubbish start to the year has dampened my urge to do anything lately.

    • Sad 1
  3. The Esprit focuser is rack and pinion but only on the course side. The fine focuser mechanism is a sort of Crayford type design. I had an auto focuser on this for a while but the fine focus started slipping. I had to change to an auto focuser to fit the course side. Not all auto focus units have the torque to move the course side though.

    • Like 1
  4. On 04/01/2024 at 19:12, ollypenrice said:

    I'll say it again: dither is for DSLRs and, maybe, CCDs. 

    CMOS?  Why?

    Olly

    And CMOS. I don't bother with the task of taking multiple sets of darks for different exposure lengths. Just a set of Bias frames for a master bias and dithering takes care of hot pixels and walking noise. That is of course with the newer CMOS with no amp glow.

  5. This was hard fought material to gather. Started back in October and gathered the last sessions worth a few weeks ago. Almost every night was mithered by unexpected clouds and the best nights weren't forecast clear at all! Still, managed a touch over 14 hours worth. It's a bit brighter than I would normally process but all that dust!

    Esprit 100 and ASI2600MC, no filter.

    421 x 120s subs, 100 gain, 50 offset.

    Processed in Pixinsight.

    M45v2.thumb.jpg.9b53903afb4e83776e068352e9668be4.jpg

    • Like 24
  6. 34 minutes ago, orly_andico said:

    What sort of wattage is on those dew straps?

    I bought a pair off Amazon (18 quid for a pair! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09D7FSHBH), not astronomy-specific (apparently the long tele owners have the same problems.. who knew?!) and it's only 10W across both of them (gets power from a 5V 2.1A USB port). I don't know if that's enough given how cold it gets these days...

    I don't have theft concerns because I'm on a first floor balcony. Definitely different case if it was a garden. Also, I don't intend to keep the cameras, scopes outside at all - just the mount.

    About 5 or 6 watts if they are on full power. I leave the Pegasus power box to control them dependent on temperature and humidity. It's rarely at 80% power under the cover.

  7. I've had my AZEQ6 outside now for 2 years under a TG cover. No rust at all apart from the usual surface corrosion on the counterweight bolts. The trick is to keep humidity at bay under the cover. I use a dew strap turned inside out (warm side facing out) and left running 24/7. No condensation forms on the mount or scopes this way. That's an old picture below but gives the the general idea.

    20220313_165131.jpg.f5c3524120ef1d0de35bad928e7de8bb (2).jpg

  8. Another few rounds with the AM5 on the pier and guided via regular PHD2. 

    Screenshot2023-11-11122240.thumb.jpg.133ad9a317c0244d6af304c5b5333f9e.jpg

    14_11_23.thumb.JPG.f1db5f416a4f022858501dd7a88e2035.JPG

    24_11_23.thumb.JPG.a92c5a9c338f32a22a59b8cf7841e1d4.JPG

    Typical guiding rates of around 0.8"RMS throughout the sessions. I tried both Hysterisis and the PHD PPEC algorithms with not much difference between them both. It certainly never got down to the 0.4" levels usually reported the the ASIAir graphs. I think it's safe to say that my original suspicions of the Air figures are correct, at the very least the in app graph is wildly optimistic. This is not to say the AM5 is a bad mount, it's not, it's definitely up there with performance levels of a SW EQ6 class mount. More than adequate for most of us hobby folk though it prob is limited to focal lengths of less than 1000mm, which is in fact what ZWO recommend.

    I did also manage a couple of sessions with the AZEQ6 and ASIAir Mini. I have my Redcat on there at the moment and it does look a bit silly on the AZEQ6 so I will be swapping it back onto the pier next weekend weather permitting. The guiding logs show what I would consider decent guiding for a SW mount even with an OAG but considering I have a 30mm F4 mini guidescope on there so with a pixel scale of 6.45" per pixel I think the typical 0.6"RMS in the logs is also a bit suspect. What I find strange is the logs on the Air report that corrections aren't issued with every exposure whereas on regular PHD on the pier corrections are issued with every exposure so I wonder if this is a factor in the overall RMS score for the Air logs. Both setups are set to 0.1" min move BTW.

    ASIAir11_11_23.thumb.jpg.3997f4f98a243b8c633e72fa3e32c6b3.jpg

    ASIAir24_11_23.thumb.jpg.9b0b62a1368421ec3bdd083b06b3bad9.jpg

    The nail in the coffin for the Air graphs in my opinion though is this screenshot I took on Friday evening after I setup the AZEQ6. With 1s exposures as well.

    Screenshot_20231124_200948_ASIAIR.thumb.jpg.a68798b2377c20546f5da93629e5c541.jpg

    Yeah right!

    • Like 2
  9. I downloaded the APK from the ZWO website as it appears to be a larger file size than what's on the Google play store so I wonder what/why has the Play store version been trimmed smaller? I seen on the FB site that people had issues with the Play version that appeared to be resolved by installing the larger file from ZWO. If you do go that route then after installing, Play will still recognise it so untick the option to auto update.

  10. Another test a couple of nights ago. Same as the first night, an average of around 0.8"RMS. It was OK before a meridian flip but later in the night there are large deviations. I am hoping it was due to passing cloud but as it was unattended I can't be sure. The weather hasn't justified setting the AZEQ6 up to see what the Air reports on that.

     

    Screenshot 2023-11-07 212910.jpg

    Screenshot 2023-11-07 212950.jpg

  11. 8 hours ago, knobby said:

     

    ps  - that must be the strongest coffee tin I've ever seen !

     

    Lol its full of concrete! I just couldn't stomach the £200 or whatever it was for the ZWO extension. Might sound a bit daft considering how much I paid for the mount and camera last year but I promised myself I was done with astronomy purchases this year. 

    • Like 1
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.